Tips to Feel at Home in Your Space

Feng Shui: the Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang.

• “A clean space makes a free mind.”
• “A clean home is a happy home.”
  “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
• There seems to be a slew of trite sayings that suggest (in a not-so-subtle way) our homes should be clean, clear, and clutter-free.
• Why?
• Well, think about it. When you walk into a home, what happens first?
• You see everything:
• the layout,
• the windows,
• the furniture,
• the cabinets,
• the folded (or not) laundry,
• the dishes,
• the shoes.

• All of the stuff. Everything. It’s all there.

With so many things to look at, our brain can have a hard to processing it all at once:

• “What lovely drapes!”
• “That’s my favorite hand soap!”
  “My sister has that top!”
• “Where did you get that blanket?”
• “Those chairs look so soft!”
• And those are just the thoughts when walking into someone else’s home.

Imagine the unmanageable thoughts that come to mind when it’s your own place:

• “Why are the stairs littered with toys?”
  “My laptop is beneath a pile of socks.”
• “My roommate left groceries on the counter.”
• “When did these cabinets get so cluttered?”
• “Where is my robe!? This closet is a disaster”

Messes, piled clothes, unhung jackets, and kicked-off shoes are pretty much inevitable (and if they aren’t in your home – share your secrets!). However, it’s extremely important to make the conscious effort to create a home environment that energizes, grounds, and relaxes you. Whether it’s mental, emotional, or physical stress that has manifested from a less-than-ideal home environment, there are ways to design your home as a reflection of how you want your life to look.

Feng-Shui, which literally translates to “wind” and “water,” uses highly specific methods of design, use, and placement to provide space for energy (qi) to flow throughout your home.

In a previous post about Qi Gong, I talked about our life force energy, aka “qi.” Just like we want qi to continuously move through our physical bodies, we want that same life force to power, charge, and move through our home environment. Considering the elements of wind and water, the practice of “feng-shui” seems aptly named.

• How much time do you spend at home?
• Whether you answered all day or hardly ever, consider how you want to feel when you’re there.
• Rejuvenated.
• Calm.
• Inspired.
• Excited.
• Safe.
• Warm.

The feelings are endless, and lucky for us, they’re attainable. Every. Single. One.

I’m here to tell you just how possible it is to feel ENERGIZED + calm + ALIVE + relaxed + JOYFUL + free + EXHILARATED + creative all within the comfort of your home.

Tips to Create Harmony + Energy in Your Space

 

• 1. Make Space for Houseplants

 

Not only are houseplants a beautiful addition to any home, they serve a highly functional purpose, as well: air purification. If you’re going from work, to your car, to your house, you’re exposed to a lot of closed spaces, harmful toxins, and less-than-fresh air. Enter: The Humble Houseplant. These bad boys have been proven to remove up to 87% of air toxins in less than 24 hours (according to a study conducted by NASA #bigtime) AND they’ve been credited with boosting mood, productivity, and reducing stress for those that enjoy a green haven in their home. If you’re thinking, “my thumb is more black than green,” have no fear! Easy, low maintenance plants like ivy, spider plants, pothos, or, even cacti, require very little of your time and attention, but will reward you with more than you could ever ask for.

 

• 2. Time to Declutter

 

• Don’t say it.. Don’t say it!!! …
• “A TIDY HOME IS A TIDY MIND!!!”
• “A place for everything and everything in its place.”
• “Out of clutter, find simplicity.”  
• Ah, I had to, I’m sorry, there’s just so many quotes.

But really, these terribly overdone quotes are backed by truth. I grimace as I write this because I tend to glorify haphazard looking spaces (ie bookshelves), BUT if we’re being real, it’s not very practical. Decluttering your space can provide the necessary physical and mental capacity needed in order to feel invigorated, inspired, and focused.

 

• 3. Light Those Candles

 

The sense of smell is oddly my favorite of the five (unless you’re Bruce Willis). The way you can catch of whiff of someone’s perfume, a family dish, or a particular flower and immediately be transported to a memory of a different time and place is so special. For me, it prompts inspiration. For others, it may lift your mood or promote focus. Whatever it does for you, indulge that. Maybe you love the smell of fresh sheets and clean linens, or maybe a musky, woodsy scent is more your thing. Whichever your favorite scent is, I can pretty much GUARANTEE there’s a candle out there doing it’s damn best emulating the smell. And just as a little tidbit relating back to tip #1: try burning soy-based candles, as these emit a cleaner burn, aka preventing toxins and pollutants from reentering the just-purified-by-your-plants air.

 

• 4. Hang Pictures + Artwork

 

If you work from home, your space must spark inspiration, provide motivation, and promote focus so you can get your job done. Viewing artwork tends to stimulate the brain in just those ways, so whether you’re in the creative field or not, hanging pictures and art throughout your home may be the first step in the right direction to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and increase brain activity. Not to mention, showcasing pictures of our friends and family throughout our home can serve as a purposeful reminder that we are loved, supported, and cherished. So go on and take the time to choose art or pictures that fill you up, and hang them throughout your space.  

 

• 5. Grow an Herb Garden

 

Gardening is an exceptionally grounding experience that allows you to physically connect with the earth AND CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE. Fostering life (even if it’s just a tiny, baby mint leaf!) can improve our self-esteem, instill purpose, and provide us with a whole host of health benefits. Not to mention, fresh herbs are chock-full of medicinal properties alongside their tasty flavor (think: increased immunity, anti-inflammatory, increased antioxidant power, improved blood sugar levels, the list goes on). This is a cheap and fun endeavor that you, and your neighbors (if you’re into that), can benefit from with each and every meal. Do a little research to find out what herbs grow best in your climate so you can start enjoying the natural wonders of those tiny leaves right now!

 

• 6. Transform Your Bedroom

 

Sleep provides the foundation of a healthy mind and body. Without it, you can say goodbye to weekday workout routines and daily meditation with the hopes they will take you to the “next level” of health because our bodies and minds can internalize, assimilate, repair, and rejuvenate without proper sleep. So how to ensure it? It starts in the bedroom. Creating a sleep space that’s cozy, inviting, relaxing, and welcoming isn’t too hard. First, invest in sheets and blankets that make you feel #EXTRA (loved, warm, comfortable, whatever). Next, if you have a window, be sure you have shades or curtains to keep it totally dark when going to bed. Excess light can interrupt our sleep cycles, and have us waking up feeling groggy and less-than-rested. Thirdly (and maybe most importantly), create a tech-free barrier surrounding the bedroom. Try as best as you can to keep electronics (phones, TVs, eReaders, gameboys, idk) out of your sleep space. Upon entering the bedroom, you want to feel tranquil, calm, and uninhibited by outside influences as this is simply your space. View it as the place you go to recharge, fill up, and begin fresh each night – and we don’t need other things getting in the way of our literal rebirth, #amirite?

• With these tips, your home may just become the ultimate greenhouse, safe haven, museum-inspired, anthropologie-esque space you’ve always dreamed of.
• AND you can be sure when you have a home that you love and care for, the energy flow will directly reflect that, leaving you feeling loved and cared for right back.