According to the Chinese view of the universe, there is an invisible life force or energy, called chi, which flows through all things.

Manipulating and balancing the flow of chi in the home is a major part of feng shui practice. When moves freely, the atmosphere is bright, charged, and feels uplifting.

The chi that flows through the home needs to have a strong movement in order to have a positive and beneficial impact on all the people who live there. It enters through the front door and then meanders through the rooms in a spiraling movement, finding an exit through a back door and windows.

Clutter is the biggest obstacle to a smooth flow of chi, because it creates a blockage that chi cannot easily get around. When this occurs in the porch and hall, for example, which are considered to be the “mouth” of the home, it prevents sufficient chi from entering. If there is mess everywhere, chi will struggle sluggishly around the house. This will in turn affect the occupants, making them feel confused or stuck in a rut. Feng shui consultants who are sensitive to energy flow may sense these stagnant areas by their stale, musty odor and a “sticky” feel.

[Chi enters each room in the house and constantly forms spirals like wisps of smoke as it works its way from the door to the window. Chi also comes through the window and meanders towards the door.]

THE ENERGY OF POSSESSIONS

When you surround yourself with articles that you love and often use, they emit a strong, vibrant energy that encourages the normal flow of chi and helps to produce an atmosphere that makes your life joyful and happy. Loved possession seem to support and nurture you through invisible connecting stands. However, if you surround yourself with unwanted junk or useless, broken items, their negative emanations will only pull you down. The longer these piles of rubbish stay around, the worse their effects will be on you. Throw away everything that has no particular meaning for you, and you will shed a heaviness that will make you feel better mentally, physically, and spiritually.

When your home is a mess, it is difficult to find the things you need. When your house keys are missing again, important letters have disappeared into the black hole that is a stack of junk mail, your cell phone has vanished and those shoes you so wan to wear are buried somewhere at the back of the closet - it’s time for action. This constant muddle mixes up the energy from these items, and you reflect this by becoming confused and stressed, rather than being calm and in command. So, by resolving your outer mess and kick-starting the flow of chi, your inner confusion will disappear and life will certainly start to improve.

[If your home is full of junk, you will constantly have problems finding items that you regularly use such as your keys, cell phone, and favorite pair of shoes.]

Blog compliments by Linens 4 You. Visit Linens 4 You for a huge selection of bedding and linens to assist with your Feng Shui lifestyle.

Patterns add dash to a room and contrast with solids. Use them but be conscious about whether they distract from the beauty of furniture and walls.

Use prints on pieces that are prone to get dirty.

Big florals, plaids, and stripes on a patterned rug are a mistake.

Ideal patterns for draperies and upholstery are translucent tone-one-tone prints.

THE LOWDOWN ON UPHOLSTERY

When you fall in love with a piece of upholstered furniture, it’s easy to forget the fundamentals. So keep the three “f’s”, explained below, in mind, and buy the highest quality you an afford. It’s an investment that can be re-built, re-padded, and re-covered.

Frame: Look for those made of hardwoods, with a dense grain, such as ash, maple, walnut, and oak. Nonwarping kiln-dried frames are top of the line. Frame joints should be secured with dowels and glue for the strongest grip.

Filling: Ask about the springs. Find out if the piece of furniture has eight-way hand-tied coils; these provide the best support. Prefabricated springs inserted into the frame are a moderately priced option. Side-by-side zigzag wires are the least comfortable and least expensive choice. In cushions, density equals quality. Options include all down, a foam center wrapped with down, a down and synthetic fiberfill blend, or fiberfill only.

Fabric: Be sure the pattern on the seat-cushion lines up with the upholstered frame. Welts should be even; skirts should be lined. Look for neat, tight tailoring.

When upholstering with patterns remember that prints look best on simple graphic shapes with exposed legs.

In the living room, fauteuils make a lovely frame for prints.

A sofa looks less rigid with a subtle large-scale print on the seat and back cushions in the body solid.

In the bedroom, use a soft print for walls and curtains.

Choosing fabrics is most people’s favorite part of the decorating process. Fortunately, sources for fabrics abound; they include:

To-the-trade-only showrooms: Purveyors of fabrics (and usually wall coverings) available ony to those custommers working with a designer or architect with whom the first has an account. Some retail stores offer “decorator services” whcih permit you access to those showrooms through their personnel.

Fabric outlets: Fabric manufacturers at these locations offer discontinued patterns, overruns, and remainders at substantial savings. Ask to see the entire length of fabric you wish to buy so that you can check for flaws. If you pay in cash, you might get a further discount.

