The Biggest Mistakes Made While Trying Feng Shui

Shannon Quinn - August 27, 2019
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The Biggest Mistakes Made While Trying Feng Shui
Photo: Credit: Shutterstock

The whole point in practicing Feng Shui is to learn how to place your furniture in a way that get good vibes when you walk into a room. For people who whole-heartedly believe in the practice, they say that “Qi” is the positive energy that flows through your home, and leads to happiness and abundance. “Sha Qi” and “Si Qi” are bad vibes that can ruin the energy of a space. If you want to make sure your living space feels as great as possible, it will be necessary to rearrange furniture, art, rugs, mirrors, and so much more. (Basically, you will have to totally re-decorate.) However, Feng Shui can be very complicated. It deals with all sort of elements, sounds, and natural materials. The practice can be so complex, many people misunderstand their instructions during their Feng Shui journey. Here are the most common mistakes, and how to fix them.

You don’t need to buy stereotypical Asian trinkets to have good Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

50. Trying Too Hard To Make Everything Look Asian

Since Feng Shui originated in China, there are some people who assume that they need to make their home look Asian in order to achieve the effect. This is totally false. You can use Western decorations, and in many cases, you may not even need to buy anything new at all. Colors and elements can also be represented using normal household objects that you probably already own. The whole point of Feng Shui is for you to rearrange objects in a home in order to fix the flow of energy in a positive way.

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Mirrors should not face a door. Credit: Shutterstock

49. Mirrors Facing The Door

In Feng Shui, they believe that mirrors reflect energy. So if you have a mirror facing the front door, that means that whatever energy enters the house is going to be bounced back, and go straight out the door. This is bad for anyone who is walking into the house with good intentions, only for that to be deflected back at them. Also, from a purely design standpoint, having a mirror facing the front door is sort of a faux-pas. You may find it useful to checking your outfit in the mirror before you leave, but how many of your guests want to see themselves as soon as they come over?

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It’s best to cover up an exterior door in the bedroom with curtains, like the photo above. Credit: Shutterstock

48. Chairs and Beds Are Not Facing the Door

Doors and other entryways to a room are where energy escapes. So, if you believe in the flow of Qi, you would logically not want it to float out of the room while you are sleeping. This is why, in Feng Shui, you do not want your bed to be too close to the door. If at all possible, put it far enough away to where you have a safe distance between your bed and the doorway. Same goes with chairs. If you are trying to relax in a sitting area in the bedroom, make sure is it not aligned perfectly with a doorway.

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Heavy artwork above your bed is not a good idea. Credit: Shutterstock

47. Large, Heavy Art Above Your Bed

Anything hanging over your head- whether it’s a beam, sloped ceiling, chandelier or artwork is considered to be “too heavy”. This can weigh heavy on your spirit, and block positive energy flow. Even without Feng Shui, it is still smart to not place heavy artwork above your bed. If there was ever an earthquake, it could fall off the wall and come crashing down on you while you sleep. If you do choose to put artwork above your bed, make sure it is light enough so that it will not give you a head injury if it falls.

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It’s very important to be cozy. Credit: Shutterstock

46. Forgetting to Prioritize Comfort

The whole point of the Feng Shui journey is to improve your life overall. Don’t assume that having the most designer or aesthetically pleasing house is the most important things in the world. One of the most important parts of enjoying your homes is the ability to get comfortable and cozy. A lot of people make the mistake of giving their home a makeover and assuming that they need a lot of furniture that will fit in with the style of Feng Shui. Remember that there is no one style that will immediately give you Feng Shui. It has so much more to do with the flow of energy. You can still cuddle up with your loved ones and have great energy flow, too.

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There can be too many fountains in a space. Credit: Shutterstock

45. Having Loads of Fountains All Over Your Property

In Feng Shui, water is the symbol of money and prosperity. Since there are several different areas where you can incorporate a water element into your home, this has lead some people to install miniature fountains in each and every place where it is necessary. Hold up! This is bad for a few reasons. First of all, it looks tacky. Secondly, these fountains run on electricity, and will also be making noise all day and night. True, it’s a soothing sound to hear running water, but you may not want to hear it constantly. There are other ways to incorporate the water element, and get benefits for increasing your wealth. There is no need to take it literally. On top of that, if you put water in the wrong area of the house, it can throw off the flow of energy.

