Can that go? No!

Dear readers,

has your home been cleaned to a squeaky clean finish? As is well known, spring cleaning begins with spring. Read how it can be done in seven steps here. For me it was a few days ago: Armed with a duster, vacuum cleaner and a bucket of water, I wandered from room to room trying to get rid of the marks of the past few weeks. It took a while, but now everything looks mannered again – with one exception, and it’s kind of a minefield in a way: my closet.

Not long ago, a loud bang woke me up. The cause was quickly found: a clothes rail in my closet had given up the ghost. She was simply torn from her anchorage. All my jackets had fallen down and were stacked in the closet. Luckily the anchor was intact so I could hook the pole back in. But I knew she wouldn’t survive wearing the jackets one more time. So there was only one thing left for me – and that was much worse: I had to clean out the closet.

If mucking out, then radically

Tidying up the closet is real detention for me. It’s just hard for me to part with clothes – whether it’s jackets, trousers, dresses, blouses or T-shirts. This is mainly because I associate special memories with them. For example, there is the one cardigan I wore on my first holiday at the North Sea. I can’t throw them away. Or the dress in which I celebrated my graduation. That shouldn’t go in the trash either. After all, fragments of important moments would disappear forever.

My colleague Timo Röske has a few tips for anyone who feels the same as me. He says: Sorting out has to be radical. “Only put the most important items of clothing back in the closet.” Anything that no longer fits can be given away, sold or donated; the same applies to clothes in which one no longer feels comfortable. What is sorted out should leave the house immediately to experience a liberating energy, advises tidying expert Gunda Borgeest. From her point of view, it is also important to reflect on one’s own consumption, i.e. to ask oneself: Where do all these things come from? This prevents chaos from returning to the closet. Try it!

Yours, Laura Beigel

PS: In the end I was able to part with at least three jackets. The clothes rail is holding up again – also because I have now supported it on the side with cardboard. Let’s see how long this goes well.

From head to toe

Every tenth woman has a urinary tract infection once a year. The consequences are unpleasant and painful: you have to constantly run to the toilet and it burns when you urinate. My colleague Sophie Kirchhoff provides answers to the most important questions about urinary tract infections. She writes, for example, that infections can be prevented if you change your behavior. That means: drinking a lot – about one and a half to two liters a day – only using water for intimate hygiene and wiping from front to back after a bowel movement. If stubborn, recurring infections do occur, it makes sense to see a doctor. They may prescribe an antibiotic if necessary.

With all love

Spending quality time, i.e. being ready to talk and emotionally present, with each other instead of next to each other, is difficult for many couples.

© Source: Getty Images

Our everyday life is characterized by time pressure, expectations, stress and anger. This has its price: the time for love and partnership usually falls by the wayside. When couples spend too little time together, they can grow apart over time. So how can the relationship be protected from everyday stress, my colleague Ben Kendal wanted to know from relationship counselor Heike Klopsch (+). She is of the opinion: “Even in stressful phases, we can manage to spend time with our partner – quality time at that.” In the end, it’s just a matter of decision.

family ties

If the protective instinct of parents is too strong, this can quickly become a problem.

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© Source: Silvia Marks/dpa-tmn

Parents worry about their children. This is completely normal and even evolutionary: “Fears are learned collectively,” says psychologist Dennis Bikki. “We are no different from animals in that respect.” But what happens when fears get the upper hand? How is this affecting the children? And how should parents best deal with their fears? My colleague Sebastian Hoff investigated these questions (+). He writes: Fears become a problem above all when they determine everyday family life. Therefore, parents should not ignore or hide their feelings, but address them as rationally and objectively as possible – also in conversations with the children.

Well said

Did you know that there are seven different types of nuisances? There would be, for example, the self-righteous do-gooder, the lax hesitant or the dogged boss. In an interview with RND author Katrin Schreiter, communications expert Attila Albert explains what to do when you encounter one of these nuisances.

The pandemic and us

Vaccinated and then sick: This is what happens to some people after the corona vaccinations. Months after the spade, they still complain about symptoms such as headaches, shortness of breath or cardiovascular problems. There is now a separate term for these long-lasting symptoms: post-vac syndrome. It is not known how many people suffer from it – also because there is no medical definition for the symptoms after the corona vaccinations. But not only the number of those affected is still unclear. We explain what is now known about post-vac syndrome and what is not.

The serious side of life

A woman sits between the rubble in the Turkish city of Antakya: The earthquakes have destroyed numerous houses, and many people are homeless or have died.

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© Source: Boris Roessler/dpa

Vjahat Varaich saw cities “like from a horror film”. The 35-year-old from Hanover worked for a week as a volunteer doctor in a tent village in the Turkish city of Antakya. There he cared for people who lost their homes because of the earthquakes more than a month ago. “Even if you’re here on site, it’s difficult to grasp what the earthquakes did, what dimensions and force they had,” he says. Waraich reports on his experiences and impressions in the RND interview (+).

The beautiful sides of life

Tall vases are particularly suitable for tulips. This can prevent the plants from hanging their heads too quickly.

© Source: Christin Klose/Illustration/dpa-tmn

Green verges, beds and gardens are becoming more colorful again: snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses are sticking their little heads out of the ground. Spring is also finding its way into our own four walls: bouquets of daffodils and tulips decorate the home. But no sooner have they been bought than the flowers wither. This can be prevented with simple tricks. For example, cold water is a priority for tulips to keep their stems from becoming soggy. Read what else you can do for the plants here.

If you have any suggestions or criticism, please contact our editorial team directly magazin@rnd.de. We are happy!

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