Home Office Feng Shui: Part Two

Good home office Feng Shui can be a major factor in supporting our financial, scholastic, organizational or many other types of success. How and where you carry out your household and personal business is a vital aspect of your Feng Shui Home. Feng Shui Your Home Office: Part One explored two factors that make this space work – consolidate and clutter clear. Now we dig into Tips 3 and 4.

Tip 3: Organize

I can hear the groans now. Or, there are those of you who are ecstatic to go out and get another round of cute boxes and baskets to put everything in. Do you fit into one of these categories? It used to be that my first step of organizing was to head straight to the store for the prettiest storage containers and office accessories – the fun stuff. That’s all well and good, but I’ve learned to take a few additional steps before heading toward the car.

After clutter clearing we often have piles and boxes strewn about with the things we know are truly needed. To begin organizing, take stock and revert to Step 1 – Consolidate. What categories, functions or activities could be ganged together? You may already have a system in place that works for you, but you just needed to weed out the excess paper. Stick with that system. If not, now is the time to brainstorm a new approach and try it. Keep checking in with what feels most comfortable and workable. A “good feeling” signals that you’re on the right track for you.

We each have our own special way of understanding our work flow, so this is the time to take a second look at yours and make any modifications. I use a lot of reference materials when I write. This has prompted me to put a small cart behind my desk to house the materials that are most essential. It’s much more efficient when everything is within reach and I’m not getting up and down all the time.

OK, now it’s time for you super shoppers to go for it. As always, I suggest you start your search at home. Are there items that aren’t being used or that you can repurpose to accommodate what needs to be stowed? If not, get a clear idea of what is required, take some measurements if necessary and go have a good time!

As highlighted in Part One, my client Allie is a master organizer. She was able to devise an entire home office in this cabinet. In it she houses her monthly budget and bills, household records and receipts, teaching books, rental property paperwork, office supplies, printer, mailing materials, greeting cards and more. As you can see, a little creativity can go a long way to help you organize and, thereby,  generate a smooth Ch’i flow that is tailored to your personal style.

 

Tip 4: Enhance

Once back from the store or digging into your own treasures, it’s time to beautify and enhance your office. This is how my bland space looked when I returned to Florida last Fall. While completely functional, it displayed very little of my own individual Ch’i. It needed to be personalized to express my taste and become a place I love to be. What is your personal style and what do you prefer? This is the time to let it shine.

 

 

I had fun adding these  touches to my office. All are functional yet none take up much valuable desk space. My New Zealand coaster, Scrabble mug pen holder and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame mouse pad all remind me of good memories when I use them. I ring the chime every time I hit “publish” on a new blog post.

 

 

 

 

When dressing up the office you can expand your Feng Shui practice by taking the Feng Shui Bagua into account. Reveal the life area, or gua, your office occupies by placing the Bagua over your home’s floor plan. Choose your enhancement based on the specific Bagua area.  For example:

Wealth and Prosperity Gua: Place an item that makes you feel wealthy like an accessory in shiny gold or a fancy file box for your papers. Use the colors red, purple or blue. Artwork with these colors or which has an aspect of wealth are appropriate also.

Career Gua: Place an item that corresponds to your career or life path such as your business card or work goals. The Water Element is held in this gua so a small fountain, shiny clear glass or artwork depicting water is appropriate. Use the color black and the very darkest shade of other colors such as sepia or deep teal.

If you’d like to read an account of how I approach a  second level of enhancement in my Fame gua with the Feng Shui Bagua, check out my blog Feng Shui Design: Color Energy Boost.

Does a lot of this information seem like it’s coming from a professional organizer rather than a Feng Shui expert? Not at all. When we recall Feng Shui Foundation Principle #2, Everything is Connected with vital Ch’i energy, it becomes obvious that we are able to have a better flow and, therefore, better results in our lives, with an office that only holds what we need and love that is organized and enhanced to our personal preferences. Feng Shui sometimes seems very logical. However, as we add an understanding of energy to the decisions we make when setting up our offices, we boost the potential to be rewarded with increased insights, opportunities and success.

Ready to design your Feng Shui Home Office? The Feng Shui of Your Desk and Home Office Feng Shui: Part One coupled with the information above give you all you need to get started creating a space that can help propel your year forward in a vibrant, focused and positive way. I’d love for you to share your comments or questions about your Feng Shui office below.

Have fun,

Carol