I feel like this title is suppose to be symbolic in a self-help kind of way–like “Who’s Packing Your Parachute?”, or “How Full is Your Bucket?” But what I really mean is, what door do you use?  When you come home, what door do you enter through?  I would love to claim to be a feng-shui expert, but if you read my post Strong Moms Empower you would know I am terrible at the analytical collection of data.

And you apparently need to do one of these to do Eastern Feng-Shui.  Well how about Wester Feng-Shui?  My understanding is that it only scratches the surface vs the deeper, more serious, and traditional method of the Eastern way. But, hey, let’s not be deep and just scratch the surface…

Years ago, I actually read multiple books on Western Feng-Shui so I’m practically an expert…  Feng shui (the computer keeps auto correcting this to “fang she”—and I keep missing it, will this post get published with a rogue “fang she”?) is basically how you arrange your belongings so there is optimal flow of energy in your home.  Ok, that sounded really boring.  It is how you arrange your environment to enhance your life!  Bam!  Nothing boring about that!

And we are back to what door do you use?  I like to keep things hopping in a circular fashion so you never know what is about to come next.  Will it be doors or “fang she” or will she TIE IT TOGETHER???!!!

Whatever main entrance you use it is the place where you and your visitors form lasting (entering and leaving) impressions about your home.  I think most of you are thinking “ouch”.  Can I see a show of hands as to how many use the garage to enter the house??  If this entrance is dark, chaotic, or a constant reminder of undone chores THEN IT IS DEPLETING JOY.  What about the front door and foyer?  Is there clutter, sports equipment, shoes, coats, piles, school bags, mail, junk hanging around?  What about the front path and porch?  Weedy?  Chipping paint?  Neglected “fill in the blank”?  THIS IS YOUR GREETING AND GOOD-BYE!  I hate to use caps but it needed to be done.

Here are two checklists.  One is to mark the places that need help.  The other is a list of ideas to get you going in the right direction using feng-shui.

List One—What Needs Help

Garage Entrance:

Messy?

Dark?

Full of the WRONG seasonal shoes, coats, and sporting equipment?

Is the door dirty, smudgy, grungy and chipped?

Is the door mat old and ugly?

Stairs?  Clean?  Nicely Painted?

Front Door Entrance:

Is there a front walkway to the door?

Weeds?

Crazy overgrown bushes?

Is the front porch full of junk? Dead plants? An Armchair?

Do you, and this is important, have any other upholstered living room furniture on your front porch or let’s go there, your front lawn?

I actually just ammended this post to add this:  Do you have holiday decorations up for a holiday that is already over? And by holiday I really mean Christmas.

Is the front door dirty, chipped, and rusty?

Is the doorbell yellowed and tired?

Foyer:

Cluttered?

Dirty?

Entry rug in bad shape?

List Two–Feng-Shui Ideas to UPLIFT YOUR JOY LEVELS

Organization is key in all areas.  I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here.  If you are stuck try http//www.amyvolk.com.  She has good ideas, a blog detailing these good ideas, and if you live in Hampton Roads she and her team can come to you.

Light!  Sunshine, clean windows, new light bulbs–these are good things.

Fresh Paint.  (Fresh, clean and inviting is always ZEN.)

Hang your best painting in your foyer.

Make sure the front door area and foyer are free of clutter.

Install a mirror in your foyer.

Consider making your house “shoeless” and keep a basket for guests’ shoes near the door.  Removing shoes at the door virtually eliminates dirt being tracked into the house, and symbolizes leaving wordly cares and concerns at the door.  (Love this).

Fu Dogs, Lions, or Dragons (not real…) act as guardians and carry the message, “Enter here only if you come in peace”.

Chimes, fountains, flowers

Red is the color of welcome (in Western Feng-shui)

Wreaths, bells, and affirmational signs bring blessings of good Ch’i (energy) to the door.

THE POINT IS TO MAKE YOUR ENTRANCES INVITING SO THAT THEY WELCOME YOU HOME EVERY TIME YOU OPEN THE DOOR.  (Caps again).  And that my friend is good fang-she.

Terah Kathryn Collins Feng-Shui Personal Paradise Cards were used as sources for this post.