Stores are abundant with feng shui books containing interesting techniques; however, authentic feng shui is not as straight forward as these authors would lead one to believe.

Every home must be treated individually since each situation is unique–the facing, shape, trees, surrounding environment, neighboring buildings, entry, windows and internal design. All of these characters have a relationship and therefore condition the energy of a home. What may be good for one can be detrimental to another.

The energy of a home interacts with paint colors, decorating and furniture placement, which all influence the occupants regarding money, relationships, personality and personal energy. A home can also influence many health related problems in the bone, blood, back and stomach.

People choose homes that match the energy of their current life situations, whether it is happiness, loneliness, anger, healthy relationships, tumultuous relationships, ample income, financial struggles, reclusive behavior or specific health issues. People then paint and decorate in a way that supports their life situation, and so it continues.

Did any life issues influence your decision on choosing your home?

For more info, contact Rebecca Moore at Feng Shui Classical Consulting at (775) 830-8168.

Start with a plan and achieve the goal of organization

Spring cleaning is a concept that brings with it a ton of good intentions which in short order can weigh down even the most sincere planner with a sense of overwhelm.  The intention to clean up and get organized  is one of the most popular items for the personal and professional to-do list – and one that can easily lead to failure, simply  because many people don’t know how to begin.  Don’t be discouraged, fellow well-intentioned organizers: follow the steps below to help you succeed through the process of de-cluttering, cleaning up and organizing your life.

Organizing and cleaning is the forte of few; if it’s not yours, you still can do it yourself — and you may find it’s not as hard as you thought.  Keep in mind a picture of your desired end result and how great it will it feel and look.  This image will help you push through to accomplish the goals you set.

Below are the essential steps to help you achieve your de-cluttering and organizing goals:

Plan to eliminate the clutter. You likely will have more than one area that needs attention, so create a plan in writing.  On a sheet of paper, write 1-5 in a column, leaving several spaces between each row.  Next to number one, enter the area/room which is your highest priority to clean out and organize, with number two next in importance and so on. Now go back and break each room or area into smaller chunks – and be specific.

For example:

1.            Kitchen

a.            Pantry – Group similar foods together, check expiration dates, toss outdated items.

b.            Cupboards – Clear unused items and set aside for donation, regroup similar items together (baking, pots and pans, cups). Check spices for expiration dates; toss outdated items.

2.            Office

a.            Files – Clean out 2010 files, make new files for 2011, get tax items ready for CPA.

b.            Rearrange furniture – Move desk and bookcase to wall.

By breaking down large areas into more specific targets, you’ll find projects much more manageable and less overwhelming.  The smaller a project, the more likely it can be completed in a shorter amount of time.  You’ll see results more quickly and feel encouraged by what you have accomplished thus far.

Gather the supplies you will need. Assemble a few large boxes or plastic bags.  Label one box/bag “Donate,” one “Keep” and the third “Trash.”  Now begin the purging and de-cluttering process. Don’t be afraid to let go of items that you haven’t used in ages, or that are broken or expired.

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If an item isn’t something that you can say you love AND use, it should be donated or sold if it’s in good condition or trashed if it’s broken and would be more expensive to repair than replace.

Some items have sentimental value to us. Do you need to hang on to that item for the memory it brings back to you?  If you were to dispose of the item, would you still have the memory?  If you are having a hard time parting with an item, keep it, but instead of putting family heirlooms in a box in the garage to gather dust and be forgotten, think of ways you can use or display the items so you may enjoy them now.

It’s important to keep your projects small and manageable. Schedule only a few hours at a time for each, or you may become overwhelmed and discouraged and never complete your list of goals.  Small achievements for which you can see results are essential to keep motivated.  This problem didn’t happen overnight, and you don’t have to fix it overnight. Be realistic about the amount of time you have available to work.  Even if all you have is 15 minutes, you still can work on a project and eliminate some clutter.  Your effort brings you that much closer to your goals of being de-cluttered and organized.

At the end of each session, take the bags/boxes away. Dispose of trash, and take the bags/boxes of donation items to your car so you can drop them at your favorite charitable organization.

Don’t rush out to buy containers before you begin de-cluttering. Wait until you know exactly what you will be keeping and the quantity and size of containers you will need – if any.  You may find that you have no need for new containers because you have done such a great job of de-cluttering. Your current storage may be perfectly adequate to organize what you have kept.

Now start your organizing plan. Take the items in your “Keep” box/bag and sort them by room.  Store things where you use them.  For example, keep scissors, tape, pens and small paper pads in several rooms, not just in the office.  The best system for staying organized is the one that works for you and that you actually use. Make it user friendly, and you’re much more likely to continue to stay organized.

Now that you have de-cluttered and organized what you kept, stay on top of it. This is easy to do by following one very simple rule:  For every one thing you bring into your home, you must assign it a home – and one thing must go out.  Stick to this rule, and you will avoid clutter creep and stay organized forever.

