Maximalist vs. Minimalist (Surprising lessons from Swedish Death Cleaning)

Maximalism might be a new buzzword, but minimalism has been a hot topic for several years, gaining popularity as people reduce their items and declutter their lives.

Many people find peace in the simplicity of less to care for, and the basic lines of empty spaces.

And there are people like me, unapologetic and gleeful maximalists. Where minimalist spaces are not a comfort, but instead cold and uninspiring to my spirit.

As an HSP, I am highly affected by the color, lighting, textures, and scents of the world. Minimalism doesn’t meet my specific needs.

That said, I live with a husband who doesn’t like clutter. We have gained a happy medium over the years. And whichever way you lean, we all have things to learn from the other style personalities!

Something changed this year- while I still like stuff, I do want less of it. I’ve been learning about the trend Swedish Death Cleaning.

Is it morbid in itself or a morbid title for something that’s very helpful? First, let’s see what resonates with you…

What is a maximalist person?

Think you might be a maximalist?

What is maximalism?- As you may have guessed, maximalism is the opposite to minimalism. It’s best described as the reaction to minimalism, where ‘more is more’.

Maximalism lets color, shapes, tone and texture do the talking. It doesn’t have to be loud or overbearing, but maximalism does grab your attention. (99 Designs)

Home is a sanctuary, and for me, that means hidden delights to peek at…soothing pastel colors…cinnamon scents…and lots of books and shiny objects.

What is Swedish Death Cleaning?

This is not depressing as it might sound, but instead a practical way to consider your possessions.

It’s based on a book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson.

Magnusson, a Swede, writes about the Swedish idea of döstädning, which translates to death cleaning. Dö means death in Swedish and städning means cleaning. The thrust of the book is to slowly begin decluttering so your death isn’t such a burden for those you leave behind. (The Family Handyman)

For the last 2 years, I’ve been watching The Minimal Mom on Youtube. She is encouraging to really curate and let go of TONS of things. It has been so awesome.

Last week she did a video on this very topic (check it out here) that was timely for me personally.

Maximalism isn’t hoarding

I just returned from a trip to see my 91-year-old grandmother, who is battling dementia. If you have followed me for a while, you know she has been my “person” my whole life.

We helped my family go through her boxed-up possessions and sort them into keep/toss.

This sucked. Truly. It is so much pressure and agonizing to go through another person’s letters, photos, and memorabilia and wonder what they would want to happen to them.

To respect and honor what mattered to my precious Grandma, and still know we HAD to let tons go.

Grandma was a thorough maximalist. She and my Grandpa leaned toward what some might consider, ahem, cluttered.

Hoarding things can come from a mentality of fear. Maximalism is a healthy option. Things you find beautiful and still maintaining a home that is organized and a joy.

I’m a classic homeschool mom veteran. Shelves full of useful things were a hot commodity for a single income family who homeschooled. That led to a bad habit. There’s a scarcity mentality that I’ve discussed before. Something you might need in the future…

I’m not in any of those situations now where I have to hang on to things I might need in the future.

Assess your collections based on your seasons. If the time has passed, it is more than ok to let things go.

(Interested in discovering your natural organizing tendencies? Check out Clutterbug’s free quiz with ideas here)

What has value to those we love?

When we got home with our keep pile, it was laid out on tables in the hall to further sort.

The impact of seeing a person’s “life” all on two folding tables was painful. Things don’t define who someone was…but they do still represent who they were to the people that loved them the most.

And, they need to be dealt with. There are many treasures that I am delighted to be entrusted as the caretaker, the story keeper Grandma assigned me to be.

There are amazing things that are of historical signifigance. I can’t wait to share them with you soon. And, things that just will forever make me feel close to her.

However, they were nestled in piles of catalogs and bank statements and duplicate family photos etc.

This experience prompted me to purge even further.

“You can always hope and wait for someone to want something in your home, but you cannot wait forever, and sometimes you must just give cherished things away with the wish that they end up with someone who will create new memories of their own.”― The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

I want to give the gift to my kids of saving some things, or giving them to them now that they actually would want.

And trust me, my kids don’t want most of what I’ve saved. And that’s OK!

