Okay y’all, energy cleansing. Energy cleansing is something I’ve been half-assing for like three years now and honestly? My apartment in [redacted US city] still sometimes feels like it’s holding a grudge against me.
Like last Tuesday I came home after a brutal 9-hour shift, kicked off my Docs, and the air just felt… heavy. Not “oh I need to vacuum” heavy. More like “something bad happened here in 1997 and nobody told it to leave” heavy. So yeah, I finally decided to do a proper energy cleansing again. Spoiler: I still messed it up. But I’m sharing anyway because maybe my chaos can help you.
Why My Home Needed an Energy Cleanse (Badly)
I live in a small-ish one-bedroom that’s seen better days. Rent’s cheap, location’s decent, but the vibes? Trash. My last breakup happened here, I had a string of freelance gigs that went nowhere, and don’t even get me started on the neighbor who blasts reggaeton at 2 a.m. like it’s his constitutional right. All that stuck energy just… sits.
I tried ignoring it. Big mistake. My plants kept dying, I was sleeping like crap, and I swear the hallway mirror made me look 15 years older. Time for energy cleansing. Real talk.
Tip 1: Smudging But Make It Real (and Slightly Disastrous)
Everyone says burn sage or palo santo. Cool. I bought a big bundle off Etsy in 2023 and forgot about it until last month. When I finally lit it:
- The smoke alarm went off in 47 seconds
- My cat sprinted under the couch like I was performing an exorcism
- I dropped ashes on my favorite hoodie (RIP)
But weirdly… after I opened every window and apologized to the neighbors (silently, in my head), the place felt lighter. Like the air could breathe again.
Pro tip nobody tells you: keep a little bowl of water nearby because you WILL set off smoke alarms and you WILL panic. Also, maybe don’t do this right after eating Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The combo is unholy.

Here’s a solid resource if you want to do it less chaotically than me: How to Smudge Your Home Safely – The Spruce
Tip 2: Salt Water Bowls – My Weird Obsession
I read somewhere that bowls of salt water absorb bad energy. Sounds hippie-dippie but I was desperate. So I:
- Grabbed my least favorite cereal bowl
- Filled it with tap water and like half a Morton’s salt container (overkill)
- Stuck it in the corners of each room for 24 hours
The next day the water in the bedroom corner was legit cloudy. Coincidence? Maybe. But I felt better. I dumped it outside (not down the drain—apparently that’s bad juju?) and refilled. Been doing it every couple weeks since.
It’s low effort, cheap, and makes me feel like I’m doing something. If you want the slightly more bougie version: Black Tourmaline & Saltwater Cleansing Guide – Energy Muse
Tip 3: Sound – When You’re Too Tired to Wave a Stick Around
Bought one of those cheap Tibetan singing bowls off Amazon. Used it twice. Mostly I just play 432 Hz frequency videos on YouTube at 1.5x speed while I scroll TikTok. It’s not traditional, it’s not pretty, but the sound does shift something.
Sometimes I just clap really loud in corners like a lunatic. Works surprisingly well. Neighbors probably think I’m losing it. Whatever.

Tip 4: The “I’m Not Spiritual But…” Cleanse
Open windows. Play music you love. Dance badly. Throw out one thing you hate looking at. That’s energy cleansing too. I did this last weekend and accidentally got rid of 3 old hoodies, a broken lamp, and half my dignity. Worth it.
Wrapping This Mess Up
Look, I’m no guru. My place still gets dusty, I still yell at my Wi-Fi, and sometimes the energy feels off again after a week. But doing these little energy cleansing things—even imperfectly—helps. It’s less about perfection and more about saying “hey, I live here, I deserve to feel okay.”
