10 Habits of People Who Never Have Clutter at Home

featured on MindBodyGreen by Emma Loewe

Decluttering your home is only half the battle! Keeping it looking clean and pristine in the long run takes some serious will power. Here, some of the cleanest people we know share the hacks and habits they use to keep their spaces eternally tidy.

1. Be nice to your produce.

"Take the stickers off of every piece of fruit and produce you buy. Welcome them in. You'd be surprised how different it feels when you treat everything else in your home with the same amount of attention and care."

—Lisa Viscardi, professional organizer

2. Make a weekly date with donations.

"I hold myself accountable for gathering nine items a week that I can donate and drop them off on my way to an appointment. (Nine is an auspicious number in feng shui!) I have a weekly meditation class that has a donation drop-off, Housing Works, right across the street. I put the donation date on my calendar as well as my weekly to-do list and leave the bag by the front door so I don't forget it on my way to meditation."

—Anjie Cho, architect and feng shui expert

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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.

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

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui and Headboards

What's so important about headboards in feng shui?  And how do I select the best one for my bedroom?

Stephanie S., Jersey City, NJ

Thanks Stephanie!  This is a great question. I find that a lot of people don't have headboards for their beds. Headboards are so important for relationships in feng shui because they represent stability. A solid and sturdy headboard is like a strong backbone for a relationship. They should be attached securely and mechanically to the bed. So a headboard that is attached to the wall and not the bed does not work in this situation.

In selecting the best feng shui headboard, something that’s solid is very important. If possible avoid headboards with bars that can resemble feeling imprisoned. A headboard with many perforations is also not preferred because this can represent holes or insecurity for one or both partners. The most ideal shape is rounded or heart shaped. Since my aesthetics are a bit less traditional, I prefer rectangular headboards.

There is not a huge difference between a solid wood and a soft upholstered headboard, as long as both partners are comfortable with the style. Remember, it’s there to support both of you!

I can say from experience that this feng shui adjustment works. I didn’t have a headboard for years, until I met my husband. Not only did I go get a headboard, I also re-arranged my room so there was space on both sides of the bed.  And we still live happily ever after! 

by Anjie Cho

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

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

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."

…read full article

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.