Spring cleaning isn’t just for homes; as the weather shifts, we also seek change and renewal in our relationships. We speak to psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Angela Ahola about how to best execute your own spring cleaning and prep your Tinder bio for warmer months
We've all heard of spring cleaning as it pertains to the home, the annual act of decluttering. A cathartic exercise of "out with the old, in with the new" that coincides with warmer weather and brighter days. That same phrase has a similar meaning when applied to one's dating life. Yes, engaging in "spring cleaning" romantically is simply to break off relationships and situationships to make way for something new. It's not just an amusing concept; data from Tinder supports the idea of an increase in spring breakups, a 15 per cent increase in users describing themselves as "newly single" between February and July.
According to psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Angela Ahola, the notion of 'spring cleaning' one's relationships has been gaining traction recently. "It builds on the traditional spring cleaning concept — but instead of closets, you're clearing emotional clutter," she says. "Psychologists like Dr. Andrea Bonior and Dr. Timothy Jeider have described it as an inventory of your social circle: what to keep, set boundaries around, or let go of entirely."