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All white kitchens are bad Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

44. An All-White Color Scheme

Some people love to have an all-white color scheme. It looks clean, beautiful, and sophisticated. However, in Feng Shui, there are always various colors that are recommended to bring out certain Qi. So you just may have to give up your monochromatic dreams if you want everything to feel balanced. From a design standpoint, all-white might seem nice at first, but as soon as something becomes stained or old, it will be very easy to spot from a mile away.

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Family photos are great, but not in Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

43. Family Photos in the Bedroom

In general, having family photos in your house is great Feng Shui. It gives you a sense of warmth, security, and love. It can also be a wonderful thing to put pictures in your baby’s nursery. However, when we are talking about the bedroom, that is a whole other story. Your bedroom should be a place to sleep and heal after a long day. It is also the room where you will make love to your partner. Having a photo of your grandma will seriously conflict with the sexual vibes you are trying to bring to the bedroom. So keep the photos in the living room.

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Clutter leads to bad vibes. Credit: Shutterstock

42. Too Much Clutter With Your Home Decor

Whether you believe in Feng Shui or not, clutter in your home is guaranteed to drain your energy. As soon as you see it, you will immediately begin to feel stressed out and upset. They believe that clutter causes negative emotions and energy. So if you want to feel better in your own home, it is best to get rid of your excess objects, and begin a minimalist lifestyle. By simply cleaning up your space, you will begin to feel the energy flowing more freely.

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Please don’t put an aquarium in the bedroom. Credit: Shutterstock

41. Putting An Aquarium in the Bedroom or Kitchen

If you are a fan of that TV show called Tanked, you may be tempted to purchase a large aquarium and fill it with exotic fish. If you do this, just make sure you are putting it in the right room. The bedroom, dining room, and kitchen all need the “fire” element in Feng Shui. So if you have an aquarium sitting there, it presents so much water to the room, that you can no longer achieve that balance you are looking for. In order to find out where to place your fish tank, you need to use your Bagua to search for the area of the home with the best water element, which is sometimes the south-east corner. The best fish to buy in order to bring on luck with money are dragon fish, goldfish, and koi.

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Too many trinkets can be tacky. Credit: Shutterstock

40. Decorating With Feng Shui Trinkets You Don’t Actually Like

There are a lot of Feng Shui trinkets that you can buy in China Town to help the energy in your home. Remember that a few trinkets are not a cure-all for the energy of your house. And if there is something you just don’t like the look of, don’t feel obligated to have it in your house. For example, maybe you think a golden money frog looks tacky. (You wouldn’t be alone in that sentiment!) This is still your home, and anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or upset to look at should not be apart of the equation. It should be possible to accomplish Feng Shui without buying any of the cheap little luck charms from a store.

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A bagua is not a toy! Credit: Shutterstock

39. Using The Bagua Mirror As Decor

Some people make the mistake of finding a Bagua mirror in a store, and they decide to hang it on their wall like you would with a regular mirror. This is a huge mistake, because these mirrors are meant to deflect negative energy away from your home. A Bagua mirror are both convex and concave, so there are two different types for two different purposes. When it is hung in a window, it is meant to deflect negative energy away from your living space. To learn more, check out this guide to Bagua mirrors.

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Too many mirrors are a very bad thing. Credit: Shutterstock

38. Hanging Too Many Mirrors

Mirrors are very important in Feng Shui. They reflect energy, whether it be positive or negative. However, if you have too many mirrors hanging in the same room, this may mean that the energy is bouncing all over the place! As you can see in the photo above, it looks strange from an interior design standpoint, too. You don’t want your home to feel like you walked into a funhouse, do you? If at all possible, move one of your mirrors to a different room of the house. From a practical standpoint, this is probably more useful, too.

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Green is great, but it doesn’t have to take over your house. Credit: Shutterstock

37. An All-Green and Nature-Filled Color Scheme

Similar to using too much white in a living space, you can also go overboard with using too much green. Yes, bringing in nature is a huge part of achieving the “earth” element in Feng Shui. However, it is possible to over-do it. Remember that this journey is all about balance, and going overboard is not helping anyone. Take some time to evaluate the colors of your home, along with the sectors of the house that are supposed to have a representation of each element.

