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Feng Shui for Summer

By Vikki Anderson

Summer is a great time of the year to move positive chi around your home and garden. It’s a time when you can leave the windows wide open so that fresh air will circulate the chi (energy) throughout your home. It’s a time when you should enjoy the outdoors, family and friends and travel to all those destinations you’ve always dreamed about. But to do that, you should handle a few things ahead of time so that you can be ready to have fun at a moment’s notice.

Here are a few ways to bring in positive energy into your home and yard.

• Keep the house clean so you can leave at a moment’s notice without feeling guilty. Have your family pick up after themselves so you have less work to do. Iron, do wash or chores while you are watching TV, preparing meals, etc. You will be surprised at how many things you can do during commercials, while you are waiting for your meal to cook or play with your dog outside as you walk around the yard to pick up broken branches or leaves.
• Keep a small overnight bag packed for you and your family and place it in your car’s trunk. If an unplanned getaway or you get an overnight invitation for your kids (or an emergency arises), you will have all essentials already in the car and ready to go.
• Use paper plates when appropriate so you don’t have to do dishes every night!
• Have a night when you order take out so you give yourself a break from cooking and you can spend more time with the children or actually do something for yourself.
• Hang bells on your architectural front door to bring in positive energy every time you open it. If you don’t use your front door, make it a habit of going out the front door to get the mail or the newspaper, etc. so that your door is used.
• Clean the bath tub or shower while you are in the shower.
• Bring that pile of magazines you haven’t gotten to outside on the deck or patio so that when you are relaxing or enjoying the sun, you can get through them quickly and either give them away or recycle them. Or ask friends if they would like these magazines, bring them to a hospital waiting room or nursing home. Many of the smaller medical facilities will be happy to have the reading material for their patients.
• Keep lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand that are locally grown. Not only are you supporting the local farmers, but you also have healthier food and snacks to nourish you and your family.
• Buy or wear light and no wrinkle outfits for easy traveling and last minute plans. Wash and wear clothes are best so you can wash them, let them dry and be off again to another adventure without lugging an iron with you. Steamers also work well.
• Let the light into your home. Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and immediately feel re-energized. If appropriate, just put up valances on some windows for maximum sunlight.
• Check BBQ to be sure that the propane tank is filled and that all parts are in good working order. You don’t want to be surprised when you are entertaining guests.
• Get citronella candles for nighttime outdoor meals or parties to keep pests away from your gathering. Make sure you also have appropriate lighting.
• Ask family or friends to help with a home or yard project and then have a BBQ to thank them later that day. What a great way to end a hard day’s work.
• Hang beautiful chimes from your deck, trees or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you. Always have a book on hand that you’ve always wanted to read and didn’t have time. The sound of the chimes will de-stress you and you will be learning from or enjoying a good book at the same time.
• Have a landscaper take care of your lawn and garden so you can be free to enjoy your family and the good weather. If you can’t afford one, mow your lawn early in the morning so you can have the rest of the day free.
• Weed your garden for five minutes each day so that the weeds don’t overpower your beautiful flowers and you won’t feel overwhelmed when you decide to weed on the weekend.
• Take care of outdoor furniture by hosing it down throughout the summer. Cover it if you are going away so that it will not get dirty. When furniture gets muddy or dirty, no one wants to sit on it. Let everyone feel comfortable with clean furniture.
• Have a garage sale to get rid of the things you no longer want, need or like, but make some money from these items which can be used for a fun filled day with family or friends. If you don’t want to have a garage sale, donate to a local charity and get a tax donation form. You will be able to deduct the amount on your income taxes and you are decluttering your space making the space more positive.
• Make sure all outdoor furniture is in good condition or replace it for safety reasons.

• Check pool supplies and equipment to be sure everything is in perfect working condition so no one gets disappointed at the last minute. Be sure children’s flotation devices are safe.
• Trim any hedges or trees that might be dangerous or unsightly. For your family’s safety, shrubs should only be hip height at the front of your home. At that height, you will never be surprised by intruders.
• Keep outdoor lighting clean and in repair so that you can see where you are going in the evening and what is going on outside of your home at all times.
• Take a refreshing walk through a local park or your neighborhood. Everyone is outside now so you may meet new friends or neighbors or can catch up with a friend’s life if you walk together and get exercise at the same time! You can also listen to a learning CD or a CD you had just purchased. The trick is to do several things at the same time to save time and energy.
• Go to flea markets or yard sales and pick up things you need at a discount; however, be sure you get rid of three things for every new thing you bring into the house so that you are keeping on top of the clutter. You don’t need more junk in your home so be sure you need the item you purchase.
• Have your home and deck power washed. Then you can seal your deck for many hours of fun without damaging it.

