Not many employ the concept of feng shui in their homes, especially in the western part of the world. And if they do, the garage is often overlooked. Well, it is rightly so due to the fact that many homeowners do not see or treat the garage as an extension of the living space in their homes. Most often, the garage is reduced to merely a vehicle parking space or storage room for things that are no longer deemed fit inside the living space. What we do not realize, however, is that the energy that flows inside the garage affects us in one way or another.
But first, what is feng shui?
When talking about feng shui, we always hear about finding the right balance or chi or the vital life force or energy in all living things. Essentially, feng shui is an intermarriage of ancient art and science, dating back over 3,000 years ago in China. When trying to make sense of a foreign concept, understanding the meaning of the words helps. Literally, “Feng” means wind and “Shui” means water. And in Chinese culture, the two elements–water and wind–are associated with good health, which can also mean good fortune.
So how does feng shui affect our quality of life?
Basically, what feng shui does is improve or influence the interaction of humans and their environments. And how do we do that? There are principles of natural energy flow. And what you need to do is to position or design your surroundings in harmony with the principles. What it also does is it offers balance, harmony, and comfort to your environment. The spatial arrangement of the furniture, possessions, and the overall building determine the balance of energies to ensure good health and fortune for those living in that space.
Feng Shui Tips You Can Use In Your Garage
1. Declutter
Again, feng shui takes note of the flow of energy in the room. If there is much clutter, then it would hamper the good flow that we are looking for.First, let us define clutter. Usually, we think that what we store in the garage are items that hold value in our life at one point. But for now, it goes into the box for safekeeping. Now, you should be honest with yourself. You know that you try to make things organized by neatly putting away the boxes in an orderly manner, which would mean that the garage is free of an eyesore. However, you should ask yourself if you need or–up to some extent–want all these things stored in your piles of boxes? Go through all of them one by one. Categorize these stuff into three: Throw, Give, Keep. Through this, you will instantly feel the good flow in the room, and likewise in your life.If you decide to throw them away, place them immediately in the trash bin. In this way, there is no looking back and having second thoughts. If you decide to give them away, properly label them as to whom will receive these items. Make sure to give them within a week. Stalling the process will make you take back your decision and keep them anyway. And this will be counterproductive.And if you decide to keep some of the things that give you happiness and peace of mind, employ neat storing techniques like utilizing a ceiling-type storage. Not only do you keep your garage clean and neat, but you also make space for more floor area that can brighten the room.A recommendable storage system is the Fleximounts GR48-H Hooks 4′ X 8′ Overhead Garage Storage Rack. This durable and heavy-duty overhead storage system provides a safe place to organize your stuff. It also helps avoid flood damage by storing your things off the garage floor and protecting your treasured items. The overhead storage rack makes your garage look neat and gets away from insects and rodents.The rack is made of heavy-gauge cold-rolled steel construction, which is responsible for the safe loading of up to 600 lbs. Its integrated wire grid design and frame are welded together, making the unit more sturdy and stable. Moreover, the wire grid underwent strict tests with triple load breaking strength. It is specially designed for easier assembly.The height can be adjusted from 22” to 40”, providing a convenient and safe place to store your stuff. The height-adjustable ceiling drop-down lets you customize to your preferred height.The ceiling brackets are designed to be attached to two joists for more flexibility and security. The rack is suitable for securing to either ceiling studs or solid concrete ceilings. The screws provided are thicker than comparable products available in the market and have gone through strict tests to prove the top-quality make of the hardware.All necessary hardware and instructions are included in the package. An installation template is also provided to help you devise a plan to store your stuff in the most efficient manner possible. Also included are three bags of screws, namely, wood screws, installation screws and bolts, and cement installation.In the box, accessories such as four pieces of Flat Hooks (GRH1) and two pieces of Utility Hooks (GHR3) also come with the racks.
2. Eight Life Areas, According to Feng Shui Bagua
There are eight main life areas of auspicious living space. These are career, knowledge/spirituality, family, wealth, fame, relationships/marriage, children/creativity, and helpful people/travel. And in the following items, here are some of the elements that can increase the flow according to the life areas:
Career Area - It is good to put items in black or very dark colors. You can also place mirrors and glass and water features such as aquariums or table fountains, or even art that depicts water.
Knowledge or Spirituality Area - It is good to put items in wood, colors of blues, greens, or blacks, and in the shape of stripes or columns. You can also place art that depicts nature.
Helpful People/Travel Area - It is good to put items such as art or figures that pertain to spiritual guides, places where you have been to or want to travel. You can also place items in metal colors of white, black, or gray.
Simply put, after you map out the areas, you should place items that relate to the certain life area. For example, you can store the workbench or any stuff that you need for your job in the career area. Or place your sports balls, kayak, and other sporting equipment in the well-being area. More than the concept of feng shui, this is actually a smart solution and convenient way to organize your stuff according to function, which will also help you find them easier when you need to use them.