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It’s not a good idea to put a TV in your bedroom. Credit: Shutterstock

36. A TV In Your Bedroom

A lot of people love to watch a movie in bed at the end of the night. However, according to the rules of Feng Shui, this should never happen. Television invites in all kinds of emotion to your bedroom through films, and it is also an electronic device, which is supposed to be off-limits in the bedroom. Remember that this is the place where you go to sleep, and have intimate moments with your partner. If you want perfect Feng Shui, try to eliminate anything that may disturb that peace in any way, including the TV.

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A home like this looks almost too perfect. Credit: Shutterstock

35. Forgetting That Your Home Actually Needs to be Lived In

Sometimes, when people want their home to have perfect Feng Shui, they go so overboard, that it looks like you walked into an art exhibit or a museum. Remember that this is still a house you have to live in. There are going to be a few imperfections here and there, and that’s okay. As long as you are making an effort to improve the overall energy of your living space, that is all that matters. Comfort is one of the most important elements of Feng Shui. So when a space is too perfect, it can make people feel like it’s impossible to relax.

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Why would you want low vibe artwork in your house? Credit: Shutterstock

34. Low Vibe Artwork

Feng Shui is all about bringing positive vibes to the home. So if you have any artwork that makes you feel sad or depressed, that is the exact opposite of what you should be looking for. You should find artwork that makes you feel happy and inspired every time you see it. Same with paintings that feel “just okay”. So many people go to Target, Walmart, or Ikea and pick up a generic art piece or poster to hang on the wall. Try to put some more thought into what kind of art you want, and go from there.

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There is no need to keep broken items around the house. Credit: Shutterstock

33. Keeping Broken Things

Broken objects are sad. Just like having sad art around the house, it is just giving you negative vibes. No one needs that. On the other hand, if you want to fix bowls with the Japanese art of Kintsugi, go for it, because it represents finding beauty in imperfection. If you are trying to save money by fixing broken things, that is great. You should always try to repair something if you can. But keeping around useless objects leads to clutter and even hoarding, and is not doing any good for you or your loved ones.

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A sloped ceiling can give you bad vibes. Credit: Shutterstock

32. Placing Your Bed Under a Sloped Ceiling or Beams

You should never put a bed under a sloped ceiling, because it apparently causes energy to slide down and build up pressure on top of you. If you want to get a good night sleep, it is always a good idea to make sure pressure and negative energy can be released around you. Beams also create a heavy energy that will weigh down on top of you as well. Sometimes, people try to transform an attic into a bedroom. According to Feng Shui, you should never do this, because of that slope. If at all possible, try to level out the ceiling with drywall to make sure it is straight.

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In this image, we see a lot of trinkets designed to manifest wealth. Credit: Shutterstock

31. Decorating With Only One “Gua” or Intention

There are some people out there who learn about Feng Shui, and they immediately set out to achieve a certain goal. For example, maybe you are feeling fine with your relationship, but you want to make more money. So you put all of your intention and focus on getting more money. This is never a good strategy, because Feng Shui is all about finding a balance between Yin and Yang. If you are putting all of your energy into one thing, it will disturb the balance of Qi, and it may actually make a problem worse than before. Try to incorporate all of the elements, and try to balance all things in life, even if they don’t need help right now.

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Don’t try to force change to happen immediately. Credit: Shutterstock

30. Trying To Force Your Goals and Intentions Too Quickly

The whole point in doing Feng Shui is to improve the energy in your home, and it should result in positive changes in your life. There are a variety of ways to help with your relationships, career, and financial status. However, if you try too hard to force you goals to happen immediately, it can lead into trouble. When you cling onto the outcome of something too tightly, it can actually prevent you from achieving your goal. You may feel tempted to give up and go back to rearranging your house the way it was before. Sometimes, change needs to happen gradually.

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Don’t put a bed under a window, if you can help it. Credit: Shutterstock

29. Placing Your Bed Under a Window

Doors and windows are considered to be areas where energy flows in and out of the home. So if you are sleeping underneath a window, it apparently releases too much of your positive Qi out into the world. Logistically speaking, it is also not a good idea to sleep under a window for a lot of reasons. Dust and mold tend to grow on window sills, which you may be breathing in at night. If you have the window open, this will also potentially cause a draft that will make you catch a cold. If your bedroom is designed in such a way where putting your bed under a window is the only option, you need to create a barrier. A tall headboard or curtains can help to block losing your Qi.

