Check out these common household items used in witchcraft for some creative ways to make the most of what you already have!
In a society obsessed with mass consumption, it can be tempting to allow a shopping habit to carry over into your spiritual life.
While I certainly encourage you to treat yourself occasionally to a new tarot deck or an exotic ritual herb from the apothecary shop, I firmly believe in working with what you have first!
If you’re in the broom closet, everyday items offer an incognito alternative to more obvious tools of the Craft.
And even if you’re not, using what you have forces you to come up with creative ideas, which always make the best building blocks for a solid spell.
If you like this article, it’s especially useful to pair it with How to Write Your Own Magick Spells.
Contents
Blank Book
If you have a pretty blank book laying around (I always do!), consider creating your own Book of Shadows or grimoire. It’s rewarding and something you can pass on to your children or younger coven members.
Broom
This classic magical tool lurks in a dark corner somewhere in nearly every household in the world. Use your broom to ritually “sweep” your sacred circle. If you have a spare, you can decorate the handle with carvings or wrap it in ribbon and dedicate it your practice.
Candles
Choose one with a color or scent that corresponds to your purpose and incorporate it into a spell or ritual.
Cast Iron Pot
Can be used in place of a ritual cauldron. Sometimes, it’s even better than the kind you find for witchcraft, because kitchen cauldrons are food safe. Definitely a must-have for any kitchen witch. Boil aromatic herb blends to bless the house with a particular energy (lavender for calming, rosemary for protection, sage to stop arguments, etc).
Fabric Scraps
So many possibilities! Use a large piece as an altar cloth or (if you have the skills) make a ritual robe out of it. Smaller scraps can be made into spell sachets or mojo bags.
Glass Bottles & Jars
While many herbs (and even oils) come in plastic bottles and bags, plastic makes a very low-quality storage option. Use leftover jars from peanut butter, jelly, preserves, and sauces to store your ritual herbs and oils.
Glitter
This super common craft supply adds a magical touch to any spell. Check out this Sun Spell to Banish Depression for a beautiful example.
Pen/Paper
Try this traditional banishing spell: write down something you want out of your life, like a person, thing, habit or even the place you live. Burn it outside and visualize releasing it into the sky.
Knife
Any kitchen knife can be used as a ritual knife. You don’t need anything fancy.
Use it to “cut” a passage in your sacred circle, harvest herbs and carve ritual candles.
Lanterns
Nothing brings magic to life like lanterns strung from the trees around your outdoor circle. These create a mystical atmosphere for any outdoor ritual, but especially spring and summer festivals like Beltane and Litha.
Mirror
Use a mirror to reflect moonlight while making moon water. Place mirrors on the altar during beauty rituals or leave one on you permanent altar to remind yourself to look within for your personal power.
Pennies or Dollar Bills
Use these as an offering to support a spell. Donate them to a leave a penny/take a penny or toss them in a fountain.
Pins and Needles
I personally don’t use voodoo dolls or poppets to cause harm. I know this is part of some traditions, but it’s not for me. However, you can use the same principle for healing poppets, but instead of focusing on harmful thoughts, think of them as acupuncture pins to sooth pain and correct imbalances.
Potted Plants
Place them on the altar or in the northern corner of your sacred circle to symbolize the Element of Earth.
Seasonal Decor
Use seasonal decorations to decorate your altar for the Sabbats. Christmas decorations work for a Yule altar, Halloween decor for Samhain, Easter decorations for Ostara, ect.
Sea Shells
Got a little collection of sea shells from your last trip to the beach? Bust those babies out. Use them on the altar or in the western corner of your sacred circle to symbolize the Element of Water or try incorporating them into sea witchcraft.
Soap
You know that fancy stuff you got for your birthday or at the office Christmas party that smells to good to use? “Spend” it on a luxurious ritual bath for the full moon.
Vases
You know that cluster of vases from old bouquets and floral arrangements that you don’t know what to do with? Put one on the altar and keep something fresh all the time, preferably something you collected on your magical nature walks. Keeping this up helps connect your indoor altar (and you!) to the natural world around you.
Wind Chimes
Hang them around your outdoor sacred space to welcome spirits, dispel negative energy and symbolize the Element of Air.
Wine Glass
Of course, I love to have a beautiful pewter chalice to pass around for cakes and ale, but any wine glass will do. Use it on the altar to float candles in water, fill it with ritual wine or put spring water in it to symbol the Element of Water in your ritual space.
This is a great list. Your suggestion of instead of a voodoo doll using it as acupuncture was brilliant!
Thanks!
