As February unfolds and the glow of New Year’s resolutions fades, many South Africans are already wrestling with their ambitions. Gym memberships gather dust. Diet plans are forgotten. And financial resolutions are usually the first casualty.

But what if we approached our financial goals differently this year? Instead of making grand promises we can’t keep, why not borrow a page from Swedish wisdom and simply get your financial house in order?

Döstädning, literally “death cleaning”, is a Swedish tradition that’s gaining global momentum.

It’s not morbid or depressing. Rather, it’s a philosophy of intentional living; the practice of decluttering, organising and preparing your affairs not because the end is near, but because clarity brings peace, control and freedom. And for South Africans juggling complex financial landscapes, competing priorities and often multigenerational responsibilities, this strategic mindset could be transformative.

Mzansi’s financial reality

South Africans face unique financial pressures. Rising costs, unemployment, eroding infrastructure and the reality of extended family support structures mean our finances are often complex, scattered and stressful. Many of us operate with multiple accounts, forgotten subscriptions, and important documents scattered around the house.

The truth is that financial simplicity isn’t reserved for the wealthy. It’s a mindset available to anyone willing to invest a few hours of intentional effort.

The new year presents a unique window for practical, achievable actions that reduce stress immediately. When your financial life is organised, three things happen:

You improve efficiency and cash flow: By reviewing subscriptions and unnecessary spending, you can find significant financial drag in your monthly budget from forgotten obligations.
You reduce cognitive load: Not knowing where your documents are, what you owe, or what your family will inherit creates a background hum of stress and decision fatigue. Sorting it out brings tangible relief.
You secure your legacy: In a country where many households depend on multiple income streams and extended family support, ensuring your affairs are in order isn’t selfish; it’s one of the most generous things you can do.

Döstädning operates on a simple principle: declutter, organise, communicate. It asks: what matters? What serves you? What would you want your family to deal with if something unexpected happened?

Putting it into practice

Applied to South African finances, this means:

Start small, build momentum. Don’t attempt everything at once. Begin with visible wins; review your subscriptions, and cancel the streaming services you haven’t used in months. These quick wins build motivation for bigger tasks.

Establish a clear information system. The first principle is creating a single source of truth for your critical information such as ID, wills and policy documents. The goal is to eliminate the risk of scattered information. A professional can advise on secure, effective ways to manage this, ensuring your designated loved ones have access when needed.

Embrace strategic succession planning. For many South Africans, particularly those supporting extended families, estate planning feels like an unnecessary luxury. It’s not. In business, we wouldn’t dream of operating without a plan, and the same applies to our personal legacy. No matter the size of your estate, having a legal will and clear executor prevents family disputes and financial complications. This isn’t a DIY task; the value of engaging with a qualified estate planner or attorney is immeasurable, as they can navigate South African law to ensure your wishes are legally protected.

Apply the principle of portfolio simplification. In business, complexity creates cost and risk; the same is true in personal finance. The strategic goal is to gain clarity and control. This is a crucial conversation to have with a certified financial adviser, who can provide an objective analysis of whether your financial structure is still fit for purpose.

Champion open conversations. In many South African households, talking about money is taboo. But strategic silence rarely leads to good outcomes. Facilitating these conversations between parents and children, spouses, and elders and heirs, is a leadership skill. These conversations aren’t easy, but they’re infinitely better than the confusion and conflict that arise from ambiguity.

Integrate your digital legacy. Our lives increasingly exist online, yet few of us have a succession plan for our email accounts, social media profiles, cryptocurrency holdings or digital photos. This matters. This is no longer a footnote but a central component of a modern legacy strategy that should be discussed with your estate planner.

The real revolution

What makes döstädning revolutionary in a South African context isn’t the foreign origin, but the permission it gives us to pursue radical simplification in a world obsessed with complexity.

We’re told to have multiple income streams, side hustles and diverse investment portfolios. While there’s wisdom in diversification, there is a hidden cost to the “hustle culture”, cognitive overload and strategic fragmentation. Real power lies in focus and control. A person with five well-understood financial instruments is in a stronger position than someone with 15 confusing ones.

Döstädning isn’t about predicting catastrophe. It’s about creating compounding readiness. In South Africa – a country of constant change, economic volatility and unexpected challenges – readiness is invaluable. When your financial affairs are clear and organised, you’re positioned to handle retrenchment, illness, opportunity or loss with greater resilience. You’re preparing to live better, right now, in the present.

This year, the most powerful resolution isn’t another complex financial plan destined to fail. It is the strategic decision to pursue clarity, organisation, and intention. Adopting a döstädning mindset is the catalyst; it prepares you to ask the right questions and see the value in structure. But it is not the final step.

The ultimate act of taking control is to bring this newfound clarity to a certified financial planner or estate specialist. They are the professionals who can partner with you to build a formal, resilient plan that protects not just your assets, but your peace of mind and your family’s future.

Nontokozo Madonsela is the group chief marketing officer at Momentum Group.