Furniture showrooms: These retailers offer a selection of fabrics at varying price and quality levels for the upholstered pieces they sell. If you don’t like any of the fabrics offered, you can provide your own (C.O.M. or customer’s own material). Be sure to know the width of the fabric and that of its repeat when speaking to the salesperson. He or she will be able to tell you exactly how much fabric will be required.

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With so many possibilties about where to use color in a room, and with the multitude of colors on the charts, it is easy to become confused and discouraged. The most persuasive argument about use of color; however; remains personal preference. Use the following tips to make color an element of beauty and self-expression in your home decorating.

Blue and blue-and-white rooms are generally fresher, cooler and more serene than rooms colored from opposite ends of the color wheel. That’s why you see so many beach houses decorated in soothing blue and white.

Red, purple, orange, peach, brick, orcher, and yellow are ideal for warming up spaces in cold climates, rooms without impressive architectural features, and spatially challenged apartments in urban centers. Warmer tones seem more livable.

There is no such thing as a bad color, just bad combinations. Avocado green looks splendid with a dose of off-white trim and maybe a pale peach or soft aqua pillow. Baby pink looks all grown up when mated with a rich chocolate brown. Turquoise can be magical with a dash of coral, a bit of gold, and pinch of black.

Ceilings will appear higher if you paint them pale shell pink or creamy white. Silver-leafed or high-gloss lacquered finishes also add ceiling height.

If your room is small, all four walls should be the same color. In large rooms (in which the walls are more than 20 feet long), you can get away with un-identical walls, but try to stick with different tones of the same color.

Remember to mix and not necessarily match colors, and avoid melanges that look too strange or forced.

If you love white walls, choose paint with a good chalky matte finish and then tinge it with a little something extra: add a bit of yellow or lavender to the mix for a hint of depth and sophistication.

Beige linen or silk upholstery and curtains look more exciting and polished if you add coral or periwinkle blue trim.

You can mix three, four, or even five gem-toned upholstered pieces in the same room. Armchairs, ottomans, sofa pillows, side chairs, sofas, and even curtains covered in glistening raw silk in shades of sapphire blue, ruby red, emerald green topaz yellow, and citrine green harmonize beautifully.

Before beginning any decorating project involving color, think seriously about your gut reactions to it. what hues please you the most?

work with several colors at once. Stripes, tartans, tattersalls, and checks help you achieve an exhuberant yet graphic unified look - they are patterns that men, women, and children can agree on.

After setting on a color, determine which tint or shade you want. Tint: the color plus white. Shade:A the color plus black. then decide on who saturated the color should be.

Use plenty of white, whether in a striped fabric or for upholstery piping - bright colors lose their punch next to beige or taupe.

The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. Their complementary secondary colors are green, orange, and purple, respectively. All colors are based on combinations with primary colors.

If you are thinking of painting your bedroom and offbeat color, get a set of sheets in that shade and live with them awhile first. The same goes for the bathroom - test-drive new colors with a towel or two. Don’t re-cover all of your furniture in a saturated tone you’re not sure about; try slipcovers instead.

Chocolate brown on living room walls really makes all the white - and the art - pop in a room.

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Clothing and Outerware

You sort your clothes for washing, you should do the same for drying, so you’re not mixing slow - and quick-drying items. And wash your hands after transferring loads to the dryer. “People assume washed clothes are germ-free,” says Sandra Phillips, a cleaning consultant and the author of Clean Break. “But the dryer helps kill even more germs.”

button-down shirts
Unfasten all buttons, including the tiny ones at the collar, before laundering. Otherwise, the agitation in the machine and the weight of other garments may cause buttonholes to tear. It’s a good idea to pretreat collars every time you wash them. “Once stains from body oils build up, they are very difficult to remove,” says Chris Allsbrooks, a textile analyst at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, in Laurel, Maryland. Use a stain remover or spot-clean with a mixture of water and liquid detergent. Pour it over the area, then rub with a soft toothbrush. It’s especially important to spot-clean permanent-press shirts with all-purpose detergent on the permanent -press setting, which is gentler than the regular one, uses warm or hot water, and has a long cool-down rinse to further minimize wrinkling. Opt for the dryer’s permanent-press feature, which has a cool-down period at the end. Wash non-permanent-press shirts on the regular cycle in cold or warm water.

hats and gloves
Wash knit hats and gloves like sweaters. Spot-clean structural hats, like newsboy and baseball caps, which could become mis-shapen. You can hand wash gloves with small sections of leather if the leather is the same color as the knit; otherwise bleeding may be a problem. To dry, insert the handle of a wooden spoon in one finger and set the spoon end in a vase. This will help the glove retain its shape.

