Rugs that slide around are irritants! And, they are safety hazards. However, until recently most of my scatter rugs slid all over the place. In the busyness of life I kept procrastinating doing anything about that problem. That all changed when Mom was getting rid of a non-skid rug pad. It was free and it was in my hands. That reduced two blocks to solving my rug slipping problem–no cost and no hassle finding the right type of pad.

As I often do when I make a change to my space, I thought about the feng shui implications of my actions. Rugs that slide around are sources of negative energy because they are often askew and look messy. My dogs tearing through the house keep my rugs at odd angles despite my repeated efforts to straighten them. Even more significant is that rugs that move convey the energy of shifting sands, impermanence, and instability. Having that energy in my home attracts more of the same into my life. It also makes it hard to feel secure, safe, and grounded. And, of course, they are a safety hazard because rugs in motion can slide out from under you, resulting in painful falls and possible injuries.

As I put the rug pads under the rugs I immediately experienced a feeling of well-being, like something that was very wrong had been righted. It seemed like a miracle that the rugs no long moved–even with dogs darting around. A part of me that had been on high alert calmed down. With that source of irritation gone I was no longer distracted by the negative energy of scattered rugs. I hadn’t even been consciously aware of the energy cost of that distraction until I eliminated it.  What a pleasure it was to feel more relaxed and able to settle down to work in my office.

As it turned out, the week following the rug anchoring was particularly difficult for me. There was a major family drama and my beloved Macbook died. As a small business owner who uses her computer daily for writing, slide programs and communication with clients, having my computer crash was like having a rug pulled out from under me. I am happy to say that I was able to navigate the rough waters of family conflict and purchasing and restoring files on my new computer (a completely new experience) with minimal challenge. And, when I needed a little extra help, I was able to find it. I am sure having my rugs well anchored provided me with energetic support and positive energy to face two major challenges.

Anchor your moving rugs and reap the benefits of greater safety, a greater sense of security, peace of mind, and an increased ability to navigate whatever challenges come your way.

For years I’ve urged clients and audiences to clear clutter to make space for opportunities and new, good things to come to them. I’ve taught them that if there’s no space, new, good things will not come to them. They will be stuck. Well, this week I experienced the truth of that message firsthand.

On Sunday I cleared out a bag of dog toys my dogs don’t like that had been taking up space in a storage cabinet. I planned to take them to a local rescue group. The toys are in my car and will be dropped off later this week. On Monday a client handed me a bag of dog toys, toys my dogs actually like!

So, Sunday I made space by clearing out the unused dog toys, and Monday new toys came to me. What quick positive return for my clutter clearing efforts!

Had I not been paying close attention to the flow of blessings and clutter in and out of my life, I could have missed that clear demonstration of the way feng shui works. What will you clear out to invite more good into your life? Let the clutter go and observe the lessons and gifts that come your way.

© 2012 Clutter Clearing Community | Debbie Bowie

“Author, Organizing Expert and Feng Shui Practitioner, Debbie Bowie, is a leading authority on clutter clearing to attract more of what you want in life. If you’re ready to clear clutter and move your life forward, get your FREE TIP SHEET, “Feng Shui Tips for Instant Success” at http://www.clutterclearingcommunity.com.

I first came across the original pastel of the Lee Bridge, a Richmond, Virginia landmark, when helping a client clear out her house in preparation for a move. I was not impressed by it at the time. When it was clear that my client was not attached to it and was prepared to donate it to a charity, I asked if I could have it to sell at a silent auction being sponsored by the alums of my college graduating class. My client readily agreed and I hauled it off to the Randolph College reunion.

The pastel didn’t sell at the auction, so I bought it myself. I’m not sure what possessed me to do that, but it felt right at the time. When I got the print back home I hung it in my dining room in a place where I see it every time I enter my living room on my way to the front door.

