It isn’t just the way a room looks that makes it enjoyable, it’s also the way it feels. Whether we recognize it or not, this is the basis for feng shui – the art and science of balancing energy flow in your home, which is then reflected in your overall life.
Tisha Morris, author of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, says our homes are mirrors of our bodies – “feng shui is like yoga for the home.”
But don’t be intimidated by feng shui – small changes are easy to make and you can improve the balance in your home in as little as 10 minutes. Here are 7 easy suggestions from Morris:
1. Clear clutter
The first step to positive energy flow is to eliminate clutter. You can place all your furniture perfectly according to feng shui principles, but if every room is filled with junk, your efforts are moot.
10-minute project: Fill a bag with clothes you don’t wear anymore and donate them to a charity. The extra space in your closet will be refreshing and empowering, so you may end up cleaning more clutter that’s gathered under your bed, on tables and in corners, too.
2. Take care of your front door
In feng shui, the entrance to your home is considered the primary vessel of energy, much like your mouth. It’s the first thing you see and should be welcoming. A clean door creates a “clear path for new opportunities to come into your life,” says Morris.
Give your front door some extra love by giving it a fresh coat of paint or a new stain.
10-minute project: Tidy up your entranceway by sweeping away cobwebs and wiping dust and dirt off your front door.
3. Rearrange your art
“Our wall art is so influential in our lives,” says Morris. “Take an objective look at all the art and photos you have on your walls and make sure you really love each piece. If you don’t, take it down.”
The images and colours we choose for different rooms also have an effect on energy. Choose calmer tones and images for your bedroom, for example, and display bright, vibrant colours in the kitchen or living room.
10-minute project: Rearrange your art or the photos you display on a mantle or shelf. Simply moving things around will be refreshing.
4. Hang a mirror
Mirrors are considered the Band-Aid of feng shui because they magnify and circulate energy in a home.
“Be conscious of what your mirror is projecting,” says Morris. You don’t want to hang a mirror across from a cluttered space – then you’re just doubling the mess and the negative energy that goes with it.
10-minute project: Hang a mirror in a hallway or a window-less room to generate more energy and improve flow.
5. Vary your lighting
One of the primary values of feng shui is balance, says Morris, so aim for different types of lighting without going overboard. A house with entire walls made of glass, for example, can let in so much light you practically need sunglasses, which can mean too much energy. Dark spaces will be heavy and need to be balanced out with a variety of lights, including both up lighting and down lighting.
“If you just have the ceiling light on, your room will be very one-dimensional,” says Morris.
10-minute project: Add a new lamp to a room. Try a floor lamp in your living room or a small work lamp on your desk.
6. Rearrange your furniture
Shake up the energy in any space by rearranging the furniture. Morris says a home can hold patterns for us, including old patterns that may not serve us anymore. When a room begins to feel stagnant, it’s time to move things around.
10-minute project: Rearrange your living room. A simple swap, like your couch for your loveseat, can be enough to refresh the energy.
7. Clear space with sound
According to Morris, it’s important to clear spaces in addition to clearing clutter. This is sometimes accomplished by ringing bells. To clear a space, Morris would work her way around a room striking a metal bell until the ring sounded clear and crisp (as opposed to wave-like, which is the sound produced in a lethargic room).
10-minute project: Hang wind chimes in a dull room or in a window.
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