There are many other things you can do around your home to make it a stress free and fun summer. Make your lists now and try to do a few things each and everyday. Before you know it, summer will be here and you will be enjoying yourself without care or worry.

Vikki Anderson is a certified BTB Feng Shui consultant and does private Feng Shui consultations. Call 973-492-3110 for an appointment or more information. Also see www.VikkiAnderson.net to schedule a tarot or astrological reading or get written astrology and numerology reports.

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Feng Shui for Autumn!

By Vikki Anderson

            Autumn is a wonderful time to clean out your house of all the things you no longer need, want or like.  Many garage or yard sales are going on in local neighborhoods and you can make some extra cash by getting rid of your “treasures.”  You never know what people are looking for and you may just have that odd piece of furniture, kitchen accessory/appliance or accent piece they have been looking for.  This is also a great time to make room in your home, garage, basement and attic for the upcoming holidays.  Remember, with the weather getting cooler and eventually colder with snow, your family needs room to relax, read a book or magazine, write out the bills, enjoy each other, watch TV or play video games, and do homework.  They need a comfortable and organized living space. 

With the new energy of the season, it is important to clear out the summer energy and have a more relaxed and calming environment.  Many people rearrange furniture, change bed linens to glorious fall colors and change curtains in every room.  Any alterations bring a change of energy with them so be sure that you feel comfortable, happy, relaxed and stress free after you redecorate or update your room’s look.  If you are tired of the same old curtains or comforters, change them.  If the same worn out throw pillows are a site for sore eyes, perhaps going to flea markets, garage sales or local stores who are having sales would be a good alternative.  It will make you feel re-energized as you bring in new energy of the item and the color into your home. 

A quick reference to colors:

The bold color brings in more vibrant and dynamic energy.  The pastel of the color brings in the energy in a softer, more harmonious level.  Remember that these colors also work if you are wearing them as clothing or accessories.

Black

Most teens wear black and now we know why they act the way they do!  Black represents depression, upset, negativity, sadness, and feeling out of place or without a connection, despair, misery, hopelessness, dejection and melancholy.

Blue 

This soothing color helps you express emotions, empathy, sympathy, compassion and sensitivity.  Nice calming color for a bedroom.

Gray 

This color is not recommended for rooms since it brings with it fears, doubts, worries, anxieties, being over whelmed, confused, lost, and indecisive.

Green 

Peaceful and calm color.  Brings in prosperity and abundance, financial security, fertility and growth.  It gets projects “growing” in the right direction; it is a nurturing and supportive color.

Pink 

This refreshing color brings harmony, peace, joy, self confidence, love, happiness and everything that will make you happy.

Purple 

This is the most spiritual color which has the highest vibrational rate.  Purple brings in esoteric interest and study, philosophy and honors all traditions.  Metaphysical or spiritual knowledge is brought through this color for you to use or to pass it along to others who could use the knowledge and insight from Above.

Red

Assertive, dynamic, passionate and energetic color.  Motivates people who are procrastinators.  Brings vibrant energy, makes one self motivated, active and lively.  Too much red can cause tempers and anger.  I do not recommend this color if you are looking for a restful or peaceful environment. 

 Tan/Browns

This section includes beige, mauve, orange, and khaki as well.  This is a very grounded, focused, stable and organized color.  Tan, etc., brings a good foundation and is very secure.  It helps you stay connected to Mother Earth, keeps your feet on the ground and makes one very persistent.

White 

This is the sucker color.  It brings energy of being too good, caring, loving, kind, generous, honest, trust worthy and doing everything for others and nothing for you.  Eventually, you will become a doormat or have no life of your own since you are too busy helping others.  Set some boundaries.  (Never paint the inside of a house white if you want to sell it – it is a cold color and puts people off).  I tell my students never to wear white underclothes as your foundation for the day is to be a sucker and have everyone take advantage of you!  Wear more beige!

