The Feng Shui Mistakes That You May Be Making In Your Bathroom
You might try and practice feng shui in your home to promote balance and harmony, which is what the belief is based around. For example, your bedroom might feature a headboard for support and stabilization, and your hallway might avoid pointed chandeliers that make visitors feel unwelcome. According to National Geographic, feng shui means the way of wind and water and supports the idea that yin and yang dictate a person or area's chi. With that in mind, it is obvious why people try and organize their places in a way that allows a good flow, keeping equilibrium in all things.
Your bathroom is a very important room and sees a lot of action throughout the day. Keeping the balance and feng shui good in this area is key to ensuring it continuously flows, as Noken notes bathrooms usually have the least amount of motion or flux. Many followers of this practice consider this space an exhaust of positive energy since it is associated with so many pieces that literally drain away water and refuse. In order to negate this, the room needs to adhere to some feng shui rules, which will keep a positive flow running through it throughout the day. So, don't do the following mistakes; the tips below will help promote a harmonious atmosphere and make this one of the most positive spaces in the house.
1. Dim lighting
Feng shui is made up of yin and yang, and when it comes to lighting, this yang force is incredibly important to the practice. According to Home Guru, letting the yang take precedence over the yin by having a good amount of light promotes good life energy and even helps bring fortune into space. Because of this, you want to have solid lighting in your bathroom that provides a calming but brightening effect on the entire area.
You might have a darker room since a lot of wash areas tend to have dimmer lighting with the thought that it promotes calm. However, the reverse is true in feng shui, and more light brings in better energy. Having bulbs around your mirror is good for two reasons, one being that it illuminates the surrounding areas, and the other is that it allows people to see themselves properly.
This second part is important to feng shui as well. Having good lighting in your bathroom will make anyone who uses it feel more balanced and good. In contrast, poor illumination could lead to feelings of discontent and gloom and even promote unhealthy habits. If you need more light in your space, consider installing more overhead bulbs or adding sconces to bring in might false brightness, and leave windows open during the day to allow sun rays to come in.
2. Odd mirror placement
Most bathrooms feature a mirror of some kind, and it is standard practice to be able to adjust or tidy yourself up in the reflection whenever you use this room. Mirrors can be tricky in feng shui belief, especially their location in the washroom. You want to avoid placing one directly across from the toilet, and Magicbricks notes that it is thought that reflecting your commode will drain your fortunes like the contents are drained after flushing. Many people who practice feng shui agree that this particular room shouldn't boast a mirror at all, but that doesn't have to be the case.
If you want to have one in your bathroom, just make sure it doesn't sit directly across from the door or the toilet or that a full-length mirror sits high enough that it doesn't cut off the top portion of someone's reflection. All of these things are thought to diminish good fortune and positivity, especially since this space is already considered to have low chi and flow. Place mirrors above the sink if they will only reflect the opposite wall, or put a longer one behind the door (as long as the toilet doesn't sit directly across). According to Love to Know, the latter can actually hold in negative energy if used properly.
3. Clutter can throw off chi
Nothing is more satisfying than a clean, organized bathroom, and feng shui practitioners encourage cutting the clutter. Having a busy sink or packed drawers might be normal, but this is a no-no in the practice. Just Organized by Taya recommends keeping the sink completely clear of excess items like makeup, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cleansers, and lotions. They also note that anything past its expiration date should be disposed of to keep the space tidy and useful. Many people tend to forget about older products, letting them stack up on surfaces or in cupboards. This takes up space that can be used for newer, more important items, so regularly check your tinctures and declutter what you can.
Make sure you are replacing towels with fresh ones once a week. According to Cleveland Clinic, if these items don't dry properly, they begin to accumulate bacteria, yeast, and even viruses. Keep spare towels in a closet so they are easy to access but out of the way, and focus on using any excess storage for day-to-day pieces. Trays, drawers, medicine cabinets, and pop-up canvas boxes can all be implemented to hold your most used accessories, too.
4. The fresher, the better
Keeping your bathrooms clean is a no-brainer, and most cleaning supplies leave a fresh scent after use. But what about in between those big scrubs? You want this busy space to always smell good before, during, and after it is occupied, so keeping diffusers or candles around is a must. Whenever visitors come over, make sure to light candles and give them time to burn so the room gives off a pleasing aroma, or leave oil diffusers on the sink 24/7 for a no-fuss application. Don't just let cleaning supplies provide the scents; your bathroom needs more attention than that.
Aromatherapy has been associated with feng shui for a long time, and according to Feng Shui For Real Life, it helps promote harmony and balance and to encourage emotional interactions. Since bathrooms are trickier areas in this practice, incorporate essential oils, candles, plug-ins, and even delicious-smelling bars of soap throughout the counter space and in the shower or bathtub. This will ensure the room always smells good and brings out positive feelings whenever someone enters.
5. No earth elements
The art of feng shui uses elements to help guide the designs and décor. These include earth, wood, water, fire, and metal. When it comes to your bathroom, picking earth elements is an easy way to bring in a stabilizing disposition, which also helps create a nourishing, positive atmosphere. Centering this space is important, especially because the thought is that good and bad are constantly washing away or draining out of it. You might get wrapped up in wallpaper or cabinets, but wood and metal are just a piece of the feng shui puzzle — earth needs to be represented, too.
Add clay pots, granite counters, or other earthenware accessories to incorporate this element into your washroom. According to Extra Space Storage, this will improve the overall chi, and even paint colors or crystals work to achieve this positive ambiance. Do research before picking out crystals to dot around, as each one brings something different to the area it inhabits. Some can be used for grounding, while others represent love, and according to MyDomaine, clear quartz is ideal for clarity and is popular in feng shui décor.