Feng Shui that will Give Your Home a Harmonious Feel

Applying some basic ideas of Feng Shui can help you achieve a more harmonious feel within your home. - Feng Shui accepts that everything is living, connected, and changing. Through practicing Feng Shui one attempts to find or create a balance within the life force, energy, or Chi. Achieving this balance largely revolves around the aspects of Yin and Yang, or the female and male, or active and passive voice. Achieving this balance also considers the five elements: water, wood, metal, earth, and fire.

While all of that may sound like a mouthful, applying some of the principles of Feng Shui in your home can be very simple. Your home can be considered as a living place where everything is connected and also changing. This means that every object in your home is somehow connected to everything else in your home through some sort of relationship. Within this large conglomeration it is important for energy, or Chi, to be flowing freely. Every object in your home plays a role in that balance.

Have you ever walked into your home and immediately felt overwhelmed? Maybe the mail is spilling over on the table or perhaps the kids made a mess. You see laundry piled up or dirty dishes in the sink. The trash needs to be taken out and the dog chewed up a pair of your favorite shoes. All of these examples are instances where there is a lack of Feng Shui, and Chi is blocked or not able to flow freely. These situations, while unavoidable at times, certainly do not create harmony within your home.

One of the easiest principles of Feng Shui is to avoid clutter. If you're a pack rat, the build-up of clutter creates chaos as it blocks the flow of Chi. In order for Chi to flow, space must be used efficiently. Within the home, the placement of objects should create a feeling of harmony while using space in the most efficient way possible. The objects in your home should not overpower it or seem like the force in control of everything. Clutter does not convey a sense of calm to you, your family, or to other guests who come into your home.

For a beginner, to apply Feng Shui to the home, quickly start by identifying the areas of the home which feel more cluttered than others. Address these areas first.

Consider these examples of problem areas and suggestions on how to correct them with Feng Shui techniques:

Problem Area 1: Shoes at the front door or on the doorstep.

Solution: A cozy wooden hideaway bench near the entrance. Wood, as an element, represents creative energy and potential. A bench is a creative and functional way to hide the clutter of shoes and also give guests a comfortable place to sit down and take their shoes off. Consider a green cushion to represent harmony or a more calming blue cushion.

Problem Area 2: TV, Computer and Electronics in the bedroom.

Solution: Metal conducts energy and in such an "electric" environment, this can easily disrupt sleep if not make it impossible at times. Electronics in the bedroom should be avoided. If this is not possible, consider a wooden cabinet or computer desk with doors that can be shut.

Problem Area 3: Magazines, newspapers, and general clutter on the table.

Solution: A metal or wooden organizer with specific places or sections for various types of mail. An oversized handmade wooden basket with a lid also works well.

There are many other small things that improve the flow of Chi in a home. Make sure there is a nice walking pathway throughout the home. Furniture or other objects should not block a person's path or be in the way of a door. The earth element represents stability and home so don't forget to incorporate colors like brown, green, and of course plants.

Fire represents passion and energy, but not every home has a fireplace or gas logs. Candles can be a simple and effective way to encompass the element of fire. Objects that are red in color can also add intensity and passion energy.

Water, if flowing, can also be very soothing. Consider a small fountain where water trickles through it or maybe a goldfish or a betta in a small bowl.

Since metal conducts energy, also consider a metal art sculpture of some sort. Metal windchimes are also a nice touch.

Feng Shui is about achieving balance and also harmoniously living with natural elements. When you walk in a room and something just feels a bit "off" chances are good that you already have an idea about what should be arranged differently or maybe positioned differently. Feng Shui is not just about decorating your home, but achieving a balance that feels harmonious and comfortable to you personally and to others. However, one person's Feng Shui is very easily different from another's. Don't let that discourage you from experimenting with trying to find your own Feng Shui preferences within your home. Sometimes, even a small positive change can help you feel more balanced. That is ultimately what Feng Shui is all about.