Over time I’ve become quite fond of the pastel. It has been comforting in a way I never expected. It looks nice on the peach colored walls. The bridge reminds me to look for ways to build bridges in my relationships instead of hanging out alone on islands. But, as I considered my growing affinity for the pastel I realized that its power not just limited to its aesthetic qualities and subject matter, but also as a result of its many positive associations. They are:

the association with my very special client who has since moved away from Richmond;
the association with Randolph-Macon Women’s college and the wonderful reunion weekend I enjoyed when it was for sale at the silent auction;
the association with art, my first love and source of soul food;
the association with pastels, one of my favorite mediums both in the art I view and own, but also as my next art learning goal;
the association with bridges which symbolize the significance of connections over time, and
the association with Richmond, VA, the place I’ve lived longer than anywhere.

With all those special, powerful associations and the positive energy it holds in place, I have come to love the piece. It is like an old friend who reminds me that there is much to be grateful for in my life.

© 2012 Clutter Clearing Community | Debbie Bowie

“Author, Organizing Expert and Feng Shui Practitioner, Debbie Bowie, is a leading authority on clutter clearing to attract more of what you want in life. If you’re ready to clear clutter and move your life forward, get your FREE TIP SHEET, “Feng Shui Tips for Instant Success” at http://www.clutterclearingcommunity.com.

I’m sure Starbucks is probably not thrilled that I use their stores as an extension of my office, filling a seat for hours at a time and buying just one drink. But, that’s what I do between clients, especially when it’s too hot or too cold to hang out in my car and too far from home or too short a time to make a return trip to my home office worthwhile.

Ever since Starbucks started offering free Wi-Fi I’ve been making Starbucks my coffee shop of choice. In the process I’ve visited a majority of the Starbucks in the Richmond area. Believe it or not, the feng shui of all Starbucks in NOT the same! I have my favorites and I’ve identified those where I just cannot work.

Recently I thought I’d try a new Starbucks in the Short Pump Town Center in Glen Allen, VA. I immediately noticed that the space was very small, not enough room to feel comfortable hanging out. And, the light was very dim. At first I thought the lighting must be different than in other stores, but then I noticed that the store was set back under an overhang that blocked natural light. And, it had windows on just one side of the store.

The stores that “feel” the best are places where I get the most productive work done. They have the best light, usually on at least two sides of the store. And, they have enough space to feel like a gathering space instead of a hit and run caffeine source, with a footprint that is more square than rectangular. Another factor is the clientele. I avoid one store because it is a drop spot for homeless people who ask for money.

If you too are a solopreneur who needs a temporary place to work out of the weather and enjoy Starbucks Wi-Fi and Starbucks coffee, chose a store with the best feng shui. Comfort matters! Comfort positively correlates with productivity.

The Feng Shui Bagua

I’ve received numerous questions about the feng shui bagua, a tool used by feng shui practitioners to read the natural energies in a space. Therefore, the purpose of this post is to give you a brief description of the bagua.

The bagua identifies the nine primary areas of a person’s life: wealth/prosperity, fame/reputation, relationships/love/marriage, creativity/children, helpful people/travel, career/life path, knowledge/wisdom, physical health/family, spiritual health/well being. It is constructed as a grid of nine squares arranged in three rows of three squares. This grid indicates where energies pool in a home, office, room or on a flat surface. By placing this grid over a floor plan you can determine where any of the nine energies is held in a particular space.

In form school feng shui the bagua is read from the primary entrance to the home, office or room. That entrance is almost always in one of the three squares across the bottom of the grid, the knowledge/wisdom gua, the career/life path gua, or the helpful people/travel gua. And, when reading the bagua for a home, you do it without consideration of where walls exist.

If the home, office or room is rectangular instead of square, you stretch the bagua into a rectangular shape and then read where energies pool. If a home, office or room is an irregular shape, you may be missing an energy or energies in that space or you may have an enhancement to one of the guas. A feng shui practitioner can help you determine what can be done to address the energy problems of irregularly shaped rooms or homes.

