Nine Feng Shui Cures... #2

3. Opt for Curves, Not Corners

If you're in the market for a new bedside table or other bedroom furniture, try to choose pieces with soft lines and curvilinear forms. "Square corners have too much pointed energy and can create a 'sharp' environment,The "poison arrows" formed by right angles are thought to direct negative energy directly at your sleeping form, which can cause a feeling of uneasiness,If a new nightstand isn't in the cards, you can soften its corners by draping a piece of flowing fabric over the top or placing a healthy plant on top, leaves cascading over the corners. Limit what's on your nightstand to a lamp, a couple of inspirational books, a picture you love and a plant or fresh flowers, to create a "Zen" nightstand.

4. Clear the Clutter

From a feng shui perspective, clutter symbolizes unfinished business and impedes forward progress in life. So keep furnishings on the spare side and clutter as contained as possible to enable chi to flow freely around the room. Tip: Plants placed in corners are said to prevent energy from stagnating there. And don't use the space under your bed to store boxes of out-of-season clothes — doing so will block energy and lead to stagnation in life, feng shui experts warn. "Less is more" also applies to the closet. According to experts, clutter behind closed doors can be just as depleting as clutter that's in the open. "If you feel irritated, confused and overwhelmed when you open the closet door, organizing your closet will help give you a sense of control over your life." Ruthlessly weed out clothes that are unflattering, out-of-style or no longer worn, then sort by color and season. Install organizers to hold shoes, belts, scarves and other accessories, and move everything else choking your closet to another spot. Better yet, give it away!

5. Shut Out the World

The bedroom should be a place of rest, contemplation and intimacy — not work, exercise or blaring music. Exercise gear, a phone, a television or computer or a desk piled high with bills and paperwork give off and take up a lot of energy, feng shui practitioners say. They also distract you from rest and romance. "The bedroom is a place where you need to turn off the stresses of the day." If your bedroom must do double-duty as a work or exercise space, use a lightweight folding screen or beautiful fabric hung from a ceiling-mounted curtain rod to conceal them. And while a few books on your nightstand is fine, if you have bookshelves groaning under the weight of dozens of tomes, move them elsewhere; all those titles calling out to be read distract your mind from rest. Turn off the ringer on the phone, too. And if you're not willing to part with the TV, keep it in an armoire or cabinet so that you can literally "shut the door" on it while you sleep. A nice piece of fabric draped over the set when you're not using it will serve a similar purpose.
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