Answered: your top home questions

Question

Hi Reiko,
I’ve been spending pandemic time identifying places in my house that feel cluttered and have made a ton of progress. I did bookshelves, desk area and surfaces, then boxes of papers full of family archives and professional projects. I think I started with about 15 boxes!

As I progress, my file cabinets are getting full. I now have files in my office, living room, guest room…

The question is: where to store these files? I plan to end up with 4-5 file boxes when I’m done. I look forward to your advice!

Answer
Congratulations on your epic decluttering! I’ve heard from several people doing their own “pandemic purging.” It’s a powerful way to clear out the old and make space for new opportunities to come into our home, and life.

Here are two ways you can deal with the remaining papers:

1. Consider scanning the documents, either by hand or by sending them to a professional scanning service. If you look at your remaining papers, it’s possible the majority of them could simply be stored in an electronic form – either on your computer, or an external hard drive or thumb drive. Over the course of a few years, I scanned 95% of my files (both personal and professional) and reduced my papers from a full home office to only two bankers boxes. There are tons of companies that offer this service for a reasonable price.

2. Invest in a nice looking piece of furniture that discreetly doubles as a file cabinet. Depending on how many files you have, the furniture could be as small as an end table (below) or the size of a dining credenza (pic at the top). I found these online and am sure you can find one to suit your taste.

One last point I would make about the remaining papers:

Review your files again in a year.

With a little time and distance, you might find you need even fewer hard copies than you once thought. If so, you can do another round of scanning or purging. It’s a liberating practice, keep it up!

Question
Hey Reiko!

I’ve read in your past e-mails that you do not recommend having anything underneath the bed, and was wondering if that includes a built-in drawer/platform? If still not recommended, could you say a little more about why? Thanks and take care.

Answer
Yes, you’re right. I do not like anything under the bed. This is for one simple reason: airflow. When the air (or Qi energy) flows around us in an easy, natural way, we’re in a healthy environment that promotes well being. When the qi is blocked, especially around your bed, where you spend so many hours, it can result in sleep difficulties, and even health problems.

So whether the items under the bed are messy like bags of clothes and boxes of storage, or organized like built in drawers and dividers, the impact is the same: it blocks the flow of Qi.

It’s best to have the space under your bed open and clear.

(Above: this platform bed feels cozy while keeping the space below the bed open)

This reminds me of a funny client meeting I once had: I was doing a feng shui consultation for a successful single man who was having difficulty finding romance. He had a sleek, modern NYC apartment with a fabulous platform bed in the bedroom. I asked if anything was under the bed, and he lifted up the mattress to show ten bankers boxes filled with his past tax returns!

(Above: a bed with storage underneath is a real feng shui no-no)

I think you can imagine what that would attract…

Let’s just say –
not romance!

My client understood the impact, and quickly put the boxes into storage.

He shared with me that within two months, his dating life had improved dramatically. He wanted to actively date, rather than have a long term relationship at the time, and was thrilled with the uptick in activity.

Question
I want to make a big life change. Some days I just want to quit my job but I can’t afford to retire.

Answer
A few people wrote me about their desire to make a big life change, and I have good news for you: I will be offering a FREE 10 Day Feng Shui Home Challenge in the new year, focused on helping you achieve your biggest dreams in 2021!

You will receive more details next month, so keep an eye out for emails from me!

Thanks for your questions, more answers to come…

I wish you a magical New Year,
Reiko

PS: What is your deepest held dream for the new year? Start thinking of what you most want, and plan to join me in a free 10 Day Feng Shui Home Challenge coming soon, to help you create a powerful space where you can reach your goals in 2021!

Get into the Flow