The KonMari Method® and Swedish Death Cleaning

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In a world increasingly obsessed with minimalism and organization, two popular methods have gained significant attention: the KonMari Method® and Swedish Death Cleaning. While both approaches aim to create a more organized space and promote mindfulness about our belongings, they stem from different cultural backgrounds and philosophies. I will explore the similarities and differences in the two methods, after a quick summarization of each one, based on my takeaways from the two books cited below and my professional experience.

A common way to shorten Japanese names is to combine the first syllable of the surname with the first two syllables of the given name, so Marie Kondo’s nickname is KonMari, which is now registered. The KonMari Method® is Marie Kondo’s organizing philosophy, and KonMari® Consultants like me have been trained and certified in that particular method.

Swedish Death Cleaning (or döstädning) is a well-known concept in Sweden and in Scandinavian culture at large, in which you eliminate unwanted items from your home so that your loved ones are not burdened with the task after your passing.

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS

The KonMari Method®

The KonMari Method® is a celebration of joy and mindfulness in organizing. Marie Kondo's approach, explained in detail in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, emphasizes the emotional relationship you have with your belongings, advocating that you should only keep items that "spark joy." The method encourages individuals to touch each item, consider its value, and make conscious decisions about what to retain. This philosophy promotes creating a personal sanctuary and cultivating happiness and self-care through mindful organization. The main question to ask yourself is, “Does this item spark joy?”

Swedish Death Cleaning

On the other hand, Swedish Death Cleaning is rooted in a cultural perspective on death and legacy. Popularized abroad by Margareta Magnusson, author of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, this method encourages individuals, particularly older adults, to declutter their possessions while they are still capable, so that their loved ones don’t have to deal with a mountain of belongings after they pass away, while grieving. The process focuses on gently assessing items and determining what to keep, discard, or pass on, often fostering a sense of closure and emotional readiness for the future. The two main questions to ask yourself are, “Will I ever need this again?” and “Will anyone I know be happier if I save this?”

SIMILARITIES

Despite their different cultural contexts and philosophical underpinnings, both the KonMari Method® and Swedish Death Cleaning share common goals.

1.       Mindfulness and intentionality: Both methods advocate a mindful approach toward belongings. They encourage individuals to assess and reflect on what they own and why they keep it.

2.       Decluttering: At their core, both methods aim to declutter spaces. They seek to eliminate excess belongings that don’t bring value or happiness to one’s life. And both methods advocate doing this once, with lasting results, as opposed to doing a bit here and a bit there for years on end.

3.       Emotional connection: Each approach recognizes the emotional weight possessions carry. Both methods prompt individuals to consider their feelings toward their items and how those feelings impact their living spaces.

4.       Prioritization: Both methods emphasize the importance of prioritization—whether it’s the need to reduce clutter to ease the burden on loved ones or the decision to keep only joy-sparking items.

5.       How to live one’s life: Despite using different vocabulary and framing things differently, both methods have the same end goal: to allow you to spend more time on the things that matter to you (i.e., living your ideal life or planning for an easier, calmer future). While it is true that Swedish Death Cleaning enables acceptance and grief, it is steeped in positivity and joy, just like the KonMari Method®.

DIFFERENCES

While the similarities are notable, there are also differences between the two methods.

1.       Cultural context: Swedish Death Cleaning arises from the Swedish perspective on mortality and legacy, while Marie Kondo’s philosophy is grounded in Japanese culture’s emphasis on simplicity and mindfulness. The inevitability of death is central to Swedish Death Cleaning, while Kondo’s approach is focused on joy and meaningful living.

2.       Target audience: Swedish Death Cleaning is primarily aimed at older adults who wish to prepare for their death and reduce the burden on their families. In contrast, the KonMari Method® is aimed at anyone, regardless of age, seeking general organization in their life.