I was glad that you suggest to use voodoo dolls for healing I’m not comfortable to cause harm to others ? , i’m Only a beginner looking at all aspects ect and spells and herbs ect . Having said only at the start of my learning curve ? I’ve been researching for last 2 years being on my own so no covern , any insight would be gratefully received . My main concern is that I don’t invite any unwelcome enterties into my home through my lack of knowledge on cleansing before rituals .
Any pearls of wisdom would be gratefully received xxx
Personally, I think voodoo and hoodoo get a negative reputation that is unfair. Much of this bases itself in historical issues, like missionaries who wanted to squash indigenous traditions of American slaves.
Modern witchcraft, unfortunately, has been lumped into the same category. I don’t think you are any more likely to invite negative energy into your home with witchcraft than you would any other religion, including Christianity (after all, Catholics perform exorcisms, so it’s not like that *never* happens to them.)
Witchcraft requires you to be responsible for what you put into the world. If you send out love and light, you’ll get back love and light.
Spell casting has consequences just like any other proactive action. But so does having a baby or getting a new job. Life has consequences. I see witchcraft as no more dangerous than getting married or buying a new car. You may or may not regret it. Knowing this makes you much more careful about what you wish for.
You can read more about this here:
https://moodymoons.com/2015/11/10/dark-witch-working-in-the-shadows/
Many of the items in this article I have and use at home. Its much easier and cheaper than going out to purchase them. If I don’t a particular item I need for a ritual, I go the the Thrift Store. Candles I purchase from the 99 Cents Only Store, the Dollar Store or any bargin store that I can fine. Speciality candles I have to go directly to a Candle shop.
One more thing …
Vodou (Voodoo) and Hoodoo has gotten a negative reputation, because most people who start studying magick get their information from others who are ignorant about the religion, the people or the culture.
email me at oxcsymbol@gmail.com
I would love to talk to you about this.
-OXC.
Thanks for the information. As a new beginner of being a witch. I will surely use it. Except the voodoo .
Try not to be put off by what you’ve heard about voodoo. It’s actually a rich, fascinating tradition descended from West and Central Africa that migrated through the slave trade to Southern part of the United States. Our culture has invested a lot in demonizing voodoo practitioners (most people, for example, are familiar with the highly misunderstood “voodoo doll”) but they have a lot in common with neopagans.
I encourage you to take a trip to New Orleans and meet with some of the voodoo practitioners there. You’ll be surprised to discover among them many expert midwives, healers and deeply knowledgeable historians on the subject of African American spirituality.
Good artical, I was taught to use what I have or harvest from nature first, make it yourself next, and thrift shop next, discount($$store, dime store) store next. My mom an granny would have had a fit about the prices
Thanks for the information. As a new beginner of being a witch. I will surely try this.
I just want to say I love your posts. I’ve read a bunch of different ones through my researching and always find them helpful. I just started looking into witchcraft again for like the 20th time through out the years since a teenager and it just always becomes so overwhelming with all the different info out there that I give up but then I’m drawn back to it more intensely each time that I don’t even know how to explain it. If you have any pointers on where I should start it would be very much appreciated. I feel like I’m constantly reading and researching but being left just even more confused and lost.
Hi Miranda.
It can be really overwhelming! I recommend starting here:
https://moodymoons.com/2018/12/26/beginning-witchcraft-a-free-30-day-crash-course/
It’s a free crash course for beginners. It helps you to orient yourself in the art of the Craft and figure out where your talents are.
Good luck, and feel free to stop by any time with questions!
Hey thank you so.much for this I really didnt know I could make an altar cloth or I could use glitter thank you so much for these inspirational ideas
Hi! I just wanted to ask if you have any spells or potions you’d recomend for “Baby” witches or “Broom Closet Witches”
I don’t see any reason you can’t experiment with any spell you want. You may want to read this just for your knowledge:
https://moodymoons.com/2018/11/26/9-witchcraft-mistakes-beginners-always-make/
My cousin just got into the Pagan and witchcraft cultures this last fall. She is very serious about it and has really studied some of the practices. I would like to buy her some supplies at a Wiccan shop. I enjoyed your information on some of the household items that I can send her. Surprisingly, I do not have many of these things on hand. Even the coins are hard to come by because of the cards we use during purchases. I would love to visit a Wiccan store and pick up some nice lanterns for her to use. She would love to create some kind of mystical mood in her outdoor patio. Thank you for all of this information. I will visit a Wiccan store before her birthday.
i found in my bed on my pillow as i woke up amonkey hand
with a large fingernail attached. i tried to get it but it was too fast also plus mice different sizes all in my room they wood stay but not run anywhere only were empty inside and some dollrs i have taking different forms and so how do u think all this happen. i do not mess wth wich craft just have different stones i like. please try to help. straight talk