Franca Giuliani - For the record, please note that this is not a “clutter clearing” article. It's a Closet Clearing Summons. There's a difference.
We use closets as a place for storage, unless you have a huge walk-in closet like the one in the top photo (I call that more of a "clothes showroom"). I believe this to be a very noble thing, because we're humans and humans need stuff, and we have to store that stuff. However, many people use closets as the immediate solution to get things out of sight. Don’t know what to do with something? Well, put it in the closet! Where does this go? Don’t know. Well, put it in the closet!
Eventually we've created a plethora of items hidden away in closets, some items needed and some items completely useless.
In feng shui, closets represent our subconscious mind. Depending where the closets are, they can give us a lot of information as to what we don’t want to deal with in our lives, or better yet what we should deal with.
So let me suggest to you that by sorting out your closets, it may help you sort out your mind.
Once, I had a client who had a box of legal papers in her bedroom closet. These papers had something to do with an incident that happened many years ago, before her teenage daughter was born. My client was so afraid that her daughter would find the box.
Franca Giuliani - I said last month that I would talk about the color Red for January … so here it is! With all the New Year festivities, the color Red has been used a lot. But, have we ever really thought about its meaning?
The Chinese associate Red with auspiciousness and good luck. (And, just to note: their New Year has not arrived until January 23, the start of the Lunar New Year.) Red sends a message of happiness, strength, and warmth. It's fire. It's fame. It's an honor to walk on the Red carpet. To celebrate, people will “paint the town Red."
As the color of blood, Red also represents the flow of life in our bodies. Red is a deep affirmation of life, and when we use it in a living space, we're making that statement. However, keep in mind it can be over-powering. Red can agitate and is often associated with danger. Red means “Stop.” Brake lights are Red. Fire equipment is painted Red. If a business is in the “Red,” it's losing money.
Nonetheless, Red ignites activity and intention. Play with a little Red this month, and see where you can add some of it into your personal space. Place a beautiful Red pillow on a chair. Can you cover a lamp or light bulb with a red mask to change the color of the light? And, as you do this, keep in mind your intentions for 2012. This will help you anchor them in your thoughts.
Here are some January observations for you,
Design2Share's Anonymous UK Correspondent - Feng Shui principles dictate that you curtail clutter around your home so good energy can circulate. But unless you live in an enormous mansion or are incredibly ruthless about throwing things away, then the chances are that every spare space in your home is used as some kind of storage. I have yet to see a garage that only has a car in it, and have never had the pleasure of meeting an empty under-stairs cupboard. I actually think this would be kind of weird!
As for kitchens, most people don’t have an empty shelf available - and upstairs, it’s the same story with every nook and cranny under double beds and on top of wardrobes in use. If we're not careful, things can start to look cluttered so it's always a good idea to