Day 11 - Wall Washin': Let the Cleansing Begin #cgsc2015

At this point most of the decluttering and releasing has been done in the major areas of your home. We've covered the entries and halls, master bedroom, kitchen, bathrooms, living and dining rooms, the craft and office areas/rooms. Things are looking much tidier and managable, your home feeling more and more like a place you want to spend your time in rather than avoiding certain areas, especially the bedroom which should always be your retreat. If you'd like to add finishing touches, plants and candles are lovely, throw in some fall colour if it will work with your current decor. And most importantly do remember, our goal is to make things better not perfect, perfection is unattainable unless you stop living in that space. Live in your home, it is neither a museum nor a show house.

Cartoon by Isabella Bannerman.

Having said all that we are not finished our work by any means. Now begins the clearing out of the negativity and stagnancy of the old year. The next few days we will open up the windows while we wash and smudge away any ickiness lingering in our homes. Today we will begin at the highest point in our home that we can reach and start washing away any gloom and grunge lingering from the past year.

We have a two story home, so I am starting with the wall surrounding the front door as it faces the stairway to the second floor. Dust the cobwebs out first if there are any and then wash the walls (I've included the "recipe" I use when cleansing, rather than simply washing). So you know the doors and windows are coming tomorrow so no need to clean the door frame or door at this time. I will wash that small bit of wall and then head straight up the stairs, washing the right side of the stairwell as high as I can reach. At the top of the stairs on the right is my son, Caleb's room, which I also use as my crafting space as he is only here every second weekend. Continuing to the right into his room I'll wash the walls in 3-4 foot sections, top to bottom, travelling widdershins back to the door. Back into the hallway takes me to Abby's room, the main bathroom, Alex's room and then our master bedroom with en suite. Returning into the hallway to wash the east wall and continue back down the opposite side of the stairwell.

From the front door again I will work to the right and widdershins around the main level hallways, bathroom, den, kitchen, dining room and living room. The den has recently had all the wallpaper taken down and walls scrubbed and painted, the kitchen actually has completely brand new walls and ceiling, so both areas will not be actually washed (paint is too new) but I will still do a symbolic washing and cleansing of the rooms. Heading into the basement only half of it is finished so I'll dust and wash what I can and symbolically cleanse down there. Back up those stairs, wiping on my right side (also newly painted so symbolically for me), around the corner the last of the main level entry and I finish up at the front door again.

Some practical tips for this task. A long handled duster is excellent for getting into those hard to reach corners. Our dollar stores here carry quite a variety here on the cheap but if you don't have one and cannot purchase one, no worries; grab a soft towel or a good size micro fibre cloth, use some large elastics and wrap the bristles of your broom with the cloth. This will work brilliantly with exactly the same results. When I'm doing a wall cleansing (which, truth be told, is the only time the walls really get a good wash anyway) I use the following:

Wall & Floor Cleaner

• 2 gallons hot water
• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 1 tsp of Dawn (optional)
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary leaves or 10 drops rosemary essential oil

Change the water often when it cools down too much, emptying the bucket in the garden, preferably watering your trees. If you've no garden to water the bathtub works well too, visualize the water getting to the roots of the trees nearby so the energies can be reused by Mother Earth. If you're not a fan of rosemary, or if another herb or herbal oil calls to you go ahead and change it up. This is about your home and what appeals to you, what brings you joy and uplifts your spirits :).

And that is it for Day 11, can you feel the stagnancy and negativity flowing out the windows?

Love & light,

~Síonaínn **  ƸӜƷ  **

Ps. Doors and windows tomorrow, aren't you excited? ;)