Spring Cleaning time is upon us with the Full Moon in Virgo (3/18) and the Spring Equinox (3/20) right on our Worm Moon’s heels. So I thought I would post a few “cleansing & releasing” tips to make these tasks as magical as possible. Here on the Covenstead of Villa Westwyk, we’re already doing some of these. I hope you’ll join me and start this Aries season off right.
Spring Cleaning as a practitioner of the Craft is about setting intentions to invite prosperity, peace, protection, and good health into your home and life. But before you do that, you need to clear out any negative energy and funk that has dug in over the course of the winter.
Here’s a few tips to consider as you begin your own Spring Cleaning in your own Covenstead, cottage, apartment, or boat (I see you, Sea Witches!).
Refresh Your Broom: If it’s been a hot minute since you’ve either a) cleaned your broom — or vacuum for that matter (I know people who only have one or the other), or b) replaced your broom or vacuum, now is the time to do it. Now I’m not talking about your spell or ritual broom. I mean the one you use to clean (or do sweeping spells). Every three years, I use the Vernal Equinox to procure a new broom. Why three years? With pets and children underfoot, the three year rule seemed appropriate and has its own Magical energy. The number three is the number of harmony, wisdom, and understanding. It’s the past, present, and future; birth, life, death; beginning, middle, end; maiden, mother crone. It is a Divine number. Just go with it. 😉 Do note: When you move from one home to another, don’t bring your old broom (but that’s a whole other blog post).
Although your local handyman will tell you to clean your broom once a month. When I remember on a full moon, I will do that; however, most people I know hardly have time for that. What to do with your old broom? It is thanked and relegated to the shop or garage or other place it may be useful, and when they are no longer useful there, they often end up in either a Summer Solstice or Samhain bonfire – but I digress. When bringing in the new broom to the house, I like to bless it with an herbal first sweep. What’s an herbal sweep? It’s exactly as it sounds. Sprinkle your herbs and sweep. Because you’re decluttering, this is a good time to clear out herbs that have lost some of their potency for your Kitchen Witchery, (seriously, 5 year old rosemary is not helping your Spring Lamb Dish), but the herbs’ energies and properties are perfect for “cleansing” spells. As you do this you make a wish (i.e. set an intention). Because our equinox is coming during a waning moon, anything you want to release from your life has an extra powerful oomph.
Here’s a recipe for a cleansing sweep:
1 part (start with 1 tablespoon) ground bay leaves
1 part dried rosemary
1 part dried thyme
1 part dried citrus
1 part baking soda
1 part coarse salt
(this is great for an average size room, if you want to do the whole home, feel free to make more)
Sprinkle your herbal mixture where you want to cleanse. Work Widdershins (counter clockwise) and towards the exit of the room/house you’re in. Sweep the herbs and dirt out the door and sweep up into a paper bag. Dispose of this either by burning in a fire (don’t bring it back in the house, so outdoor fire pit FTW) or disposing of it away from your home (e.g. a public trash receptacle in a park). Alternatively you could bury at a crossroads you don’t traverse with regularity.
Once that’s done you may also carve into or draw sigils, spells, etc. onto the broom handle (keeping in mind the direction of intention) to help you sweep in goodness and sweep out lameness.
See Clearly. Cleaning our windows after a winter of storms can be eye opening. We want to attract light, abundance, and joy. Dirty windows can’t let all that goodness in. Cleaning windows doesn’t just mean the glass. We need to wipe down the frames, the sills, and those little tracks that just love to collect dust and grime. You don’t need anything fancy to do this:
A sturdy step stool (if you’re short like me)
2 microfiber cloths
A spray bottle of window cleaner (1 part vinegar, 1 part water, and 20 drops of your favorite essential oil)
One cloth is for the windows, the other for the frames and sills. Again, working Widdershins, clean the first window with one cloth and then use that dampened one for wiping the sills, etc. On the next window, you’ll use the fresh cloth. If the cloth for the sills, etc. gets too dry as you move through your home, just spray one squirt of your homemade window cleaner. Again, because in Spring 2022 we’re releasing, you again want to work from the top down but also from the inside out. Keep your intention of what you’re releasing to make room for attracting goodness in mind whilst you clean your windows. If the weather hasn’t gotten the memo that it’s Spring, at least do the interior and save the outside for perhaps the new moon in Aries (April 1). I play music that allows me to feel free while I do this. Anything that’s meditative may just help you receive some Divine Downloads as you cleanse. I see you Virgos out there, you’ll want a whole playlist. You already have that playlist. Just go clean your windows, Witch. 😉
If you have blinds, this is a good time to wipe these down, too. If you have curtains or drapes, get them laundered, too.
Refresh Your Sanctuary: It’s time to replace the flannel sheets and extra blankets with something lighter and more befitting of Spring. Strip your bed. Then sprinkle some herbal baking soda (recipe follows) on the bare mattress. While you do the Air It Out Cleanse (see below) let the herbed soda remain on your mattress. Put your pillows somewhere they can also air out and get some sunshine. When you’ve finished your “Air It Out” go back and vacuum up the sprinkled herbal mix off the mattress. Be sure to dust and vacuum the rest of the room, too. Remember, work Widdershins. Be sure to empty the vacuum cleaner bag and dispose of as you would your herbal sweep (noted above). Put on fresh sheets, bedding, and make your bed. As you do this see yourself doing all the things you love to do in your bedroom: resting easily throughout the season, having your sexy time, or even cuddling with your familiars. Refresh any dream workings, crystals and other Magical Mojo you have in this room. If you have an altar in this room, refresh that as well.
Mattress Refresh:
1 part baking soda
½ part crushed clove
1 part dried rosemary
½ part dried lemon balm
1 part dried lavender
½ part dried mint
I keep this in a “shaker” bottle for sprinkling (an old parmesan cheese container works great).
Air It Out. Take some incense of your choosing (I love something like cedarwood or sandalwood in Spring), if you have some other form of smoke cleansing, this works as well. I have a small vessel that holds a cone incense and allows me to carry it easily as I move about. Again working Widdershins, open each window of your home. It does not have to be wide open, especially if you live in a climate where you’re still running your heater. Just a crack will do. Start at your northernmost window and work counterclockwise. Imagine again, all the negativity in your life leaving, and that you and your home are attracting prosperity and protection. As you move through your home, you could even say something as simple as:
I banish gloom and doom (insert your own adjectives if these don’t speak to you);
This is my will, so it is.
Move to the western side of the house, then the south, then the east. You will leave each window cracked until you’ve made your way back to where you started. By then the incense has likely burned down, if not, I like to place it at my entry way altar. You’ll intuitively know where to put it. Then working in the order you opened, close all your windows. It’s amazing how quickly you can change the energy in your home with this small and simple Magic working.
Here’s a few more practical things that you can do for your Spring Cleansing:
- Change the direction of your ceiling fans. Counter-clockwise for the warmer weather to come (I hope you were running them clockwise during the cold weather to help bring the warm air back down).
- Change the batteries in your Smoke Alarm.
- Clean your refrigerator (that eggnog from Yule is long past its prime, darling).
- Clean your cleaning machines: dishwashers and washing machines need cleaning, too.
- Replace any light bulbs that have burned out.
There’s so much more that could be done. Do you have a Spring ritual you do without fail? If so, share it below in the comments.
I hope Spring brings welcomed abundance and new paths of enlightenment for all you. May the season bring you unexpected delights and a surer step into the future.