We have so much going on in our lives that we sometimes get off-track in spite of our best efforts.  You have the steps to go through the process of de-cluttering and organizing. Just take it step by step, and before you know it, you’ll be clutter-free and happily organized.  For more tips on getting and staying organized, please visit www.chaosreno.com.

*****

Debbie Cox is founder and owner of CHAOS, Creative Home and Office Solutions, a northern Nevada-based professional organizing service.

For more information, please call 775-560-1656 or visit www.chaosreno.com.

Do you dream of having the ideal relationship?  With the right tools you can!

Getting Started

The key to attracting the ideal partner is to know what you want. Make a list of all the qualities and physical features you desire in that person. Be as specific as possible, including that they are single and available. Go through magazines and find a picture of your dream person and place it with your list. Now, with the right mind-set, your daily exercise is to read your list, visualize yourself in the idea relationship and feel the emotion you would feel having your perfect partner.

Next

Make room for that person. It is essential to get rid of any clutter in the bedroom. If there isn’t enough walking space, you may need to move some furniture out. Now this is the hard one, but important, make room in your closet.

Adding Feng Shui

When it comes to the bedroom, it is important energy-wise to avoid dark colors and cold colors such as black, white or metallic. It is also best to avoid metal furniture and mirrors. The bed should be free of clutter, including the underneath, with plenty of room to walk around all three sides.  If you use nightstands, be sure to have one on each side of the bed. Bedrooms should not be too bright or have too many windows. Always keep the windows covered at night.

What a consultant can do

A consultant can pinpoint the factors that can negatively influence relationships – the outside form of your house, certain sectors of your home and the furniture layout of your bedroom.  There are also flower placements and bed placements that are excellent for relationships which are specific to each person and their home. A consultant can also help you take advantage of energies that are specific to attracting a relationship.

Another Consideration

You need to consider what that person eats. Why is it important to have similar eating habits?  Because what you eat influences your body energy vibration. To have a great relationship, it is best that you match body energy vibrations. For example, a carnivore vibrates differently than a vegetarian. Someone who loves junk food will vibrate differently than someone with a healthy diet.

More than anything, you have to have the desire to be in a relationship. With the right mind-set and knowing what you want, you can attract the perfect partner. Do your daily exercise, set up your bedroom and get ready for that special someone.

For more info, contact Rebecca Moore at Feng Shui Classical Consulting at (775) 830-8168.

by Alicia Wright |

Benjamin Franklin once said “Lost time is never found again.” The personal concierge is born out of an ever-growing need for more free time. Today’s hectic lifestyle places an ever-increasing demand on the limited number of hours in a day to accomplish what needs to be done. Personal concierges are problem-solvers with the knowhow to get anything done from running errands, arranging a special function or occasion, to home and office organization. They provide hands-on assistance for those who are short on time.  

Concierges are most commonly thought of as exclusive assistants for the rich and famous or as staff to an exclusive hotel or posh resort. This is a misconception; concierge services are no longer too expensive for the average person. 

Today’s concierge serves everyone from the single parent to the overworked professional who is in need of assistance or time-strapped and willing to pay for what is known as “lifestyle management.” By contracting personal concierge services, one can devote their precious time to what really matters to them. The stress and guilt associated with getting something done vanishes and peace of mind is reclaimed.

Outsourcing one’s “to-do-list” or special project to a personal concierge is often more cost effective then taking time-off from work to do it yourself or paying overtime to staff.  The value of a personal concierge is in their resourcefulness, organizational ability and disposition for multi-tasking.

Personal Concierges are not nannies or housekeepers; yet they may help their clients locate these services. Unlike an exclusive personal assistant under contract to one client (24 hours a day – 7 days a week), a personal concierge has a number of clients and dedicates only a few hours a week to that client or project. Since every client has his or her own unique to-do-list, personal concierges offer a variety of specialized services. The touchstone used in the industry is that if the request is illegal or immoral, the concierge will not oblige. Otherwise, most requests for services can be accommodated.  

If you find yourself too busy, stressed-out and overworked to “do it all” perhaps outsourcing your to-do-list is the answer. 

For more info, contact Personal Concierge Services at 775.750.4248 or visit www.Justaskmswright.com 

by Dana Anderson |

Q:  My life feels out of control. Everywhere I look there are piles—it feels like it anyway. I’m pulled in so many directions I’m surprised I get anything done. My husband is always shopping—it feels like we have so much stuff. I also worry a lot, about my kids mostly. They are in college yet I worry. I know I should talk to somebody, it just feels like one more thing. What should I do?

A:  I think this is a stressful time for everyone. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been impacted by the state of the economy–and if you are one of the lucky, you are still plugged into the daily-hourly-by-the-minute barrage of headlines telling us how awful things are in Nevada, the country, and the world. One of the simplest interventions for anxiety is turning off the 24-hour news cycle. Unplug.    

