Witchy Housekeeping

Some of these things are magick- and some are just useful.

1. If you don't know what your home is for, it will never be a happy place. My home is my safe place to rest. I love my house and often I can't bear to leave it. Your home might be where you raise children, where you love, where you find peace, or it might be your heritage. All houses have an energy and homes are the blend of the house's energy, the community's energy, and that of the occupants. If you don't decide the best possible use for your home then there is no amount of decorating that will make it welcoming.

2. You have to clean up. Every day. There is no once and done formula. You have to wash dishes, do laundry, sweep, and dust. I don't care if you hate housework. If you don't clean up after yourself the house will slowly fall apart around you.

3. I clean my house by zones. That means each day I clean one room very well. Zone 1 is the bedroom and I clean it on Monday. This is when I change the sheets. I may also wash the windows or clean out the closet. I do not clean the whole room from top to bottom every week. I do what is needed. This coming Monday I will wipe off the ceiling fan blades because soon we will need the fan. In the fall, I'll add heavier quilts to the bed.

4. The easiest way to clean a ceiling fan is with a pillow case. Slide the pillow case over the blade. Pull snug and clean both sides in one swipe without getting dust bunnies every where. Toss pillowcase into washing machine. If you don't dust the fan blades then the dust will hinder the fan in cooling the air. If you are worried about dust staying in your pillowcase, use a dirty t-shirt.

5. Hang herbs over the shower head. The scent is wonderful and makes for a quick spell, just match herb to intent. Some good choices are roses, mint, and lavender. I like to place herbs in a mesh bag to keep leaves from going down the drain. This also allows me to use small batches of herbs or dried herbs. Please research your plants before showering with them; food herbs and spices are generally safe but rub a small bit on your arm to test for allergies first. DON'T use store bought pot-pourri. It is often dyed and the dye will run.

6. Every full moon, I clean every mirror in the house. Most of my mirrors are for magickal use, such as the small mirrors hanging on my doors to keep negative energy from entering. I also hang bells on doorknobs because the sound helps to break up stagnant energy.

7. Saturday I smudge the whole house. I use incense. If I am having a problem or if someone has been sick, I'd work banishing magick. Saturday is ruled by Saturn, the planet of limits.

8. I clean with vinegar. I mop with vinegar and hot water. If I had a flea problem (sigh, 3 dogs) I'll add lemon juice. Lemon juice kills fleas. Lavender repels flies, cedar repels moths, and mice hate peppermint.

9. Salt will kill fleas. Sprinkle on the floor, lay it more thickly around the walls, let it sit 24 hours, then vacuum up. This only kills the fleas, not the eggs. You'll have to repeat every week for at least a month.

10. The best way to avoid bugs is not to attract them in the first place. Empty the trash on a regular basis. Wash the dishes every day. Do not let food sit out in the open. Keep the windows and doors closed and repair screens.

11. Flip the mattress when the moon is waning so that the mattress stays flat and gets even ware. When you're flipping, vacuum both sides.

12. Working by the clock- when the clock is going down, from the top of the hour to the 30 minute mark, work spells to decrease. When the clock is going up, from the 30 minute mark to the top of the hour, work for increase. Handy if you have an emergency and can't wait several days for a moon phase. If you are wishing for something and a clock chimes the hour while you wish, your wish will come true.

13. Don't cook or make crafts when angry. Your anger goes into what you are making.

14. You can't clean clutter. If an item isn't useful or well loved or used often get rid of it.

15. A collection is on display. A horde is the mess stuffed in boxes with no coherent theme. It's okay to have collections as long as you don't have too many of them. All the items in the collection should have meaning. Don't add an item just because it matches.

16. Make repairs as soon as needed. Putting off small leaks leads to costly repairs later. This is also why you need to really and truly deeply clean the whole house at least twice a year- to know what is broken out of sight.

17. Reporpusing is great- IF you're going to use the item immediately. Saving things because it might still be useful is called hording and it is ugly, not thrifty.

18. All members of the household should contribute to the maintaining of the house in some way. No one person should be the maid, the accountant, the cook, and the lawn guy. Everybody chips in. Everybody should at least clean up after themselves.

19. Finally, your house should reflect you. Your tastes, your needs, your wants. Don't follow fashion or trends, follow your heart.