3.       Process: The KonMari Method® is structured around a specific order of categories (clothing, books, papers, miscellaneous, and sentimental items) to promote an effective decluttering process; decluttering is done by category, not by room. Swedish Death Cleaning lacks a formalized step-by-step structure but instead promotes a more personalized, introspective approach depending on individual circumstances and emotional readiness. However, both start with easy wins and keep sentimental items for the end.

4.       Focus: While both methods promote living your best life, Swedish Death Cleaning encourages you to keep in mind the effect your passing (and passing ON of items) will have on your loved ones, whereas the KonMari Method® is focused on you and your current life. Moreover, the KonMari Method® focuses on what you keep, whereas Swedish Death Cleaning (and most other methods!) focus on what to let go.

WHICH METHOD IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Ultimately, the choice between the KonMari Method® and Swedish Death Cleaning depends on individual preferences and circumstances. If you are an older adult or facing significant life transitions, Swedish Death Cleaning may resonate more strongly with you, allowing for closure and preparation for the future. Conversely, if you seek to infuse joy into your existing living space and foster a more positive relationship with your belongings, the KonMari Method® may be your best fit. Think of the method that most resonates with you and motivates you.

Incorporating elements from both methods can also be beneficial. Evaluating what sparks joy while considering the emotional and practical aspects of our possessions can create a uniquely tailored approach to organizing that respects your past, present, and future.

In conclusion, both the KonMari Method® and Swedish Death Cleaning offer powerful insights into organizing and decluttering, emphasizing mindfulness and emotional connection. Whether you are preparing for the future or simply seeking a more joyful space, understanding these methods can help guide your journey toward a more organized life.

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Hi there! I’m Amélie, a professional home organizer in San Antonio, Texas. I help people like you declutter their home, organize their belongings, and simplify their life. I love cleaning out a closet and removing a carload of donations from a home! My goal is to help you create a functional space that will make your life easier and more peaceful.

Interested? Check out my personalized services or book your complimentary consultation!

Limiting beliefs

I’ve been thinking about limiting beliefs recently. By “limiting belief,” I mean things that you believe, subconsciously or not, and that end up getting in the way of the life you want. This can happen on different scales and different topics, but let me use a few very recent examples from my life to illustrate.

I went to Fiji during spring break. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, essentially made possible by the confluence of different factors (major sale on plane tickets, low season which meant lower hotel prices, window of time when I could step away from responsibilities at home, not to mention bucket-list item). But even then, even as much as I was looking forward to it, I didn’t feel completely comfortable with the idea. The types of thoughts swirling in my mind were, “Do I deserve to go?” “People like me don’t go to Fiji.” “That’s crazy, that’s not the kind of trip I can go on.” And why? (Spoiler alert: I did go, and I had a wonderful time!)

Here’s another example from earlier this month. I live in San Antonio, where there is a SeaWorld park that offers dolphin interactions. Being in the water with, and touching, a dolphin has been a life-long dream of mine. And yet. And yet, I wasn’t booking the experience, because it just seemed like a crazy thing to do. Other people do this, but it’s too... what, fancy? out there? only rich people do that? only lucky people? My husband then gifted me the experience for my birthday. Honestly, considering that you don’t even have to buy tickets to the park for this (only tickets for the dolphin encounter, which is technically just outside the park), it’s really affordable! I had such a good time, too; it was everything I’d hoped for. This is something that was easily doable, right where I live, and still it took someone else to get me to do it. I’m grateful to my husband, but I really should have done it for myself years ago!

Then I went to see Brené Brown speak at Trinity University on April 16th. This event was open to the public, and free to boot, and still there was a little part of me that felt like it was too much for me. And again, it can be big things like “She’s one of the most sought-after speakers world-wide – do I even deserve to be in that room?” to little things like “What about parking?” and “I don’t usually go out in the evenings.” I know this is a pattern for me, so I just got a ticket and went. And obviously, I am super glad I did! Dr. Brown is an engaging speaker, and hearing her speak about leadership was inspirational.

