The year of the rabbit is finally here, bringing with it a series of new possibilities.  Away with the bad ‘chi’, and in with the good, get the perfect start to your new year with fengshui. If you’re still getting the hang of the art of Chinese geomancy, here are some beginner-friendly tips to get your home surroundings ready to bring in balance, good vibes and prosperity.

Before we get into just the general fengshui recommendations for your home, here are some specific tips to the water rabbit year of 2023, courtesy of Master Ben Chew, author of The Secrets of a Winning Face. For folks looking to stimulate wealth and luck, the fengshui master recommends placing a live crystal (white or yellowish, around 5-7 inches high) in the south-facing section of the house. Those who wish for success in good personal relationships, can place a live orchid at the southwest section of the house.

This year, the west section of the house is deemed as 3 Evil (三煞) position (where the three mythical powerful disaster gods resides). Therefore, the master recommends avoiding any renovation in the area after Feb 4, 2023. For good business and career luck, place a metal safety box at this section.

The living room & entryway

In fengshui, doors or the “mouth of qi” are said to represent your voice and communication, and function as portals for opportunities and good energy. Ensure the entry way and living room gets plenty of natural light and free of obstacles. This creates space and allows good energy to enter your home.

Plants like lucky bamboo are also a good source of positive ‘qi’, though you would want to stay clear of thorny plants. Avoid are poison arrows that attack energy through sharp angled and pointed furnishings and art frames in your personal energy field. Thus, opt for rounded edged furniture and not hanging wall art in a straight line.

The bedroom

In the bedroom, practise the ‘commanding position’ – no, it’s not what you are thinking. In fengshui, the ‘commanding position’ puts you in a place where you are able to receive positive energy and see the best opportunities coming your way.  

This entails positioning your bed so that you have a clear view of the door, without being directly in line with it or blocking the pathway. This position is also crucial for spaces like in the home-office or kitchen where the desk represents your career, and the stove represents your wealth.

For the kitchen

Redoing the kitchen? Pick a fresh earthy colours like shades of green, golden, and brown. In the kitchen, practise fixing what is broken, including cabinet handles or shelves, and broken appliances. These items contribute towards unwanted negative energy or even block positive energy. Tying in with the decluttering and keeping your home obstacle free analogy, keeping your fridge clean, and organised is also a good sign.

To clean the kitchen area, experts say to use a mixture of water and natural sea salt, which absorbs and cleanse bad energy while attracting good energy. Remember to have your stove in the commanding position, and keep it away from the sink – as they represent opposite elements of fire and water.

For the bathroom

A space that is said to have the least amount of energy, bathrooms are tough spots to get fengshui approved. Here, you would want to practise deep cleaning often. To prevent ‘flushing’ away prosperity and energy, experts strongly suggest to keep drains covered and lids shut (this includes the toilet bowl). To cancel out those poison arrows, make use of oval mirrors and not-so-harsh lightings.

For the home-office

With a lot of us still working from home, the home-office has become a big part of our journey towards success and prosperity. In your office, keep things clutter free and spacious. By cleaning and decluttering, you are not only letting go of things that do not serve you any purpose, but also creating an open space to invite a new energy and opportunities.

Fountains are also something that fengshui experts recommend using in this area. Associated with wealth, and wisdom, a running fountain is said to help to keep both of the aforementioned flowing as well. On the other, fountains are not recommended in the bedroom, where they can represent worry and sorrow.

This article was first published in City Nomads.