Don't Know Where To Start Tidying? This Is The Most Important Room To Declutter

featured on MindBodyGreen by Emma Loewe

Just thinking about decluttering your entire house is enough to raise cortisol levels. Rome wasn't built in a day, and your minimalist sanctuary probably won't be either. But if you want to choose one room to tackle first to reap the most benefits of tidying, all signs point to the bedroom.

Why is it so important to tidy the bedroom?

Simply put, cleaning up your bedroom could be a gateway to better sleep (which is basically the foundation of a healthier life).

"Your clutter is a constant to-do list—take care of this; put away that," Tracy McCubbin, decluttering expert and author of the upcoming book Making Space, Clutter Free, explains. "It's been linked to elevated cortisol and stress levels, so it's definitely not something you want in the place where you're trying to calm down and sleep at the end of the day!" McCubbin adds that those who suffer from anxiety and insomnia have the most to gain from a tidying session.

Here are four expert-approved tips to kick off your bedroom revamp.

4. The biggie: Get rid of under-the-bed storage.

Most of us have probably used the space under our beds for storage, especially if we live in a small space. But in feng shui philosophy, this is the last place we want to keep clutter.

"The objects underneath your bed can represent and create unconscious blocks in your life," Anjie Cho, an interior architect and feng shui designer, says. "You spend hours of your life in bed. Much of this time is spent while you're in a passive sleeping state, where you are greatly affected by and absorbing the energies around you."

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If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Arrange your bedroom exactly like this if you want a better night's sleep

photo by Anjie Cho Architect

photo by Anjie Cho Architect

In these chaotic times, we wouldn’t be surprised to hear you’ve been having trouble sleeping (same here). If you’ve tried everything and anything to improve your sleep quality with no luck, you might want to consider taking some time to get smart about your bedroom design. Quitting coffee after lunchtime and abandoning your phone in another room before bed are great hacks for making it easier to fall asleep at a decent hour, and a dedicated wind-down routine or a little meditation in the evenings can help put you in the right relaxed mood. But no matter how much you set yourself up for some good shuteye beforehand, if your bedroom isn’t conducive to sleep, you may still find yourself tossing and turning.

“Your bedroom, the arrangement of your space, and everything in your space has a huge impact on your sleep quality,” says Anjie Cho, an interior architect and feng shui designer. “If you’re not in control of your bedroom space when you’re sleeping, everything that’s in your space absolutely can affect you, from the mundane aspects like the light quality to the electronics.”

You may be in a passive state, Cho explains, but your brain is by no means turned off when you’re asleep. Your subconscious mind can still process external stimuli and thus be affected by your surroundings.

Want a bedroom that will help you sleep better? Here’s how to arrange your bedroom, according to interior designers:

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Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish. Visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com.

Welcome Home Honey! How to Feng Shui Your Decor for Love

featured on realtor.com by Jennifer Kelly Geddes

Feng shui, as you may have heard, teaches you how to arrange your home furnishings for maximum harmony. But there's another perk to this ancient Chinese philosophy: It can be harnessed to improve your relationships, too.

"Feng shui in your home affects how you connect in existing relationships, or—if you're single—your openness to meeting new potential partners," explains Anjie Cho, an architect, feng shui expert, and author of "Holistic Spaces: 108 Ways to Create a Mindful and Peaceful Home."

So if you're hoping for some more lovin' feelings in your future, here's how feng shui can help make that happen.

Open the bedroom

Arranging your bedroom is key, of course—and you can start as Cho has by moving your bed away from the walls. True, you may want your bed's headboard against one wall, but at least make sure both sides of the bed are clear so they are as open and accessible as possible.

"This simple shift opened up the space both emotionally and physically so I could invite a new partner into my life," Cho explains.

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Dive deeper into feng shui to transform your life!

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Create sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com