Whether it’s hot tips on saving money or getting furniture up those narrow staircases, the Dutch are constantly coming up with innovative life hacks.
But what clever things are particularly Dutch? Here are just a few of the smart things Dutch people do — with a little help from our readers.
1. Be ready for rain on any occasion
If you live in a country that gets as much rain as the Netherlands, you should always be prepared.
Whether it’s constantly checking Buienradar (the Dutch rainfall app) before they leave the house, or carrying rain trousers just in case of an unexpected shower, the Dutch are masters at managing all things rain.
Another thing the Dutch have mastered? Cycling in the rain.
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Anyone who has attempted to hold an umbrella while trying not to crash their bike can confirm that this is no easy feat.
2. Put huge bins on cycling paths
Picture this: you’re riding along on your second-hand student bike, but you’ve still got that pesky wrapper from that frikandelbroodje you had for lunch.
Luckily, the Dutch have already considered that in some cities and have conveniently placed large round rubbish bins along the cycle paths.
It stops littering and makes you feel like you’re playing some kind of Olympic sport, which the Dutch would come out on top 🥇.
Go for a ride and a shoot when you need a small win and want to feel like Michael Jordan.
3. Make a country by building dikes
As an old saying goes, “God created Earth, but the Dutch created the Netherlands.” And okay, this is something the Dutch did a long time ago, but it’s still pretty “dam” impressive (pun intended 😉).
It also explains why every other Dutchie you meet is studying water management.
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As a quick explanation, the Dutch drained land from the sea by creating many dikes and barriers to hold back a body of water.
This practice started in the Middle Ages but increased tenfold during the Dutch Golden Age when they honed their skills in hydraulic engineering.
4. Teach languages from a young age
You may have already twigged that the Dutch are the best non-native English speakers in the world since they seamlessly switch to English at the drop of a hat.
But how do they become so good at languages? Well, that’s because they start learning new languages in preschool.
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It’s common in the Netherlands for children to attend bilingual (or even trilingual) kindergartens. This is smart to do while children are young and their brains are more adept at learning languages.
So don’t be surprised if a Dutch child starts talking to you in English — they’re super evolved.
5. Master using a bike as a moving and delivery system
While we’re on bike-based multitasking, the Dutch balance as much as humanly possible on the back of a bike.
Have you seen Dutchies towing suitcases, sofas, and even fridges between bikes? Yes, it is both as mad and impressive as it sounds.
Dutchies also transport Christmas trees using a bike in a holiday rendition of this skill. 🎄
6. Hang a birthday calendar in the toilet
While it may seem slightly strange to think about your family and friends’ birthdays in the same room that you *ahem* “attend to business”, it’s pants-droppingly clever.
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How else will you remember to get your Aunt Inge her 50th birthday card if you’re not reminded every time you pee?
You also might’ve been tempted to add your name to an unsuspecting family calendar after a few too many biertjes.
7. Hoist furniture into a house using an external building hook
Since the canal houses in the Netherlands are so narrow, you need a way to get furniture up those deadly staircases. That’s where the hoisting hook comes in.
Don’t worry, it’s not as morbid as it sounds.
They are those large hooks you may have seen outside old Dutch houses. They’re used to pull furniture up by a rope pulley system, which most Dutch van rentals offer for just a few euros nowadays.
READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #71: Have impossibly narrow and steep stairs in their houses
You then guide the furniture through your big Dutch window. All of a sudden, Dutch architecture is making sense, right?
8. Make bus stops bee-friendly
Bus stops for bees sound like something out of Sesame Street, but this cute Dutch concept was brought to improve the air quality in Utrecht.
Over 300 “bee stops” were created by putting grass and wildflowers on the tops of bus stops.
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These wild gardens encourage bees to pollinate the flowers and increase the city’s biodiversity. Who said you can’t save the bees and look gorgeous simultaneously? 💁♀️
9. Have a jar scraper for that last bit of peanut butter
No one likes waste, especially not the Dutch. So, of course, they invented the flessenlikker.
This Dutch device translates to “bottle licker,” which ensures you get every bottle’s last drop of sauce.
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It was invented in the 60s when manufacturers started packaging more food in glass containers. It’s now a staple of Dutch homes, so don’t be offended if they ask you to grab their flessenlikker.
10. Having the iDeal alternative to credit cards
While talking about smart apps, we must mention iDeal: the online payment system linking to your Dutch bank account.
