Spring cleaning is a time when you finally wipe the fan blades and deep-clean areas of your house that routinely are missed. It’s also fairly common practice to rid yourself of unused stuff but, most of the time, there isn’t a lot of intention behind “spring cleaning.”
Feng shui is the practice of using energy to harmonize an individual with their environment. Your energy and the energy in your home is either positive or negative. You’ve likely felt this before; a stuffy, stagnant energy or tension in the air. And you’ve also probably felt the opposite; light, abundant, flowing, welcoming vibes. You don’t have to be an expert to bring a little light and love into your space this spring.
Feng shui can increase the quality of energy—and I’m all about increasing the quality of our lives in any way I can. Veterinary professionals have the “quality of life” conversations with patients day in and day out; it’s okay to take the same approach in your own life.
For many, decluttering during spring cleaning can be a difficult project to undertake. Hopefully these tips will help you set new intentions and give you the motivation to make some lasting changes. Who wouldn’t want to activate more balance?
Let’s start by removing clutter from corners in your home. Clutter, especially in corners, can drain energy from you, and can even block the flow of energy in multiple areas of your life. Bring awareness to where you tend to pile up clothes, bags, newly–purchased or unused items.
Create new systems that will support your natural habits but that will free the clutter. If you drop your items in a pile, this is where a coat rack, key holder, jewelry dish or quality hamper can come in handy. Consider changing your habits in a feasible way so that you stick with it for the long haul and keep the energy flowing in the right direction. After removing what you can by putting it in its appropriate home, taking it to the trash or donating it to your choice charity, you then create the space for your new system.
Pay special attention to closets that harbor large amounts of clothing, coats, bags, hats, etc. Closets are the best places to start.
Here are three key points to keep in mind that align with the feng shui method and will keep indecision at bay:
- If it is broken it should go. The message a broken item conveys negatively influences your energy just as the stagnant energy a cluttered mess can bring about.
- If there are certain things that you have been holding onto for sentimental reasons, consider “cutting the cord.” If you are holding onto things from a past relationship, it may hinder a new one from beginning.
I spent a year and a half grieving my mastiff’s passing. It was only once I decided to allow his orthopedic beds to find a new home that I created the space for a pup in my life, my home and my heart. One could argue the logic of saving the beds to reduce costs of bringing a new pet into the home, but by holding onto them, it’s possible the new pet hadn’t come into my life at all. This could be a metaphor for a new opportunity, job, relationship and so on. Create the space. - Under furniture is not a storage space. That space should be left open for the flow to continue rather than be blocked. You could incorporate more wall organization (shelving) that would free up floor space or go back to the main principle and remove excess stuff.
Next let’s move onto the living room, focusing on the entryway and moving through the room as you would if you entered through the main door. Walk through your home with the intention to remove obstacles in your path, inviting abundance into your space rather than impeding the flow. Over time, you can become gradually unaware of the many things that are in your natural pathway.
For your office or clinic, ensure your desk/counter space is clear.
In your bedroom, remove what EMF’s (electromagnetic fields) you can live without. Plug your phone in a nearby bathroom or leave it in the living room and replace it with an analog alarm clock (not the kind with red numbers.) Hi-tech equipment can be a cumulative drain on energy.
After removing the clutter, consider adding elements that will enhance your wellbeing in certain areas that you desire to rebalance. Natural elements create a natural support system and work together. There can be an excess caused by certain elements and there can also be weakness. Once again, we are reminded it’s all about balance.
The five natural elements and what they represent:
- Water: wealth & prosperity
- Wood: growth & vitality
- Fire: enthusiasm & creativity (excess can bring about restlessness and aggression)
- Earth: grounding & balance
- Metal: business & strength
You can choose to add colors and objects that help balance the energy in the room, as well as your individual energy, ultimately increasing your vitality or your life force. If you choose to add items, choose ones to intentionally enhance the feng shui within the room and throughout the house. You can add a wooden jewelry bowl, a stone table that is wavy to add a water element or a metallic round mirror. Live green plants can bring ample amounts of positive energy into the space as well.
Of course, there are many more ways that you can bring feng shui into your routine cleaning and home or work environment. One of the most important things to embrace when incorporating feng shui into your lifestyle is keeping an open mind and heart. +
