We know you love your Swedish gifts — at Scandinavian Shoppe we sure love all of our Scandinavian products. But we also know which Swedish gifts carry a rich history and which are gifts that we don’t have to feel guilty re-gifting to someone else.
This is where spring cleaning comes in. In Sweden, they have something called the “Swedish death cleaning” or “dostadning.” Sounds intense, right? Well the purpose of this death cleaning is to organize your belongings before you die. This alleviates stress on your family and prioritizes your possessions before you’re gone.
Even if you’re not ready to start death cleaning, you can still think about your stuff in this way. Instead of focusing on what “sparks joy,” think about what your things do for you right now and what they will do for your family after you’re gone.
If you want to learn more about the process of Swedish death cleaning, Margareta Magnusson’s book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning is a great place to start.
Tips for dostandning
Ready to try dostandning for yourself? Swedish death cleaning doesn’t mean you have to get rid of everything right now! Follow some of these tips to help you go through certain areas of your home and clean out things you don’t need anymore.
Clothes First
Spring cleaning can feel overwhelming, especially with all this talk about Swedish death cleaning. Starting with your clothes will make this process easier. If it doesn’t fit or you don’t wear it or like it, get rid of it!
Re-gift
We know you love your Swedish gifts, but if you have too many of them, think about sending them to a new home. Don’t re-gift junk, but if it’s something you could do without but still holds value, it could make the perfect sentimental gift for a friend or family member.
Have a party!
When we say re-gift, we don’t want you to try rehoming everything you’re cleaning. Instead, invite some friends and family to come over and look through your donate pile. This will make your cleaning process fun and save you from having to haul stuff to other houses.
Go through memorabilia
This might sound hard, but we all have cards and homework assignments dating back to middle and high school. Give yourself one box and fill it with the most important memories and paperwork. See if there are certain things you can digitize to also reduce the space those memories take up.
Think before you buy!
This is very important. We love our Scandinvian products as much as the next person. But when you go to buy another Swedish gift for your home, think about what it will add to your home.
Extra tip: Instead of buying a lot of smaller Swedish gifts, save up for that bigger decoration you’ve been wanting — like a Dalahorse crystal sculpture or a pair of Pablo clogs. The reward will be greater and you’ll keep unnecessary clutter out of your home.
Find Scandinavian products at Scandinavian Shoppe
At Scandinavian Shoppe, we can’t imagine our lives without Swedish gifts. But we also understand the importance of spring cleaning and the larger sentiment behind Swedish death cleaning.
If you need sentimental Swedish gifts, shop our Scandinavian products and find something that will brighten your home this spring and not just take up space. But also make sure you surround yourself and your home with just the right amount of stuff.