death cleaning

[ deth klee-ning ]

noun

1. the process of cleaning and decluttering one’s home so as to spare others, especially family members, from the chore of it after one’s death:

   While I’m still strong and healthy, I’m going to commit to some serious death cleaning.

Word History and Origins

Origin of death cleaning¹

First recorded around 2017; a translation of Swedish döstädning, literally, “death cleaning,” equivalent to dö “to die” + städning, verbal noun from städa “to tidy, clean, clean up, clean out”