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A bed facing a mirror is a bad idea. Credit: Shutterstock

28. Bed Facing a Mirror

Apparently, having a mirror facing your bed can deplete your energy. Laying in bed is a time when you are supposed to relax. But since mirrors reflect energy around the room, you could unwittingly have this activity disrupting your sleep. Aside from Feng Shui, it is not a very good design choice, either. Logistically speaking, having a mirror near your bed will be distracting. You can’t help but look at yourself. And if you are in bed with a partner, apparently, it can create negative energy that encourages cheating.

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Beds near a door to the outside world is bad for Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

27. Bed is Too Close to a Door

Feng Shui masters say that if your bed is perfectly aligned with a door, then it resembles a coffin, and will ultimately lead to an early death. (Yikes!) The idea is that energy is flowing in and out of the room from the door. So if it it too close to where you sleep, it can have negative consequences. This makes the placement of the bed incredibly tricky, and it can take some serious maneuvering to get it put in the right position. It is possible to block the energy flow from a doorway if you have the headboard facing it, or if you have furniture in-between. A heavy curtain, like the one pictured above, can also work very well for blocking Qi from escaping out of the bedroom.

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A beautiful jade plant. Credit: Shutterstock

26. Allowing Your Jade Plant To Grow Too Tall

According to the beliefs of Feng Shui, jade plants are supposed to give you good luck with money. They are also really adorable, and will bring a lot of life to your living space. However, if you allow it to grow above one meter, its powers diminish. So if you choose to have one of these little guys in your home, make sure you have a good pair of scissors or hedge trimmers, and keep the plant at a small and manageable size.

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Too many appliances on the kitchen counter looks bad. Credit: Shutterstock

25. Leaving Your Appliances Out on the Kitchen Counter

In the kitchen, many people leave their appliances out on the counter, because it is so much easier to access everything they need at any given time. However, in the beliefs of Feng Shui, you should be putting your appliances away in the cabinet once you are done using them. This is because they believe that electricity causes too much negative energy, and you want to reduce that as much as possible. From a purely interior design standpoint, getting rid of your appliances helps to make your kitchen look clean, and it gives you the ability to have a very “designer” look.

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Keeping an office in your bedroom is not a good idea. Credit: Shutterstock

24. Having An Office Bedroom

A lot of people combine their office and bedroom into one space, especially when they have limited options in a small apartment. But whether you believe in Feng Shui or not, it is probably not a good idea to work in the same place you sleep. This is especially true if you have problems with insomnia. Getting work done in your bedroom can lead to sleeping problems, and an inability to relax. You are not likely to be as productive, because you will get distracted by other things in your living space. When you work from home, this can be incredibly difficult, especially if you live in a studio apartment. In Feng Shui, they believe this is a bad idea because it creates too much “yang” or active energy. If your mind is reeling from your work day, how can you calm down and relax? There should not be any electronics in the bedroom, and you need to leave any negative energy from your work life and go into a peaceful, zen sleeping space.

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You don’t need to buy Feng Shui trinkets to make energy flow. Credit: Shutterstock

23. Relying Too Much on Amulets and Trinkets

A lot of people believe that if they just buy a blessed pendant in China Town, that will be enough to improve the Feng Shui in their home. These charms may be lucky, if you believe in that, but it will not be a cure-all to fix your life. In reality, this small item is not going to make a big difference at all. It is sort of like taking Advil when you have a headache, but the underlying issue is actually a brain tumor. That tumor will never go away, unless you get surgery. You need to remedy the energy in your entire home if you truly want to fix the problem.

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There needs to be a lot of variation in colors and shapes. Credit: Shutterstock

22. Not Enough Variation in Shapes and Colors

In Feng Shui, they want to have a balance in the elements of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. These do not necessarily have to appear in your home in obvious representations, like a fountain for water or a fireplace for fire. It’s not necessary to take it literally. In fact, choosing a specific number, color, or shape will represent these elements in your own way. This gives you the creative freedom to figure out how you are going to make your design aesthetic work together with the energy flow at the same time.

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In Asian cultures, people take their shoes off at the door. Credit: Shutterstock

21. Walking Around Your House Wearing Shoes

In every Asian culture, it is a requirement to take off your shoes before entering the house. Obviously, this helps to prevent dirt from coming into the home, and makes it a lot easier to clean your floors. However, with Feng Shui, this actually helps with the vibes of your home, as well. Low level energy sinks down to the group, and it can get “stuck” to the bottom of our shoes. Taking off your shoes also signifies that you are done work for the day, and it’s okay to finally relax. However, make sure you don’t let your shoes clutter up the front door space, since your entryway should be clear. Purchase a small shelf or shoe rack near your front door.

