31 Mar 2021 11:49

Joined:	06/10/2019
Level:	Gold
Points:	2511

Points:	5

Have the courage to avoid unnecessarily stored items.

"The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" is the best-selling book in New York in 2017. The author is an 87 - year old woman named Margarita Magnuson. The word 'death cleaning' has even been added to some online dictionaries since its best-selling book.
What is Death Cleaning? Have you ever wondered what will happen after our death, to such things we used - the lovely clothes we used, the jewelry, the certificates, the books, and so on? This is where the importance of 'death cleaning' comes into play. The vision of 'Death Cleaning' is to get rid of each of our favorite items one by one and walk towards a weightless death.
If you take a look at our home, you will see that many items that have not been used for years are stored in our wardrobes, cupboards, and upstairs. Divide such things into essential, necessary, and unnecessary, it can be realized that most items are in the unnecessary category. Looking around, it is clear that there is a demand for this type of material for others in our surroundings. Give out them to such needy people with pleasure. Don't we have a lot of things set aside for occasional guests? Let's start using them ourselves first. Accept the joy it gives. Decide to give up some. Let us keep in mind the joy they feel when those in need use them. Gain the courage to give up something like that.

#726834

31 Mar 2021 12:17

Joined:	12/10/2009
Level:	Platinum
Points:	231837

Points:	4

The author has created good awareness campaign through the death cleaning process and it is the fact that we do gather lots of unwanted things during the course of time and try to keep the same for future reference or use but invariably end at piling the same for no use in future. We may be cleaning the home daily but getting rid of unwanted things and they are shifted to height place and hide place and there the things would remain for years together and thus we forget the things altogether. Therefore we must have the courage to avoid gathering unwanted things and thus we help us keeping ourselves clean.

K Mohan @ Moga
'Idhuvum Kadandhu Pogum "
Even this challenging situation would ease

#726836

31 Mar 2021 12:30

Joined:	18/10/2008
Level:	Platinum
Points:	206381

Points:	5

A jolly good idea, but really, really tough to implement! We've heard about de-cluttering but this is the first time I have heard about the term death-cleaning, although I admit I have off and on thought about what will happen to all the stuff I possess after my death. Some years back, in fact, after we painted our home, we did start de-cluttering on a very serious note. The first thing we did was go through all the cupboards' of books. We donated to a school nearby those we considered would be great for their library, a few fiction books went to a college library and others that nobody really wanted we were forced with great reluctance, to sell to the kabadiwaala. Our de-cluttering even resulted in the disposal of two cupboards and created space in our small flat, something that thrilled us no end.

Next, I removed all the toys we had, put them in a cardboard box, and gave them to our building's sweepers since the couple has young kids.

Then came the heart-rending disposal of audio cassettes. This collection had been lovingly built over the years with our parents' input on which classical and film songs to purchase and our own wish to own some, this leading to more purchases. We loved listening to them in the afternoons at lunchtime or in the evenings. We could not bear the thought of having them trashed somewhere because audio players are no longer in vogue, but luckily a few college students expressed their eagerness to take them, so we were thrilled to pass them on. We did keep a handful of a few favourite ones, though.

I also looked through my collection of Greeting cards of Diwali, birthdays, marriage function invites, etc and after taking photos of a few due to the lovely graphics, disposed of them with the newspapers. Did get a bit teary-eyed with the birthday cards in which my parents had signed, but firmly decided that happy memories were better to hold on to rather than material things of the past.

I still have to get around to clearing this pile of newspaper cuttings that I have kept in my cupboard of travel-related articles and of pamphlets of places we visited, all retained for my travel blog but not all yet utilized for that purpose. Goodness knows when I will actually get around to disposing of those. Hope I have the courage to complete the death-cleaning task before the R.I.P. eulogy appears against my name!!

When you make a commitment, you create hope. When you keep a commitment you create trust! ~ John C. Maxwell

#726842

31 Mar 2021 14:01

Joined:	04/05/2009
Level:	Diamond
Points:	24455

Points:	5

Though the author's view is acceptable theoretically it is somewhat difficult to follow in practice. A thing may be unwanted one today but tomorrow it become necessary. If we discord an item by thinking as a unwanted today we cannot buy again and the cost may be double or triple above the original price. By thinking like this, if our elders did, we will not have anything in our house and our house seen as a new one before occupying.
Following 'death cleaning' is good thing but careful following should be done.
A small example I will point out here. When we shifted our house to a new one, (in my absence) my brother throw out a box in which I kept the old wires, plugs, nails, cutting player etc.. as I kept them unnecessarily. But yesterday when an electrical person doing some repair work, he asked used wires for making some joint etc., I suggested to take the required things from from the box by remembering my storage. My brother told that he threw away the
box then itself. Then the electrical man did his repair job by buying afresh and we spent additional amount on this. That cutting player my father bought from a shop for 35 rupees but the present rate is Rs. 150 he spent.

#726844

31 Mar 2021 14:18

Joined:	10/12/2016
Level:	Platinum
Points:	69683

Points:	4

This is a very interesting and motivating post by the author pursuing us for the task of de-cluttering. The idea of removing unwanted items and minimising the items in use is a thing that many of us wish to do but again due to our attachment with those items or having a feeling that - it would be of some use one day, we keep back that item in the old rack in our stores. It is said that removing clutter from the house gives a refreshing feeling to the people living there and generally increases the positive energy in the house. It is also a fact that if less items are there in the house then we can arrange them nicely and get the item easily when we want to use it.

Knowledge is power.

#726846

31 Mar 2021 14:30

Joined:	27/09/2019
Level:	Diamond
Points:	10410

Points:	5

The book has a good message for aged people to re organise their possessions and declutter all that is not in use and most probably will no more be required and the same may be given to someone who may utilise it. Sometimes it looks quite difficult to give anything to someone.
The central idea is based on the reality of our social system that after the death of any family member like father or mother or brother all his or her clothes , shoes and similar items are thrown out or given to some pauper but they also demand for new items instead of old ones, so generally their leftover or residual go in waste or dumped into garbage. It is the bitter truth of social system and this I have observed quite widely. So, it should be a wise decision to give our extra items or unused- for -long items for needy people.
It also reminds us that we should stop running after hoarding up luxury items or money because we are moving towards the old age and all these worldly things will not go with us when we die so it is better to lead a simple life in remaining days.

Be indian and buy Indian.

#726871

31 Mar 2021 18:38

Joined:	02/06/2009
Level:	Platinum
Points:	98387

Points:	4

It is good to clear the items which are not being used for months together and the items which are not being used. Many people are not ready to discard the old items. They have the habit of keeping them for long. They say we may require after some time and we will not get the same from anybody.
Some people keep the packing material of the items also in the house. Once we have opened the packing and started using the item, what is the use of keeping the packing material? Another issue I have noticed is some people buy books and keep them in the house. But nobody will read it. What is the use? It is better to donate such books also to the people who are interested in reading the books.

drrao
always confident

Have the courage to avoid unnecessarily stored items.

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