Of course, having this hesitation can also be an issue before big life changes, like when we moved to Texas from Quebec. It seemed like such a big step that just the thought of it could have prevented us from moving, which would have meant turning down my husband’s dream job offer and, ultimately, living a very different life than we do today.

Those limiting beliefs will karate-chop you in the kneecap if you let them! Growing requires you to step out of your comfort zone. The truth is that I am the kind of person who loves to travel and have new experiences; even though I have certain limiting factors like budget and schedule and my own anxiety, when I can make it work, I will. That’s a much nicer story to tell myself, and it will serve me far better than staying at home. So it’s not just that you have to seize your joy; you have to create your joy.

The reason I’m bringing this up here is because I now recognize the same thought patterns in some of my clients. Some people think they don’t deserve to have pretty bras neatly arranged in a drawer, or they feel like they’re not the kind of person who could have an organized home, or they’re not worth the investment, or they just don’t see themselves hiring a professional. And that’s not true! You have to believe that you’re worth it before it can happen, and trust me, it CAN happen! You also have to stop standing in your own way – have enough faith in yourself to step out of your comfort zone and make the changes necessary to lead your ideal life.

A quick word about what sparks joy

I wanted to tell you a quick personal story about finding what sparks joy. I like to bookmark items that I’m thinking about buying so that I can think it over or wait for a sale. When one such company had a sale not too long ago, I seized the occasion and bought two items I’d been eyeing, a long-sleeved blouse and a summer dress.

I received the items and tried them on that evening. When I put on the long-sleeved blouse, I wanted to like it. I liked the fabric and the color, I had loved how it looked on the model, and I wanted to look like that. I guess I was trying to talk myself into loving it, even though it wasn’t as I had pictured it... I decided to set it aside on my clothes chair and sleep on it before removing the tags.

Then I tried on the summer dress. As soon as I put it on, I was smiling like crazy! I love that dress, I feel great in it, and I really think it looks good on me. Plus, it has pockets! I was twirling in front of the mirror and imagining myself wearing it when it got a little warmer. I cut off the tags right away.

The next morning, as I was getting dressed for the day, I put on some pants, put on the blouse, and looked at myself in the mirror. That’s when it hit me – this blouse really didn’t spark joy! The shoulders were too broad, the sleeves were too puffy, and I felt like I was wearing a clown shirt. That blouse just wasn’t me. I still love the idea of it, but in real life on my own body, it wasn’t happening. Returning it was clearly the right decision.

You see, my gut had told me this already. I wasn’t feeling it when I put it on, but I tried to talk myself into liking it on me, for various reasons that sounded right, but with little regard for all the hesitation I felt. Whereas with the dress, I immediately felt lighter, and there was no doubt whatsoever that it was right for me. So, this is your sign to trust your gut about what sparks joy! I want you to feel that good about all your clothes, and to let go of the rest with gratitude.

Bonus tip: I try to stick to the one-in-one-out rule as much as possible. It can be hard to decide which items to let go of to make room for new ones, so here’s a tip. Try on the ones that you haven’t worn in a long time. In this case, I tried on a few dresses that I hadn't worn at all last summer – I mean, there was dust on the hangers, okay? And I sure loved those dresses, because they had made me very happy when I got them, and I once loved wearing them. But when I tried them on again that day, I had to admit that there were two of them that just weren’t doing it for me anymore. The fit was wrong, or there was something else I just didn’t like about them.

Now listen, I don’t know if they were always that way and I either didn’t see it or didn’t care, or maybe it’s my taste or my body that have changed. It doesn’t matter. In that moment, when I wore them again, I realized it was time to let them go. So don’t hesitate to try on clothes that you think you love if it’s been a while since you last wore them – you might realize that your feelings about them have changed! I ended up getting rid of two dresses that day to make room for the new dress.

Storing Christmas ornaments

[Note that this post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase on Amazon using one of those links, I would get a tiny commission, at no extra cost to you. The hard-sided bin I recommend is one I own and paid for myself; the tree bag is the one I would buy if I had to part with my current model, which is no longer being made.]

