How to Feng Shui your home to feel happier

The state of your living space can have a significant impact on your mindset. We tap into some ancient Chinese Feng shui practices for creating positive chi (energy) in your environment – give some of them a try and a happier you might just follow.

Let there be light, and air

Both of these elements are needed for positive energy to flow through the home. Make a point of opening the blinds/curtains and windows as part of your morning ritual, and sleeping with your window open or partly open (even just a crack in the winter will make a difference).

Air-purifying plants – like the vibrant Boston Fern and Areca Palm – can create an atmosphere you’ll want to breathe in…provided you take care of them; limp plants on their last leg can have a negative impact on the air quality, creating a negative energy flow.

Distinguish between work and rest

If you work or study from home, having your work space in your bedroom (or on the couch!) can significantly reduce your sleep and rest quality. The bedroom and lounge/living room should be work-free spaces – or else you’ll be going to sleep or putting your feet up with deadlines at top of mind.

It’s worth making a point of moving your work space to a room in your home that you don’t associate with chill time. If you’re in an apartment and space doesn’t allow for this, why not do your work from the local library (it’s also distraction-free!)? Hiring a desk at a shared workspace is another option if you work remotely, or, for a more budget-friendly idea: ask a loved one if you could set up your ‘office’ in a room they barely use in their home (thanks mum!).

If possible, avoid placing your bed beneath a window

Unlike a wall (or solid headboard, if your only option is to place your bed under a window), a window lacks the structure to support your head, and your chi.

On a more literal level, sleeping beneath a window may impair sleep quality – as you may feel a draft, be woken by noisy neighbours, and so on – which means you’re more likely to wake up on the wrong side of the bed.  

Consider colour

An aspect that falls under the five Feng shui elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood), colour has the potential to dictate the mood of your living space, and in turn, your own mood.

To help you select a colour palette suited to where you’re at/what you need right now, here is a brief summary of each Feng shui element, and the colours symbolising each.

• Fire: relating to passion, energy and inner warmth. Think reds, pinks, oranges and yellows.
• Earth: the grounding element of calm and stability. Think earthy, beige and sandy tones.
• Metal: relating to mental clarity, and symbolised through grey and white hues.
• Water: the element of ease, abundance and freshness, represented by blues and blacks.
• Wood: symbolic of vitality, growth, and health and wellbeing, you can create more of the Wood element through a brown and green colour palette.  

Clear the clutter

Because “Outer order leads to inner calm,” says happiness guru Gretchen Rubin (who we’re big fans of at Soulara!).

If you’re going to do a Marie Kondo, make sure to do so mindfully. That might mean dropping off clothes you haven’t worn in two years to Vinnies – provided they’re in good enough shape that you’d feel comfortable passing them onto a friend.  

To truly clear the clutter, making a point of getting by with less – and not accumulating more stuff – can help ensure you don’t end up with a whole new pile of clutter six months down the track. Try reusing and repurposing items instead of buying new ones. Some ideas:

• The sturdy plastic bag your online clothes shopping arrives makes a great reusable bin liner.
• A worn item of clothing that isn’t good enough to go to charity doesn’t have to go in the bin when it can be repurposed as a rag for cleaning (and can be washed for reuse).  
• Empty nut butter glass jars make great storage containers for everything from pens and pencils, to pantry staples (think wholegrains, nuts and seeds), and breakfast on the go!

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