Yellow

This color stimulates the mind.  It activates intelligence, logic, analytical and methodical thought and is a great color for a library, place where children study and where common sense is required.

Here are a few ways to bring in positive (chi) energy into your yard and home.

1. Put some beautiful fall potted plants on your front steps or walkway.  This invites the outside into your home and allows the beautiful colors to attract family and friends to visit more.
2. Hang beautiful chimes from trees, your deck or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you.
3. Hang up whirl-i-gigs to promote positive chi to circulate around your property and remove any stagnant areas of dead or dying chi.  There are many decorative ones for autumn, Thanksgiving, Christmas or any holy holiday or perhaps just winter scenes as it gets closer to December.
4. Plant bulbs for next year’s beautiful gardens!  To correctly place the right color in the right area of your yard or garden, follow the ba gua colors (see www.VikkiAnderson.com under Feng Shui).
5. Burn white sage throughout your home, closets, bathroom, cellar, attic and around the house to ensure negative energy or negative chi is removed while keeping your windows in your home open at least 2” to allow the negativity to escape from your surroundings.
6. Place 60 MM aurora borealis crystals in windows that get the morning sun so that rainbows will dance on your ceiling and walls.  Each room should have many colors in it for balanced energy.
7. Get rid of things you no longer need, want or like, so that you will have a clutter free space to enjoy and come home to each evening without feeling overwhelmed by the clutter.
8. A fresh coat of paint will do wonders for your space and your mood.  Choose the proper color for the area of the ba gua you are painting; if you can’t, add a few decorative touches like pillows, books, candle holders, afghans, statues or paintings with the required colors in them.
9. Buy bamboo pieces.  I use them as curtain rods in every room so the auspicious energy is blessing every room.  If you can’t use them as curtain rods, stick one piece (two in the partnership area) leaning in a corner as a decorative piece.  It certainly brings attention to a space.
10. Let the light into your home.  Many people put heavier drapes and curtains for the autumn/winter months, but be sure to open them during the day to allow energy, opportunities and good luck into your home.

For a private Feng Shui consultation, call 973-492-3110.

by Vikki Anderson

Winter is a time when the earth is in hibernation. The chi rests. Plants rest, trees rest and of course we rest and try to take it easy. The weather gets colder and snow blankets the earth and all looks peaceful and beautiful from the inside of our home. It’s a lovely time of the year.

We may have time to read that book that has been sitting on the shelf for a few months because we were so busy with our autumn yard clean up, etc., and never got around to doing what we wanted to do. It’s a time to sit home and watch TV or have fun with the family. Adult education classes are over until February, so this is a time to decorate the house, enjoy your family, read, play board games, write holiday shopping lists, battle the crowds in the stores for holiday shopping and generally enjoying the indoors.

As winter progresses, it’s a time to make sure your car is in good working condition as well as your tires. You want to be safe in the snow and ice filled streets. Be sure to get that oil change to make sure the engine runs smoothly too.

Here are a few ways to bring in positive (chi) energy into your yard and home for the holidays.

HOLIDAY FENG SHUI TIPS:

Have holiday lights on if it is appropriate to your holiday. Nothing brings guests better than a light display during the holidays. Put lights on timers so that you don’t have to be home to have your lights come on. This also lets others think you are home when you may be off holiday shopping or visiting family, friends or neighbors. (As an aside, I also have motion lights on my house to cover the whole yard, driveway and front walkway for the same reason).

If you are a baker, bake all the great cookies and breads you usually do for the holidays. Nothing invites family, friends and neighbors in general to come into your home more than freshly baked items with those wonderful aromas filling your home and seeping through your doors or windows. Do you need to bake so many cookies? How many can we eat? After the holidays, I get to throw a good deal of them out to my squirrels which live on my property and they say thank you.

Have all of your shopping and wrapping done early. You can buy presents all year long and wait until after Thanksgiving for larger items or items that you want to make sure you can return.

Decorate the house at different times. You can put up the tree one night and then put up window and yard decorations over the next few days. Be sure the children are home, so that they can assist in making your home look beautiful for the holidays. Even though I’m sure they’ll complain at having to work and do something as lame as put up Christmas or holiday decorations, it will be good to show the children that these holidays are for families and families work together.

