Q&A Sunday: Books and Clutter

Guest User August 30, 2020

Hello! I have read some of your posts on clutter and found them very interesting. I don’t have a lot of clutter in my home except I do have a lot of books. What are your thoughts on books and how this relates to clutter?

Thank you for your question! I think a lot of us tend to accumulate books. There are always a lot of new books you want to get, and people give you books...and suddenly you have way more than you’ll ever be able to read! I notice that I start to feel a little stressed around my books because I feel like there are so many that I should be reading.

On one level, books can create a lot of clutter, so that’s something to think about. On another level, those books might be preventing you from purchasing and reading the books you really want to read, because you feel like you need to get through the books you already have. In this way, you might be limiting yourself. The books on your shelf served a purpose at one time, but that doesn’t mean they are useful to you now. Some of your books may have also been given to you by other people, and are not things that you really wanted in the first place.

Books also represent knowledge, wisdom, and information. This is true of fiction, too, since they often include metaphors that can be sources of wisdom. Something to pay attention to is whether you have any books that represent old ways of thinking. If you are holding onto books with ideas that no longer resonate with you, you may also be holding onto old ways of thinking that could be holding you back. It’s really important to revisit the structures in our lives, and choose which ones we want to keep and which ones we want to let go of. Letting go of books can be a beautiful way to let old ideas go as well. By making space on your bookshelf, you’re opening yourself up to new ideas and innovation.

I invite you (and everyone reading this!) to give away one book today. You can donate it to a used book store, your local library, or another organization that accepts used books. Choose a book that represents an old way of thinking, or a part of your life you're no longer resonating with, and let it go with the intention of making space to invite in something new. Instead of filling our lives with preconceived notions, we can make space and be an open container for new ideas.

How can you make space to receive something new, maybe something that you couldn’t have even imagined?

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday". We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui questions!

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

3 Ways to Bring the Outside In

Anjie Cho August 26, 2020

The summer may be winding down but that doesn’t mean the warmth and relaxation of the outdoors has to go with it. Bring that same summer sun-drenched comfort and vibrancy indoors with these three simple steps.

Indoor Planters

For many, the warm weather seasons kick off with a mad dash to the nearest garden center. There are flower beds to populate, veggie gardens to plant and a generous assortment of flower pots and window boxes to fill. Just imagine how beautiful all that green and color would look inside your home!

Don’t get tied down to standard indoor planters. Traditional outdoor options like window boxes are a great way to bring the outside in. Start by picking a window box that compliments your décor. You’ll have your choice of materials like wood, iron, cooper, and wicker. Consider creating a kitchen window box and fill it with fragrant and flavorful herbs you can cook with!

Another perk of using a window box? Instead of filling the box itself with dirt and planting directly in it, use it to corral smaller, separate pots of your favorite plants. If you need to replace a plant, it’s simple to just slip out one pot and make the switch. Likewise, when it’s time to water the plants, remove the pots and water the plants in the sink. Once the excess water has drained, return them to the window box.

Tidy-up

Clutter can make a room feel restrictive. Simply organizing your space can open up the room and make it feel more inviting. As you’re cleaning, use natural cleaners with fresh scents. Imagine the woodsy scent of tea-tree oil or a little bit of lemon lingering in your living room. Makes you smile just thinking about it, doesn’t it? Now, throw open those windows and let the great outdoors shine in! Inviting more natural sunlight will enliven your space. Don’t forget a little TLC for your window treatments too. Wipe down the blinds and wash (or dry-clean) your draperies.

Draw color and texture inspiration from the outdoors

When you think of being outdoors, what colors do you think of? Whether it’s the lush green of grass, the salty blue of the ocean or the warm yellow of the sun, bringing those hues into your room is a fantastic way to welcome the outdoors into your home!

While a fresh, clean coat of paint will make your space feel fresh and bright, you’ve got other options when it comes to color. Introduce pops of outdoor-inspired hues with accessories such as pillows, blankets and rugs. Even candles, vases, and wall décor are fantastic options.

What’s your favorite outdoor place? If you’ve got a picture of it, frame it and hang it! Look for paintings, prints and design elements that mimic the scenery and texture of your outdoor sanctuaries. If you’re a beach person, for example, weathered grey wood textures mimic water beaten driftwood, while cool blues, greens and white bring to mind the water and elements like sea glass and shells. Is the forest more your style? Choose accessories in natural wood finishes and greens.

If you find yourself wishing you could spend more time outdoors but the seasons or your schedule are making it difficult, bring the outdoors in. If you incorporate these steps, don’t forget to come back here and share your pictures! Which step will you try first?

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Q&A Sunday: Closet in the Career Area

Anjie Cho August 23, 2020

Hi Anjie! I noticed that my closet is in the career area of my bedroom, and I’m wondering what that means. I do feel a little stuck in my career and am not sure what to do next, so I would like to know if that’s related.

Thanks so much for your question! Closets can be very interesting areas to look at from a feng shui perspective. Feng shui encourages us to peek in dark closets and corners of our homes and begin shifting the energy there. The area of the bagua map where a closet is can also tell us a lot, so a closet in Kan, also known as the career area, could very well give you clues about what is going on in your career.

I would encourage you to take a look at your closet and see what is going on inside. If you haven’t been using your closet, this could mean there are some issues you are not acknowledging. Sometimes closets that we ignore can represent areas of our lives that we don’t want to look at. If this is the case for your closet, maybe there is a career path that you haven’t seen yet. Are you open to seeing a new, different direction in your career?

Often closets can be magnets for clutter as well. If your closet is cluttered, you may be blocking new career opportunities. A closet full of clothes you haven’t worn in years is a source of stale, stuck energy. By going through your closet, you can shift the energy and welcome vibrant, life-affirming qi.

A full closet could also mean that you are keeping yourself too busy to welcome new opportunities. If your closet, home, or schedule is too full, you have no room for anything new. This is true both literally and metaphorically. If you let go of some of the items in your closet and create a vacuum, the universe can fill it with something fresh and exciting. By letting go of old items, you are also encouraging your heart and mind to let go of old behaviors and beliefs that are no longer serving you. Go through the items in your closet and donate anything you haven’t worn in the last year or two. Even things that are no longer in good condition can often be recycled.

As you start to clear out and shift the energy in the career area of your home, you may find that you have more clarity on what to do next in your career. I would also highly suggest working one-on-one with a feng shui practitioner, because they will be able to help you dig more deeply and give personalized recommendations based on your unique situation.

by Anjie Cho