Other Orthodox people doing housecleaning to prepare for House Blessing?

[Stavroula]

The day after the Feast of the Nativity, I start to get busy cleaning and organizing the rooms of our home that we don't usually have "open" for "guests" in preparation for the January HouseBlessing.

I call it the "Orthodox 'Spring' Cleaning". (I like to start my "flylady" routines back up too... get the whole house clean and shiny.)

Does anyone here have other members of their parish to come and have dessert or appetizers and join in the houseblessings? I love this tradition.

[Khaleas]

YUP :sorry: :blush: :help:
and it's much needed too... I'm still debating on asking Father to come, I'll only be in that apartment for another 6 months and I know I will have him come and bless our house when it's ready hopefully sometimes this summer (we have to find a house first ;) )

[Wiffey]

Nope. My house is strictly "as is" (messy and lived in), even if scandalizes my in-laws, I don't think the priest will melt at the sight of a dust bunny or two:P ...

[HandmaidenOfGod]

My Grandmother won't let me have my priest come bless our house because I go to a OCA parish and she is UOC. :doh:

[eoe]

Would it be inappropriate for a catechumen (or serious inquirer) to ask to ahve his house blessed? Is that a "Members only" thing? I know it is not a sacrament but I was unsure of the protocol.

[ByzantineDixie]

Here's the deal. I have a cleaning service come in every other week and clean the house. They aren't very good but they do the work. If someone comes over and see's that the house is not very well cleaned...in my own twisted little mind I see that as a reflection on them, not me. My priest figured it out quite a while ago...I worry too much what other people think about me.

If father mentions signing up for a house blessing during the announcements I will do it...even if I am not a full fledged member. I have been wanting him to meet my husband anyway and since my husband has been great at keeping his word and not stepping one foot into St. Philothea's--coming to our house may be the only way Father Anthony will ever meet him!

[Akathist]

Would it be inappropriate for a catechumen (or serious inquirer) to ask to ahve his house blessed? Is that a "Members only" thing? I know it is not a sacrament but I was unsure of the protocol.

My first house blessing was as a catechumen, so I say ask your priest.

[gzt]

Go ahead and get it blessed, though make sure the other people in your house don't mind.

[ufonium2]

My priest has three teenaged boys. I don't think any mess could scare him.

[Akathist]

It does seem like a good excuse to get the whole house clean at once I would think. This is a good idea.

http://www.caterino.de/img/services/cleaning.gif

[Michael the Iconographer]

It does seem like a good excuse to get the whole house clean at once I would think. This is a good idea.

http://www.caterino.de/img/services/cleaning.gif

I used K's first visit last summer as an excuse to thoroughly clean my house. I will probably do the same prior to my house blessing. But then, I used visiting my parents at Christmas with the dogs as an excuse to groom and bathe both dogs.