put clutter clearing on your calendar

In Rodika Tchi’s About.com Guide to Feng Shui she advises to “use feng shui to deal with clutter in your home office on a regular basis”.  Just what we had in mind with celebrating feng shui friday each week!

Rodika says to “mark a feng shui clutter clearing day on your calendar and you will be surprised how much better, more enthusiastic and energetic you will feel the next day”. We’re hoping that by marking each Friday as a home office clutter clearing day, we’ll get to enjoy the benefits for the next week!

Join us also in observing Feng Shui Your Desk Day on the Friday after tax day – April 17, 2009. If you have some good ideas for making this day a successful clean up and gear up ‘holiday’ post them here!

Lucky Friday the 13th

Remember how determined I was to completely clean up my office last Friday? Well, I took one step forward and two steps back. I’m hosting a party tomorrow and in preparation am using my Feng Shui Friday to clear the clutter from the living areas of the apartment. As usual, the home office has become the storage room of last resort for all the *stuff* from the rest of the house.

I’ve always thought Friday the 13th was a fun (if not lucky) day. This year Friday falls on the 13th three times – February, March and November. So, I’m setting my intention today . . . everything uprooted on 2/13 will be in its place by 3/13, the next Feng Shui Friday the 13th.

Do you have any Friday the 13th rituals or celebrations? Share them here!

unearthing ideas – indoor plants and feng shui

3:00 pm on Feng Shui Friday

I may have bitten off more than I can chew this Friday. Here is a “before” shot. Actually, it is a “during” shot. I was looking for one receipt and ended up deciding to tackle *all* the piles that have accumulated in my home office. BTW, this photo was taken from the doorway of the room so you are looking right at my wealth corner. This clutter is literally affecting my wealth. I uncovered an unpaid parking ticket, a past due credit card bill, a prospect’s business card whom I forgot to call . . . you get the idea. I am determined to get everything to its place before the day’s end – either a file folder, the recycling bin, the shredder or a give away pile.

I did unearth a great flyer from a real estate agent called Indoor Plants and Feng Shui. I don’t know who published it or whom to attribute it to, but I’ll reprint it here. Some wonderful tips for the home office. Enjoy!

“Houseplants are an integral component of the feng shui approach to a healthy home by providing life and vitality to your indoor environment. According to feng shui, plants connect us to the natural world and increase the flow of positive energy throughout our home . To take full advantage of the feng shui philosophy when it comes to your indoor garden, consider the following:

• Choose plants that have round or soft edges over spiky, more aggressive-looking species.
• Get rid of sick or dying plants to avoid negative energy. It is better to have no plants at all than ones that are sick.
• Create a positive impression and energize the entry of your home by placing a plant or floral arrangement near your front door.
• In feng shui, the angles and corners so abundant in Western architecture are seen as dumping grounds for negative energy. In order to allow energy to flow freely throughout your home , place plants or indoor trees in the corners of a room.
• Conceal electronic equipment – it gives off an artificial energy as opposed to the natural energy of plants. Drape or hang a potted plant near your computer or stereo equipment, or place a plant that can be easily moved in front of the television to counter negative energy.
• No matter where you place them, know that the best way to enhance your home ‘s feng shui with plants is simply just to have them.

supply room envy

Today during my home office feng shui friday ritual, something hit me. One of the things I miss about working in an office is the big, beautiful, neatly organized supply closet. Are you with me home office workers? Don’t you remember the stacks of legal pads and boxes of pens and shelves of file folders and cartons of cartridges? Sigh.

Then I thought, why can’t I create my own version here in my home office? So, I’m finally dumping the bundles of dried up pens and donating the file folders that don’t fit in any of my cabinets. I’m carving out space on the closet shelf to be my own neatly stacked supply room. Perhaps after taking inventory, I’ll reward myself with a trip to the office supply store to stock up on stuff I actually need during the tale end of the January sales. Feeling more productive already!

SWF, works alone, loves candles

I’m hesitant to make too much of my new candle discovery for fear of the stereotype.  As Samantha on Sex and the City explained, “women with candles have replaced women with cats as the new ‘sad thing’ . . . “  The thing is, candles (and cats) are good feng shui!

For my Friday (and every day) home office ritual, I just found the most deliciously fragrant and  visually sumptuous soy based candle. These LAFCO New York candles are pricey (around $50 retail), but they burn up to 100 hours and come in a gorgeous, reusable colored jar (think pencil holder, candy dish or cord caddy for your desk). Each is “recommended” for a specific room in the home, but try choosing the glass color to enhance a bagua area on your desk.  I had a hard time choosing between all the options -  loved the vibrant orange jar and fresh fragrance of Cilantro Orange (kitchen) – but settled on the pink Duchess Peony (powder room). I’ve placed it on the back right corner of my desk to enhance the relationships and love area. Once it burns down, it can hold flowers or pens (pink sharpies?).  I’ve been burning mine for about 20 minutes a day – the subtle scent lingers in the room until the next day.

I discovered the House & Home candle collection at a fantastic and friendly little furniture and accessory store in Palm Springs, CA (www.distinctivehomeps.com – ask for Michael). If you know of other retail locations, please post them here!

Clearing clutter – one pile at a time

As Stephanie Roberts says in her article, What Clutter Clearing Can Do For You, once you learn the benefits of clearing clutter, you’ll start turning to it to get you out of a rut.  “If you can’t seem to decide on priorities for your business, you’ll realize it’s time to clear off the desk and catch up on paperwork.”

I do know the benefits of “freeing the chi”, but I’ve slipped lately and found myself in a rut – surrounded by stacks. To celebrate today’s Feng Shui Friday, I’m getting back on track. I’m tackling at least one of these piles and getting new perspective. The bundle of receipts and bills and statements? It is moving out of my “wealth” area (will I ever learn?) and getting dealt with.

Today, put on some music and pick just one stack of files or papers to tackle. Don’t know where to start? In what area of your work life are you feeling most stagnant? Pay extra attention to that bagua area and free some chi. Share your stories here!

New Year’s Rituals (vs. resolutions)

This year I’m trying a new strategy. Instead of making resolutions that I *should* keep, I’m designing rituals that I *get to* follow. One of these rituals that I hope becomes a habit is to practice ‘Feng Shui Friday.’ Give my office a dust & vacuum, water the plants, take out the trash and recycling. And, since I’m in a home office . . . extend it to the rest of the apartment.

the first [feng shui] friday of the new year

Welcome to my first ever Feng Shui Fridays blog post. Please join me each Friday as I de-clutter my desk, apply feng shui principles to my home office and get organized for the upcoming week.

Actually, on this first Friday of ’09 I’m not even in my office but enjoying a getaway with friends at Stinson beach. All the warm fires, good meals, delicious wine, walks on the beach, lively card games and hilarious movies are certainly helping me recharge the batteries and get excited to hit the ground running in the new year.

I must have done something right in the helpful people area, as these guys are introducing me to all sorts of new music to add to the funky feng shui playlist - tunes to inspire and energize the weekly ritual of “freeing the chi.” Right now we are grooving to Infinite Syndrome by Bugs. (check out www.freethechi.com/friday/tunes.html for more recommendations)

Got any home office organization tips (or recommendations of ‘songs to sort by’)? Please share them here and continue to put the fun in feng shui.