How To Feng Shui Your Attic

Feng shui, or "the way of wind and water," is a concept that dates back to ancient China. According to National Geographic, the practice is based on the Taoist concept of chi, the universal life force found in everything. By arranging furniture and decorations in a certain way, practicers of feng shui believe that they can optimize the flow of positive chi throughout their space and ward off negative chi, inviting good luck and prosperity in the process, explains National Geographic.

While you may have used feng shui to decide on the flow of furniture in your frequently used spaces, you might not realize that you can practice the concept to bring positive changes throughout your entire home, including your attic. As a space that is stereotypically used for storage and rarely cleaned or maintained, the attic is an excellent candidate for a feng shui makeover. Even if you are skeptical of the concept, using this ancient practice in your attic can improve its functionality and ensure that you are getting the most out of the space.

Karen Kingston's Blog posits that a thoughtlessly cluttered attic creates stagnant energy, negatively impacting your life. As an advocate for ridding the entire home of unnecessary clutter, Kingston says that a messy attic will create a blockage above the rest of your home that prevents you from rising to your full potential.

Ideally, Kingston states that your attic should be completely clear of clutter. However, there are some things that are okay to store up there as long as you are willing to do so thoughtfully and keep the space clean and maintained.

First, the clutter-clearing expert offers that storing moving boxes in your attic may be convenient if you are moving within a year. Kingston recommends covering the boxes with a sheet to prevent dust accumulation. Next, she notes that storing empty suitcases in your attic may be helpful, but only if you are regularly using them. The same concept applies to seasonal items. Anything that sits in the attic without being regularly accessed is probably something you don't need to hold onto anymore and contributes to the formation of stagnant energy.

In the practice of feng shui, the attic symbolizes the future, Carole Hyder explains. As such, you should not let it become a mess. If you use this space as storage, Hyder reinforces that you should keep it organized and access it regularly. Otherwise, you may want to consider converting your attic into a room that better serves you, such as a bedroom, meditation room, library, or office, she suggests.

Another feng shui expert, Kartar Diamond, recommends taking extra care to balance converted attic spaces by ensuring they aren't too hot, too dark, or have too low ceilings (via Ezine Articles). The floors should be stable, and you should feel safe accessing the area. If these conditions are not possible to meet in your attic, it may be best used for thoughtfully organized storage or left empty. Carole Hyder suggests that a cleared attic symbolizes a future open to possibilities.