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How to prepare yourself and your home for a Mercury retrograde

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Young women having fun in their apartment
Young women having fun in their apartment

And by the end of July, Michael will be staging a Jackson Five reunion with a special Janet appearance. According to a report by Teen Vogue six planets, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune, and Mercury, will all retrograde by July 26. It can be overwhelming to think about but we’ve got all the info to prepare yourself, and your home for the coming onslaught.

What does a planetary retrograde mean?  

Planets don’t actually move backwards, they only appear to, from the Earth. While they’re not really moving in reverse, perception is important. When a planet is in retrograde whatever that planet rules over tends to slow down or be disrupted. 

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Why does it feel like Mercury is always in retrograde? 

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and its orbit is completed faster than the Earth’s. It passes the Earth about three or four times a year and we experience a Mercury retrograde period. Other planets have slower orbits so they are in retrograde much less often. 

What will it feel like? 

With so many planets going into retrograde soon a lack of energy, low libido, and general apathy is expected. Mercury rules all communication, legal contracts, technology, transportation, and travel. When it retrogrades, these areas tend to spin out of control and it‘s advisable to be flexible and exercise caution around those areas.

All the cosmic chaos doesn’t mean your life has to be thrown into flux. Your home should be a place of refuge and calm during the upheaval of the planets so the best thing you can do is prepare.

Make a list

Before you begin, make a list of all the places in your home you need to clear out. Splitting the task up into manageable chunks will make it easier to control. Very few people have the energy to organise their whole living space at once, no matter what the planets are doing. 

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Declutter in stages

Before organising your belongings, clear out some space. Embrace simplicity and declutter before you feel swamped by all the mayhem. Doing this incrementally will keep your motivation strong. Remember when the planets are out of whack, you will be living in a streamlined version of your home, ready to take on anything.

Purge before you purchase

Prepare with a mini-purge of things you never use before you buy storage and organisational tools. Toss the odd socks, ill-fitting clothing, and stray trinkets that don't belong in your home. They will add to the atmosphere of anarchy. 

When the planets are in retrograde, you don’t only experience lethargy, you may also be restless and irritated and all the extra things will rub you up the wrong way. Make sure you’re free of household items that don’t work any more and anything you haven’t used in over six months. Then you won’t want to bite off someone’s head when five out of your seven pens don’t work.

Draw on the power of nature

Incorporate natural materials into your home to balance your energy. Use charged crystals like rose quartz and amethyst to give you a boost. The rose quartz will promote understanding and loving vibes to tide you over the misunderstandings that may occur while the amethyst enhances intuition and relaxation. 

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Unplug

Remove and reduce as many elements of technology from your living spaces as possible. Mercury retrograde is associated with technology going haywire so try to move your tech away from everywhere you don't need it. Create an oasis away from machinery.


What if it’s too late?

Remember when Mercury is in retrograde it’s best to stay away from finalising important decisions. It is a good time to reflect and heightened intuition could incline you to purge. There’s nothing wrong with doing decluttering during a retrograde, just be careful to limit yourself to items you can afford to lose. Save your legal documents and correspondence clear-out for when their planetary ruler is not in flux. 

And always remember to be forgiving with yourself. Almost no one has the perfect life or the perfect drawers. Make sure your space works for your lifestyle. The most important thing, no matter what direction the cosmos is turning, is to work and live knowing yourself and your needs. Staying calm and adaptable will get you through the wildest celestial choreography and depending on your perspective, you may even enjoy it.

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