It sounds like you are also feeling overwhelmed. If you are not literally plugged in, meaning watching or reading the news, you can still be attuned to the energy around you and become anxious. For instance, at the beginning or end of the school year, even if you don’t have children, you can find yourself feeling frenzied. Breathe. It really helps. Breathe and look around you. Notice.  In your house, if there is too much stuff start thinking about what you can part with.  

Simplifying truly brings inner peace though it is not always easy to do. We can become overly attached to our things and assign them more importance than they deserve. After all, it is just stuff. I was tricked into learning this long after I had read all the books and knew it was true. We were moving and had to “declutter” our house. Wow, what a difference it made mentally. Of course, we couldn’t part with all of our framed photos and such but we did stay on the path of simplifying knowing that we felt better, mentally and physically.

Worrying is tough. To some degree we all worry, especially lately. But some worrying can keep you up at night until all hours. Then, not only are you anxious, but you are now sleep deprived which makes it worse. I believe real relief from these very uncomfortable feelings comes from the mind. Rewiring our thoughts. When you have those dreadful thoughts, “What is going to happen… is she alright… will there be enough…” replace that thought with one that generally asserts “It will all be okay.”  Then get specific, “It will all be okay because…”  And know that it will. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of books and practitioners to help guide you through this process. I invite you to embrace some of these ideas and see what happens, you may be surprised. Many blessings.

For more info, contact Dana Anderson MFT specializing in personal and spiritual growth counseling  (775) 323-4242

Afflictions

Inside & Outside the Home

By Jennifer Chang |

• To protect your relationship, keep your bedroom free of mirrors and harsh lighting.

• Many modern homes have “poison arrow” pillars (the sharp corners) that project negative chi and cause tempers to fray. Place round-leaved plants at the foot of these pillars to slow down the energy here and promote a more harmonious atmosphere.

• Balanced furniture placement and minimal clutter allows chi to flow freely throughout the room.

*Clutter is not just garbage or junk that is not cleaned up, it is just too much “stuff.”  And that alone can bring your energy down.*

• Invest in a large water bowl or urn. A water filled urn represents yin energy and is a common cure for afflicted areas outside the home.

• A mirror that directly faces an entrance causes chi energy to dissipate before it can benefit you.

• Overhead beams, particularly over the bed, can cause conflict in relationships. If you cannot move the bed away from the beams, cover them with fine fabric to protect your relationship from this negative influence.

• A circular dining table symbolizes heaven chi and harmonious relationships.

• Decorate long halls with plants, art, and rounded furniture for a harmonious atmosphere.

References:

Too, Lillian. 168 Feng Shui Ways to a Calm & Happy Life. Sterling Publishing Company, 2005

For more info, contact Jennifer Chang at (775) 530-7100 or www.secret-connection.net, specializing in happiness, health, wealth and romance.

Adapted by Jennifer Wallis |

• Clutter clearing is a powerful process that brings startling changes to your life.

• In cluttered areas of your home, chi (energy) stagnates, and once this stale energy has accumulated, it will grow even more.

• Avoiding a drastic clear-out can stem from a fear of the future.

• Your home is supposed to mirror your inner self, so mess and inactivity reflect something that is going on inside you!

• Your chaos will make you feel lethargic, and confused about what you want in your life.

• When you begin getting rid of your junk hoard you will feel physically and spiritually liberated, you will have opened the door to wonderful new opportunities.

NOTE: Don’t add crystals and other Feng Shui enhancements until you have tackled your clutter, because they just will not work!

Reference:

Lambert, Mary. Clearing the Clutter. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2001

For more info, contact Jennifer Wallis at 775-852-6358 or Jennifer@secretconnection.net.

2. Break large assignments or job tasks into small, simple tasks.  Set a deadline for each task and reward yourself as you complete each one.

3. Each day, make a list of what you need to do. Plan the best order for doing each task. Then make a schedule for doing them. Use a calendar or daily planner to keep yourself on track.

4. Work in a quiet area.  Do one thing at a time. Give yourself short breaks.

5. Write things you need to remember in a notebook with dividers.  Write different kinds of information – like assignments, appointments, and phone numbers – in different sections. Keep the book with you all of the time.

6. Post notes to yourself to help remind yourself of things you need to do.  Tape notes on the bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator, in you school locker, or dashboard of your car – wherever you’re likely to need the reminder.

7. Store similar things together.  For example, keep all your CD’s in one place, and tape cassettes in another. Keep canceled checks in one place, and bills in another.

8. Create a routine.  Get yourself ready for school or work at the same time, in the same way, every day.

9. Exercise, enjoy nature, eat a balanced diet and get  enough sleep.

With permission from http://www.adult-child-add-adhd.com/