Moving into a new home (apartment in this case) prep question ....

[Joanne]

I am wondering what sort of cleaning (practical) or cleansing (spiritual) rituals you do when you move into a new home?

[Ethel Mertz]

For cleansing - I've used a sage stick and smudged the rooms. Depending on your tradition, you could bless water and sprinkle it through the rooms. You could also ask a clergy person to do a house blessing.

 

I'll leave the practical cleaning tips to others.

[elegantlion]

Practical - do the kitchen cabinets, especially under the sink. If a fridge is included, deep clean it. Deep clean the bathroom and I generally replace the toilet seat just because. I also make sure to dust and vacuum all closets thoroughly. Those generally don't get cleaned well and that is where spiders like to hang out. 

 

IOW do the deep cleaning I tend to procrastinate once I'm moved in. 

 

 

Spiritual - Usually before we decide on a place, I'll walk through it and try to get a sense of the house. Then I pray through each room and annoint the doorframes with oil before we move in. I do believe homes have an "atmosphere" - wherever you want to believe that comes from. Our previous home, I would not have moved into had I seen it with exdh. It had a horrible vibe and I never felt comfortable alone in that house. Had some very freaky experiences there.  Our current house is totally different. I'm not even afraid to venture into the basement at night (which is saying a whole lot in my case). 

[Spryte]

We've done smudge sticks, but that was when we had lots of NA friends, and they did it for us. :)

 

Now I just do the basic cleaning stuff, and DH replaces all the toilet seats because that's his personal ritual!

[Starr]

I'm hoping the apt is fairly clean for you! We moved a lot when I was growing up. My dm was very good at getting pictures up on the walls right away. It made things feel like *home*.

[Harriet Vane]

I generally deep clean the whole thing. I also pray for the home and the life we will live there.

[JuanitaL]

I always scrubbed everything in the kitchens and bathrooms. If the place had carpet, I always rented a carpet cleaner - we all ended up with scabies one year shortly after a move into an apartment, we had very little furniture so we spent a lot of time on the floor - I was convinced it was from the carpet.

 

I've never done anything spiritual - but I do love the smell of original Pine-sol (no other scent, no other brand) - the smell gives me a happy, comforted, satisfied feeling - maybe that's kind of like incense; maybe I always (unknowingly) anointed every room with Pine-sol.

[Anne in CA]

I anoint all door jams with oil and pray for harmony and joy in our home. I rebuke any spirits that would disrupt harmony from our home.

[unfrumpable.]

If it's an apartment or rental, I expect it to already be clean and ready to move in. I double check the cleanliness and move on in.

[Chris in VA]

I've only annointed part of my home, after we had some pretty disturbing things (caused by humans) happen.

But I totally love praying thru a new home--did that with friends, and dh (clergy) has blessed/sprinkled with holy water homes during house blessings.

 

I have stood outside my home and told Satan to leave us alone.

 

Now y'all prob think I'm cray.

 

(hahah--I am totally irritating dd by using her slang...)

[applethyme]

I do a deep clean.  Move all appliances and clean under, scrub every nook and cranny.  Then I burn lavender candles for peace and calm.

[Lady Florida.]

It's been a while since I moved, but I used to move quite often, usually from one apartment to another. I always cleaned the kitchen appliances and cabinets, and gave the bathrooms a deep clean. I just did basic cleaning everywhere else (dust, vacuum, mop). 

 

I don't believe in anything spiritual, so I can't help you there. :)