Chinese New Year arrives on the 25th of January, so get cleaning and clearing before then! The Chinese regard this time as the end of winter and the beginning of a new season. It is the chance to wash away the old, the bad luck and the ghosts of the past year. Having lived in Malaysia, I have seen Chinese friends re-paint their apartments, re-do the whole kitchen to appease the kitchen gods and sweep out the whole place. Once the 25th arrives, you are supposed to do zero cleaning as that is sweeping away the new good luck! This recollection made me review my wardrobes and general storage. As always, the first rule of Feng Shui is to clear out clutter. Open the opportunity for new energy and to get rid of any stuck energy. Repair any broken zips, get shoes re-heeled and organise.
Go for the three groups:
- Sentimental – keep in a selected box, download photos to a hard drive
- Sell – some of you may sell items online or have a stall at a local market, just remember, you are clearing out and are unlikely to get the full value of the item
- Donate – give to a local Oxfam, Humana or other charity store, or donate to directly to others on forums
Drawers
We all have a drawer that has ‘stuff’ in it. It is where keys, batteries and general things go that you need quickly. Tip it out and sort it out. Pull out kitchen tools and clean the drawers out. There is a strange sense of satisfaction in doing this! A psychologist friend says that when she gets frustrated, she often cleans out the cupboards and comes away with a sense of organisation. Not sure this would work for everyone but certainly worth a try. Feng Shui sees it as sending a message of organisation and clarity.
Less is More
Our past French apartment lacked some storage and bought a lovely French dresser to hold kitchen crockery. Wine was stored here. In Feng Shui practice you need to regard the wine bottle labels carefully. Look at what they are describing. I saw a wine label called the Single Man and wouldn’t recommend that in your space! Turn the bottle necks inwards to show the base of the bottle. If you place them with the corks facing in to the kitchen, this is seen to be like having pistols pointing in to the kitchen. If you are adding furniture don’t be tempted with adding more belongings – something that is very tempting to do!
Next Steps
The Chinese would go out and buy a whole new kitchen or bedroom! If you have the budget, look to change bedlinen, cushions or add new towels or plants. Then set your intentions and clean and revamp your wealth, relationships and career sectors or what area you are focusing on. We replaced some purple and red plants for the Wealth and Fame sectors, changed the bed cover in our Relationship corner and added a small fountain in the Career sector to generate a flow of abundance in love, friends, wealth, health and wisdom. Kung Hei Fat Choy!
