An Altar for Everyone!

5 clever ideas for how to get your magick on, no matter where you live.

Looking to create some sacred space in your home?

Read below for some witchy tips (as presented in episode 413)

1. For those Out Witches with limited space or clever cats: install shelves!

For those witches who are DIY savvy and want to save money and space, but still want a dedicated area to store your witchy goods and perform your rituals, installing shelves is the perfect way to set up your own custom Altar area. 

Make sure you use a stud-finder and if you rent, your landlord allows this kind of installation. Go to your local Home Depot, Lowes or similar store and pick up some sturdy L-Brackets and some wooden planks. 

Take your measurements beforehand, think about how deep you need your shelves vs your altar space. 

This also works great to help prevent cats (or other little ones) from jumping up onto your altar (but not guaranteed, of course, they can be high jumpers!) 

Another great alternative for those who don’t want to DIY, is to look into floating desks:

2. For the Witch on the go or living in shared spaces while keeping it on the DL: laptop desk with built-in storage.

Say you live in a college dorm, a shared apartment, at home with your parents (who don’t know you’re a witch), or traveling the world in your RV — how can a witch in this sitch have space to perform her lunar rituals? Simple! A laptop lap desk with built in storage can provide you with a quick and makeshift altar, while also holding onto your little trinkets, powders, candles, what-have-you right in its base! A quick search online brings up lots of options at different affordable price points. 

Note that this is for the minimalist, as there isn’t much storage, but can definitely keep your things organized and neatly tucked away until you need them. 

Can’t find a laptop lap desk you like or want to spend even less or no money? DIY! Find an extra large shoebox with a lid and paint it any way you like (I did a matte black with cheap acrylic paint) — the box serves as storage, and when the lid is on top, serves as a small work area!

Obviously be careful to not let candles burn unattended (always use flame-proof holders), and use on a flat, secure surface. 

3. For the witch with too much stuff but wants to keep it neat: Cabinet or Secretary’s Desk

I’m currently obsessed with the idea of having a super organized central place for all my witchy things, from books to spell ingredients to crystals. Enter, the Secretary’s Desk! This can neatly hold all of your things and then unfold to reveal a “desk” surface that can serve as  your altar. 

Another option is a cabinet that can open and close, even better if it can lock to shield from prying eyes or children. The top of the cabinet then can work as your altar surface. 

Downside is that this does cost money, but there are reasonable deals out there. The two pics below are options I’ve been eyeing from Wayfair, but I can’t personally vouch for them yet as I haven’t purchased at this time. 

Those who are into DIY, build your own cabinet, like the Reddit post we mentioned in the previous episode. 

Pro-tip – use vinyl shelf-liners or removable wallpaper to line the altar area to protect against spills and messes!

4. For the witch who loves shopping and a great deal even more: Go Antiquing! 

Shopping in person is a little dicey right now thanks to the pandemic, but online shopping never goes out of style. You can browse sites like Ebay, Etsy, and FB Marketplace for 2nd hand antique weird tables with storage, like the one I got below:

before

I got this off FB Marketplace for about $20, sanded and re-puttied the corners, then slapped a new coat of paint on it, and I love it! 

after

5. For the witch who wants to do the minimal amount of work: Use what you have!

Have a large window sill? Perfect! Just be careful that you don’t leave certain crystals out in the sun, as some can fade. 

What about an end table you already have? Can you use the shoebox tip and then just use that table when you need to set up an altar? Remember altar cloths (can be handkerchiefs or an old t-shirt) are your friend!

What about a fireplace mantle or top of a dresser? 

When in doubt, use the floor!

The best tip is to keep your witchy items within reach, organized, and safe, and you’ll find yourself casting circles way more often.