Cluttered codebases are commonplace. Most organizations forestall refactors until success seems impossible.

In this talk, we cover 8 steps to creating codebases that "spark joy":
1. Imagine your ideal codebase: make impossible states impossible, study crappy codebases, and identify sand in your programs.
2. Never work hard: practice "do nothing development", think like a gardener, lift with your database, and employ jidoka.
3. Start with a clean mind: note down edge-cases, thank your code, and permanently delete it. No going back!
4. Write by layer, not by model: start with data layouts, then unstyled interfaces, then interface tests, then backend wiring, then styling. Put all your code in a big ugly pile!
5. Finish writing, then tidy: take your ugly code and crystallized mental models and tidy code in localized batches.
6. Go public: decluttered code evokes confidence. Taking a tidy codebase live is fun for everyone.
7. Maintain low-hanging fruit: don't redo your UI, don't hunt down bugs.
8. Make peace with your program: the four strategies for software senescence are spin-offs, sequels, stopping, and salvaging.