#2 SWEDISH DEATH CLEANING
© Copyright Andrea Reynolds 2023
Swedish Death Cleaning?
What? What's that?
Do you remember a book/movie about a New York writer named Julie who decided she would cook every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook? My intention is to do something like that but with a different book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.
My name is Andrea Reynolds. I'm a 70-something single woman living in Central Florida (Tampa Bay area). I emigrated to Canada in 1973 after graduating from Kent State University with a double bachelor's degree in Fashion and Marketing and Communication. I operated my own, successful Personal Public Relations firm in Toronto. I returned to the United States in 2008 to look after my dying parents and subsequently their estates. In 2017, at my 50th high school reunion I connected with a classmate who persuaded me to move to Florida with him. After 5 years I realized he didn't see a future with me, so I am purging my condo of stuff so I can sell it and move on, geographically for now. Permanently, later on.
As I'm in my 70s and don't have a spouse, partner, children, or younger heirs, I need to downsize in a very significant way. I need to get rid of more than 120 boxes of things and papers, but also, it's time I put my affairs in order so that when I die I will have left instructions for everything.
Rather than write a book – although that could come later – I will use this website to enter blog posts, photos, videos and maybe audio podcasts. I intend to show what I'm doing and have done with before-and-after shots, and offer suggestions to subscriber-supporters who may want to embark on a similar project for themselves or for their parents' estates.
While this appears to be a daunting project, I will tackle it one step at a time. Here's one small improvement I made, My small kitchen doesn't have enough room for all my dishes, small appliances, and food supplies. I started with a shelf of both appliances and food (top). I now have a smaller shelf unit with only appliances (below). Where did the food go? When I bought a new refrigerator because the compressor on the old one was making thumping noises, I unplugged it and it now serves as a food pantry. I keep the fridge door slightly ajar for air circulation.
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I'm a writer, living on a $420 monthly pension and food stamps. Any size donation is appreciated.
If you have an interest in following how I am accomplishing this enormous house-emptying task, I invite you to support this project with a monthly contribution of $5 or whatever amount you're comfortable with. I hope to write two blog posts weekly, more or less.
The benefit to my patrons is you get to ask me questions about my project, and your projects, too, which I may answer in this blog: crisiswriter@gmail.com
PayPal: www.PayPal.me/AndreaReynoldsIntl
Venmo: www.Venmo.com/Andrea-Reynolds-79
FacebookPay: https://www.Facebook.com/andrea.reynolds.90
It's possible Facebook may only allow you to send money by an app on your phone, not Facebook Messenger.
Zelle: Use my email: crisiswriter@gmail.com or text: 656-227-1130
Cash App: Use: $AndeBitanga
Cash: Best delivered in person to be safe.
Shipping is extra: Priority Mail… or for books, I ship by less expensive Media Mail.
I'm happy to receive checks in my mailbox to cover whatever time period makes sense to you. My mailing address: Andrea Reynolds, 1902 Andover Street, APT 194, Sun City Center, Florida 33573-5942