down and polyester coats
You can wash down coats in front-loading machines with a mild powder detergent and warm water on the gentle cycle. (If you have a top-loader, take these coats to a dry cleaner; most top-loaders have agitators that can compress and displace down filling and prevent pieces from tumbling freely.) Smaller items, like children’s jackets, whether filled with down or polyester, can go in a front- or top-loader on the gentle cycle; tumble dry on low. Put a few clean, dry towels in the dryer to help soak up excess moisture and speed drying.

sweaters
Many knits made of cotton, synthetics, or blends can be machine-washed in cold or warm water on the gentle cycle with all-purpose or mild detergent. To combat wrinkles and stiffness, dry items on low for 5 to 10 minutes before laying them flat on a mesh sweater rack or a towel. Place a wool, cashmere, or fine cotton sweater in a zippered pillowcase, wash on the delicate cyle with cold water and lay flat to dry. Delicate knits, like crochet and silk, are a different story: Dry-clean these, or test for colorfastness (dip a cotton swab in detergent and hold it on an inconspicuous are for two minutes to see if the color bleeds) and hand wash in cold water with mild detergent. Some knits may stretch out; reshape after washing and lay flat to dry.

jeans
Most denim is top-dyed, meaning only the surface of the fibers is colored. To keep jeans from fading or acquiring white streaks, wash in small loads in cold water (with more water than clothes) with all-purpose detergent. This cuts down on abrasion, says Allsbrooks. “It’s common for jeans to shink in length” when washed, says Steve Boorstein, author of The Clothing Doctor’s 99 Secrets to Clothing Care. Hold them by the waistband and legs and gently stretch them vertically before drying. Dry on low or medium heat; overdrying causes unnecessary wear and tear, so take jeans out when the legs are done but the seams and the waistband are slightly damp.

undergarments and delicates

Because it is worn so often and loses elasticity over time, a bra generally lasts no longer than two years. But proper laundering can help ensure that bras and other intimates age gracefully. So how delicate do you need to be with delicates? Perhaps not as delicate as you think.

everyday bras and lingerie
Most lingerie can be put through the machine’s gentle cycle, even if the labels say “hand wash.” Use all-purpose detergent with cotton and synthetics; opt for mild detergent with lacy fabrics. Pretreat yellow perspiration stains by rubbing them with mild soap and warm water; let soak for 30 minutes. Protect hosiery, bras, bustiers, camisoles, slips, and any other garments with straps or underwires by placing them in zippered mesh bags, which will keep them from twisting or snagging; fasten clasps to prevent them from catching on the netting. Use a bag with fine mesh so hooks can’t get through, says Steve Boorstein, author of The Clothing Doctor’s 99 Secrets to Clothing Care; try the Woolite Fine Washables bag . Wash undergarments in light loads, and never throw them in with heavy items, as these can cause wires to bend or break, says Chris Allsbrooks, a textile analyst at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, in Laurel, Maryland. Or use a handy contraption like the BraBall, a plastic sphere that holds up to three bras and can be tossed in the washer. Air-dry to prevent damage to underwires and straps; invest in a drying rack like the Compact Accordion dryer by Polder.

fine bras and lingerie
Hand washing is often the best way to care for ornate pieces and those made of delicate fabrics, like silk. Try Woolite fabric wash or the Laundress Delicate Wash. Let the pieces soak for a few minutes in warm or cool water, then gently squeeze the suds through the fabric; rinse and roll in a towel to absorb excess moisture before hanging them to dry. Bras, nightgowns, and the like are not apt to be heavily soiled, so “hand washing gets them cleaner than you might think,” says Allsbrooks. Her advice: Clean lingerie while you’re in the shower. Get the article wet, lather a pea-size amount of mild shampoo or baby shampoo in your hands and wash, as suggested, then air-dry.

baby clothes
The skin of an infant is often too sensitive for the chemicals in many detergents and bleaches, so textile analyst Chris Allsbrooks advises introducing these products gradually. She followed this timeline with her son: For the first six months, she used Dreft, a very mild detergent formulated for babies. When he started eating solid foods, she moved on to Ultra Cheer Free & Gentle, which is “a little stronger and better at getting out stains from pureed spinach,” she says. Once he was eating regular food, it was “straight on to the Tide.” Wash with warm water and tumble dry on low. “Using the lowest heat setting will minimize static electricity, lessening the need for dryer sheets,” says Sandra Phillips, a cleaning consultant and the author of A Clean Break.