Once you determine where particular energies are held in a space, you can then determine if what you have in a particular gua enhances that energy, blocks it, or the energy is missing altogether. For example, clutter in any room is an energy block. Beautiful, precious items nicely displayed are energy enhancers.

What you have in a space affects what happens in your life. Looking at your space with the use of the feng shui bagua can help you identify energy challenges that once identified can be rectified. However, using the bagua accurately can be a complicated process. For more information about the bagua, I recommend Karen Kingston’s Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui and Terah Kathryn Collins’ The Western Guide to Feng Shui.

© 2012 Clutter Clearing Community | Debbie Bowie

“Author, Organizing Expert and Feng Shui Practitioner, Debbie Bowie, is a leading authority on clutter clearing to attract more of what you want in life. If you’re ready to clear clutter and move your life forward, get your FREE TIP SHEET, “Feng Shui Tips for Instant Success” at http://www.clutterclearingcommunity.com.

Running a small business is hard work. You wear so many hats! So, the condition of your office may not your highest priority. In fact, it might not even make your list of priorities! But, did you know that neglecting your office could be costing you business? Feng shui teaches that what you have in your space and how it’s arranged affects what happens in your life. If you apply that principle to a small business, the condition your business environment affects what happens in the business.

As you look around your office knowing that its condition is affecting your business success, you’re probably thinking, “Where do I start?” Following are nine feng shui organizing tips to help you focus on changes you can make that will give you the most bang for your energy buck.

1. Place your desk in the command or power position facing the door with a solid wall behind you. In this position your nervous system is most relaxed and you’ll feel most empowered while working.
2. Paint the room a color, preferably one with energy like a buttery yellow, sage green, terra cotta, or my new favorite–turquoise.
3. Keep only things that you love or use. Lose the rest! This also applies to books.
4. Clear things that don’t fit the function of business success, like mementoes from a challenging job where you were not successful.
5. Fix or remove anything that is broken. Broken things have a negative energy and attract “broke-ness.”
6. Remove anything with a negative association. Objects hold the energy of people and events associated with them. For example, papers associated with prospects that were never converted to clients hold the association of failure.
7. Have good lighting, both natural and artificial. Avoid halogen and fluorescent lighting which are not full spectrum, buzz and pop, and give off a harsh light. Pools of light are preferable to overhead lighting.
8. Display symbols of your success–in art, diplomas, certificates.
9. Add plants to bring the outdoors inside. Touches of plant green can transform a sterile office environment into a comfortable place to work. Use live plants, silk plants, and depictions of plants in art.

What will you do in your office today to enhance your business success? Start small. Take 15 minutes per day to clear clutter and make positive changes to your office. Over time not only will you find you that you can be more productive, you’ll love working in your office. And, you’re likely to be much happier with your bottom line!

© 2012 Clutter Clearing Community | Debbie Bowie

“Author, Organizing Expert and Feng Shui Practitioner, Debbie Bowie, is a leading authority on clutter clearing to attract more of what you want in your life. If you’re ready to clear the clutter from your life and move your life forward, get your FREE TIP SHEET, “Feng Shui Tips for Instant Success” at http://www.clutterclearingcommunity.com.

When I walk my dogs through the neighborhood I have the opportunity to see fences of all kinds. Today I noticed a new fence. It was hard to miss. It was made of wood, its boards tight together and straight across at the top. It was perched on top of a rise and ran in a straight line down one edge of its owner’s yard. Part of the reason I noticed this fence was because its hard edge energy was in such sharp contrast to the more gentle energy of the surrounding landscape.

I found myself writing this blog post in my head as I continued my walk, ranting to an unseen audience about the aesthetics of fences, how they can complement the landscape or impale it as the above fence seemed to be doing. I wondered what the owner had been thinking when he or she chose the fence design. Were they just wanting a wall of privacy behind which they could contain their dog and children having given little thought to design? Was their choice the most affordable option? I thought it sad that their most recent addition to their outdoor environment only detracted from the loveliness of their landscape.

