Survival Guide for your next move. Don’t leave home without it!

I’ve just moved. In 100+ degree heat here in Austin, Texas.  Although this is not my first move, I seem to have forgotten or perhaps never had a list of  ways to survive a move. I went through lots of challenges including; a buyer that had second thoughts about buying my home and postponed the closing to the eleventh hour; 30 hours spent trying to get my phone lines functional;  sore back, wrists, legs; losing my dogs for two hours; losing my temper and my sense of humor at the same time; and of course, losing sleep.

Here’s my Survival Guide for getting through your next move easier.

1. ENSURE that you have lots to eat and drink at your old home and your new.  Easy, grab-able nutritious treats like breakfast bars, trail-mix, apples, bananas, raisins, pretzels and oatmeal cookies work well.
2. YOU KNOW the last bit of stuff left after the movers leave your old house that you’ll just swing by and pick up?  Don’t underestimate how much stuff you may have left.   And check the movers before they leave your home for the last time to ensure they don’t anything you wanted them to move!
3. GIVE yourself at least twice the amount of time you think it will take to contact phone, cable, electricity, etc.  Don’t plan anything else the least bit taxing around the times you’ll need to interact with these folks.
4. IF your friends say “If you need anything just call”  take them up on that. 
5. DON’T isolate.  Have contact with other people other than your partner and your service providers.
6. THROW away things you don’t need (before you move) but if don’t have time, don’t stress about it, know that you can get rid of things as you unpack.
7. AS MUCH as possible, plan time segments to work and to rest or play.  Don’t try to get everything unpacked and put away in three days! 
8. REMEMBER the concept of  balance.  Take care of yourself emotionally, physically, and probably most important, spiritually.
9. IF you’re having “one of those days or one of those hours” try to dig deep and find your sense of humor
10. AND don’t buy a lot of new furniture and accessories until you have unpacked and lived in the house longer than a few days.

Feng Shui adds balance to your life.

Before

After

If you’re conscious of living in harmony with your enviroment and enjoying a healthy, balanced livestyle odds are you’ve heard of Feng Shui.  Using Feng Shui principles in your home will help you feel comfortable, relaxed, and balanced.  Feng Shui not only helps you feel great but applying the principles at your home or office will help create a balanced and comfortable space.

The ancient Chinese, originators of Feng Shui over 6,000 years ago, developed systems of arranging their homes to harness the most powerful energy flow for success in their lives. For example, such choices as location of your house, its orientation on the lot, floor plan, wall color, furniture arrangement, and accessories directly affect the energy flow of your space; thus, they will either support you or cause discomfort and stress.

When an environment has “bad Feng Shui” it makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy. When a space has “good Feng Shui,” the environment appeals to the senses and feels comfortable, balanced and inviting.

Here are five tips for creating a healthy,  balanced home:

1. Trees and plants in the yard should be healthy and well cared for.  The front yard should be maintained in good order, clean and neat.
2. There should be a clear, clean, obvious pathway winding to the front door.
3. The right balance of natural light in a room is an important first step in creating a well-balanced and healthy room.
4. Energy should be encouraged to circulate slowly throughout the house.  Stagnant energy is not healthful.  Clutter, too much furniture, or furniture that is too large for a room will obstruct energy flow.  Energy needs clear pathways so it can meander through every room of the house.
5. Generally, less is more in accessorizing and decorating your home.

And rest assured, a space can always become more balanced using Feng Shui.

Feng Shui works whether you believe in it or not.

You don’t have to believe in Feng Shui for it to work. Like gravity, Feng Shui principles are in effect at all times even though you can’t see them.  And you don’t need windchimes, crystals, statues, a red front door, and mirrors to practice Feng Shui.  Feng Shui originated in China over 6,000 years ago and of course, the ancient Chinese didn’t have any of the so-called “Feng Shui” items found stores today.

Feng Shui provides us with principles which explain:

1. Why location on a street is important and can cause restaurants in certain locations to fail time after time;
2. Why certain rooms in your home feel more comfortable than others;
3. Why you may feel unsettled if you sleep in a bed placed in the middle of a room rather than  against a wall;
4. Why most of us feel better in a home that has an adequate amount of natural light;
5. Why it feels awkward to have a stairway directly facing the front door.

Traditional, authentic Feng Shui principles draw on astronomy, mathematics, topography, geography, science, and philosophy.  Like yoga or the martial arts, there are many different types of Feng Shui.  The “westernized” version involving a bagua is fun, and has a general connection to traditional Feng Shui, but realize that actually Feng Shui is an multi-layered art and science that one can study for a lifetime.