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Magnusson is the anti-Kondo, who takes us on a charming and discursive tour of her own stuff." - Penelope Green, The New York Times A primer on how to winnow your belongings before you die, so you don’t burden your family. "Witty, useful and oddly profound.” - Entertainment Weekly

The main message from this mother of five is: Take responsibility for your items and don’t leave them as a burden for family and friends." - The Washington Post While Marie Kondo gave us strict instructions to only keep things that spark joy, Magnusson’s book is straightforward and unsentimental (with a bit of humor). This one I will keep." - Dwight Garner, The New York Times

I jettison advice books after I’ve flipped through them. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go.

Digging into her late husband’s tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you’d ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children’s art projects). Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, dö meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. *The basis for the wonderfully funny and moving TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions*Ī charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life.