Spring cleaning season is the perfect time to incorporate the basics of feng shui into your living space. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese technique that’s used to harmonize the elements of a space to benefit those who visit, live, or work there. These tips will help reinvigorate your home, bring in energy and abundance, and improve your peace of mind!
Take Inventory
Before you change anything, take stock. You probably already know a few things that you’d like to adjust in your space, because they impact your daily habits and routine. Is there something that regularly annoys you in your home? Something you are constantly moving out of the way, or wishing were in a different spot? Does a certain area of your home life, or a certain room, feel slightly out of balance?
One basic principle of feng shui is the flow of qi, or energy, throughout a space. If there’s something (a shoe rack that you always trip over, or a kitchen appliance that you frequently have to move) that you have a gut feeling should be moved, write it down and be sure to include relocating it in your feng shui project.
Visualize
A helpful practice when getting started with feng shui is to imagine water flowing through your space. If a stream were to pour in your front door, where would it get stopped, stuck, or redirected? Are there rooms or corners that the water would never reach because they’re blocked by something? Allow that visual to inform your understanding of qi, and experiment with how the rooms feel when you start to rearrange things.
Elements
In addition to qi, the physical elements also inform feng shui. Consider how the balance of metal, earth, fire, water, and wood might come into play in your space. If your living room is heavy with earthy decorations, how can you bring in elements of air to lighten it up? A metal-heavy kitchen may need some light wooden decorations to bring the energy of the space back into balance.
Quick Improvements
There are several quick and easy ways you can improve the feng shui of your living space, even if you can’t make large structural changes. To get started right away, try the tips below and see if you notice an improvement:
- Declutter. Clutter is a huge obstacle, especially in small spaces, that blocks the flow of qi. Consolidate your belongings and containers where possible, fix broken objects, and remove all trash or unneeded items from the space. (Bonus project: dive into the KonMari Method by Marie Kondo for an extra boost of organization and efficiency!)
- Place a small fountain near your front door. This encourages the flow of energy, financial abundance, and friendship into your living space. Choosing an inspiring arrangement that you love to look at will only enhance the benefits.
- Position your bed as far as possible from the bedroom door, but at an angle where you can still see the door when you’re lying down. This placement encourages a calm, commanding energy. Remove any plants from your bedroom–they bring in energy and might be preventing you from getting sleep!
- Remove extraneous objects from the entrance to your home. Remember the water we visualized earlier? Give it a fighting chance to flow through the rest of your house or apartment by clearing the front door and entry space of any obstacles. This will also contribute to peace of mind as you enter your home daily to find a clear, open space greeting you.
We hope you’ll give these tips a try, and continue looking into the principles of feng shui. Happy rearranging!