Create Good Vibrations to Sell Your Home

In a stagnant housing market, it's important to be creative when it comes to preparing your home for a speedy sale. That's why some homeowners looking for an edge on the competition are turning to the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui to increase their home's appeal.

Feng Shui is about arranging buildings or objects so that they are in harmony with the world around it. This careful placement of items is believed to increase the positive energy of a room. While Feng Shui has been around for centuries, it is still relatively new here in the West. Getting started with the practice can be intimidating for beginners, as there are many things to consider when deciding where to place your furniture or what colors to use. Below are a few simple tricks you can employ today to get started on the path to positive chi, and to selling your home.

One of the first steps to take when you want to improve the chi, or energy, of your home is to make sure that there's plenty of visual and physical open space. Clean up the clutter and keep books, CD's, and other trinkets in cupboards or in decorative containers. You don't want to see everything in plain view, because this creates visual distraction. When everything is put in its proper place and hidden from view, the room will feel calmer. Television sets for instance, emit a great deal of energy which should be contained, so if at all possible, keep your TV in an entertainment center that has doors. As an added bonus, potential buyers will see that you have plenty of room to store your personal effects, and they won't feel overwhelmed by your belongings.

Keep very little on your shelves, and only display cherished items that bring a sense of joy or serenity to the room. This will make the room appear bigger, and the energy will be happy and inviting.

Corners that point towards you are believed to send out "poison arrows," which destroy positive energy. Try to have round tables rather than square or rectangle. If this is not possible, consider adding plants with rounded leaves to the room to soften sharp edges. Alternatively, drape soft flowing fabric overtop anything with pointy corners and such. This will literally soften the energy of the room and make it feel much more welcoming.

Place mirrors in strategic places around your home to create the feeling of a larger space. Do not place a mirror across from a door, or else you'll be reflecting the positive energy rather than allowing it to come inside. Many Feng Shui consultants also suggest that it's a bad idea to place mirrors in the bedroom because they are too stimulating for a place of rest. They're also thought to be bad luck and romance-killing if placed in the bedroom, so beware!

Feng Shui is a very complicated art form, and requires a great deal of study if you want to truly master it. However, with just a few simple adjustments to your decor, you can have a significant impact on the atmosphere of your home. Once you generate some positive chi in your home, buyers will be drawn to it.