Here is how I store Christmas ornaments to make things easier on myself when I put up the tree the following year. Really, a lot of organizing is about making things easier for Future-You! (You can also check out my recommendations on how to store your gift wrapping supplies.)

First, make sure to donate any ornaments you no longer love, and discard those that are damaged.

Tree ornaments

I use a hard-sided storage box like this one, though some soft-sided boxes (like this small one or that larger one) look great, too. I especially love the cardboard dividers inside, which keep your ornaments secure and tidy! They also help set a limit as to how much stuff you can keep – if you are getting those boxes for the first time, make sure you have decluttered your decorations and then buy a box (or more) with enough compartments for your collection.

Resist the temptation to cover things in layers of tissue paper. You run the risk of tossing out ornaments because you can’t see them and assume it’s just a wad of paper! You can always create a nest of tissue paper in a cardboard compartment for something especially fragile, or get a special box for it, but make sure you can still see everything. Another idea would be to store the small fragile ornament in colored tissue paper to make sure it stands out.

To take things one step further, here’s what I recommend: put all the smallest ornaments on the bottom layer in the box. Those are the last ornaments that you’ll be putting in your Christmas tree, so it makes sense for them to be the last ornaments you’ll unpack from that box! You can put the other layers on a flat surface in the meantime and fill them, then transfer them back to the box when you’re ready. I’ve added a jar of extra hooks in one slot.

When there are a lot of the same series of very small ornaments, I put them together in a clear plastic bag so that they are visible and are stored together.

I also wrap garlands around a piece of cardboard, which keeps them tangle-free until the following year.

Another idea is to use velcro straps to wrangle garlands or strings of lights if you prefer that to cardboard.

Artificial trees and wreaths

As for storing an artificial Christmas tree, I’m a big fan of sturdy bags like this. The large handles and wheels make it easier to carry. It’s water-resistant and will help protect the tree from dust and critters. Just make sure you take the tree apart (it’s often in three sections), fold back the branches to prevent them from getting bent, and store them in the bag, biggest on the bottom, with the pole end toward the middle. This also helps keep the tree and its accessories contained in one spot. Ideally, you’ll want to store it someplace that doesn’t get too hot or too cold (so, not the attic or garage), especially if it has white limbs or fake snow, though this isn’t much of an issue with green trees. The same is true with artificial wreaths, for which you should get a container of the appropriate size.

Let me know if you have any decorations that I have not addressed here!

Goodwill

When I do a complimentary donation haul for my clients, most of the time, I drop off the items at Goodwill. There are certain things that I will make the effort to donate elsewhere if I know they can’t be sold (for example, strollers and highchairs, or bras and toiletries). But I still run into a lot of people who don’t want their stuff to go to Goodwill because it will be resold, and they prefer to donate directly to someone who will use the item. I suppose that’s fair, but have you ever stopped to wonder what Goodwill does with the money they make from donations?

I recently got to visit the Goodwill Resource Center in Austin with my local chapter of NAPO, and it was so interesting! Ashley Sondon, the Director of Donation Acquisitions, gave us a tour of the place and answered all our questions.

Most of us know Goodwill as a secondhand store, but it is so much more than that! Goodwill is very involved in helping the community. In Central Texas, they focus on helping newly released prisoners who don’t have resources; in Florida, they are more focused on helping veterans – this is all based on local needs. Goodwill of Central Texas offers education, job training, childcare, parenting classes, financial literacy classes, access to computers, you name it! They don’t just help someone find a job, they help educate and train that person for a career that interests them, and also teach them life skills. So really, when you donate to Goodwill, that’s what you are supporting!

