A new year is a good time to make positive change, whether in our own personal lives, our minds, our bodies, or our homes. Your home reflects your inner spiritual life. You’ve heard it before. While all of our homes can get a little messy with small feet scampering about, there is a difference between the mess that results from a playdate vs. starring in an episode of “Hoarders.” Even when our homes are not in a state of disarray, there are still ways to improve the peacefulness in a living space.
Practicing the ancient Chinese art of feng shui allows us to align our minds and usher tranquility, abundance, and serenity into our homes and hearts … and it doesn’t stop with your living room. The design and decor of a child’s room can help promote better sleep and a sense of harmony within themselves. It is this positive flow of energy, also known as qi (or ch’i) that works so beautifully when not pushed out by a mound of mismatched LEGOs and headless dolls. Here are some tips to balance your child’s qi:
1. Place the bed in the farthest corner of the room, facing the door.
It’s a power of position so whenever the door is opened, your child can see who is coming in, without having a door opened above their heads (from a powerless position).
2. Paint the room a soothing and bright, yet calming color.
Color scheme can make a big difference. Soft calming colors with coordinating storage units for the books and toys can help reduce the “visual clutter.” The less visual clutter, the more calming the room. Pick plain patterns over busy designs. Think earth tones, rather neon, but let your child’s personality shine through. Have your child take part in the creative process, because she knows herself better than anyone else.
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3. Set up a system so the room can stay tidy.
Offer several bins, baskets, or other creatively designed storage options for easy clean-up. If you want your child to be able to pick out or put away his own clothing, it needs to be at a height that he can reach, and organized in a simple, easy-to-follow order, such as pants in one drawer, shirts in another. Little kids will not distinguish between a “sweater drawer” versus the pile of short-sleeve shirts. Just put all shirts in one drawer, and only enough for them to choose from on a daily basis. The more you stuff in a drawer (or any space) the more opportunity for disorder. Same is true with toys. Bins are easy for kids to get toys in and out of. Keep it simple: cars and trucks in one, books in another, balls in another.
4. Make sure fresh air flows freely.
A child’s bedroom should have plentiful air flowing in from the window in nice weather. When it’s too cold, offer an air purifier to ensure that fresh air is always circulating.
By instituting these simple feng shui tips into your child’s bedroom, you will help balance her harmonious feelings and keep away negativity and unbalance. The more tranquility in a home, the better, especially during those terrible twos and turbulent teen years.
Danielle Sullivan is a writer living in New York City.
