This is the second in a series 10 Things to Do in 2012.
Our surroundings effect us strongly. If we were living with someone who abuses us, or work with someone who criticizes us, for example, it would be difficult for us to be freely ourselves, and find peace of mind.
Same goes for our physical surroundings. Stale air, minimal light, and clutter could effect our mood, our energy, and our relationships. It could have us feeling depressed, alone, and stuck.
Erica Sofrina, author of the book Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World, says,
“Our homes are powerful energy attractors. Feng Shui teaches that by balancing and enhancing the energy in our living space, our lives will come into alignment as well.” and “Feng Shui teaches that the outer environment will always reflect our inner environment.”For our inner environment, we need allow more light in, “air out” stuck emotions, and clean out the clutter in our mind. Doing this with our outer environment will help this process.
Open up your curtains, air out your house when you can, and get your stuff organized! Clearing clutter can help you feel like a new person. It may seem hard, but once you start somewhere, it can take on its own momentum.
How do you start to de-clutter your home? Carole Hyder, another Feng Shui expert and author of Conversations With Your Home suggests the following:
- Move 27 objects within the same room that haven’t been moved in over a year. ( Gets the stagnant energy moving)
- Remove everything from the front and sides of the refrigerator for 9 days. (Keeps stimulation in the kitchen to a minimum.)
- Give away one bag of clothing each week for 9 weeks.
- Donate books to charity in multiples of 9. ( 9, 18, 27, etc)
- Throw out 9 files on your desk that you no longer need. The next day deal with 9 more.
- If the whole house is cluttered begin in your bedroom.
- Eliminate clutter near the front door (to invite in opportunity).
- Leave the top of your fireplace mantle or dresser completely empty for 9 days.
- Start small.
I haven’t personally studied Feng Shui, but I have had my home and office balanced for the last several years by Louisa Ong-Lee. Just her small suggestions make a huge difference to people who enter. They often comment, without knowing about the Feng Shui, that they feel good when entering. Wouldn’t be great if healing happens just by being home?
Feng Shui is specific to the people and to the building, so it is hard to have generalities. However, here are some basics that Louisa has taught me over the years:
- Good energy can be sucked down the toilet! Literally. Close the toilet lid when not in use and keep the bathroom door closed even when no one is in there. Also keep anything spiritual and inspirational out of the bathroom, including walls opposite the bathroom (adjacent rooms.)
- If you want to fall in love or stay in love, make sure all birds in your decor are in pairs. Carefully make sure they face each other!
- In all dining areas, have a bowl of shells on the table. Pictures or representations of fruit, especially fruit on vines, enhance food abundance. It is OK to have a mirror reflect the table to multiply this abundance, but if you do, never do bills at that table!
- Dried flowers are not appropriate to keep. They are stagnant, dead energy.
- Decorate your entrances to invite opportunity.
- Put things you love around you.
- Make sure under your bed is de-cluttered, or better yet, empty. This includes keeping tidy the room under your bedroom.
We must surround our self with things that we love. Pets, people, meaningful trinkets, an altar (‘Altar’ Your Attitude), nature, and then dispose of the things that do not nourish us.
We, also, need to spend more time outside!
Read this post by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Want your kids to get into Harvard? Tell them to go outside Or by me What Our Body Needs.
Healing is about us returning to our natural selves, who we were before all of the stress of our lives caused us all sorts of physical and emotional problems. Doesn’t it make sense that spending time in nature can help us remember how to be natural? How to heal?
Jodi, I’ll be thinking of you while I’m moving things around in my house today. This is really interesting.
Kelly Hashway recently posted..Monday Mishmash 1/09/12
Thanks, Kelly! How does it look?
Jodi, my mom would literally applaud this post! She’s quite the lover of Feng Shui and believe it or not, she faithfully follows the majority of the suggestions you mention. I remember the first time she told me about the toilet bowl lid. I thought she was making it up until she showed me her Feng Shui book. I like to keep my entrance way clear as well as my bed. And did I mention I hate clutter?
Me and your mom have some connection, I think! That is the second or third time she came to you when reading my blog. Tell her I love her and I’m coming to England to go out for tea to catch up. Is she in England?
Hey Jodi,
Very good tips. But I’m afraid if I showed this post to my wife she’s would tell me exactly I’m gonna spend the rest of the day!
The clutter on my desk stares me in the face begging me to get rid of the chaos.
I think I’m going to clean up the disaster now!
Thanks Jodi!
Akos
Akos Fintor recently posted..Leave My Blog Alone! | Tips from Gary Vaynerchuk Part.2
I hope your desk looks good after you cleaned it!
I was OK with everything except giving away books. I have never been able to part with my little pretties. I agree about getting rid of the clothes and decluttering.. Something about let go of the piles is as you said, refreshing. I have not Feng Shui’d the house nor have I thought about it, to be honest, but I keep it bright with light and colorful. Decluttering is hard to keep on top of given that I share with kids and husband, but … I am enjoying these posts. Thanks much.
Brenda recently posted..I Am NOT Literary
I thought that, too, but there are probably one or two…or nine… that you are like,”Why do I have this?” Right?
Good tips, but if I decluttered under my bed I don’t know where I would store stuff! Not that I need all that garbage…
Bridget recently posted..Monday Listicles
You’re hysterical! No you don’t need it, but you can post about what you got under there.
Hi Jodi. I LOVE these decluttering ideas and my husband will be SO happy! Thanks and happy 2012.
Meryl recently posted..Teachers’ Worth: The Real Zinger…
Glad I could make you both so happy!
I just wrote a blog post about how I will have a “room of my own” in our new house, and I can’t wait to use these ideas in my special place. so interesting. thank you!
Melissa Kiefer recently posted..My Word is Peace
I love this post and will get to work on the feng shui ideas.
I have an office with no windows. Any ideas for something other than dried flowers to brighten my space?
Hi Brenda!
I would use silk flowers or a colorful wall hanging (of nature, maybe) to bring good energy in!