Feng Shui: Save Money, Increase Positive Energy

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art and science of balance. Literally meaning "wind-water," Feng Shui concentrates on the flow of positive energy from space to space, allowing life to be harmonous and condusive to productivity and happiness. Something that most people have in common is a desire for hamony, balance, productivity and happiness in their lives and homes, but Feng Shui has become such a trendy style of interior design that many have the misapprehension that harmony and happiness is priced out of reach. This is not true! Achieve happiness and peace of mind on all levels with these Feng Shui tips for the budgetted buyer.

Feng Shui leaves no stone unturned. Every room in the house must be clutter free! Clutter in the home is like cholesterol in the veins, it will build up, slow down, and obstruct flow of vital energy and positivity. Disharmony will be created and, if an individual has ever had to navigate through a room that's got boxes and other displaced items, he or she knows that this does not foster happiness! Transform clutter into currency by hosting a yard sale or consigning items to a local resale store. Donate items to a local charity like Goodwill Industries or the Salvation Army. For those less inclined to travel to get rid of excess wares, list them for sale or free on Craigslist or give items to someone who might need them on Freecycle. Dedicated "pack-rats", that is individuals who collect and keep ownership of a large amount of very useless things, might find assistance from FlyLady's tip to remove sixteen items from the home per day. These items include clothing, shoes and belts. Even closets and garages must be orderly and clutter free. Getting rid of unnecessary things will cost nothing but will gain a tremendous step in the right direction!

Feng Shui divides rooms into nine even cubes. In the Christian religion, the cube is symbolic of worship and altars are typically designed as cubes for this reason. When dividing a room into nine cubes, think of each cube as its own sanctuary, requiring attention, focus and love. On a sheet of paper, draw a rectangular space to represent the room and, with the use of a ruler, overlay that with a grid that divides that space into nine even squares. This can also be done with a Bagua map, which can be purchased from most home improvement retail stores. Address where the doors and windows are in the room around the perimeter of the rectangular. Turn the paper so the main entrance is at the bottom of the paper and the room is aligned how it would appear to individuals entering from the main entrance. Label the squares as follows from top left across to right: Wealth, Reputation, Romance/Relationships. The center line from left to right: Family, Health, Children. The bottom line, bordering the main entrance to the room, from left to right: Knowledge, Career, Travel. Now, furniture can be arranged!

The function of the room will determine where furniture is best placed. There are simple tips that make a big difference for a number of rooms. Do not place the bed with the footboard directly facing the entrance. Known in Feng Shui as "death position", the association alone is enough for this design choice to be avoided! High priced decorators have been agreeing with Feng Shui for the reason that a bed that is not placed "center stage" as the first thing an individual sees when entering the room will help the room look bigger and more airy. When placing a desk, do not face the wall. Desks should be placed facing the majority of the room. Think of a powerful corporate CEO and how his or her desk facing the majority of the office so important decisions can be made. All offices need this. It's a common misapprehension that to decorate using Feng Shui, one has to throw out all the existing furniture and replace it with new "officially designated" Feng Shui furniture. In many cases, Feng Shui can be achieved by arranging what someone already has!

When placing items into cubes consider the focus of the cube and do not place items that do not contribute or relate to that cube. Keep books in the Knowledge cube, hanging college degrees in Reputation or Career, framed children's drawings in Children or Family, and so on. There are no hard and strict rules to what belongs in which cube and there is ample opportunities for personalization and creativity. Feng Shui is in the guidelines.

Life is important in Feng Shui. Do not fill spaces with fake plants. They are harder to kill than the real ones but investing the time and care into live plants will increase positive energy and promote a productive flow through the room. If a green thumb is nowhere to be found, try a plant from the cactus family. Cacti and succulents are often very affordable plants and are hearty through all kinds of conditions and neglect. Fish are good pets because they bring life, beauty and water to a room. Fish tanks also provide an opportunity for a live plant that requires no tending. Consider a simple fish, like a feeder goldfish or molly. For a little more money, comet goldfish and koi can be purchased, but will require bigger tanks as they grow.

Comfort and nature are a consistent theme. As with avoiding fake plants, avoid man-made materials in favor of natural materials. When clearing away clutter and unnecessary items, consider keeping the cotton blanket and shedding the synthetic one. Remove hard-edged items from walls, like square mirrors, and keep or relocate more prominently, rounded-edged or soft-edged items.

Artwork and beauty is very easy to add to a Feng Shui space. Even the least artistic individual, can purchase a stretched canvas and some acrylic paint from the local craft store and create a masterpiece. Think about flow, water, air and energy. Images of air- and sea-animals are welcomed additions. Consider a hanging crystal or windchimes. Many general store/pharmacies carry reasonably sized personal fountains for an affordable price. As well as adding beauty, moving water moves positive energy through the space.

Superstition is a factor in Feng Shui. In Chinese superstition, the number four sounds so similiar to the word "death" when pronounced in the Chinese language that the number is shunned because of its negative association. Stay away from the number four in designs. If that treasured print of dogs playing poker only has four dogs at the table, consider sharing that priceless artwork with someone else! Eating tables should have more or less than four chairs and place settings. Nine, like the nine cubes in a room, is a blessed number that brings fortune. Nine chairs at the table might accommodate bigger Feng Shui families, but for most people, nine can be implemented in more subtle ways. Consider nine silver mollies in the fish tank or a simple block painting of nine doves in flight. A kitchen-based herb garden with nine selections would compliment superstition, bring life, and improve cooking!

When choosing color, Feng Shui favors red, orange, purple, gold, and pink. Certain colors will lend themselves to some cubes more than others. Red is a common color because it promotes good luck but pink will do its best in the Romance/Relationships cube. In additional to incorporating these colors into homemade artwork, candles are an inexpensive and effective way to bring a vital color into a space.

Feng Shui is not an expensive interior design. Feng Shui is a lifestyle and because it involves more participation and care for one's space through decluttering, cleaning and tending, Feng Shui is affordable. If the beginner's question was, How can I afford to Feng Shui? One could argue, How could you not afford to Feng Shui?