Swedish Death Cleaning

[Ben]

The concept of Swedish death cleaning:

https://youtu.be/LIW3ttZzfkI

Something of a "reduce your stuff" philosophy that I knew of, but had not associated with "Swedish". My German dad started doing this around ten years before his death - slowly just reducing what he owned. Though his death was sudden, in the year prior he went into turbo mode on this, almost like he knew. When it was time to clean out his place, while of course there was furniture, dishes in the cabinets, and a few other things, as far as "personal items", I ended up with half a pickup bed of tools and books and stuff, and that was about it. There was around a single trash bag of clothes. All the important documents were in a single desk drawer.

I'm always kind of thinking about doing this, not just for after death, but also as the video mentions, to simplify life. I seem to be going in the other direction though. 

I think part of that is that I spent my younger years scrimping and saving to be able to retire early, so all the things that I might have acquired in my youth (as many of my friends (who are still working) did), I'm playing catch up with now. At some point I really need to reverse that. It's fun having lots of  toys and stuff to enjoy, but at some point, maintenance makes you pay for the fun, and as I harp on in other threads around here, the older I get, the more every minute of time means to me. I'm getting pretty good about hiring out stuff like plumbing that I can do myself, but don't like doing, but some "fun stuff" has work associated with it too, and non-tangible stuff, like sitting on the porch and viewing nature, or standing in a river and waving a stick, has its own value.

[K Frame]

My family has a different philosophy...

I guess you could call it American Adding More *expletive deleted*it to Take it to the Afterlife.

My Mom's house was... startingly full of crap. Not a hoarding situation. Just accumulation.

[Ben]

My Mom's house was... startingly full of crap. Not a hoarding situation. Just accumulation.

That sounds like my sister, who some years ago, without asking, made me her executor in her will and trust. I absolutely do not want to deal with it. I've told her she needs to hire a fiduciary, and I call or text her once a month to keep asking, but she hasn't done it yet. If she doesn't, I'm seriously considering hiring an arsonist after her death to just burn her place down so I don't have to deal with it all from two states and a 24 hour round trip drive away.

Even if I don't adopt the Swedish model, I hired a fiduciary through my estate attorney, who is also a second amendment attorney. She put me onto a fiduciary that will sell or give away all my crap and also sell the house and land and turn it into cash for my single heir, so no one needs to deal wiith physical items, and this fiduciary also handles guns and NFA items, so all that stuff will be taken care of as well.

[cordex]

She put me onto a fiduciary that will sell or give away all my crap and also sell the house and land and turn it into cash for my single heir, so no one needs to deal wiith physical items, and this fiduciary also handles guns and NFA items, so all that stuff will be taken care of as well.

I appreciate it, Ben, but as your heir I'm happy to fly out and take care of the physical stuff myself.  If you've done a good job investing my inheritance we'll probably just sell the farm and move the family out to your house anyway, and, of course, I'll keep the guns.

[Ben]

I appreciate it, Ben, but as your heir I'm happy to fly out and take care of the physical stuff myself.  If you've done a good job investing my inheritance we'll probably just sell the farm and move the family out to your house anyway, and, of course, I'll keep the guns.

 

My nephew in law thinks he's getting my NFA stuff and the good pew pews, but he lives in CA. I told him that he'd better pack up a Uhaul and move to America if he wants any of the good stuff. 

[HeroHog]

The last year or so we have been "handing down" things that should "stay in the family." Photos, guns, that sort of thing. Not planning on kicking off anytime soon but it is always a possibility. Besides, we had WAY too much carp just taking up space, most of which we donated to various organizations and/or people.

Our aunt, the one we moved in with, appears to have had a small stroke Sunday morning. I got an ambulance here pretty quick as it happened right in front of us. She can walk, talk (with some transient difficulty), and seems to be thinking clearly. I spent the last 2 days at the hospital with her. She just turned 82.

[K Frame]

"That sounds like my sister, who some years ago, without asking, made me her executor in her will and trust. I absolutely do not want to deal with it. I've told her she needs to hire a fiduciary, and I call or text her once a month to keep asking, but she hasn't done it yet. If she doesn't, I'm seriously considering hiring an arsonist after her death to just burn her place down so I don't have to deal with it all from two states and a 24 hour round trip drive away."

Just because she's named you executor doesn't mean that you're on the hook for it.

If she pre-deceases you, her attorney will have to contact you and you can, at that time, formally refuse.

You'll have to make certain what the California (assuming she's in California) laws are regarding refusing to serve as an executor, but as far as I know, just because someone names you doesn't mean you are obligated to jack/*expletive deleted*it.

[K Frame]

My family has always had an incredible desire to hang onto stuff because it's family stuff, so it's important! Besides, it might be valuable!

We had a lot of really nice stuff, good family pieces, but nothing truly valuable.

On top of that, my Mom was in the book, paper, and antique business for years, and when she started to shut that down it all came back to the house. Plus my Dad (he was closest to a hoarder, actually) had his own library of books and a bunch of collectibles.