No more typing in that long credit card number, which you’ll find yourself doing less since some sites only take iDeal payments.
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The danger is that it makes spending far too easy, but at least you won’t rack up a hefty credit card bill, given that most Dutch people prefer to use debit cards or prepaid bank cards.
Goodbye savings, hello debt-free shopping. 💸
10. Use apps to keep track of who owes what
If you’ve been in the Netherlands for over a minute, you’ll have heard of Tikkie. The Dutch app makes it incredibly easy to send people money.
Yes, you will get messages asking you for €0.50, but you’ll find yourself saying, “I’ll send you a Tikkie,” in no time.
You’ll never have to argue about splitting the bill again — you can be the hero and still get paid back when you send your hungover Tikkies the next day.
12. Give fish doorbells so they can migrate through canals
Yes, you did read that right. A canal lock in Utrecht became the home of the world’s first fish doorbell.
Okay, it’s not a doorbell in the traditional sense.
Instead, underwater cameras at the Weerdsluis show how many fish are waiting at the lock. People watching online can press the doorbell when they see fish in the queue.
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This might sound like something out of a Monty Python sketch, but it has been integral to helping fish migrate between water depths and to prevent predators from preying on the waiting fish en masse.
The native fish need to be in deeper water over the winter to keep warm and in shallower water in the spring to breed.
The only person who might not think this is so clever is the poor lockkeeper, who must keep explaining there isn’t an actual doorbell.
13. Build wildlife bridges for animals to cross highways
Have you spotted those beautiful bridges carved out of nature? As well as being stunning structures, ecoducts are a smart invention.
Wild animals use them to help them cross safely over busy roads.
There are over 600 ecoducts spread across the country to let wild boar, deer, and other furry friends cross highways.
14. Openly talk about taboo topics
The Netherlands has a reputation for being progressive when it comes to sex and drugs.
Tourists flock to the country for many reasons, including visiting coffee shops and the Red Light District. But these progressive attitudes are more than just a tourist trap.
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When debating with the Dutch, no topics are off the table.
Openly discussing sexuality and gender politics led to the Netherlands being the first country to legalise gay marriage. Of course, there is still progress on many fronts, but the Dutch are at least open to discussing the big topics.
Unless it’s about having anything other than a sandwich for lunch, there’s no room for debate there.🥪
15. Have two Christmas Days
Because why have one when you can have two? The more festivities, the better.
@dutchreview Don’t put Mariah Carey in the freezer just yet #capcut #fyp #fypシ #thenetherlands #nederland #tweedekerstdag🎄 #christmas #secondchristmas #expatlife ♬ original sound – DutchReview
Now, we’re not talking about Sinterklaas — that’s a whole other kettle of fish.
We’re talking about the fact that the Dutch do all the feasting and present opening on Christmas day with one side of the family, then do it all again the next day with the other side.
So that’s two Christmas dinners, two lots of presents, and twice as many confused relatives when you explain what you “actually” do for work.
You’ll never have to argue about whose folks you’re going to, but you will be exhausted after two days of small talk and family politics.
What smart things have we left off the list? Tell us in the comments below!
I used to live in Cuba, and I think they can rival the Netherlands in doing everything by bike. I saw all sorts of surprising things being transported by cyclists there, and it´s not uncommon to see a family of four or five on one bike. Dutch people have nice flat terrain for cycling; Cuba has better weather. Unless there´s a hurricane, in which case we try not to go out at all. Hope to do some Dutch cycling while I´m still not too old, but I live in Spain so have to wait for now.
The Scandinavian countries have an official 2nd. Christmas day, and a second Easter day, the Norwegians have, not only a first but also a second Ascension day and they the day before Christmas, Christmas eve, is officially a half day vacation, that is when maybe Santa comes along and the present are are opened, and traditionally, but not official, is the day before Christmas eve called Little Christmas eve, the very last day you install your X-mas tree, do the preparations for the trad X-mas meals, wrap the presents and iron the X-mas tablecloth. When I was a kid in The Netherlands, the most important celebration day was Sinterklaas or Sint Nicolaas Avond (Santa Claus Eve) that was the evening we put our shoes in front of the oven and hoped to find a lot of presents, sweets and other goodies. On Christmas we had only a few “soft” presents, like the knitted mittens my grandmother made and good, rich meal. Second day could be another celebration with other relatives, friends or neighbors or a quit family day with listening to music and playing boardgames or go out skating and building snowmen, the lucky times we had ice or snow.