Write holiday cards when you have a few spare minutes throughout the fall. Many people put names and addresses on computer labels and I must admit I did that for many years. I have learned that they are very impersonal and it’s just like you are saying that you wanted to get that chore out of the way as quickly as possible and had no regard for the person it was being sent to. I hand write all my envelopes and messages inside each card rather than writing a longer typed Christmas-gram. It’s more personal and it’s very rare, so your card will stand out. I have received many comments on my original notes and how refreshing they were.

When getting ready to have a holiday party at your home, here are some tips: clean the house one day, set up the tables and cooking/serving dishes and glasses you will need another day (pop them in the dishwasher if they haven’t been used since the last big holiday), do the food shopping and preparing what you can ahead of time and on the day of the party, you can relax, get ready in a stress free environment and have fun! Clean up can be done tomorrow or after your guests have gone. Some people actually pitch in and clean up as they go. If this is all right with you, by all means, accept the help. You’ve worked hard!

Or throw a load of dishes and glasses in the dishwasher, go to bed and rest so you can face the mess ahead of you in the light of day with a strong cup of coffee or tea in your hand!

Do simple things to help your party run smoother. Prepare the coffee ahead of time so that when it is time for your guests to have coffee (or tea), all you have to do is plug the pot in.

Put your milk pitcher in the refrigerator filled with cold water so it will be kept colder for a longer period of time after serving.

Make sure your table linens are clean. Check them at least a week before your party and clean what needs to be washed or sent to the dry cleaners.

Have holiday music playing in the background, but be sure it is calming music and not blaring to disturb your guests. The idea is to let everyone enjoy themselves which includes chatting to one another to catch up on their lives with soft music playing in the background so you can hear one another.

Be careful about mistletoe. Many guests are shy so if they do not kiss the person they find under it, you may kid them about it once, but then let it go.

If this is a pot luck dinner, prepare a menu so you can tell everyone what they could bring to your home. If it’s not a pot luck dinner but others ask what they may bring, you can always suggest gourmet dips, crackers, breads, wine, sparkling apple cider, eggnog, a bottle of liquor or any dessert a dessert of their choice. Tell them how many guests you are expecting.

You do not need to put out every holiday decoration you have. As the children leave the nest, you can put up a modest yet tasteful display of decorations. The holidays are for us to relax and enjoy the season, not stress over all the decorations, where to move the furniture until after the holidays and rush out to buy the biggest live Christmas tree you can find. I find live trees dangerous, messy (I found pine needles the next July stuck in my rug and eventually my feet!). They need constant water and they seem to dry up quickly. Be careful.

Is an artificial tree out of the question? There are so many kinds of artificial trees that are pre-lit (a gift from Heaven) and in so many shapes and sizes, do we really have to spend a lot of money year after year and have yet another beautiful part of nature being cut down, destroyed and then burned when they are not sold? An artificial tree can be purchased after the holidays for very reasonable prices and they look good for at least ten years if taken care of properly.

WINTER QUICK TIPS:

Be sure the furnace is in perfect operating condition so your heating bills will be reasonable and your family will be safe.

If you have a fireplace, be sure to have enough wood stored in a dry space so it can be used whenever you need a fire. Be sure the fireplace has been cleaned, if needed. Every other year would be a good starting point to know when you should have it checked.

Put light timers on in several rooms so that they come on automatically when you are not home. The darkness of night comes quickly in the winter time, so make sure it looks as if someone is home.

Place your heat on a timer too so that you are not wasting precious fuel when it is not needed. There are many thermostats with timers built in and if you don’t have one, they are not outrageously priced.

Are all the window and door seals tight so that you don’t lose precious heating in the winter?

Is your roof in need of repair? It would be worse if your roof was in need of repair and you found out while ice was melting and found its way through your attic and into one of your room’s ceilings.

Keep an extra entranceway runner handy so that excess mud, water or snow can be wiped off easily from shoes or boots before coming into your home.