 So, what happens when you donate items to Goodwill? First, they are sorted and will be put on the shelves of the store where they were donated. If they haven’t sold after 4 weeks (which you can check with the color of the price tag), they are moved to the outlet store. There, they are put in a bin that is roughly the size of a dining room table and 12 inches deep. Each bin is wheeled out onto the floor and things are sold by weight; they wheel out about 1000 bins each day, and each new bin is greeted by shoppers as if it were full of Black Friday deals! Whatever is left in the bin at the end of its time on the floor is wheeled to the back, baled up, and sold to third-parties or recycled if possible.

 Last year, Goodwill kept 93 million tons of items out of landfills, which was 80% of donations!

 There are programs in place to deal with specific categories. For example, Goodwill has a partnership with Dell to wipe and refurbish electronics when possible, and recycle the ones that cannot be resold. You can also shop online at Goodwill, where high-end items have been vetted (which isn’t the case in the brick-and-mortar stores). They partner with the Food Bank to collect non-perishable food donations. I was also surprised to see various bins of recyclables like glass and plastic bottles sorted out – I didn’t know you could donate those! Honestly, there are some drop-off points that are not careful with breakables, so I still don’t think that donating glass jars is a great idea, but I did see intact glass jars back there, so you never know!

 I had also previously advised my clients to separate the clothes they donate and clearly identify the ones meant for recycling (torn, stained, etc.). Ashley Sondon said that, as it turns out, those clothes do pretty well in the bins at the outlet, because there are people who buy them for crafting. So go ahead and donate them! Goodwill can also recycle items like car seats, but some items are off limits, like mattresses, ammunition, or construction materials. Up-to-date information is on their website, and I will gladly help my clients figure out their options!

Reba Bassett, Ana Contreras, Lilly Bullion, Sahiba Bassi, Kathy Blair, Amélie Saint-Jacques, and Kelly Dever at the Goodwill Resource Center in Austin TX (photo by Reba bassett)

Hanson on packing for a tour

[I got to speak to Taylor and Zac Hanson (yes, that Hanson!), about how they pack for extended trips such as a tour. For background on how this “interview” from October 25th, 2024, came to be, please check out this post. Note that answers have been edited for brevity, but remain true to the spirit of what was said.]

taylor, zac, and isaac hanson, on stage in finland; Image from hanson.net

Amélie: I am a professional home organizer certified by Marie Kondo. My husband and I are from Montreal, QC and now live in San Antonio, TX. We typically drive up for the summer, so I know firsthand that packing for four days or two weeks is completely different than packing for two months! What are some packing tips you have for long trips – some things that you bring with you or do for yourself that spark joy?

Taylor Hanson: One of the gifts of travel is that it removes options and forces you to get down to the essentials. It can be stressful at times because you don’t have all the things that you like, but you have to ask yourself what you actually need. And in some ways, it’s comparable to what Marie Kondo tries to do, which is to minimize and to get rid of the things you don’t use and that become clutter. So, in one sense, it’s one of the greatest ways to force yourself to get organized because you don’t have the option, you just can’t take everything.

There are two big categories of things that I bring: show stuff [instruments, equipment, etc.] and non-show stuff [personal items]; there’s work and play. You have to bring a laptop and phone, because technology is so present these days. Zac brings video games, everyone knows that. I always have my camera, and some drawing and art supplies. I also force myself to bring an iPad loaded with books and movies (which then take up so much less space). Having something to draw with and something to read is my outlet. You need a go-to brain release thing! But touring is its own unique, bizarre thing that most people never get to experience; it’s like the circus, and you put up a tent in every city.

Force yourself to start with what’s essential; the peripheral stuff comes last. That’s my answer.

Zac Hanson: There’s a reality to how much weight you can carry. I learned years ago that you really can’t take with you more than two weeks’ worth of clothing. I’ve got four [packing cubes]: one for shirts, one for pants, underwear, exercise clothes… And once those are full, that’s all that can go! And I don’t stress over it. My wife asks how it is that I can pack for a two-month tour in 12 minutes! [Laughs] It’s just a question of whether I want to bring brown shirts or gray shirts, but it’s going to be the same number.

