Feng Shui For Your Home

Image: Flickr  

Have you ever walked into a home before and immediately liked it? Perhaps it was light, bright and airy? It was welcoming and comfortable, and you felt great while you were there.  You could say this house has good feng shui. If you haven’t heard of this term before, in Chinese it means ‘wind and water’. Feng shui (pronounced foong shway) is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging the layout of your home to promote happiness, harmony and wellbeing. And the great thing about feng shui is that it doesn’t require a drastic rearrangement of your home, often just moving a few pieces of furniture around, placing a light here, or a plant there can make a big difference to your level of comfort. Here are some ideas for improving feng shui in the home.

Get Rid of Clutter

Good energy (or positive ‘chi’) needs to flow freely throughout the home. When you have a lot of clutter it causes energy to stagnate, and everything grinds to a halt. You may start to feel tired, depressed or stuck. Before you let anything new into your life you have to let something go. When you clear away the clutter you literally clear away negative emotions, and you feel like you have a weight lifted off your shoulders.

Front Doors

You want a sunny bright feeling as you enter your home.

• Make sure your front door can open fully and there are no coats or shoes blocking it.
• The entrance way inside your home should be well lit, and I often have a vase of fresh flowers on the hall table.
• Keep your door handle and knocker shining and bright.
• It is great to have healthy green plants in round containers on either side of the front door. Choose plants that have small round leaves, and avoid long spikey ones.
• If you have numbers on your door, hang them with an upward slant to ‘lift’ the feelings of people going into your home.

Living Rooms

This is where the family gathers to relax, where you chat with friends, and where you hang out and relax after a hard day’s work. It should be warm and inviting and comfortable.

• The sofas or chairs should be arranged in a circular fashion to ease the flow of conversation.
• Coffee tables are ideally made of wood and round or oval in shape. Glass coffee tables make a jarring sound when things are put on it, and rectangular tables can act as a barrier keeping people away.
• Have one big indoor plant to freshen the atmosphere.

Kitchens

Kitchens should be clean, fresh and bright.

• Ensure there is always adequate ventilation. Opening the window is the best way to clear the air.
• Always eat off matching crockery and throw away cups or plates when they get chips in them.
• Do not display knives. Keep them out of sight in a drawer or block.
• The sink should be kept clean and unblocked.
• Cover the bin with a lid and empty the rubbish each day.
• It is better to have cupboards that close rather than lots of open shelving.

Image: Flickr

Bedrooms

This is your sanctuary and rest space. The atmosphere should be safe, warm and nurturing.

• Have matching bedside tables and lamps.
• Curtains are preferable to blinds as they create a softer atmosphere.
• The position of the bed is quite important in feng shui. The best position for the bed is diagonally opposite the bedroom door. (Of course this won’t always be possible. So just try to find the best position for the bed that is a bit further into the room and not too close to the door.)
• Always place the headboard of a bed against a wall.
• Do not position the bed feet first directly lined up with the door. If you have a bed in this position and can’t move it because of limited space, make sure you have a solid footboard or place a small bookcase at the bottom of the bed.

Finally, some good fortune symbols

Good feng shui has long been associated with certain objects because of their colors or materials, or because their name in Chinese sounds similar to desirable things like tranquility or abundance. Many people like to have these objects in their home or hang a painting which depicts them.

• The elephant symbolizes wisdom.
• Bamboo, peaches, blossoms, pine trees and cranes symbolize good health and longevity.
• Cool, clear running water, gold coins, and fish represent prosperity.
• One of the loveliest ways of enhancing feng shui is to hang a crystal by a window to catch the morning sun or afternoon light. Bright rainbows will energize a room and are believed to be potent for creating family harmony and happiness.

Image: Flickr 

I hope you have enjoyed this little taste of the fascinating world of feng shui. I wish you a comfortable and happy home that fills your heart with joy!