Feng Shui is an ancient art and science of creating balance and harmony in your life by the effective management of your environment.  The benefits can be felt almost immediately. Applying feng shui principles to your home is the best way to make quick, effective changes to the dynamics of your family.

Read the following descriptions and note how you feel as you read each one.

House Number One:

• Unkempt lawn with weeds, no flowers
• Front entry with shoes strewn around
• Kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink and crumbs on the counter
• Stack of unopened mail and flyers piled high on the counter
• Books and magazines stuffed under the bed, bed linen that is old and faded
• Dresser tops cluttered with gadgets, makeup, jewelry

House Number Two:

• Tidy green lawn with blue and white hydrangeas lining the house
• Front entry is clear with shoes neatly placed on a rack and coat hooks for the coats
• Kitchen is clean, bright and the counter tops are sparkling
• Only a few daily used items are displayed and three fresh green plants or herbs rest on the window sill.
• Current books and magazines are stored in the matching bedside tables and the fresh, crisp bed linen is made up nicely
• The only items on the dresser are a photo of you and your partner, a fresh bouquet of flowers and a jewelry box that holds the items you wear often

Now,  just by reading those two descriptions I’m sure you could feel how different it would be to live in each home. House number two gives a feeling of calm, joy, and beauty whereas house number one gives a feeling of chaos, depression and stagnancy.

The basic principle behind feng shui is that your environment is a reflection of your life, either good or bad, because you are connected with them. They are the external representation of who you are. 

So, if for 2010 you want to feel less-stressed, to have more balance in your life and to experience joy and happiness on a regular basis with your children, then you first need to set up the environment for that to take place.

Here is something feng-shui expert Davina MacKail suggests you can do right away to set the tone for your family life in 2010 -- clear your clutter.

Good questions to ask yourself when tackling clutter are:

• Do I really love this object?
• Does it enhance my life?
• Do I use it?
• Is it time to let it go?