top of page

The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly

When you become a parent, all you hear is advice. Oh, you should do this. Oh, you shouldn't do that. Oh, don't eat that. Oh, blah, blah, blah. This is the best parenting advice I have ever received. Keep reading to find out what book I'm reviewing today. 


Hey, it's Kyla Denanyoh. Today, we're talking about the BEST advice I've heard. Honestly, I said it was the best parenting advice, but it's the best advice I've heard in life.  And that advice is to leave the room better than you found it. Now, that's not exactly the quote from the book. The book we're talking about is The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly. The author of the book is Margareta Magnusson. The genre of the book is non-fiction. The theme of the book is aging and self-development. 


This author is super renowned for writing The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, which I read. I will probably reread it for a review, but we're talking about her second book today. It's phenomenal. At 74, she decided to start writing books and sharing her advice. She has lived everywhere, from Hong Kong to Singapore to Canada. They even lived in the States for a little while. She's originally from Sweden, and she shares all this incredible advice. 


Okay, but leaving the room better than you found it is so profound to me because when you have a little one, and I have a four-year-old, she'll grab some chips, spill some on the floor, and walk away. Chips weren't there before. Can you pick those up? Why? To leave the room better than you found it. Why? Because they weren't there before. Why? Because chips don't belong on the floor. Why? Because… Okay? And when you can give her the description to leave the room better than you found it, that makes sense. I understand what better means. I know what the room is. I understand how to leave it better than I saw it.  



And that's my little spin because, in the book, Margretta says don't leave empty-handed. That's what the actual title of the chapter is: don't leave empty-handed. When she learned the lesson, it was from a friend who was headed upstairs to get tea or something. She was like, " Oh, don't leave empty-handed, " meaning, if you're going in the other room to grab something, why don't you take something that doesn't belong here and take it with you? If you're headed upstairs anyway to get your cell phone, why don't you take your sneakers upstairs? Do you know what I mean? Don't leave empty-handed. 


So my spin on it works wonderfully with my daughter, but don't leave empty-handed. The best part is it works on my husband, but it works on me. I'm coming downstairs to record these videos. Oh, okay, I have to bring my camera. Okay, cool, oh well, while I'm bringing my camera, why don't I put these books in my book bag, put the book bag on my back, and then I can do it all in one trip, right? It's a way of being more efficient; it's a way of just making stuff better. 



And then, even when I finish these reviews, I read these books. Then I get them from the library because I typically do an audiobook or an ebook. So, as soon as I get done reading it, I'm gonna go and return it, but not only that, I'm gonna take some of my daughter's books back that she needs to turn in. You know what I mean? Leave it better than you found it, take care of the stuff, and don't let it go to waste.


Suppose we're reading a book with a big rip on a page. In that case, my daughter says, "Wait, wait, wait. We have to leave it better." She grabs the tape and wants us to tape the book page so that it's better for the next kid who gets the book. And I'm like, she's four years old. I hope she always remembers to leave it better than you found it, and we can thank this author for all that fantastic wisdom.


So I skipped this whole part, but I read this book because I recently turned 40 years old 40 yes. It was hard because the actual birthday was excellent, but as soon as the year turned from 2023 to 2024, everything in my mind was like you're an old lady 40 sounds so severe, and it's not. I'm enjoying it. I look great to be 40. I have more energy. I have a lot more money than I had when I was younger. Being 40 is amazing. I'm a lot more courageous. I take risks. I have a YouTube channel at 40. How cool am I as a 40-year-old? 



I've been looking for books about how to age better, embrace your age, and enjoy your age because everyone doesn't live to be 40. That was how I found this book. And I'm glad I picked it up because now it's giving me all these great lessons for my four-year-old. Yes, it is not missed on me that it's 2024. I'm 40 years old, and I have a four-year-old. I could get the number four tattooed. 


Until the next book review, Kyla



Comments


Kyla Denanyoh with plants.jpg

Hi, thanks for stopping by!

I read more than 80 books a year, record a video book review and write about them here! Enjoy!

Let the posts
come to you.

Thanks for submitting!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

© 2025 Kyla Denanyoh. Powered and secured by Wix

bottom of page