underwear
To ensure thorough cleaning, wash underwear in light loads. Use the gentle cycle with warm water and all-purpose detergent, unless the label specifies “mild.” Tumble dry items that contain spandex on low or air-dry them to prevent shrinking. Hand wash delicate items, as with fine bras and lingerie.

swimsuits
Rinse them well when you get home from the pool or the beach to remove chlorine or salt water, which can cause fading or changes in color; chlorine can also damage elasticity. Launder by hand or in the machine, as with everyday bras and lingerie. Air-dry.

shapewear
In most cases, wash as for underwear. If the item has underwires, use a mesh bag. Since shapewear typically contains spandex, air-dry or tumble dry on low.

household goods

Although some home textiles don’t have care labels, manufacturers are required to list the fiber content, which can provide useful clues. Many of these things are slow to dry, but the process will go faster if “you shake out the items so they’re not in a wet wad before you place them in the dryer,” says Sandra Phillips, a cleaning consultant and the author of A Clean Break.

blankets
Nonwool blankets can usually be machine-washed on gentle with cool water and all-purpose detergent. Check for colorfastness first with cold water; tumble dry on low or line-dry. With wool, dry cleaning is often the safest bet. If you have the patience for hand washing such a heavy piece, use a mild detergent in cold water. Lay flat and dry completely before using the dryer’s air setting to fluff it up.

curtains
Many must be dry-cleaned. Treat washable fabrics, like cotton, with a gentle touch, as the cloth has probably been weakened by months or — let’s face it — years of exposure to sunlight and dust. Launder separately with warm or cool water on the gentle cycle with mild detergent. Air-dry, then iron when slightly damp. To make laundering easier in the future, go over curtains with the vacuum’s upholstery tool every couple of months and wash every one to two years, says Steve Boorstein, author of The Clothing Doctor’s 99 Secrets to Clothing Care.

rugs
Clean small cotton and synthetic rugs, and bath mats and doormats with thin latex or rubber backings, by themselves in cold or warm water on the gentle cycle. To get a thorough cleaning but minimize wear of the materials, use half the recommended amount of all-purpose detergent, then air-dry. You can also spot-clean these and other rugs with a foam carpet cleaner, such as Resolve High-Traffic Foam. Let a pro handle large carpets made of wool or plant fibers, like sisal and jute, as well as valuable and antique pieces.

tablecloths and napkins
“These items are exposed to a whole range of stains,” says author Steve Boorstein. “Butter, coffee, oil-based, water-based — it’s all on there.” Soak heavily soiled items in oxygen bleach, then wash with all-purpose detergent in hot water. Since it’s hard to detect oily marks on wet cloth, let pieces air-dry (heat from the dryer may set stains), then look at them under bright light. If spots remain, turn to a pro. “Water in most machines gets up to only about 110 degrees on the hot setting, which isn’t enough to remove most grease stains,” says Boorstein.

sipcovers and cushion covers
Some materials should be treated by an upholstery cleaner; others can be dry-cleaned if the manufacturer recommends it. Many are not preshrunk and often have backings that may be damaged by home laundering. If the piece is made of linen, cotton, or a synthetic fabric and you are certain it is preshrunk and colorfast (ideally, ask the salesperson when buying), you can machine-wash it, separately from other articles, on gentle in cold water with all-purpose detergent. Air-dry or tumble dry on low, then reposition the cover on the furniture or the cushion when slightly damp. This will help with the fit if there has been any shrinking.

sheets
Wash sheets made of cotton, flannel, synthetics, bamboo, or modal (which is created from beech-wood pulp) once a week in hot water with all-purpose detergent to help kill germs. Dry on low. Wash linen, silk, and sateen-weave cotton on gentle in cold water with mild detergent. Don’t dry-clean if you’re especially concerned about removing allergens. Dry on low or air-dry.

shower curtains
Clean plastic and cloth curtains (including those with plastic backings) on gentle in warm water with all-purpose detergent. When washing plastic curtains, add a few soft items, such as socks, to absorb some of the force during the spin cycle and prevent the material from ripping. Air-dry plastic curtains; follow care labels for cloth ones.

