While most people feel a pull to clean in spring -- "spring cleaning" -- others prepare for the winter by clearing out unnecessary items and energy in the autumn.  In our home, it's typical that we ready our unconscious hibernation by shifting our spaces from open traffic areas into cozy, festive nesting spots.  This year, many witches I know have felt an overwhelming urge to, as my friend put it, "CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!"

With a baby in the house, and exhausted from struggling with my family to provide greater effort, I was feeling the draw to clean, but has neither the strength nor help needed to dive in -- being disabled impedes my progress, being disabled with a newly mobile baby arrests it entirely. Then, an upsetting event occurred in our home (details excluded for privacy), and everyone around me suddenly had impetus to take care of tasks long overdue, keep promises from years before, and hire additional help where needed.

Now, our garage has less useless stuff, our family room's carpet, long saturated with pet odor, was ripped up and removed, our faulty stove will be replaced, and vents and carpets in other areas of the house will be cleaned.  My daughter is finally staying on top of her chores, and I can make sure daily tidying is kept up with much greater ease because of it all

Though the trigger was unpleasant, the work being done was much needed.

This of course leads to clearing energy, for when objects are shifted and aging, dangerous parts of the house are removed or made safer, the level of stress, both physical and psychological, are reduced.  Changing our environment so drastically is also clearing the blocks in our communication, opening us up to discussions on how to reimagine our shared space and reorganizing how we spend the idle, unscheduled moments in a day. It even has led to bigger, life goal styled conversations and how our living spaces can best support them

As serious as we've been in working together to CLEAN ALL THE THINGS, there is a new sense of adventure and lightness as we enter into a changed dynamic.  And as our home begins to reflect our family's desires and dreams more, so too do each of seem more easily able to connect to our spiritual or higher selves.  My partner is reengaging in aromatherapy and personal fitness, my daughter is diving back into music, and I'm trusting myself and my guides more each day

While I enjoy the chance come spring to throw open doors and windows, to clear out a winter's worth of stale air, cast the hearth ashes to the soil, and reestablish my home's shields through ritual cleansing, it is in the fall when I feel the greatest need to set my home in order, to work with the grounding forces of earth, and the warmth of the hearth fire. Then, when all is set, we can celebrate life and light in decorating our home for the Solstice vigil and Yule's shared blessings.