Book Review: Magical Houskeeping

This might sound odd to some people, but I love house cleaning. And if I can add a little magic to it, even better! So when I found the book Magical Housekeeping by Tess Whitehurst, I was very excited! Not only does her book give you ideas for house cleaning, it also helps you to get rid of any clutter inside your house, and your mind. Her approach to the subject is holistic in that it clears your house and your mind of any unnecessary baggage or things you've been hanging on to and cant seem to let go of.

The book starts off with some basic cleaning techniques and how to get rid of clutter in your home. It's a process of going through those dreaded closets or cabinets, any place we store things that we will "get to later". She goes on to say that anything you haven't used, touched or maybe even forgot you had should be thrown out. Even it your hanging on to something because it was a gift given to you by a family member, if you really aren't planning on using it, get rid of it. Tess says that clutter in your house reflects the clutter in our minds and in order to "declutter" ourselves we must first "declutter" our homes. She actually gives lists of categories of clutter, from things that may have negative associations to any old paperwork, books, clothes, etc.

After clearing the clutter in our homes, it's now time to clear the clutter in our minds. In this section she gives us ideas to cleanse ourselves, and get rid of that extra baggage with techniques of forgiveness, clearing toxins from our bodies, and getting over old grudges and hurts. This can sometimes be an emotional process, but it's an important process to keep us moving forward in our lives in a healthy and clutter free way.

Now comes my favorite part, the actual cleaning of your house! For this Tess gives wonderful recipes for floor washes, room clearing techniques, mantras and affirmations, and learning how to call on different deities to keep your house feeling refreshed and renewed. She also explains the importance of getting rid of stagnant energy in your home by clapping your hands together in places where you feel this may be. With a little influence of Feng Shui, Tess says that stagnant energy in a home can stop the natural flow from room to room, creating a certain feeling of negativity in a particular place in your house. Clapping your hands together, burning sage or using any one of the other cleansing techniques she offers should do the trick.

She even goes on to talk about the animals inside and outside of our homes and the significance they have. That spider in the corner may actually be looked at as a friend instead of a scary pest! This book is so chock full of great ideas, I couldn't even begin to go over all of them here. That is why I recommend you go out and buy yourself a copy of Magical Housekeeping by Tess Whitehurst. I know I will use this book for a very long time, as the process of "decluttering" is something we all should do from time to time, to make sure our homes and our minds are free and clear of any negativities. I highly recommend this book! Enjoy your housecleaning!

Blessings )O(