How to Use Feng Shui to Organize Your Home

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Feng shui ("wind and water") is an ancient Chinese art dedicated to using chi, or life energy, to its best advantage. Chi is said to flow from a home's doors and windows and circulate throughout a house. A lot of feng shui is common sense--you don't need an expensive consultant to tell you that a dark room with holes in the walls and piles of clutter can sap your energy.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Read 80 Design a New Home With Feng Shui to learn basic feng shui concepts.

Step2

Create a flowing path for chi within your home. Your front door should open inward, and the entry area should be free of clutter. Make sure that all doors can open fully, that corridors are not blocked, and that your possessions are not stored on the floor.

Step3

Eliminate clutter and other negative influences (see 37 Conquer Clutter). If an object makes you feel sad, angry or resentful, get rid of it.

Step4

Patch and paint your walls, doors and other surfaces. Removing imperfections makes chi flow more smoothly in your home.

Step5

Fine-tune the energy in each room by using a combination of five elements: metal (to aid concentration), water (communication), wood (starting new things), fire (passion and intensity) and earth (stability and commitment). The precise combination of elements depends on what each room needs; consult a feng shui book or practitioner for specific advice.

Step6

Regularly open windows and doors to improve air circulation and energy flow.

Tips & Warnings

The front door is especially important in feng shui. Paint it red, cover its windows with translucent fabric, and make sure the doorbell works.
Carefully placed mirrors, tabletop fountains, lamps and houseplants can improve the energy flow of any home, even oddly shaped apartments.