Fill in the blank with the name of your latest, dreaded "home invader."

Squirrels are adorable . . . until they've removed half of your insulation and established their own squirrel community in your attic.

Flies are essential to the circle of life. But that doesn't mean it's okay for a bunch of flies to be circling your kitchen.

Same tune, new verse for raccoons, snakes, mice, spiders, bedbugs, roaches and so on.

We answer a Question Line call about this scenario nearly every week. And Machaelle Wright has answered this question hundreds of times over the years — which is why she included a brilliant, easy-to-follow answer on page 329 of The Perelandra Garden Workbook. (Thank you, Machaelle!)

We're including the complete answer here so you'll have it when you need it.

The first step can be done by anyone, anywhere for whatever invasion or infestation issue you need to address within your own home.

IMPORTANT: Don't attempt to do this for your whole apartment complex, neighborhood or city. Nature will only work with and respond to you in relation to the environment you live in and for which you are responsible.

THE TOP PERELANDRA FAQ
Excerpt from page 329 of The Perelandra Garden Workbook by Machaelle Wright

Here’s the all-purpose version of the most frequently asked question:

What do I do about ____________?

Fill in the blank with the home invaders that are currently driving you mad: mice, insects, snakes, bats, the neighbors’ kids . . .

These types of questions are a variation on the question gardeners ask frequently when they notice problems in the garden. “What do I do about that?” When this comes up, I tell them, “don’t ask me; ask nature.” In all such instances, the problem is reflecting an environmental imbalance that needs to be addressed. There are actually several approaches to home invasion problems:

1. Hit the start button* and wait five seconds. Then explain that your house/apartment/dwelling is your home and you do not wish to include ________ (invaders) as part of your personal environment. State that you’d like them to leave.

Then hit the stop button. If you don’t see a dramatic change or outright elimination in the number of invaders after four days, do the second approach.

I swear to you that approach #1 works. In fact, it works quite frequently. It’s sort of surprising. It’s as if nature just needed you to be clear about your intent in those spaces you call rooms. Nature doesn’t call them rooms. They consider them an extension of their environment. However, you will also need to block up all entrances once the invaders leave and remove or better store the items that the invaders found so enticing in the first place.

* See page 23 of the Garden Workbook for an explanation of the Start and Stop Buttons. The excerpt is available to read free here.

2. Test the Workbook Troubleshooting 2.1 Chart with the focus of the testing on the invaders and the problem you are having with them.

2. For the invasion of neighborhood children: Stop being so nice, so much fun, so interesting — and, for god’s sake, stop offering them homemade cookies. Give it four days. If they are still coming around, just up the ante and get a little crabbier with them.