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SPRING IS COMING, TIME FOR THE BIG CLEANING

You might not expect it from me, but I am absolutely crazy about the big clean. Not to be confused with the regular cleaning, which I often forget, causing me to have to do a big clean quite often. You know what I mean. Anyhow, with spring in sight, more people get it in their heads and it's time to clear the decks. Literally. I started last week (so nice) and I'll explain how you can get that job done in no time.

Take your time

Or well, no-time… Tip 1 is actually to take your time for it. Not just an hour on Monday, then another afternoon on Wednesday and a bit on Thursday. By then, everything you did on Monday will have disappeared by Friday, and you'll remain stuck in a spiral of mess. For the freelancers and students among us: you're lucky, you manage your own time. So clear your schedule (pun intended) and reserve at least four days. Okay, okay, three is fine too. People with a fixed job? I would recommend taking a Friday off once, so you have three full days.

Make a plan

Don't just start randomly throwing things into garbage bags and wiping baseboards, but divide your house into sections. First living room, then dining room, then kitchen, etc. This way you can also book a full day for your closet and sort through all your clothes.

Don't do everything at once

Don't try to tidy up and clean at the same time, it doesn't work. First tidy up. Or actually, first sort. Go through all your stuff and throw away what you no longer use or what is simply junk. Be strict with yourself, you don't want to see the same junk lying around again in six months. Once everything is sorted, the garbage bags bulging with junk are ready in the hallway for the street, and your closets are emptier and more organized, it's time for the cleaning. Grab a bucket, make some soapy water, and go scrub everything, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING. The baseboards, the shelves, the doors, the beams – everything.

Make it fun

Put on some loud music, do everything in your birthday suit for an extra liberating feeling, get some nice food in for your well-deserved lunch, and enjoy the old memories you had lost but are now rediscovering. And then get yourself a nice bunch of flowers for your home.