The phrase “death cleaning” may sound jarring to unaccustomed ears, but the concept makes sense. It’s about getting rid of excess rather than leaving a mess for your heirs to sort out.
“Death cleaning” is the literal translation of the Swedish word dostadning, which means an uncluttering process that begins as people age. It’s popularized in the new book “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” by Margareta Magnusson.
Magnusson focuses on jettisoning stuff, but most older people’s finances could use a good death cleaning as well. In my latest for the Associated Press, how simplifying and organizing our financial lives can make things easier for us while we’re alive and for our survivors when we’re not.