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Monday, 02 November 2009 22:47
Girlfriendit Intern, Katy Gill
Home Living
If you have ever rearranged furniture or redecorated a room, which undoubtedly you have, you’ve probably considered the idea of feng shui. If a bed or table doesn’t look or function quite right at a certain angle in a specific corner, we  blame it on the feng shui, but what’s this concept really all about?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese concept of energy balance which focuses on a given space to ensure health and good fortune. The notion is based on Taoist beliefs about nature, specifically that all things carry energy. Some acts of feng shui seem a bit farfetched, like nixing your bedroom ceiling fan because it cuts the air, or keeping windows and doors shut to avoid letting too much sunlight in. Yikes!
However, I would bet that most of us are at least willing to experiment with anything that will calm our lives and harness good feelings, especially when it involves our homes, where we spend our entire lives. So let’s talk about what more palatable suggestions feng shui has to offer.
Beginning with the bedroom
A good feng shui bedroom offers a lot of good feelings of harmony and flow. It invites you, lures you in, and simultaneously excites and calms you – figure that one out! It should be a pleasurable place you want to be. Here’s just how feng shui suggests making it so:
· Get rid of the TV, computer or exercise equipment. I’m breaking the rules now as I type away at my laptop… in bed, but the notion is logical. You don’t want a relaxing space crowded with unnecessary technology. Eliminate the elements that impede your ability to rest. Don’t confuse the function of the space.
· Keep your air fresh. If you’re not in a polluted city, open the windows, otherwise invest in a good air purifier. Carpets trap a lot of lingering allergens, so wood, tile, or laminate floors can help improve a room’s air quality.
· Use the right colors. The use of feng shui colors is discussed in a section below, but for the bedroom, stick with “skin colors,” from pale white to rich, dark brown.
· Choose decorative images wisely. Select ones that express what you desire out of life, like happiness, success and love.
· Make your bed approachable and comfortable. Place it where it’s accessible from both sides, and put tables on either side as well. Avoid positioning it directly in line with the door. And, of course, treat yourself to a quality mattress, a solid headboard, and fine bedding.
Last Updated on Monday, 09 November 2009 21:37
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Thursday, 01 October 2009 11:52
Girlfriendit Intern, Katy Gill
Home Living
It’s your expired receipts and misplaced jewelry. It’s your child’s abandoned Lego set. It’s your husband’s spare change, paper clips, and rubber band collection. It’s clutter, and it’s time to eradicate this lifelong burden we endure.
Most clutter bugs would acknowledge that tackling the clutter problem isn’t a quickly completed chore, simply because there is a lot to overcome. But, it’s also not a problem that will be solved with one deep cleanse. Decluttering your home is a habit, not a task.
 Avoid letting the clutter get ahead of you. Most of us clean in waves of intensity, setting aside several hours one Saturday to sort through stacked boxes in the garage or scrubbing the kitchen of misplaced odds and ends. While we certainly might feel great seeing such improvements, this method isn’t helping our dirty habits. In the same way that clutter collects with time, so you must battle it with time. Creating new routines and organizational habits is the only way to go. You could start with short periods set apart each day, gradually building to spend longer amounts of time, fewer times per week. Although it may be tempting to get your co-clutterers in on the cleaning charade, don’t invite them just yet. First, conquer your own, personal clutter zones to gather motivation and find encouragement to lead the way for others. Clutter comes from deferring even the most simple decisions. “I’ll deal with that later.” “I’ll hold onto that… for a reason I’ll figure out later.” “I may or may not need that.”
Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 October 2009 11:14
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Saturday, 19 September 2009 17:40
Girlfriendit Intern, Katy Gill
Home Living
 Where have all the kilowatts gone? If you haven’t asked yourself this question, you’ve likely asked another: where is all my money going?
There is something awfully menacing about that electric bill that finds its way to our home each month. You warily scan the information and wonder whether it’s your excessive curling iron use that’s tipped off this month’s expenses, your son’s or daughter’s game console, or perhaps your husband’s electric dartboard, which has been put to all too much use as of late.
Unfortunately, more habitual contributors are the likely culprits of your costly electric bills, but that means the solutions are easier to discover and actualize.
An average homeowner’s heating or cooling system takes up just under 50 percent of the utility bill. Lighting and appliances are your second biggest consumers, claiming about 33 percent. This does not include the cost of your refrigerator, which usually commands about 9 percent. Finally your water heater is your final major energy hoarder, contributing between 14 and 20 percent to your cost.
Most of us have taken in the innumerable ways to cut such expenses – turn out the lights before leaving a room, collect a full load before you do laundry – but we should question whether these tips are saving us cash, or just saving our conscience. Read on for some solid advice to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Last Updated on Monday, 21 September 2009 11:39
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