After a busy day of work and errands, the last thing you want is to come home to a chaotic house. However, especially for those of us with kids, a little chaos is hard to avoid. It may seem like you can’t find the time to clean and balance your home’s energy.
You may wonder how you can make your home a place to recharge.
In the past few years, most of us have found ourselves staying home more than usual. The time we spend in our dwellings can reflect how we experience the outside world. That’s why it’s vital that we pour positive energy into our homes — to feel energized and joyful as we go about our daily lives.
The energy you put into building a secure and comfortable home goes a long way. Feng shui principles can help you create an amazing atmosphere to make your home the peaceful sanctuary you desire.
What is Feng Shui?
For centuries, the creative energy principles of feng shui have existed in Chinese culture. However, it’s only in the past few decades that these amazing principles have seeped into the western world.
As feng shui has increased in western popularity, it’s become a widespread practice implemented by many people. Feng shui helps balance the energy of businesses, public spaces such as parks and museums, and private homes.
Translated literally, feng shui means “wind water.” In Chinese culture, both wind and water symbolize good health and good fortune. The principles of feng shui can concentrate the energy throughout your home via both placement of and the type of furniture, photos, art, and books you have.
The energy within your house is “live”: Based on Chinese philosophy “qi,” (all energy in living and inanimate objects), everything in your life is connected. Feng shui practices also utilize Taoism beliefs by balancing the yin and yang energies in your home.
The struggle to declutter your home is real
Do you find yourself zoning out as you stare at a mountain of clean laundry just sitting in its basket? Do you try to will your house to clean itself? Do you self-describe as a “clutter bug”?
Employing the principles of feng shui into your home and daily routines may help you overcome these struggles. Open yourself up to the idea that a life force inhabits everything — from people to pets to your living space. Keeping a clean and tidy living space is a way to honor this concept.
Feng shui is a phenomenal and simple practice that can actually invite good luck into your home by aligning and maintaining a balance of positive energy.
Photo Attribute: Image from Social Squares
The 5 principles of Feng Shui
Feng shui is based on the idea that the five principle elements of earth, fire, metal, water, and wood are interconnected. In order to utilize feng shui in your home, you need to employ all of these natural components (along with other, secondary elements). Choose one element as your central energy focus, and utilize the rest to create balance.
Change the energy of your environment
You can’t control every situation in your life, but it’s vital to implement positive change where you can. According to Psychology Today, you can promote health and wellness through the way you design your home.
Your surroundings can impact your joy, peace, and vitality. You can transform your home into an uncluttered, healing space.
Remove the clutter from your home
It’s easy to let material items accumulate — before you know it, your home can become cluttered. Periodically take the time to remove unwanted or unneeded things from your living space.
I find that in my personal space, chaos and stress can stem from clutter. Full confession: I’m a bit of a Marie Kondo-stan!
Along with feng shui, smudging your living space with sage can promote energy cleansing and bring happiness and peace to your home’s sanctuary.
How do you feng shui your home?
Here are some easy tips on how to feng shui for beginners:
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Clear pathways to help energy flow:
This step is as easy as it sounds. Take a walk through your home. If you find clutter or furniture prevents an easy pathway, move it or get rid of it. For example, if the positioning of your bed prevents you from easily opening your bedroom door, move it.
I find it’s helpful to picture water flowing from your front door to the back of your house. If there’s an obstacle (furniture or clutter) that could “dam” the water’s flow, you may want to consider moving it.
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Feng shui home entrances:
Do you have an overloaded coat tree? Do boots and shoes litter your front entryway? A great idea is to move these items to a closet, and keep them organized. Brighten and clean your entry space to get that energy flowing well!
Windows provide another great entrance point for feng shui. Keep your windows and windowsills clean and open to light. Light’s natural energy (along with the Vitamin D it provides) can re-energize your home. These all-natural, essential oil cleaning products may help.
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Implement a Bagua energy map and use a magnetic compass:
The Bagua energy map is considered one of the most important feng shui tools. It divides your home into 9 specific areas including love, family, and wealth,and helps you to discern what energy focus to place in each room. For example, in the focal point of family energy, you may want to display mementos and photos of your loved ones.
A magnetic compass can be used with a Bagua map to hone into specific spaces within a room. For example, perhaps your kitchen stove top is energized by love. There’s also a unique feng shui compass known as a luo pan.
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Focus on the tree element. Go vertical:
In feng shui, the tree principle brings energy, growth, and vital life force. By integrating vertical lines and shapes in your home’s interior, you can focus on the life-giving energy of the tree element. Tall bookshelves, indoor trees or largely vertical plants, and upward lighting are great examples of utilizing this principle. The Feng Shui School recommends vertically-striped wallpaper to help your living space feel larger and your ceiling to appear higher.
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Inspire productivity and wealth through plants and the wood element:
Laura Cerrano, an expert of feng shui with Feng Shui Manhattan, suggests adding at least one plant when implementing feng shui principles. She says, “It’s related to the element of wood, which connects to networking, expansion, growth, growing wealth, and opportunities. Also, have your business card on display on your desk [when utilizing feng shui at work].” Cerrano also suggests a desk-sized lucky frog or cat figurine to encourage financial prosperity.
Photo Attribute: Image from Canva
Alt: A person spraying water on an indoor plant
Create positive habits
Even introducing one of the feng shui principles into your home can significantly transform your life. These principles are relatively easy to implement and with practice, feng shui can become an instinctive habit. As you begin to put these tips into practice, you may experience a new calm and positive energy in your home sanctuary.
I am passionate about helping others transform their lives through natural and spiritual processes. I’d love to encourage and support you on your journey to holistic health. Check out my website for my latest products and tips, one-on-one coaching services, and partnership opportunities.
XO – Serena