On tour, the biggest thing that you don’t realize is that you have very little personal space or time. Overpacking is when you bring everything you think you’re going to do, but really, you only need things that will give you a little bit of peace and a little bit of mental privacy. For me, that’s always been video games, which bring you into another world and are relatively small. So even if I’m sitting next to Taylor, I’m in my little private space for an hour or however long I have. And I think books can be the same way.

You have to prioritize; you can’t do as much as you think you’re going to do, so focus on those one or two things to help you relax.

Taylor: Bring the things that give you peace and that spark joy. Also, for me, the love of food, the love of place, and discovery, is a huge part of the balance of not being able to have your stuff or a room full of your favorite whatevers. You need to appreciate what is unique and the opposite of your safe space at home, so enjoy being present in the moment when you travel.

Zac: Bring with you what you really want to do, not everything you could do. Don’t bring with you what you don’t want to find yourself doing.

Packing light

[This post became so unwieldy that I split it into two parts. For part 2 – in which I talk with Hanson! – click here. Also note that this post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase on Amazon using one of those links, I would get a tiny commission, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend items that I own myself and am glad I bought!]

In late August, I had to fly to Canada for four days for my grandmother’s funeral, and I managed to do it with only a backpack and a purse. I really felt like I had unlocked a new achievement by travelling so light!

I wore my travel pants (light, lots of pockets, easy to wash and air-dry), a simple black t-shirt (this one is made of isothermal wool), and an infinity scarf (adds a splash of color and doubles as a wrap if the airplane gets cold). I’ve written before about my favorite travel accessories (see part 1 and part 2, and if you only remember only one thing from that, let it be packing cubes).

I wanted to bring what I would need for the next 24 hours in my personal item. You see, even with a carry-on, sometimes there isn’t any room left in the overhead bins, so you have to check your bag and it might get misplaced. But the next day was my grandmother’s funeral, so it was super important that I have my outfit! And once my dress, shoes, cardigan, toiletries, and pajamas were in my backpack, along with my water bottle, wallet, book, etc., there was so little left to pack that I couldn’t justify bringing a rolling carry-on with me. So, I used a second compression packing cube for a few more clothes and stuffed it in the empty backpack pocket meant for a laptop. This meant I had to have a purse in addition to the backpack, but it was small enough that I was confident I wouldn’t have to check anything even though I was probably in the last boarding group.

The backpack I have is this 40-L model, and what I love most about it is that it is very structured, so that even when full, it will fit under an airplane’s seat (my other, larger backpack does not because it gets lumpy and expands too much). I have been using it for a year, which was a record of four roundtrips by plane or car, and so far, I really like it.

This all made me think of how different it is to pack for four days versus for two months. My family and I have often driven up to Canada for the summer, and while we typically had a rooftop carrier, last year we stayed for a shorter period of time and managed to fit everything inside the car. I always feel like we are bringing so much with us on those trips! Some of it is unavoidable because we bring a few gifts for our family in Canada and then bring some things back to the States with us (like cans of maple syrup). Plus, one of my kids celebrates a birthday in July, so we’re always bringing back presents. Taking that into consideration, we really have to pare back on what to bring with us!

And then, before publishing this blog post, I unexpectedly had the opportunity to talk to Taylor and Zac Hanson, who basically do this as part of their job, so I wanted to get their thoughts! Let’s back up a little: I have been a big Hanson fan for the past 27 years and was lucky enough to be part of a virtual meet & greet in October, during which I got to ask them a question. I didn’t really have questions about their latest album, and I thought that asking them why they don’t include San Antonio in their tour dates was a boring question. (I mean, they answer stuff like that every day, including twice from other participants in this very meet and greet, and honestly, what could I possibly learn from it aside than that the city where I live doesn’t have as big a music culture as Austin?) So, since packing was already on my mind, I went in another direction and asked them about their process when they pack for such long periods of time when they go on tour. This was the best I could do with less than 36 hours’ notice, alright? Here are their answers.