Mom knew that she needed to get rid of stuff because the house was so jammed full. She'd talk a great game.... "I'm going to start getting rid of stuff today! You watch and see, by fall this house will be cleaned out!" and then she'd play Candy Crush or Bejeweled on her computer for 8 hours and then bitch about how much stuff was in the house. We didn't recognize it for what it was at the time... creeping Alzheimer's.

So, I can't really blame her too much.

And I have always been the same way.

But the experience of dealing with that house has really pushed me towards getting rid of a lot more stuff. I'm not quite ruthless yet, but I'm getting there.

[Ben]

Just because she's named you executor doesn't mean that you're on the hook for it.

If she pre-deceases you, her attorney will have to contact you and you can, at that time, formally refuse.

You'll have to make certain what the California (assuming she's in California) laws are regarding refusing to serve as an executor, but as far as I know, just because someone names you doesn't mean you are obligated to jack/*expletive deleted*it.

I was semi-aware of that. My concern with just walking away is for my grandniece (my sister's granddaughter, currently 10yo), who she's leaving everything to. I would hate to see her mired in an inheritance boondoggle. As many of you know, my niece passed away some years ago, and my sister is the typical mother-in-law and doesn't get along with my niece's dad, who otherwise would be the perfect executor, living in the same state and also being my niece's guardian if my sister should pass before my grandniece turns 18. Hence the push for a fiduciary, or keeping my fingers crossed that my sister's unhealthy lifestyle lets her live at least eight more years.

[cordex]

I'm guessing as the sole beneficiary of your and your sisters' estate, your grandniece is looking at a pretty substantial inheritance.  I hope she has her head screwed on straight when that happens.

[K Frame]

Well, I suspect that if your sister passed and your niece is still under age, and you refuse executorship, the courts would appoint both an executor AND a guardian to oversee your niece's interests in the estate.

[lee n. field]

The concept of Swedish death cleaning:

https://youtu.be/LIW3ttZzfkI

Something of a "reduce your stuff" philosophy that I knew of, but had not associated with "Swedish". My German dad started doing this around ten years before his death - slowly just reducing what he owned.

I'll be 68 in a few weeks.  I find myself wanting to do this.

There's a pile of stuff around here, aquired during passing interests.  Pistols I no longer or never did carry, and am unlikely to.  Anybody want a Ruger P90?

[Ben]

I'm guessing as the sole beneficiary of your and your sisters' estate, your grandniece is looking at a pretty substantial inheritance.  I hope she has her head screwed on straight when that happens.

Well, we hope so too, but in case she doesn't, other than what she gets from my sister, what she gets from my dad is already in a fund run by me that she can't touch until she's 25, other than for specific medical, educational, etc, stuff that I have say over. Same for money from a great grandparent on the other side of the family - not until 25. As for what she gets from me, just in case she's a twentysomething screwup, nothing until she hits 40. 

[cordex]

Anybody want a Ruger P90?

If you're giving it away, sure!

[MechAg94]

My ancestors through my Mom's side are hoarders to a certain extent.  However, I think it was mostly from growing up with little and never throwing things away if they might be useful.  I find myself doing the same with gun stuff, but I try to keep it in check.

[Cliffh]

I have a tendency to hold onto things that should be jettisoned.  SWMBO helps keep that in check, every now and then she'll say something about the "mess" around the outside of the workshop.  That's when I start gathering stuff for another run to the recyclers.

I do plan to do a deep clean in a few years, when the body wears out to where I can't play outside anymore.  I'd rather not sell my firearms to strangers, but there aren't many of the younger family members who would be interested or I'd feel good about them having 'em.

[French G.]

I read way too fast and always make free associations that aren’t there. So let me tell you, Swedish death metal cleaning was a way more fun title. Having the guys from Eviscerating Bjork or whoever come over and clean your house would be fantastic.

As for the actual title I am 48 and panicked about it. But I still shop at other people’s estate sales. Step one is update the list of guns, values and where they go. Then get someone conversant on what to sell a beeyard for assuming it gets the size I want. The panic part comes from dear old dad. He has a few things I absolutely have to take care of, the important guns I already have. Then there’s all his stuff. He claims to be having an auction any day now. He has labeled all of his toolbox drawers for me. Most of which I know since the stuff that was there in 1983 or whatever is still in there. But he always expands his collection, outbuildings, surplus containers etc. I don’t mind, I would much rather see him live life than obsessing over cleaning up. He turns 80 in a bit over a month. Had his race car out and thrashing motors on the dyno so he is happy.

[JTHunter]

My Mom's house was... startingly full of crap. Not a hoarding situation. Just accumulation.

Same problem.  Mom is in a nursing home and has been collecting for almost 70 years.  Stengal figurines, Hummel, Wedgewood, Beanie Babies, Fostoria Coin glass, "Crackle" glass, music boxes, books, all sorts of stuff she got through Top Value and S&H Green stamps.
Brother and SiL are over 100 miles away so guess who gets to try and sort this stuff out.   

[HeroHog]

Ya could open a "Rage Room"...

[Grebnaws]

This may explain why my Swedish grandparents left a tiny estate in a very tidy retirement home when they passed away, yet my American father passed away and left me with enough "one man's treasure" to fill two 30yd dumpsters. I miss you dad but cleaning out the house and garage wasn't the catharsis I needed.