Gentle Swedish Death Cleaning

Todays Wall Street Journal has an article “Death Cleaning” Trend Pushes Aside Tidying Up.  That caught my attention because over the past three years I have sold 8 houses where the owner(s) had passed away and the Gentle Death Cleaning process was undertaken by the children in most cases. 

Of those 8 houses all 8 needed to be emptied; 6 needed repairs; and 2 needed a room tear down and build back. Three of the eight still had a mortgage loan and two of the sales there was a spouse left behind. 

There is the physical job of removing all of the items in the house and that includes looking at pictures and memorabilia which can be a slow emotional process. Then there are the legal things to do; getting Death Certificates from the County, contacting a mortgage company, going through any bills found around the house, insurance policies, Trusts, Wills – so much to do. Listing the house for sale.

My wife and I have been in our house for 44 years so there are a lot of things we do not need and should remove. I have a rule (not really followed) that if something comes in, something needs to go out. I have seen the pain from the children, relatives, and friends left behind who are working to empty a house. We never know the time of death but a goal I have is to not require those left behind me to go through so much stress and grief. So I want to minimize and prepare.

In my business I want to help those who come to me at this time with professionalism, gentleness, kindness and respect.