End-of-life planning isn’t morbid. It’s kind.

Let’s be honest — most of us would rather do almost anything else.

Sort out that weird drawer in the kitchen? Sure. Reorganise the spice rack alphabetically? Why not. Think about what might happen after we die? …Maybe later.

And I get it. End-of-life planning can sound grim — like something reserved for lawyers in dark suits or people who are very ill or very old. But that’s not what it is. Or at least, that’s not what it has to be.

Because planning for the end of your life isn’t morbid.

It’s kind.

It’s not really for you

When you think about it, most end-of-life planning — things like your wishes, instructions, and key information — isn’t there to benefit you. It’s for the people you care about. The ones who’ll be picking up the pieces and trying to figure out what to do next.

They might be grieving. They might be overwhelmed. They might be googling things at 2am they never expected to be googling.

And in that moment, the tiniest bit of clarity can feel like a gift.

• Knowing where your important documents are.

• Knowing how to access your phone or your bank.

• Knowing whether you want to be buried or cremated — or neither.

• Knowing who to contact.

• Knowing what to cancel.

• Knowing what mattered to you.

Even a few notes in the right place can take a weight off someone’s shoulders.

It’s easier than you think

You don’t need a complicated legal document (though those can be useful too). You don’t need to have everything sorted out in one go. And you definitely don’t need to have all the answers.

You just need somewhere to start.

That could be a conversation. A notebook. A spreadsheet. A short message to someone you trust. Anything that says: “Here’s what I’d like to happen, if I’m not around to say it myself.”

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to exist.

It’s something we can do

There’s so much in life we can’t control — but this? This is something we can actually do.

We can choose to make things a bit easier for the people we love. We can give them practical support ahead of time. We can take care of the admin, so they can focus on what really matters.

That’s not gloomy. That’s generous.

If you’re looking for a simple way to start, I’ve made a spreadsheet that helps you gather the most important information — from contacts and assets to wishes and instructions. It’s easy to update, works in Google Sheets or Excel, and is designed to be shared with someone you trust when the time comes.

And you don’t have to do it all at once.

Even filling in a few boxes is an act of kindness.