What are the most common feng shui mistakes that you see?

This is a popular topic that people seem to be very interested in! It’s natural to want to put things in categories as “good” or “bad”, but I would first encourage you to try not look at things as “bad” feng shui. In BTB feng shui, there aren’t absolutes when it comes to things not to do. Instead, it really depends on each individual situation. While some aspects of your home may not be ideal, there can also be wisdom in challenging or less desirable situations. 

That said, there are a few things that are generally best avoided if you want to improve your home’s feng shui. One thing that I often see is broken items in the home. Broken items can create challenges, so I most often recommend that you let go of these items. Or if you really love something that’s broken, take the time to repair it. 

Another thing that isn’t ideal from a feng shui perspective is dried flowers. While you can certainly include dried flowers in your decor if you love the way they look, they are not a feng shui adjustment. Because they are no longer alive, dried flowers do not offer the same vibrant life energy as a healthy houseplant or a bouquet of freshly cut flowers.

Something else I’d like to mention is having random Asian things around your home. Sometimes, people buy Asian objects and place them in their home because they think it will be good feng shui, but they’ve done no research and have added them in with no purpose or consideration. 

If you are really attracted to the item and you love it, that’s ok. It doesn’t necessarily have to have a feng shui meaning. However, it’s best to avoid bringing in something with the intention of improving your feng shui when you don’t actually know the purpose of it. For example, bagua mirrors are often used incorrectly, because people put them up thinking they’ll be good feng shui without knowing how to use them properly and respectfully. 

If you want to learn more about common feng shui “mistakes,” be sure to listen to the Holistic Spaces Podcast episode all about this! 

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com