As homes take on the role of school and office and with more than one in four now working from home (26%) a quarter of Brits (24%) have admitted their relationships are becoming more strained as a result of the lockdown.
However, with the search term ‘how to Feng Shui home’ seeing an 80% increase between February and March 2020, it seems people are looking for ways to restore the peace and calm into their homes.
With this in mind, here are some tips on how to easily feng shui your home on a budget.
1. Start with the hallway
The practice of Feng Shui originates from Ancient China and uses energy to harmonize individuals with their surroundings. Feng Shui experts suggest starting with your hallway, as this symbolises the entrance to your sanctuary.
Create a calm atmosphere by keeping your entrance free from clutter and any extra coats, scarves for bags that can be put into storage. Organise and clear away letters or parcels – the more organised and calm the area is, the more calm and peaceful the energy will be.
2. Create a clear home office boundary
You may be fortunate enough to have a home office, but if you’re not, it can be difficult to create a calm and productive environment to work from home in.
If you have to use your dining or kitchen table, or your desk in your bedroom to work from, try to clear away any notebooks, pens or loose papers at the end of every workday. This may seem like a repetitive task, however, your bedroom in particular symbolises you and affects you the most according to the practice of Feng Shui.
Clutter in your home creates a low and stagnant energy that drains energy from you, and can have a negative impact on the flow of energy to other areas in your life and home.
3. Clean your windows and re-hang photographs
Dirty windows and crooked photographs are two big factors that can have a negative impact on the Feng Shui of your home.
Windows represent the eyes to the world in Feng Shui, so dirty windows can block your vision to the outside world, especially since our current outdoor movement is significantly reduced. Take the time to clean your windows both inside and out, with care taken when reaching those top floor windows.
Framed photographs and art prints that are hung too low or are crooked can also impact your mood, as the low energy affects your chi, which is the energy current that runs through our bodies. Re-hang any low photographs or mirrors around your home, particularly in your bedroom. You could also use a spirit level or tape measure to make sure your frames are level.
4. Consider colour
Colour represents the five natural elements of metal, earth, wood, water and fire in Feng Shui, so colour in your home should reflect one or more of those elements to create a sense of calmness and balance.
Metal colours (white, grey, metallics) can provide clarity, fire tones (red, burnt orange, dark wood tones) can create energy, and water colours (blue tones, grey, off-whites) can create a sense of calm. The lockdown provides the perfect opportunity to dig out the paint and re-decorate any rooms in your home that don’t create positive energy.