Was that fence good feng shui? Heck no! Straight lines do not occur in nature. They are a telltale sign of man’s influence. When choosing a fence or putting in a sidewalk, curving lines are always preferable. Most fences run in straight lines because that’s the easiest way to lay a fence, often following property lines. But, you can soften lines of the fence by making the upper edge convex or concave so it will resemble waves as it travels across the yard.

Another way to soften the feel of a straight fence is by leaving space between the slats. That way you can see vegetation through the fence. Check out the fences in your neighborhood. I have a hunch you’ll find the ones that are not solid walls of wood with straight tops the most appealing. Even a chain link fence with its obvious man-made materials feels friendlier than a wall of wood because it can more easily blend into the landscape.

If you ever put up a fence, remember, its energy will have a profound effect on the look and feel of your yard. Wouldn’t you rather have a gentle, waving line that blends with the landscape instead of a sharp blade that cuts through it? You get to choose your fence design. The extra cost of a lovely fence will pay off with years of visual pleasure and good feng shui!

Our homes are an outward expression of our inner selves. And, sometimes they tell the story of imminent change. Let me show you what I mean.

“It just doesn’t feel like my house anymore!” lamented Sally, a client who was in the midst of preparing her house for sale. Sally’s decision to pursue a life dream to buy a farm and raise alpacas necessitated her selling her split-level house, a place that she had made her sanctuary over a period of ten years. At this time when houses are slow to sell, it is especially important that they look almost perfect. Her realtor had advised her to paint the entire house in shades of buttery yellow. Gone was the brilliant blue office and the peaceful blue dining room. “I feel like I’m living in a margarine stick!” she railed.

Sally was also agitated because creating a peaceful, neutral space that a prospective buyer could view without distraction and easily picture himself inhabiting, had required that she move many of her belongings to a storage unit. Preparing her house for sale had also given her the opportunity to sort through her belongings and clear out anything that she no longer needed or loved. She was left in a shell of her former home, a place that she no longer recognized, nor did she feel comfortable inhabiting.

Sally was between selves. She had moved beyond the self who had painted those blue walls and had tolerated a packed attic, to a self who was prepared to make a huge leap of faith, buying a farm and finding a new job in a new location. When she began clearing out her house, sending things to storage, the trash, and a local charity, she was physically ripping up energetic roots that had helped her feel comfortable and grounded. She was adrift in unfamiliar territory. Painting the walls in colors not of her choosing effectively wiped away evidence of her individuality. Everything became neutral. Of course Sally had reason to rail against the injustices of the real estate sales process! She was feeling like a stranger in her own home. She was grieving the loss of her things and already grieving the loss of the home that had been such a comfort to her.

Is this a normal reaction? Absolutely! Preparing a house for sale is a stressful and exhausting process. If, like Sally, your home has been your haven, transforming it into a strange place devoid of evidence of your energy can only be disturbing. At a time of high stress you crave stability and familiar, safe places to retreat. Everywhere Sally looked was upheaval, strangeness and work to be done.

Was making all those changes imperative? Given the current real estate market, and given that Sally’s house has no special features like a water view or new garage, making those changes were the best steps to take to increase the probability of a fast sale.

Is there a way that Sally could have avoided the grief and stripping of her energy from her house? Unfortunately, change often comes with a cost. In Sally’s case, she paid the price by having to strip her home of specific evidence of her existence, leaving her feeling sad and mad and frustrated. To her credit she put words to her anguish, which helped her deal with her mixed feelings. What a healthy response!

Wouldn’t you be troubled if your influence was erased from your home and you found yourself living in a place of your own making that was not an outward reflection of your inner self? And, all those changes also came at great financial cost. They speak volumes about the price Sally was willing to pay to go for her dream!

