Feng Shui Basics for Absolute Beginners

Follow These 9 Simple Rules and You’ll Be Ahead of the Feng Shui Game

It’s simple but it’s true: if you love where you live and you feel good when you’re home, you have good feng shui.

And, if you’re wondering how you can love your home even more, there are a number of totally accessible feng shui basics that can help you get there.

For example, here are some major feng shui principles you can employ yourself – super easily, and right away.

1. Clear your clutter!

If you don’t love it, don’t use it, or don’t need it, get rid of it! This is perhaps the best feng shui tip of all. Your outer environment reflects your inner environment and vice versa: clearing clutter will clear the way for the things and qualities you’d most like to experience.

2. Concentrate on comfort, safety, and convenience.

Here’s another absolute feng shui basic: when you feel comfortable and safe, and when everything in your home is convenient and easy to find, your whole life will feel easy and harmonious.

3. Learn your bagua.

The bagua is the feng shui map that looks like a tic-tac-toe board, which shows you which area of your home is associated with which area of your life. And it’s not that tricky to find out what yours is. Here’s a blog post on how to do just that.

4. Choose imagery wisely.

Feng shui reminds us that imagery is powerful. In our homes, it works its way into our psyches and begins to play itself out in the physical world. So be sure to choose images that depict and/or give you the feeling of the types of things you’d like to experience. (Hot tip: this principle works perfectly with the “learn your bagua” suggestion above – place intentional imagery in accordance with the respective bagua area of the home.)

5. Pay special attention to your front door.

In feng shui, the front door is known as the “the mouth of chi.” (Chi is life force energy.) In other words, it’s where the blessings and abundance enter your home and your life. So be sure your front door feels as welcoming and spiffy as you can possibly make it!

6. Make sure all your plants are vibrantly healthy.

Once again, feng shui reminds us of what we already know: if you think about it, a not-so-healthy plant is an affirmation of not-so-good health. It can cause us to feel low energy and can bring our spirits down. On the other hand, a healthy, vibrant plant nourishes our health and uplifts our spirit. So if you just can’t seem to support a plant in just the right way, and you’ve tried your very best, it’s probably time to let it go.

7. Keep your toilet lid closed.

Perhaps you’ve heard this perennial feng shui wisdom: keep your toilet lid closed when not in use. Open toilets are not only literally less healthy than closed ones, they also feel like a symbolic energy drain in a bathroom. (Although I don’t recommend allowing this to be a topic of contention with recalcitrant family members. If it doesn’t go over well with someone in your household, just close it when you can and otherwise let it go! Peace is more important.)

8. Fix all leaks right away.

Feng shui teaches that leaks are not just literally leaking resources (i.e. water and money), they also translate into leaking energy and leaking financial flow. So fix those leaks!

9. Make it smell good.

Essential oils in a diffuser, delicious smelling incense, and naturally scented candles are feng shui’s friend because they can take your relationship with your home from good to great. So find your favorites and give your nose (and state of mind) a treat!

Of course, you can go much deeper into the art and science feng shui if you choose, but if all you do is follow these 9 tips, you’ll be rocking some stellar feng shui.

For lots more fun and simple feng shui tips, check out my book Magical Housekeeping: Simple Charms and Practical Tips for Creating a Harmonious Home.

Did you feng shui your home with these basic feng shui tips? What did you think? Please share in the comments.