Want to give your home a new year makeover without breaking the bank? We’ve asked interiors expert Erica Feldmann, founder of the HausWitch range (which we absolutely adore at Content) to share her simple and effective tips to bring a breath of fresh air into your home, as well as timely advice for the upcoming full moon on January 24th.
Hailing from Salem, Massachusetts, Erica believes that everyone has the right to a cozy life. In fact, her cute kits are designed to ‘heal your space and love your home’ and create a more beautiful and also harmonious household, with a spritz of magic! Get her inspiring advice below.
- We love the HausWitch Spell Kits and sprays! What inspired you to start the HausWitch range and combine ‘magic’ with interior design?
The idea of magically transforming a space came to me in one of those “Aha!” moments where I realized that my passion for interior design really came from a place of creatively improving spaces using as little money as possible. The challenge of keeping the budget low while utilizing other resources (recycling, re-purposing, re-imagining) is just really exciting for me and to some people, that ability is magical. But also, there is a strong energetic connection between people and their surroundings, so it made sense to combine some intention-based magic with a focus on interiors. Which is how the spell kits came about. I thought, “I could make little space clearing/protecting/balancing kits for my clients as a finishing touch to their room makeover!” and then I realized that there would be a larger demand for something like that, so I decided to produce them on a larger scale. It’s not an entirely new idea – I mean, I definitely take cues from Feng Shui, but I don’t know how accessible Feng Shui is for most people. That’s why I liked the idea of a kit or a spray.
- What’s your ideal home environment: cosy and cluttered, or spare and modern? How can HausWitch help creating it?
My ideal environment is warm, modern, and minimal, without feeling sparse. People always comment on how “fresh” and “minimal” my store feels, without being cold. Lots of natural light is also crucial for me. One thing that I can always see really effortlessly, that has served me well in working with clients, is what might be disrupting the flow of a space, like clutter, or a piece of furniture or decor that isn’t loved or serving a purpose. But I think people can train their eye to see those things too. If you look around your room and your brain stops on something and you feel even a tiny negative vibe, then it’s not in the right place or it doesn’t belong there at all. You should do your best to only surround yourself with things that you love, or can’t live without. That’s the easiest way to love where you live.
- The new moon is out on January the 10th and a Full Moon on the 24th – is there a cleansing new moon ritual we can do for a harmonious home?
New Moons are perfect for fresh starts or setting intentions for the future. Something simple like lighting a candle, meditating (even for a couple minutes!) on something you’d like to bring into your life/home and writing it down can be really powerful. Clearing your space by smudging with sage is also a great way of clearing out old energy so that you can welcome in the new.
Full Moons are perfect for feeling gratitude and giving thanks for everything you’ve manifested over the two weeks between the New and Full Moons. This is a good time to honor what you have as well as setting an intention to banish what no longer serves you. Maybe you take some time to see if there’s some clutter your can clear out to create more space around the things you actually love and appreciate.
- We all want a more harmonious, beautiful and peaceful living space. Can you share some simple tips on how to transform the home, come the New Year?
- Lighting: Embrace natural light! If you are lucky enough to have windows in your space, honor them! Sure, sometimes you need to close the drapes or blinds but appreciating the natural light your home gets can be completely transformative all by itself. Let in the light! Also, lamps! I have bought lamps (or other principal lighting) for every single client I have ever had. Do not use overhead lighting! Each room should have 3 lighting sources like floor, table or pendant lights. You can create all sorts of magical mood lighting that way.
- Purge and clear: Get rid of stuff and get rid of old energy. I like to purge my closets and other hidden places often. If I’m freaked out about getting rid of stuff then I put it in a box and let it sit for 2 weeks. If I don’t take anything out of the box during that two weeks it all goes. Then burn some sage and clear old all the old energy.
- Create rituals: I have a morning coffee/tarot reading ritual that I cherish. It forces me to slow down and appreciate the little things like how good my pour-over coffee is, or how the sun comes in through my kitchen windows. Like anything else, when you add some mindfulness to your home and how you live in it, it raises the vibrations of the space and your lifestyle in general.
- Use ALL of your senses: Loving your home is about more than how it looks! How does it smell? Do you have a favorite scent that you can celebrate with a special candle? What does it feel like? Do you have soft blankets or pillows? Can you put a rug on those hardwood floors so it feels nice on your feet? What does it taste like? Yes, I said it! Do you cherish meals you make in your kitchen? You get the idea. The more you love your home, the more it will love you back. I once had a friend tell me, “Your home should hug you when you walk in.” I think it goes both ways. Bring attention and intention to your home and it will reciprocate.
- Incorporate crystals, minerals or other natural elements into your decor. Everything on earth has its own vibration and bringing those vibrations into your home through plants, gems, shells, etc. can foster a huge energetic shift. I recently moved into a third floor attic apartment and was having trouble feeling grounded for weeks afterwards. Obsidian is a grounding stone so I put a beautiful obsidian point on my dresser and the apartment has felt more solid ever since. Pyrite is amazing for manifesting success so I give them to people who have home offices to use as paperweights. Put some Rose Quartz and Garnet next to your bed for self-love and sensuality. Learning to use natural energies to shift the feel of your home is super gratifying and beautiful!
Photo credits: Samara Vise