© 2012 Clutter Clearing Community | Debbie Bowie

“Author, Organizing Expert and Feng Shui Practitioner Debbie Bowie, is a leading authority on clutter clearing to attract more of what you want in your life. If you’re ready to finally clear the clutter from your life and move your life forward, get your FREE TIP SHEET, “Feng Shui Tips for Instant Success” at http://www.clutterclearingcommunity.com.

Missing John Arrix

My step-father died this week. I observed his struggle to let go of life. When it was over, the first step was to notify Hospice of Virginia who would call the funeral home to remove the body. Once John’s spirit was gone, his body was a shell and we needed the body taken away as soon as possible. It was just a reminder of his struggle, of his dying, of the horror of death.

Once John’s body had been taken away, I looked around the room where he spent his last hours and saw the empty hospital bed and all the supplies that had been used while he had spent his final days at home: the bandages, the gloves, the creams and ointments, the chucks and diapers. They were all reminders of the care he had received, the care that was just palliative, not life saving. They had to go.

First I asked Hospice of Virginia to make arrangements to have the bed removed as soon as possible. Then I took a quick look at the supplies. My first urge was to dump them all in the trash. We would not have them had John not been deathly ill. Yes, some of them could be useful at a later date. I kept the moisture lotion and bandaids and gave Portia Bea from Visiting Angels permission to take whatever she thought she or Visiting Angels could use. The rest went into the trash. Once I’d made my decision about what to keep, Portia cleared everything from the room that reminded us of John’s struggle.

All of this activity occurred in the first hour following John’s death. It seemed imperative to return the bedroom back to its pre-sickroom state. Because I’d been up all night with John, it was a blessing to have Portia’s assistance with the clean up. She even vacuumed the room.

Once the bed was taken away and the room returned to its previous appearance, I found myself clearing out John’s medications, corralling all reminders of the previous five weeks of assessing John’s condition and providing help. I wanted my mother, who had lost the love of her life, to be able to grieve the loss of John rather than be distracted by the signs of his illness.

Every item associated with John’s illness and death held the energy of death. I felt compelled to remove those items whose energy screamed death and loss. I kept some medical records, papers that later could help my Mom make sense of this terrible time. I kept the baby monitor because it is possible we might need it in the future for my Mom, but I stored it in a drawer out of sight. I kept the lotion because it could easily blend in with other skin lotions and lose its association with death.

The next step is to clear the energy of death from the room by burning sage.

All that clearing gave me a much needed focus in the first two days after John left us. It also relieved my Mom’s lovely house of the signs of struggle, reminders of the horror we had all experienced while watching John leave us. And, last night my Mom, though very sad, was able to retrieve the photo albums of her life with John and shift her focus from the dying that had just occurred to the joys and pleasures of the life she had lived with him
.

I’m sitting in McDonald’s in Kilmarnock, VA, taking a break from watching the process of my step-father’s death. I’m attempting to take care of myself in the midst of a very painful phase of life–helping parents at the end of life.

Because it’s hard for me to write and work on aspects of my business, I’ve been doing what I teach clients to do when they can’t do what they think they should be doing. I’ve been clearing easy stuff. Today the easy stuff is emails that just aren’t important given what is going on right now. It’s amazing how easy it is to clear out emails that I usually pause over. I just don’t have the time or energy to consider all the discussion group emails, the networking emails, the offers of products to buy. And, I certainly don’t need them cluttering up my inbox!

I’m saving all the kind notes of support from friends and people who read my newsletters and blog posts. I want to thank each person for their kindness. I’m responding to emails regarding appointments, speaking engagements and other aspects of my business. Nothing else really matters right now.

Somehow clearing out the non-essential emails has helped me feel more in control of my life at this moment. I am certainly not in control of what is happening with my step-father. The hospice nurse said the timing of his death depends on his will, that it’s between him and God. I’m just an observer of a process that is so much bigger than me.

Clutter clearing can be comforting in difficult times.