Feng Shui: It’s all about the space, about the space…no clutter

Fashionista versus Her Closet…

Feng Shui FashionistaIt is that time of year when the party’s over, literally and figuratively. It’s always difficult for me to get through the darkest and coldest days of the year in NYC. Like many of us in the Northeast after the holiday season ends I crave newness, warmth, physical exercise and sunshine. But Mother Earth has me held in the natural process of winter. Like nature and the animals in the forest, we are meant to be more internal, calm and meditative as we prepare for our rebirth in the spring.

As a fashion designer, stylist and a certified Feng Shui practitioner I know it is time for me to take a sobering look my closet and my life. In the tiny walk-in closet I share with my husband I stood and stared at my coveted collection of Mui Mui, Prada, Fendi and all the rest of my friends. With not an empty space on the rail or an empty shoe cubby I asked myself what I could possibly part with, and got no answer at all. I loved all of these shoes, bags, dresses, blazers for they ARE me, I thought. And, even though I don’t wear most of them regularly I was hesitant to even touch them.

Wind and Water

Feng ShuiI remembered what I learned in my classes that Feng Shui is about so much more than just stuff, even my beautiful stuff that I love so much. The term Feng Shui means wind and water. Feng Shui is about the stagnant and fresh chi or energy that moves in and around our physical spaces, including our closets. When areas are clogged up and cluttered, the chi or energy cannot move and becomes stagnant. It directly affects our health, wealth, relationships, future, and well, pretty much everything.

So to get the chi or energy moving I decided to start cleaning and clearing. If a space is not clean, it is not Feng Shui. I cleaned everything and anything I could get my hands on: laundry, the bathroom, the vanity, the kitchen, the magazine rack, my nightstand, my jewelry drawer and the junk drawer. Suddenly I had filled two bins of recycling and one full of trash.

At that point, I had broken the stagnant chi and was able to create two piles of couture accessories and clothing to consign. And, then the most important pile I created was the give-away pile to be donated. According to Feng Shui, what we give away will return to us multiplied.

When we make space for the fresh chi, we allow the energy of our personal space to move swiftly and make way for new energy, health, wealth, experiences, love, clothes, shoes, jobs and relationships to find their way into our lives. I know this fresh energy moving in my space will blossom into something magical in my life this year.

Five ways to create fresh chi or energy in your space:

    1. Start by cleaning one drawer, go through all items contained and decide if you really need all the items. Clear out what you no longer need and put back what is necessary in an organized fashion. Starting small will help you break way for bigger projects like your closet.

    2. Clean the kitchen and bathroom until they are spotless. The chi of these two areas is very important as they are vital to our overall health.

    3. Clean the entrance of your space: organize shoes, umbrellas, coats in closets and storage bins neatly. Make sure the foyer is not cluttered. The chi of this area of our home is very important as it is connected with our career and wealth.

    4. Make sure the air in your space is fresh, like the chi when it is swiftly moving. Open a window, even for a few minutes in the winter and let in the fresh air. Also, burning white sage and diffusing essential oils changes the energetic frequency of your entire space which connects to all aspects of your life.

    5. Clean out and organize all books, mail and decorative pieces. Put in an orderly fashion that is aesthetically pleasing. Make sure you feel an open airiness in your space that is calming and nurturing to you, so you can go out in the world and create a life you love.

After all, Feng Shui is “all about the space, about the space….no clutter.”

- by Judith Longo

Feng Shui all about the space, no clutter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *