HAVE YOUR CHILDREN GROWN UP, move off to school, or moved out to start a life of their own? Are you left with an empty room and boxes of their stuff? This transition can feel like a sad time, and yet can be an opportunity for renewal and re-energizing.

If you take this time to clear, organize, and give away, you are taking the very first step in Feng Shui — decluttering to make way for harmony and new opportunities.

There a few options when children leave home. If they are off to school and come home regularly, you can energize the home by cleaning and enhancing their rooms, making a welcoming place for them to return to. If, on the other hand, they have moved out for good, you have endless opportunities, beginning with decluttering and organization.

View your house as a metaphor for your life: A cluttered, disorganized home can lead to stress and frustration, but an organized home can have a calming effect on you, your family and guests. This does not have to be difficult; in just minutes you can begin to make changes that can turn your home into a comfortable, peaceful haven. Plus the added space from a child’s room after they move out can be transformed into something you have always dreamed of — perhaps a craft room, an office, a den, a meditation room or a beautiful guest room. The options are endless.

Just remember that in Feng Shui every space counts, so using the room as a cluttered storage space is not practicing Feng Shui. This will only serve to create more stress in your life, which is the opposite of what you want. Also, ensure that you do not just close the door and never go into the room, because this will cause the Ch’i to stagnate. Make sure to go in and clean, add and water plants and flowers, open windows occasionally to let fresh air in and generally keep the energy as active as in other rooms in the house.

I have watched clients transform empty rooms into magical spaces, but it takes time. The process does not need to be overwhelming. What works is patience and a bit of time management. You can begin to transform your home from chaos to paradise with a technique that just requires a few minutes a day. I call it the “Salami Method of Time Management,” taking one slice at a time. For example, if you are reorganizing a room you can just do the closet one day, the dresser another, one wall per day, etc. Organizing possessions and eliminating clutter can be viewed as an exciting mission that opens portals to your personal paradise.

Of course, if you are transforming a child’s space after they move out, it is best to share your goals with them and get their blessing. Assure them that you will pass on only those items that you both feel can be let go of. The other items can be boxed up and slowly given to your kids so that they too can take part in the decluttering process.

Simple steps for organizing

So what is clutter? Clutter is any items that are disliked, unused, in excess and/or unorganized. By getting rid of the things you no longer want or need, you revitalize your home and make room for what you really DO want to flow into your life. You enhance your happiness, clarity and peace of mind.

Ask yourself the following questions: “Do I love it? Do I need it? Does it represent or support who I am now? What pleasant or unpleasant memories does it hold? Does it need repair, and am I willing to restore it right now? If I’m letting go, will I sell, lend or give it away, and when?”

Next, label three boxes or bags: Throwaway, Giveaway and Stowaway. When you have separated all items into 3 categories, put the throwaways in the trash immediately, prepare and label the giveaways to go to their new homes (family, friends, charity) and make sure you remove them from the space and give them away within a week. Stowaway items can be slowly returned to other locations or to your children.

Give yourself the gift of shelves and containers for your storage areas. Your environment displays your consciousness, and there’s no more revealing place to look than behind closet doors. You’ll know that you’ve succeeded in reinstating balance when you respond positively to your new room and feel a shift in your energy. Congratulations! Now watch as the helpful people, opportunities and things flow into your life because you have let go of the old and made a beautiful new room for the new.

Re-energizing rooms using the Feng Shui Bagua

The Feng Shui Bagua (Ba-gua) Map is represented as a grid of nine sectors. The Bagua comes from the Chinese philosophy, “The I Ching,” and literally means “eight trigrams,” with the center area for grounding.

Room positioning is very important to consider as you declutter, enhance and re-energize rooms. Wherever the now-vacant room lies in your home can determine the part of your life you are nurturing and improving. This also applies to general decluttering. For instance, if you are having financial problems and the room in your Wealth area (back left corner) is used for storage and is a mess, cleaning and enhancing this area will open up channels for financial growth. To enhance Bagua areas please read past columns on www.fengshuibymaria.com.

Children growing up and moving away can be a time of renewal, rebirth and moving forward for all of you. This is a great time to revitalize your home environment by decluttering the stagnant energy, creating beautiful new spaces and re-energizing your home and your life. Get started now and enjoy the flow of prosperity and opportunities!

Feng Shui at work

One of my clients had both of her daughters graduate in the same year. The first graduated from college, moved out and got her own apartment, while the second graduated from high school and is now attending college. She returns frequently to find her bedroom freshly cleaned, organized and welcoming. The college graduate had a two-room suite that has slowly been transformed to enhance the Ch’i of the house. The first room has been turned into a cozy yet manly den for her father’s sports collection and TV, while the back room is being turned into the mother’s Zen room and sanctuary. All rooms in this house are constantly being energized, and family relations are stronger than ever.

When my daughter graduated from college and moved to Southern California she left us with many boxes from her early college days. Her new apartment was too small to take in all the boxes at once and I knew that this would add much stress to her life. Therefore I chose the “Salami Method” of clearing her stuff. Once she was settled, each time we drove down to visit I would bring her one random box. She loved reopening the memories, and while she threw away or sold many of the items she also found treasures she had forgotten that were easy to assimilate into her home. Little by little our house has been cleared of the clutter, and everybody is happy.

Questions, questions, questions

I encourage you to email me with questions, which I will respond in this column or by email.
Reader: “Lately I seem to be misplacing everything. I’ve lost cash, house keys, and have forgotten where I put important papers. I always feel as if I’m falling behind. Can Feng Shui help me?”

Dear Reader, of course Feng Shui can help. I thought about two areas in your home: First, your Helpful People area (right front corner of your house) — what is going on there? This is the area for synchronicity, mentorship and everything going smoothly in life. “Who is watching over you?” It is very important to declutter and enhance this area. This area is governed by the Metal Element, therefore enhance with metal objects, colors of white and gray, natural stones and circular items. You may want to place a metal bowl filled with natural stones, a picture of a mountain or white flowers, and or pictures of your spiritual guides with affirmations stating that nothing is misplaced or forgotten.

The second place is the Center of your home, which is designed for grounding and centering, since your actions don’t sound grounded. This area is governed by the Earth element, therefore enhance with shades of yellow and rectangular and ceramic objects. Keep it neat and organized and add affirmations stating that you are feeling centered and grounded and always remember where you put things. Lastly, I know it’s not always easy to keep things organized every day. Create a system of organized chaos by creating a quick storage space for items in specific places (all mail is stored in one space, work papers in another, etc.) and then make sure to go back and organize those spaces once a week or once a month. Doing a little at a time ensures that nothing gets overwhelming.

Affirmations

Remember that in Feng Shui, intent plays a significant role in enhancing any area of your home or business. That’s why all enhancements need to be made with intentionality; written or stated affirmations, expressed as if they are already happening, are very important. Examples or affirmations for decluttering and re-energizing vacant spaces: “My son’s empty room has been transformed into my reading sanctuary. I feel it nurturing me”; “I love the energy created in my daughter’s old room. It’s beautiful and I feel closer to her than ever.”

Feng Shui on a shoestring

Feng Shui enhancements do not have to cost a great deal. If you have an empty room or a room in turmoil, begin by placing one object you love in the room. That will begin to transform the energy. Then begin by decluttering it just a little bit each day, and continue to add items you love. You will soon have your personal paradise.

For questions or home consultations, email me at mtmccull@aol.com and put “Feng Shui” on the subject line, or visit my website at fengshuibymaria.com, where you can read past columns, or Facebook “Feng Shui by Maria,” where I post pictures as examples to enhancements.

And check out my blog! Just go to the website and click on “Blog” and you can view many pictures, and I will respond to your questions quickly.

Come to my next class and receive $40 off a home consultation! My next class will be a series of three two-hour classes with practical instruction on Feng Shui principles, enhancing the Bagua in your home and balancing the elements. The class will be three Tuesdays, Oct. 14, 21 and 28, from 1-3 p.m. Mark your calendars and invite friends!

Until then … Blessings!

Benicia resident Maria McCullough is the owner and founder of Feng Shui by Maria (www.fengshuibymaria.com). She is a speaker and educator with more than 15 years’ experience specializing in residential, landscape and business consultations.