This blog post was written by: Patricia Chartrand, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Vancouver

Scandinavian death cleaning is the act of purging the superfluous and keeping the necessary in anticipation of your passing. The result is leaving the smallest physical footprint upon passing. It takes much less effort for your executors to distribute your life’s detritus as it was intentionally comprised only of things that had utility, a well-curated collection.

There are estates which feature a bounty of material possessions. An executor must manage all of it.  Some items will be sold, donated, distributed and some items will be recycled or sent for disposal. This can take a lot of time, depending on what you have left behind.  Some goods have value and others may be negligible. Your executor bears the ultimate responsibility towards the valuation, distribution and destination for these items.

There is an inherent risk in managing these goods. No one can be expert in everything, what would happen if you gave a Van Gough to the local thrift store accidentally? Spent priceless coins unknowingly as pocket change? Sold a gem that had been in the family for centuries without understanding the history imbued in the stone? The answer to this depends on many things, however, you can see where mishandling of your possessions may have some serious outcomes such as financial loss and litigation.

Not everyone can be a minimalist! I have tried and failed. If you are more likely to hold and admire your collections and objects d’art for as long as possible there are other steps you can take to manage risk related to your durable goods after you have passed. I do believe it is worth mentioning pre-gifting as a viable option…if there are items you are willing to gift.

If pre-gifting is not possible, consider crafting a letter of wishes to accompany your Will. While non-binding, it can provide your executor with a road map of your desires. And the letter can be updated as often as required if you pre-gift or sell some of the items in your letter.

It is also possible to mention specific items in your Will, however you should exercise caution as if the item is pre-gifted or sold before you pass, it may become subject to ademption rules.

If you promise a posthumous gift, it is useful to have a formal letter outlining the gift. Especially if the gift is distributed outside the family. Let’s assume you are leaving a piece of art to a gallery; having the correspondence between the gallery and you will assist your executor.

There are charities that may accept your durable goods such as a women’s shelter. You can outline these thoughts in your letter of wishes.

It may not be possible to parse, trim or detract from our accumulations, however, it is possible to be clear and explicit about what we wish to happen to our possessions. Be sure to equip your executor with clarity in your Will and supporting documentation.