After life: how Swedish ‘death cleaning’ helps with losing loved ones

The process also forces us to rethink our relationship to material possessions, writes Michael J. Coren

Things take up space in our minds, well beyond what our attics and garages hold (Getty)

When my mum died last year, she left a will – unlike more than half of Americans. It was a small mercy because we could deal with our grief without lawyers or probate courts.

Her belongings were another matter. A few years before she died, my mum had moved into a one-bedroom apartment. It was mostly clean and tidy whenever we came to visit. So when the time came, we thought it would be manageable. We were wrong.

Over the years, my mum had added many things to the home. Yet she rarely let anything go. Behind the closet doors hung racks and racks of clothes, many unworn in years. Kitchen cabinets were stacked with pots and plastic storage containers. In the garage sat bulk orders of tissues and hot sauce. Each item, on its own, wasn’t unreasonable. The aggregate proved overwhelming.