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Never stuff your junk under the bed. Credit: Shutterstock

20. Storing Junk Under Your Bed

Clutter always gives off bad vibes, whether it’s out in the open or hidden away in the closet or under the bed. Sometimes, placing junk under the bed might be the only place to put it. But according to the beliefs of Feng Shui, they believe that you should have an empty space under the bed if you want to have pleasant dreams. They believe that dust contains bad vibes, too, the the more things you have underneath the bed, the more negative energy accumulates.

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A mirror facing a window is bad Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

19. Mirrors Facing a Window

Practitioners of Feng Shui believe that mirrors reflect the energy of whatever is on the other side. This means that a mirror facing a window is bringing in the energy of the outside world. The whole point of rearranging your furniture to improve the energy is to give your home a safe and happy space that can leave the world at the door. Yes, it can sometimes bring more light into the room. However, in a practical sense, it can also reflect the light in a negative way, as well. Consider rearranging where a mirror is hanging during your journey.

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A bagua is used to help navigate energy flow in a home. Credit: Shutterstock

18. Using The Wrong Bagua

Over the years, the traditional Chinese “Bagua” has been recreated so many times, it is often watered down and changed from its original state. Some people use the incorrect Bagua as a guide to help them remodel their home’s Feng Shui. If you are taking this seriously, try to do a little bit of research into why a correct Bagua matters, and try to find your materials before you go on your journey. Or, consider hiring a professional who is trained in Feng Shui.

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Be careful not to put water features in the wrong place. Credit: Shutterstock

17. Dangerous Water Placement

A lot of beginners in Feng Shui assume that they need to activate a water placement in the southeast corner of their house in order to receive more money into their life. According to Safrina Kadri from Feng Shui and Prosper, there is more than one way to activate water in your home. It is also not always necessarily the south-east corner. “This is one of the most dangerous things you can do.” By placing the wrong elements in the wrong corners of the house, it can actually make things worse. You could be unwittingly setting yourself up to lose money, rather than receive more. So always do your research beforehand, and don’t go overboard with the fountains!

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There is a lot to learn about how energy flows in your home. Credit: Shutterstock

16. Never Taking the Period and Facing of Your Home Into Account

According to Safrina Kadri from Feng Shui and Prosper, if you want to get real Feng Shui in your home, you need to be using a real Bagua, and take the entire home into account. Generic advice does not always work. Time is a very important factor in determining the functions of the home. What year the house was built, when you moved in, and the layout of the home all play a factor in how energy flows throughout the living space. So, before you listen to generic advice, be sure to look into how identifying these attributes will make a difference in your Feng Shui.

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Feng Shui Masters study their craft for years before they give advice. Credit: Shutterstock

15. Trying to Do Feng Shui For Friends Without The Proper Training

It is one thing to try to do Feng Shui in your own home, and another to offer your services to a friend or family member. If you truly believe in the power of vibes and the art of Feng Shui, then you should take it seriously. Giving the wrong advice could potentially have negative consequences, and result in bad energy. People who have become certified in Feng Shui train under a grand master, and spend a very long time studying the practice. This is not something that can be accomplished after just reading a few articles. A trained professional is going to notice issues in your home that you may have never realized before.

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A healthy lifestyle contributes to your overall well being. Credit: Shutterstock

14. Never Changing Your Lifestyle Beyond Feng Shui

Some people believe that by doing Feng Shui, it will fix everything else in their life like magic. After all, the practice is supposed to help with your health, relationships, and career. But this is only part of the work that needs to be done. It is sort of like praying to God or meditating to manifest your desires. You may have faith, but if you stay in your pajamas all day eating ice cream, you will never find a new boyfriend or girlfriend. And if you don’t send out your resume, you will never get a new job. Remember that Feng Shui is just the beginning of a journey to improving your life, not the end solution.

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Mirrors in a kitchen don’t work very well. Credit: Shutterstock

13. Hanging a Mirror in the Kitchen (Unless It’s Meant to Balance Qi)

Putting a mirror in the kitchen at all is considered to reflect bad energy, if it doesn’t have any purpose behind it. Some people have mirror backsplash in their kitchen, but that would be considered very bad Feng Shui. In terms of interior design, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to put a mirror in the kitchen, either. Do you really need to see yourself while you are cooking? Probably not. With that being said, some people use a mirror in the kitchen if the sink and oven directly face one another. This is because the representations of fire and water conflict with one another. Instead of a mirror, we recommend getting a plant near your sink instead. This adds the earth element to the room, and it will help to end the conflict in energy, plus it looks far more stylish.