These items were my delights, my joy, my memories. I would rather my kids have memories of me than save stuff they have to be burdened by later.

Can you be a minimalist and a maximalist at the same time?

We have limited amounts of energy and space. Emotionally and physically.

The older we get maybe it’s more important to choose before we do.

Curate the things we’d most like to do, instead of wanting to do some of everything.

Because if you, like me, get very distracted easily? Sometimes you get nothing done with a nice block of time you could’ve got something very enjoyable done.

I am impressed lately with the fragility of our lives and the speed at which they pass. Instead of trying to do it all, it is imperative to choose to let go of some things. Some dreams.

To do the most important instead of meager attempts at running circles around the lesser things. Can you relate?

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

4 tips I learned from minimalism

Here are a few examples that I hope will help you declutter your stashes in simple ways:

Choose the amount to keep– I had kept several things from my mom’s kitchen, including her recipe box. The box wasn’t sentimental though. I went through and choose a few recipes that were special. Attach your belongings to specific memories. A recipe that you made together, a rolling pin from Christmas baking, etc. The stash is reduced, and what is kept you know really DOES matter to you

handwritten recipe — (my favorite recipe mom makes me)

Reduce with purpose- I am capable of drowning under piles of books. However, I have my own writing to do, so I need to read with purpose and declutter the piles that no longer serve me. If we’ve been holding onto a book for years and haven’t read it, the pile needs to shrink. Someone will love your donations and you’ll feel great!
Ditch some hobbies- Painful, it is true :). I have writing to do, stories to tell, my own artistic projects to create and paint. Shelves are heavy with TOO many choices. Partial projects our dream selves wanted to do. At some point you have to ask yourself “what is a distraction because it’s beautiful to look at, and what is practical for where you’re going?” Yes, you spent money on it. Yes, your interests can change! Leave breathing margin for new interests, and choose what MOST interests you…today. Not what might interest you again…someday
Keep things you know to be useful or beautiful – A weakness of mine has been collecting vintage books. Saving them from extinction and the trash. I am no longer the Lorax of the old books. 6 boxes were donated. Valuable, yes. Beautiful? Yes. Too much? Definitely

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” ― William Morris

You can be a curated maximalist

The pendulum doesn’t need to swing to the opposite side. You can still pick and choose as much or little as you like!

Perhaps, just consider how much you REALLY enjoy something…versus what you hang on to for memory’s sake.

I am super sentimental.

It occurred to me that many of the sentimental things I have are castoffs. Things I gathered close because someone I love moved from a childhood location.

Items I just couldn’t bear to see it again. Also, I was very young and didn’t have much of my own stuff.

It felt good to enjoy these things for many more years.

Yet, I’m in my 50s now with my own things in my own collections. I’m better able to discern that it’s OK to let go of those things…

Because they were things they were getting rid of anyway not something they gave me as a gift. Something they expected me to hold close to my heart.

The power of letting go of too much

Letting go is one of the most freeing I’ve learned over the last several years! It used to be painful. Scary even.

It felt like I was letting go of the past. Or my responsibilities as a caretaker of something. I’ve had to become brutal… 100-year-old yearbooks from a great aunt, silverware from a loved one, china collections, cookbooks.

No closet or cupboard was untouched.

For goodness sake, I even still was carrying around an old barbie shoe…one…from the 70’s. For the record, I wasn’t for some reason ready to part with it yet. And THAT is alright too my friends!

No pressures, that isn’t what this is about.

vintage cookbook collection — (I collect vintage cookbooks and the white one is a new gift from Grandma ♥)

Keep the things you are passionate about, but don’t keep collections that were never intended for you to carry forever!

Once you get over the hump of just DOING it, the burden of your collections won’t weigh you down! This is the pursuit of freedom.

For the record, I will still be a maximalist. I like it that way, but no longer with collections have the power of burden when I am ready to move on.

Give yourself grace, this is a process…don’t let it become a taskmaster. Just a tool.

I hope this encouraged you today! I’d love to hear from you about which way you feel most comfortable… maximalism vs. minimalism? And for other ideas about letting go and tidying up, check out this post on 5 simple ways to spring clean your life.

Need help on cleaning out your home? Here is a free spring cleaning checklist with a printable list.