If it works for you, do shopping in bulk so that you have fewer trips to the store and have plenty of items on hand in case of an unexpected snow storm. I live alone and shop in bulk. I give half of the quantity of the items in each package to my parents that I purchase and keep the rest for myself. I even buy cat and dog food in bulk and never run out, especially in inclement weather. With gas prices, it’s yet another way of saving a few more dollars each month.

This is a great time to clean out attics and basements during the bad weather. Until the weather breaks, you might as well be productive.

Clean out closets and/or draws one a day until you are finished.

Go through your clothes, towels, bed linens and tablecloths and see which ones you no longer need, like or use.

You can put them in a big bag or box for a springtime garage sale or you can simply donate them to your church or synagogue. My local animal shelter recently advertised that they needed these items for bedding for their animals so I brought bags of things I would no longer use to them.

Clean out your makeup drawer! If you haven’t used something in a year, toss it or give it to someone who may want or need it, if it is still good. Once mascara is opened, it can only be used for three months until bacteria forms inside the tube. If creams smell bad, toss them. There is a certain shelf life on cosmetics, so check them carefully. Otherwise, you are storing items that are unusable or bad.

When putting away holiday decorations, do one area of your home at a time. Pack things carefully so you won’t find them broken next year. Put tree decorations together, the manger and figurines in another box and all of your window and room decorations in another. Label each box with a big black magic marker or Sharpie pen. Rubbermaid makes lovely large containers which seal out moisture, so perhaps investing in a few of them will help make the storing of your decorations easier. You can color code the boxes for certain items.

Read; there is no time like winter to curl up in front of a fireplace or in a cozy chair and read. You can see TV all year long. At this time, there are mostly holiday specials on or repeats. Holiday specials are great, but they tend to play them over and over again.

Spend more time with family and friends. Have a few cocktail parties or get-togethers with finger foods. I was recently introduced to a fun game called “Apples to Apples.” I don’t like games but my sister-in-law said, “You don’t have to know anything or do anything that is hard,” so I gave it a try. We played for hours and had fun – both with the kids and adults. It also got us talking a lot more to each other and laughing way too much!

Catch up on recorded shows that you didn’t have time to see.

Catch up on sewing, crocheting or knitting projects while watching TV or listening to the radio or CD.

Sell your old treasures on eBay. There is nothing like the winter months to get you looking through your stuff to see that you don’t need a lot of things any longer. Get some money for them by selling them. It’s easy to sell on eBay if you have never done so before. Just read through the site and you will see how easy it truly is. If I can do it, so can you.

These are some of the suggestions I have for the winter season.

Good luck and enjoy the snow!

Feng Shui for Spring!

By Vikki Anderson

Spring is a wonderful time to start cleaning out the yard, opening up the windows and letting the new fresh air of spring inside of your home and life.

With the new energy of the season, it is important to clear out the stale chi from the winter and breathe new life into your environment.

Here are a few ways to bring in positive energy into your yard and home.

1. Put up a small bird bath or water fountain near the front entrance. 
2. Hang beautiful chimes from trees, your deck or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you.
3. Hang up whirl-i-gigs to promote positive chi to circulate around your property and remove any stagnant areas of dead or dying chi.
4. Plant bulbs, annuals, perennials in bright colors.  To correctly place the right color in the right area of your yard or garden, follow the colors of the bagua.
5. Burn white sage throughout your home, closets, bathroom, cellar, attic and around the house to ensure negative energy or negative chi is removed while keeping your windows in your home open to allow the negativity to escape from your surroundings.
6. Place 60 MM aurora borealis crystals in windows that get the morning sun so that rainbows will dance on your ceiling and walls.  Each room should have all the colors in it for balanced energy and this is a simple cure to bring in those colors.
7. De-clutter. Get rid of things you no longer need, want or like, so that you will have a clutter free space to enjoy and come home to each evening without feeling overwhelmed by the clutter.
8. A fresh coat of paint will do wonders for your space and your mood.  Choose the proper color for the area of the bagua you are painting; if you can’t, add a few decorative touches like pillows, books, candleholders, statues or paintings with the required colors in them.
9. Let the light into your home.  Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and immediately feel re-energized.

Vikki Anderson is a certified Advanced Feng Shui Practitioner Professional and does home and business Feng Shui consultations. Call for an appointment: 973-492-3110 or see www.fengshuimoon.com or www.vikkianderson.net.