Are your finances where you’d like them to be? Is there training you haven’t been able to complete? Are you able to organize the projects and opportunities you want to happen in your life? These types of challenges can be addressed with a few simple Feng Shui tips for your home office. This post will cover the first two.
Tip 1: Consolidate
Keep reading, especially if you think you don’t have a home office. Where you keep any of the following constitutes what I call a home office:
- A place for the bills and checkbook
- Stacks of receipts, credit card statements, tax returns or other important financial or legal documents
- Computer, printer, tablet, phone or other electronic support
- If you work from home, any paperwork, support materials or equipment that help you run your business or perform your job remotely
- You get the picture – those things that support the financial or organizational aspects of your household or home-based business
Where do you keep your items listed above? Are they all over the house or gathered together in one spot? We understand from Feng Shui Principle #1 that everything has energy – this includes everything I just mentioned – your checkbook, bills, computer, etc. Consolidating them into one area merges their individual energies so they build more cohesive and stable Ch’i that can support your overall finances and personal organization.
Now, where to put them.
I am fortunate to have a separate room that I use for my office and studio. Here in Florida, my husband and I share that space quite happily. However, an extra designated room is not always available. My client Allie proves that having good Feng Shui doesn’t mean you need a lot of space.
Allie lives in a tiny house. She has become a master of organization and is so proficient that she is able to successfully run both her household and business from her small space.
This is her office. It abuts the dining room table which doubles as her desk. As you will notice, this placement puts her desk in the Power Position.
Behind the cabinet doors all of the paperwork, contact information and office equipment she needs to run both her personal and business activities is housed beautifully. Additionally, she has taken the Feng Shui Bagua Map into consideration when finding a spot for her home office. It is in the Children and Creativity gua in her home and the Helpful People and Travel gua in the kitchen/office. Since Allie is a voice and piano teacher serving many children, this placement even further enhances and builds positive Ch’i for her professional success. Thanks for sharing such a creative and deliberate solution Allie.
The intention is to be a good steward of your resources by organizing a specific spot for them, whether a dedicated room, a single desk or a file box on a bookshelf. If you’re technologically advanced enough to do most everything financial on your phone, that will be your office. You will still need a place to charge it so having a special docking station or table to plug it in will acknowledge the important role the electronic plays in keeping your life running smoothly.
Tip 2: Clear Clutter
Allie’s office cabinet demonstrates the second Feng Shui Home Office Tip exceptionally well. She has cleared clutter so that only the most essential information is kept right at hand. When we need to wade through piles or files of papers to access the vital information we seek it impacts our mood, our vision and our energy field. We all know how maddening it is to search and search for the particular thing we’re trying to get our hands on. The discontent created from this one episode alone can affect our entire day. Repeat this process over and over and a pattern develops that affects our entire life.
When we practice Feng Shui, we acknowledge that everything around us has energy and that this energy is interacting with us all the time. Which energy portrayed in the photos above would you rather be around? In addition, clearing office clutter can open up possibilities that relate directly to the items you’re removing such as:
- Recycling broken electronics can support the smooth workings of all our home’s various mechanical devices
- Consolidating important documents such as wills, medical directives and powers of attorney into one safe spot signals that we are prepared for the future but also ready to live life to the fullest now
- Clearing out credit card statements can help lighten the burden of past debt and focus us on our current financial goals
- Retiring files from clients or customers we no longer serve can open up space for new clients to approach our home-based business
If sorting through everything in your office seems too daunting, start with one drawer or box and be alert for results. I’ve seen clients have a “surprise” sale or an unexpected phone call that generated new business after clutter clearing just a small portion of their office. What possibilities would you like to bring into your life and what can you remove from your current office to move forward?
The significance of our home office should not be discounted as the riches we attract and the organization and focus of our household or career are literally displayed and created there. I invite you to shift the Ch’i energy for yourself and help to improve your life by taking these first steps – consolidating and clutter clearing – to energize your home office today.
Have fun,
Carol
