We have reached the time of year when even the most reluctant house cleaners among us seems to get the urge to become involved with a bout of annual Spring cleaning. We evict dust bunnies with enthusiasm, mop, scrub, and polish until everything sparkles mimicking the newness of Spring outside. However, no one seems to stop and consider why this annual insanity takes over us.

In ancient times, people often celebrated festivals that involved cleansing themselves, their homes, and even their cities at this time of year. In Jewish tradition, cleaning the home and making sure any bread made with yeast is removed is an essential part of Passover preparation. Catholics traditionally clean the church before Good Friday. The Chinese believe that Spring cleaning would good fortune in the New Year because they were sweeping away any bad luck lingering from the old year. Our Ancestors who lived in more cold climates took this time to let some fresh air into their homes again as well as getting rid of all the accumulated smoke or coal remains from their heating systems.

In practical terms, this is a great time to get rid of any lingering Winter energies that may be hanging around your home. Plan to go through old clothes that don’t fit any more and bag them up to donate to a local charity. Try also adding some other items from your home that you don’t use, want, or need any more that are just adding to your dust collection. Someone can use them and will appreciate them. You can also try adding some lemon juice to your mop water or smudging your home from top to bottom adding a magickal boost to your mundane cleaning efforts. This way you not only Spring clean, but Spring cleanse.