Ever wish you could wave a wand and presto-chango finish your entire to-do list in an instant? While she hasn’t quite figured out how to grant this wish, cleaning expert and self-proclaimed witch Molly Donlan does have some tips for making chores more fun. In Mundane Magic, Donlan shares how to turn routines into ritual by reframing everyday tasks into enchanting opportunities. In this Q&A, I asked Donlan to share what led her to develop her spellbinding approach, and how each of us can start practicing a little bit more magic today.
Rachael Xerri: Did you always identify as a witch? What led you to want to explore this topic of magic and cleaning?
Molly Donlan: Absolutely not, I was a skeptic of all things woo for most of my life and didn't claim the title of Witch until I was in my 30s! Looking back, though, I realize I had been practicing magic much longer than I realized. My practice just didn't "look" like the kinds of witchcraft that is portrayed in the media or online. I never owned a cauldron or used rhyming incantations; instead, I did things like belting out a power ballad when driving to an important job interview, using affirmations as my lock screen, decluttering my space when my brain felt too full, or taking a luxurious nighttime shower to cleanse away a rough day. This has been what my practice has looked like as long as I can remember, and I wanted to write about it to show others that they, too, are magical beings. Even if their practice doesn't look like traditional witchcraft.
I am someone who cannot stand clutter, but also finds doing chores incredibly tedious and boring—I know, what a conundrum! What does someone like me stand to gain from Mundane Magic?
Oh, you and me both. For me, the chore that I dread the most is mopping my house, so let's use this as an example here. Mopping the house is super boring, tedious, and honestly exhausting. I usually sweat through my bra when I do it, it requires way too much effort, and I will put it off as long as possible. But you know what isn't boring? Making a potion for creativity.
Did you ever sit on the bathroom floor as a kid and mix a bunch of shampoos together and call it a potion? Well, you're gonna love this. We can take the same boring task of mopping and infuse it with that whimsical, playful fun of making shampoo potions. By choosing the scent of our soap with the intention of creativity, stirring it with a sigil (a.k.a., a magical symbol for that intention), then spreading it throughout your home with that intention in mind, you suddenly turn a boring chore of mopping into a playful task that you actually WANT to do! We can apply this same approach to ANY chore, from vacuuming to decluttering, paying bills to grocery shopping, scooping the litter box to folding laundry, and everything in between.
Unintentionally, I think I’ve been practicing a bit of mundane magic—for example, I like to engage in the ritual of listening to an audiobook while I fold the laundry. What other rituals and practices do you recommend incorporating into one’s chore routine?
ABSOLUTELY, YES! One really simple ritual you can start incorporating right now is recognizing how your chores impact the energy in your space. Before you begin the next task on your to-do list, tune in to how your space feels. Are there areas that feel heavy, dense, or sticky? What about areas that feel breezy, light, or airy? Now as you work through your chore, notice how the feeling in your space changes. Do you notice changes in how YOU feel at the same time? Once you're done, tune in to the space again— what's changed? What's asking for your attention next? Can you offer yourself a beat of gratitude for tending to your home and, at the same time, tending to yourself?
