Thanksgiving Feng Shui!

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday, gather the troops and take some time to "Feng Shui" the house.  You'll be so glad you did!  Trust me!

What do I mean by "Feng Shui" the house?  Well, let me explain.  My definition of Feng Shui is ridding your house of anything that gives you negative feelings, it can be simple clutter that drives you nuts or that ugly chair from Great, Great, Aunt Agnes.  What ever it is get rid of it!  You'll be amazed at the sense of peace that will slowly fill you the more stuff you get rid of, plus with Christmas around the corner cleaning out some space before more things come in might be a needed exercise.

Here's how I suggest going about it in the macro and micro forms.

Micro First:

EMAIL - Go through your trash folder and unsubscribe from all emails you get that you never read.  If that doesn't work mark them as "junk" or put them on your blocked senders list.  Opening your emails after this will be much more pleasant.

CATALOGS:  Most of us know which catalogs we are going to buy from and many now have online versions of their catalogs.  As you get catalogs this season take a moment, put them in a pile and once a week take a few minutes to call them and ask them to stop sending.  Your mailbox will thank you.

MACRO LEVEL:

Choose a room or choose a drawer....

First question to ask do I need this?  If the answer is "no" get rid of it, in the trash or in a donation box but start it moving out of your house.

If your answer is "yes, I need this?  Then ask yourself "why?"

• If its because its a family treasure but it doesn't fit in with your decor or it gives you the creeps pass it onto a relative who would like it, but pass it on.
• If its because you think you might need it.  Ask yourself if you've used it in the last year?  If the answer is "no" its doubtful you'll ever use it so clear that space, especially if its something you could borrow from a friend or repurchase easily if you ever did need it.
• If its treasures from you or your kids, take out the camera.  My kids have learned to simply ask me to take a picture and then they are happy to part with their latest find or art work.  If you want, you can even take all those pictures at the end of the year and make a scrap-book for each kid (I need to do this some day with my pictures I know the boys would love it).

Now if the answer is still "yes", then ORGANIZE!  Make a special place for it that you can find it when you need it.  This is true of hand-me-down clothes to everything else.  There's no point saving it if you don't know where it is when you need it.

There, now though your belly may grow from all the tasty treats you eat over this yummy holiday (mine always does), you can at least be comforted knowing your house is a little thinner and infinitely more peaceful.