The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson. is a book about dealing with the deaths of her parents and husband and tried to figure out what to do with their possessions. Magnusson, a Swede, writes about the Swedish idea of döstädning, which translates to death cleaning. The thrust of the book is to slowly begin decluttering your home so your death isn’t such a burden for those you leave behind.
There have been a number of times in my life when faced with death; both my own and others, when I have had to put affairs in order. Recently, this has been much on my mind. What to do with my stuff when I die? Most of it acquired in the last 18 years other than a few heirlooms and memories from before. It has a value. What property and investments I have worked hard to get since starting again from scratch, needs a home.
As my only child you can imagine I would want you to have it. Yet this creates a problem. How? How do I ensure you or your descendants get it? I say descendants as I don't actually know whether you are alive or where in the World you are. This makes informing you of your inheritance difficult.
I often see these programmes on TV where companies are engaged to find long lost relatives to an estate. It is clearly worth their while in commission terms to make a business out of it. Why would you want someone else to take a huge percentage of what is rightfully yours? Can I suggest that if you do not want contact direct you get in touch via a solicitor so that at least there is a point of contact where news can be sent and i know you will be informed. Do not even think about your mother as this point of contact. She has already stolen one inheritance and given another to the legal profession.
Inheritances tend to arrive long after they are most needed. Today this is especially so due to an aging population and the absolutely ludicrous cost of housing. Your mother and i bought our first house at about the age you are now. Our second house, the one you were born and raised in was a big step up and your Grandad Joe was kind enough to help us on our way. That is something denied to you through circumstances outside of your making. Just to say, if you need help now or at any time, I sincerely hope you know by now, I am there for you. I am a phone call / text / mssg away and for as long as is possible I will always be waiting and praying you will call.
To the moon and back
Dad
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