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Never put a mirror across from a toilet. Credit: Shutterstock

12. A Mirror Facing the Toilet

As silly as this sounds, there are some people that put a mirror facing the toilet. Rule of thumb: No one wants to look at themselves while they do their business! In terms of energy flow, the purpose of using a toilet is to expel waste from your body. And a mirror reflects whatever it is facing. So why would you want to reflect the waste? Remember that you are going to the bathroom to get your “business” done. If you need a mirror, it is best to hang it above your sink.

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Leaving electronics exposed is not good Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

11. Leaving Out Your Electronics in the Living Room

In the living room, most people have their video game systems, cellphones, speakers, DVD players, and basically everything else you need for entertainment. Feng Shui discourages you from having too many electronics in your living space. They would recommend having a piece of furniture where it is possible to hide your electronics when you are done using them. Also, allowing your entire family to be on their phones during a movie or dinner time is a huge “no”. This time is supposed to be spent relaxing and paying attention to one another. When it comes to Interior Design, most designers will also suggest a way to hide or stylishly display electronics in a living room, rather than leaving everything laying out in the open.

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Having a stairway in front of a door is bad Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

10. Letting the Qi Escape Up the Stairs

Practitioners of Feng Shui believe that Qi, or positive energy, comes in through your front door. But if you have a staircase facing your door, the energy wants to go straight up. Many people find a staircase near the front door to be a more beautiful presentation to welcome your guests. However, it’s true that this layout allows the cold draft to come through the door and quickly spread throughout the house in the winter time. Obviously, the layout of a home isn’t something we can fix easily or cheaply. A solution to the problem is to block the flow of Qi (and the draft) so that it meanders throughout the home gradually, rather than rushing inside and up the stairs. Putting plants or furniture near the front door will help to stop and redirect the energy flow throughout the house. Hanging a crystal chandelier above the door or stairway will also help to redirect the energy throughout your home.

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This kitchen looks luxurious, but the sink and oven face one another. Credit: Shutterstock

9. Having a Sink and Stove Facing Each Other

Having a sink or refrigerator and stove directly facing each other is a mistake for a few reasons. In a practical sense, it isn’t a good layout, because if one person wants to do the dishes, open the fridge, or prepare something in the sink, they’re taking up space directly behind the person cooking at the stove or oven. This may cause an accident where someone gets burned, or drops food. The sink represents water, which is supposed to govern the northern sector of the house. An oven represents fire, which should be on the southernmost wall of the kitchen. So if you have fire and water facing one another, it creates a conflict of energy. Placing a plant near the sink is a good solution to this problem. Lush, green nature helps to ease the energies of both fire and water.

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There needs to be a balance between Yin and Yang. Credit: Shutterstock

8. Placing Too Much “Yang” Energy in the Bedroom

Feng Shui is all about helping you find a balance between “yin and yang”. Yin is restful energy, while yang is active. Obviously, you want yin in the bedroom, because you want to be able to calm down and go to sleep. A lot of people make the mistake of filling their bedrooms with too much yang energy. Earlier on this list, we mentioned how a TV should never be in the bedroom. This is because it is too active. And when it’s off, it is like a black mirror, which still reflects energy that’s bouncing off of it. Computers, gaming consoles, phones, and other forms of technology are the same. It’s said that you shouldn’t even have a mirror in the bedroom, because it reflects too much active energy.

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Mirrors on your closet doors will zap your energy. Credit: Shutterstock

7. Mirrored Closet Doors

A lot of people love to install mirror closet doors, because it gives them a place to check their outfit before they go to work, or even take selfies of their new outfit. But this is incredibly bad for Feng Shui. Mirrors reflect energy around a space. So if the mirror is facing your bed, it’s bouncing energy on you when you’re trying to sleep. Obviously, this isn’t great if you’re trying to relax. There are few things you can do to remedy this issue. You could choose to completely remove your closet doors. But if you’re renting, you can’t exactly get rid of the doors. You can cover your doors with a curtain that goes over top of the mirrors. Decals can also be used to cover your mirror doors. This also adds a very cool look to a room, and there are a lot of examples out there on Pinterest that are incredibly stylish.

