- Stars on Peacock's "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" shared decluttering tips.
- Swedish death cleaning is all about living life with purpose and getting rid of what you don't need.
Swedish death cleaning, a decluttering method made popular by author Margareta Magnusson, can be a great way to get rid of the things that you don't actually need.
The method focuses on discarding or donating items an individual's friends or family wouldn't have the need to keep once the person has died.
Insider asked experts from Peacock's "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" to share some of their best decluttering tips.
Start decluttering as soon as you can
Though it might seem daunting, you shouldn't wait until you're a certain age to start Swedish death cleaning — or any type of decluttering, for that matter.
"Someone should start as soon as they have started an independent life so things don't pile up too much over time," said Johan Svenson, a designer and host on the show.
If you're someone who has let things pile up, Svenson suggests starting small so you don't get too overwhelmed with the process. Warm up with easy items and look through the things you have a less emotional attachment to, such as unnecessary duplicate kitchen equipment.
Ask yourself some important questions
Ella Engström, an organization coach and host on the show, shared the importance of tuning in and asking yourself a few vital questions before reaching for the trash can.
Ask yourself if you've used an item in the past year. What's the likelihood of buying this item again? Would you actually remember if you had it a few months or years from now?
"If you don't have a clear 'yes' to these questions, it's a clear 'no,'" said Engström.
Assign each item its own space
If you feel like you have too many items laying around work areas, at the bottom of the closet, or in junk drawers, Katarina Blom, one of the show's hosts and an expert in the psychological aspects of Swedish death cleaning, suggests assigning items to their own spaces.
According to Blom, it's important to note the power of the emotional side of why you're avoiding organization as you get in the habit of putting things back where they came from.
"Ask yourself if there's anything you are emotionally avoiding and procrastinating in your life," said Blom. "What could you gain from exploring that thing that you otherwise avoid? It could be through talking to a friend or just journaling. The important thing is to actually go there and explore."
Use color coding to ensure decision-making is a little easier
According to the experts, using red and green stickers to organize items worth keeping and what no longer fit into your life is a great habit to get into.
Visually seeing marked items can make things clearer and may help you become more ruthless, especially if the green pile is bigger than the red. This way, it's easy to evaluate if there's enough space to give all of those green items a home.
Test if you'll actually miss the item
If you're stuck on whether to keep or get rid of an item, the experts suggest using the dilemma-box method.
"You place the things you are unsure about into the box, close it, and after a month you can bring it out again," Blom told Insider. "All the things you can name in the box without looking, you keep. The rest, you should donate."
Engström also said "it's time to let go" if you haven't missed the item while it's been in the box
Remember that small progress is still a step in the right direction
According to Engström and Svenson, gradually getting rid of items and getting into a routine with Swedish death cleaning can also be productive.
"I often see people become overwhelmed with shame and guilt once they start going through their belongings," said Engström.
The expert recommends taking small steps, and reminding yourself how good it feels to be kind to yourself and declutter.
"You don't need to make all the decisions right away," Svenson told Insider. "Implement an ongoing routine so it doesn't become overwhelming."