Bet you didn’t think you could toss that backpack into the washer. Guess again: You can launder all sorts of random things — just make sure to rinse off grime first, so you don’t clog the machine. “I take my dirty work clothes outside and spray them with the pressure washer first,” says Don Aslett, author of 20 cleaning books.

toys, gears, and more

backpacks
Wash alone in a front-loader on gentle in cold water with all-purpose detergent. Don’t wash multicolored packs; the dyes may bleed.

cloth purses and tote bags
“People put them on car and restaurant floors — they’re some of the dirtiest things we own,” says Sandra Phillips, a cleaning consultant and the author of A Clean Break. Wash on delicate in warm water with all-purpose detergent. Air-dry. Don’t wash purses with sequins or other embellishments.

laptop and iPod cases
Wash canvas, nylon, and microfiber cases in warm water with all-purpose detergent. Air-dry. Don’t wash padded ones — they contain a foam layer that holds water and doesn’t dry well.

ironing-board cover
Wash in warm water with all-purpose detergent. Air-dry.

sleeping bags
Wash in a front-loader — the agitator in a top-loader may rip seams — on gentle in warm water with mild detergent. (Harsher detergents can ruin the feathers in down bags.) Dry on low or no heat.

car-seat and high-chair covers
Use warm water and 1 1/2 capfuls of all-purpose detergent to get rid of the ground-in soils on cloth covers. Dry on low for 5 to 10 minutes, then air-dry.

footwear
Wash canvas or leather sneakers (even those kids’ shoes with plastic parts) in cold water with all-purpose detergent. Place them in mesh bags to keep laces from wrapping around the agitator. Dry on low for 10 minutes, then air-dry for a day. Wash slippers with rubber soles if the care label allows it.

oven mitts and sponges
Wash in hot water and all-purpose detergent. Air-dry.

cloth diapers
Use hot water, bleach, and mild detergent, and dry on high to help kill germs.

travel pillows
Rather than washing the pillows themselves (their padding tends to get mildewy), slip them inside pillowcases for use, then just wash the pillowcases instead.

bath toys
Rubber duckies sometimes need a bath, too. Use warm water and all-purpose detergent. “Throw toys in the wash with a hand towel, which will get the slime off,” says cleaning consultant Sandra Phillips.

plastic pool floats
“If it can be deflated and it fits in the machine, it can be washed,” says Phillips. Use cold water, all-purpose detergent, and a hand towel (as with bath toys) to remove slime. Air-dry.

pet accessories
Wash pet-bed covers, collars, and leashes on gentle in cold water with all-purpose detergent in small loads but on a large-load setting to flush out dirt and hair. Tumble dry on low.

plastic dish gloves
Wash on a gentle, short cycle (about four minutes) in warm water. Air-dry.

sports gear
Wash basketball nets and shin guards on gentle in warm water. Air-dry.

mop heads
Use all-purpose detergent and warm water. Air-dry.

toys
Wash cloth toys on gentle in cold water with mild detergent; dry on low for 5 minutes, then air-dry.

Blog compliments by Linens 4 You. Visit Linens 4 You for a huge selection of bedding and linens to assist with your Feng Shui lifestyle.

Clutter clearing is a powerful process that will bring startling changes in your life. Don’t add crystals and other feng shui enhancements until you have tackled your clutter, because they will just not work.

In cluttered areas of your home, chi (energy) stagnates, and once this stale energy has accumulated, it will grow even more. Junk mail, abandoned craft projects, newspapers waiting for recycling - all these constitute clutter. Clutter also means all those neglected items that you hide in corners, thinking you will make a decision about them later - but you never do. Avoiding a drastic clear-out can stem from a fear of the future, but once you commit to change, you will move on.

YOUR INNER SOUL
Your home is supposed to mirror your inner self, so mess and inactivity reflect something that is going on inside you. The chaos will also make you feel lethargic, stultified, and confused about what you want in your life. Once you have emptied your junk hoard, you will feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually liberated, and you will have opened the door to wonderful new opportunities.

What clearing out means
If your clutter is getting you down and you want to start getting rid of it, you are ready to make changes in your life to bring yourself closer to what you want. Don’t underestimate the effects a clear-out can have on you. You may find it painful to get rid of possessions that you have kept for a long, long time, and feel that you cannot exist without them, even though an inner voice is telling you to let go. To do this, you need to evaluate honestly what is relevant to your life now and in the future.

Think positively: saying that you feel you will be happier when the clutter is gone is not enough. Make a list of short-term and long-term goals, such as changing careers, starting a new business, having more free time for artistic pursuits, creating an area for hobbies, or embarking on a new relationship. Setting goals makes de-junking easier, because you are mentally clearing the pathway to your dreams.

Blog compliments by Linens 4 You. Visit Linens 4 You for a huge selection of bedding and linens to assist with your Feng Shui lifestyle.