Swedish Death Cleaning, but for Your Digital Life

The art of ordering and culling your possessions before you die should extend to your documents, photos, and digital accounts.

After Adam Liljenberg’s grandmother died, his grandfather was ready to downsize and move into an assisted living facility. As Swedes, they were familiar with Swedish death cleaning, the idea that as you near the end of life, you declutter and organize your belongings so as not to burden those who survive you. When Liljenberg arrived to help his grandfather sort through his possessions, he didn’t expect to be rescuing digital photos off a phone full of malware.