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If you live close to a road, take precautions to protect your home’s energy. Credit: Shutterstock

6. Aligning an Exterior Door With a Road

In Feng Shui, negative energy travels along the road. So if your front door just so happens to align with oncoming traffic, you’re getting what’s called a “poison arrow” heading right through your house. On a more practical level, having your door align perfectly with the road also means that you’re probably experiencing a lot of traffic noise. The solution to this problem is to set up some sort of barrier between your house and the road. This can come in the form of a small white picket fence, planters, or shrubs. Psychologically, it also gives you a barrier of where your property ends, and where the rest of the world begins. I grew up on a busy road, too. But my mom always had flowers, shrubs, and little gardens in front of the house to create this sort of barrier. So I feel safe walking in our front yard, even if there isn’t a lot of space between the house and street. If you have the same issue, try planting a nice barrier garden in the spring.

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You can see the back door from this front door.Credit: Shutterstock

5. Doors Face Each Other Directly

Here is yet another mistake that is out of your control if you already own a house. If your front door opens and is directly facing the back door, the energy is going to shoot directly out the back door. This means that you’re not going to be getting any positive Qi flowing in your home at all. When this happens, money and good opportunities will fly away. Without positive energy flow, some people also believe that it can lead to illness and issues in your relationship. On a more practical side, having these doors facing one another feels very exposed. It’s hard to feel cozy when you know that there are doorways surrounding you from either side. The only way to fix this is by placing something in the way so that Qi has to maneuver throughout the home. This can be done with furniture and plants.

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Knives left out in the open is bad Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

4. Keeping Knives on the Counter

A lot of people like to keep their cooking knives out on display either in a butcher block, utensil holder, or even a magnetic strip on their wall. However, this is a huge mistake in Feng Shui. The practice is all about symbolism. By keeping knives around, it’s like you’re anticipating danger. And by constantly seeing and thinking about dangerous things subconsciously, you end up manifesting those things in your life. When you think about it, why would you want to display something that is so dangerous? If at all possible, put your knives away in a drawer, instead of putting them on the counter top. Even if you’re not convinced that Qi in Feng Shui is real, putting your knives away looks more aesthetically pleasing. And if you have kids, it’s obviously safer to keep the knives somewhere that isn’t so easy to access.

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Organizing cords keeps them out of the way. Credit: Shutterstock

3. Leaving Cords Exposed

It’s no secret that cords are a huge pain. They always look messy, and get in the way. Any interior designer will tell you that you need to figure out a solution to organize or hide your cords. This is very bad for Feng Shui, because all of the energy flowing through the cords is creating competing energy in your space. It’s especially bad if you have cords exposed in your bedroom, since this is supposed to be a space where you’re technology-free. I know from personal experience that the cords on my desk drive me insane. And the more my mouse gets tangled with my keyboard, phone charger, or other devices, the more difficult it is for me to focus on work. Your desk should be organized and have things put away so that you can focus on your task at hand.

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Bathroom doors should be kept shut if you want good Feng Shui. Credit: Shutterstock

2. Making the Bathroom Too Open

Bathrooms are considered to be the lowest Feng Shui room in the entire house. Since this is the space where you deposit waste and clean yourself in the shower, it’s really the place where you purge everything dirty and toxic from your body. Because of this, it’s really difficult for positive energy to flow in the bathroom. Sure, some people like to light scented candles and take a bath. But in terms of Feng Shui, bathrooms are kind of a loss cause. Most Feng Shui masters recommend that you close your toilet after every use…And no- putting the toilet seat down doesn’t count. Closing it completely will block any negative energy (and smell) from coming out of the toilet. They also recommend closing the bathroom door completely so that negative energy can’t escape.

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There is no such thing as a perfectly Feng Shui house. Credit: Shutterstock

1. Trying to Make a Perfect Feng Shui House

Last but not least, it is a big mistake to think that it’s possible to make a perfect Feng Shui house. Unless you build a house from the ground up, you are never going to account for all of the different rules. This is especially true if you live in the western world where architects don’t even think about the laws of Feng Shui. Remember that it will never be perfect, and you just need to do the best you possibly can. By even attempting to implement the rules of Feng Shui into your life, you’ll start to feel so much better in your space. When you combine both the practical and spiritual implications of Feng Shui, hopefully this article has made you feel more at home in your space.

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