***Feng Shui in the Garage

Although often treated as though it has little impact on a family’s life, in Feng Shui the garage can have an enormous influence. From money and relationships, to health and well-being, the garage may affect in positive or negative ways. Even if the garage is detached from the house, it can still be instrumental in making a person or family feel welcome or feel disconnected.

Feng Shui is based on the principle that your space reflects your life. Since the garage is typically the first place you see when you come home, its condition can significantly influence how you feel about your home in general and correspondingly about your life.

Here are 5 tips for enhancing the garage’s impact in a positive way:

1. Remove clutter. The original intention for a garage was for storing a car or two or three. Instead they often have become a dumping ground for things that don’t seem to fit in the house, items that have no other place to be, and junk that should be thrown out. If it is attached to the home, there’s a high probability the state of the garage can be having a negative influence on some part of your life. Make the garage clean-out an annual event to assure more harmony.

2. Have adequate and appropriate storage. Items and boxes can certainly be stored in the garage but they should be accessible so you can find what you want without going through piles of stuff. Label the boxes or write on the outside what the contents are so you can easily access what you need. Additionally, keep the boxes stacked and out of the way. Remember the garage is intended for the car so you want to make sure you not only have room for the car but so you can also open the doors to get out!

3. Don’t forget about the floor. Sweeping out the garage from time-to-time is important to maintain a positive Feng Shui flow. If it’s in poor condition, consider getting it repaired. Painting a garage floor makes it easier to maintain so you may be more likely to keep it swept up and clean. Don’t rule out the possibility of installing indoor-outdoor carpeting.

4. Be inspired in the garage. Since the garage is usually the first connection to your home, place something in there that will be an appropriate welcome. Paint the walls, hang a poster or a put up a mobile----any of these actions can lift your spirits when you arrive home. The garage isn’t typically considered a place that you might beautify and certainly you don’t want to hang family photos in that space, but don’t rule out some kind of fun, whimsical, attractive way to greet you when you arrive home.

5. Make sure it all works. Fix light bulbs that burn out. Make sure all doors going in and out of the garage open easily, even secondary ones that you may not use very often. Oil the tracks of the overhead door from time to time.

If you garage is detached, you can’t assume the condition it’s in will not affect you. As long as it’s on your property, the garage will be having some kind of impact. Even if you don’t use your garage or go in there at all, instead choosing to park your car(s) on the street, you can’t hide from what story it may be giving off----in this case, one of abandonment.

From a Feng Shui perspective, taking care of your garage is a statement about taking care of your space and therefore taking care of yourself. By making the garage the best that it can be, you may bring about some surprising changes that could enhance the quality of your life and make you the best that you can be.