_edited.png){kind=logo}
As the Moon and Venus kiss in Cancer and build to an opposition with Pluto, it’s an ideal time to put some extra intention into our space. It’s not enough to just make it pretty, sorry Venus, but to also cleanse, clear, and clean.
Historically witches have been masters of the home domain and have long known about the relationship between cleanliness and health. Purifying the home of germs and energetic plagues can be an important practice in witchcraft. They used brooms for sweeping energetically and physically things away and had cats — killers of plague-causing rats. My cleaning routines have become more like rituals over the past few years, as I’ve noticed I get stuck emotionally when my home environment isn’t clean.
For me, my living is an outer expression of my psyche and soul, and when I want to make an internal change I first have to start with my space. As change occurs on a mental, spiritual, and physical level and I equate each of these with decluttering, energetic clearing, and cleaning and purifying. I also do my best to integrate my kitties and my plants into my rituals and routines.
Below are some of my favorite witchy home rituals for a healthy and clean space.
Physical Cleaning Rituals
This level of cleaning is perhaps my least favorite, but I start with it before I do the others. I get my cleanliness probably from my medical field parents and my leaning towards germophobic mother.;) I mostly use lemon and apple cider vinegar. For a while in graduate school I even worked as a house cleaner, these created some of my personal best practices for physical cleaning:
Daily:
Make the bed
Wash the dishes or run dishwasher
Tidy tables and countertops
Put away clothes
Wipe down kitchen sink
Weekly on Moondays:
Change sheets
Wash duvet cover
Vacuum and mop--this is more fun because I invested in a great mop and pet fur vaccuum!
Water plants and sing to them:)
Do laundry
Wash cat bowls and fountain
Dust book shelves and tables
Clean out fridge and wipe down
Clean bathroom
Wash by hair brush
Monthly on the New Moon:
Scrub bathroom
Clean and vacuum car
Clean appliances
Wash out cat litter boxes
Clean or change air filters
Wipe down window ledges and doors
Clean all mirrors
Quarterly on Seasonal Shifts:
Get floor rugs professionally cleaned
Wash inside and outside of windows
Fertilize plants
Clean lights
Wipe down baseboards and corners--especially corners!
Clean furniture, vacuum and wipe down
Mental Decluttering Rituals
I have a really hard time focusing when my living space is messy or cluttered, so much so that I worked at the Container Store for a while to help get my fix and get a discount. I sometimes reorganize my entire closet for fun. While Marie Kondo or The Home Edit have a lot to teach us all, I find as long as my kitchen, closet, and entry way tidy that makes the most difference. Though confession...I don't color coordinate my book shelves as I prefer to categorize by topic.:)
Rearranging furniture and items keeps away stagnancy. Around once a month I move something in my apartment, even if it is just a plant or hanging art in a different spot. Blending functionality and beauty can be the balancing act between making sure things make sense where they are and there aren't too many things! While this could be several posts long on this topic alone, my favorite basic things for decluttering:
Turn tables in cabinets to see everything and not take up too much space
Having small organizers in bathroom cabinets to make things easier to find and categorize
Organize my closet by type of item, not color
Not storing anything under my bed except soft things
Keep entryway clear except for some shoes, hooks, and a chair
Don't use plastic or acrylic storage items that are see through
Energetic Cleansing Rituals
In recent years the use of Palo Santo and White Sage to energetically clear has become increasingly popular, but definitely leans into some cultural appropriation. Thank goodness so many other options exist for moving energy and creating powerful shifts.
For me, an aspect of being a witch has to do with energetically aligning my home and space for what I want. I have a few elements I work with including salt, essential oils, crystals, plants, and sound. I use dowsing rods to see where there is any energetic stickiness for a flow of energy perspective about once a month or if I move something.
Here's a few ways I use the various elements:
Salt: Salt has long been considered a purifying agent. You can sprinkle salt in the corners of each room, leave it for a few hours, and then vacuum or sweep it up. Some people also like to place bowls of salt in various areas of the house to absorb negative energy. I keep some on my counter top to use or sprinkle.
Essential oils: Certain essential oils are believed to have purifying properties. You can create a spray by diluting a few drops of essential oil (such as lavender, rosemary, or lemon) in water and misting it around your house, paying attention to areas that feel heavy or stagnant. You can also use an oil diffuser to spread the aroma throughout the space. I add essential oils to my mop water and cleaning sprays for an added benefit.
Sound: Sound vibrations can help clear stagnant energy. You can use tools like Tibetan singing bowls, bells, or chimes to create harmonious sounds throughout your home. Or I like to hum and sing as well.=) Walk through each room, focusing on the corners and high-energy areas, while producing the sounds. The vibrations will help disperse stuck energy.
Plants and herbs: Plants clean the space space energetically and physically, I keep fresh Bay branches in my shower and grow yarrow near my door for their cleansing and protective properties. Everyone may have their own plant allies they work with, but these are my favorite. And put mugwort under my pillow often for a dream boost=)
Crystals: Depending on what you need individually to emotionally balance--which probably has something to do with your natal moon--may vary which stones or crystals to keep close. I have selenite wands over my entryway and deck door and rose quartz and tourmaline in the corners. Then right next to my bed I keep quartz for dreaming.
Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list, but they are my favorites.=) As a Cancer North Node and Cancer rising, my entire life shifts when I change my home. While it may not be as pronounced for you, I am willing to bet it will help in some way.;)