The door and hallway is considered the mouth and throat of the home in feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of furniture placement and energy flow, so if yours is cluttered up with junk, your home is basically choking and you will feel depressed or uncomfortable living there. Appraise the area from a neutral viewpoint. Walk out of your front door and in again as though seeing how your hallway looks for the first time.
Porches and doors
If you have a porch, sort this area out. If you keep walking shoes and boots here, install a neat shoe rack to keep them tidy. Store any discarded sports equipment neatly in a shed, a cupboard under the stairs or in the room of the owner. Throw out or give away anything that is no longer used. Sweep out and leave the door open for a while to cleanse the area of any stagnancy. Look at the front door and paint it with the colour of its energising Chinese element. If it faces north, paint it white, for south paint it green, for west and northwest paint it yellow, for east and southeast paint it blue, for northeast and southwest paint it red. Position tubs of winter flowering plants either side of the door so that they welcome people in.
The hallway
Clear out all the clutter in the hallway and, if necessary, install a good coat stand or cupboard for all the family’s coat, jackets and umbrellas. A lot of hallways are very narrow so place a mirror on a side wall to expand the space. Never place a mirror opposite the front door, however, as it bounces the energy straight out again. Think about having a side table under the mirror with a letter rack or tray for your post and a key holder to store keys. Place fresh flowers there or an attractive evergreen floral arrangement for the festive season. If the hall (and porch) needs painting, paint it a shade of the front door’s colour to draw more yang (positive) energy into your home. Make sure you have good lighting, the brighter the better to improve the energy flow. Lastly look at the art (or lack of it) on the walls and add some inspiring posters, landscapes or abstract pictures that reflect your personality. Avoid anything that depicts sadness, poverty or something that is hard work e.g. people climbing mountains as these symbols may start to reflect in your life. Clean any rugs and polish floors and you are about ready for visitors.
Misting the atmosphere with lavender essential oil (put 5 or 6 drops in a plant mister half filled with water) will lift the ambience and leave a wonderful fragrant aroma. Mist regularly during the Christmas season and see the beneficial effects on your guests.
