Putting My Life Back Together After Moving

By Jessica Hoelzel

Moving is quite the thing. First you take your life apart and then you put it in a box. After that you empty the box and try to make it all make sense. That’s what I’m going through right now.

One of the main principles of feng shui is that your space reflects your life. Whatever is going on in your space is going to go on in your life. Right now I am feeling a bit discombobulated. It’s been a week since we moved, and although I have been spending loads of time trying to put the pieces of my life back together, there is still much to be done.

What’s happening for me is that I, personally, feel unsettled because of all the things unsettled around the house and it’s very unnerving. I like things to have order and I like them to flow. It’s good feng shui. Right now it feels like things are going in every which direction and although progress is being made in certain areas I feel too wonky. Yes, wonky and discombobulated. Can you imagine?

If I were to give myself a feng shui consultation, I would ask, “What are your top priorities? What 9 things do you see as pieces of the puzzle, which when put together would make you feel more at ease?” Then I would ask what a realistic timeline would be. And I’m going to give myself to the end of the week – Sunday.

Here’s my list:

Get rid of cardboard so there’s more space in the garage.


Reorganize the garage so the storage is together and recreation stuff is together.


Unpack kids’ art stuff and store in plastic dresser in entry closet.


Hang things that I know the perfect spot for.


Hang picture and cloches in bedroom.


Unpack photo albums, decide where to store.


Store pillows and blankets in bedroom.


Go through tote bag in bedroom and store/get rid of stuff.


Put deco items out in bedroom.

Feng Shui for Traveling

50th Blog Post!

Congratulations to ME. I have written 50 blog posts about day to day ways to enhance your wealth, health and happiness through Feng Shui. I hope you’ve enjoyed them so far...and there are only more good things to come. Keep the comments coming; I love to hear from you, and write about what you want to read. Cheers!






By Jessica Hoelzel

Feng Shui While You’re Away: Tip #5

Bring in the big guns. If you’ve tried all the tips I’ve discussed in my earlier posts, and the space you’re staying while traveling still feels off, creepy, icky, or just plain bad, you may need to do a Space Clearing. If you are sensitive person, I recommend you have one of these two things on hand when you travel: 1) a bundle of sage 2) a bottle of Palo Santo essential oil and Travel Fan Diffuser.

Burning sage and “smudging” the space with smoke is a traditional Native American way to clear negative energy, which can easily be adapted for your feng shui Space Clearing purposes. What you want to do is light a smudge stick (bundle of sage) and very intentionally walk around the space. Let the smoke go up and around and do its thing, concentrating on corners. Ask that all negative energy be cleared. Then come back to the middle of the space and take a moment to smudge the center. There, set your intention for what energy you do want to fill the space. (Be very careful not to set off the smoke detector; a small smudge stick will help keep the amount of smoke more manageable.)

If burning sage is not an option, you can also clear the space with essential oils. I sell Young Living Essential Oils, one reason being that they’re therapeutic grade, very high quality. For Space Clearing, I would recommend diffusing some Palo Santo in a Travel Fan Diffuser. Both are small things you can carry with you, which make a big difference. For a limited time, Young Living is offering a FREE bottle of Purification essential oil blend with purchase of a Travel Fan Diffuser, which would also make an excellent travel mate. It can freshen up the air in your space with a crisp scent, and even kill airborne bacteria.

Have questions about essential oils, or using them to enhance your feng shui? Want to buy something? Email me

Happy Travels!

Feng Shui for Traveling

By Jessica Hoelzel

Feng Shui While You’re Away: Tip #4

So far my tips have included things you should BRING on your trip. But what if you have very limited space? Well, you can still travel light, but have these 5 strategies on hand to improve the feng shui of your temporary space:

1) Open the shades. Seriously, there isn’t such good feng shui in a dark cave. Light can “illuminate”, “enlighten” and purify a space. Open them wide, and let light into the darkest corners.

2) Take note of the view. Take a good look out the window to get your bearings. Note where you are in relation to where you entered the building, and what surrounds you. This will help you get a sense of place.

3) Eliminate the clutter. Hotels like to set lots of things out – cards, binders, brochures. Gather them up and put them into a dresser or nightstand drawer so you can view clear space, and not be bombarded with advertisements or miscellaneous communications.

4) Move furniture. Provided it’s not nailed down or attached to the wall, you can take a little liberty to adjust things that are blocking the flow or placed at strange angles.

5) Cover the TV and/or mirror. Both are usually placed directly at the end of the bed, which can cause a lot of people to lose sleep. Cover them with a blanket or a scarf it they feel intrusive.

Happy Travels!

Feng Shui for Traveling

By Jessica Hoelzel

Feng Shui While You’re Away: Tip #3

Bring your blanky. Yes, it’s ok to admit that you have an adult version of a security blanket. Lots of us do! Whether it’s warm, soft fleece or luxurious cashmere, and provided you have the space for it, take it along as a comfort item. It will serve you well on the car ride. Or cozy up with it while reading or watching TV at the hotel. You’ll feel right at home.

For extra relaxation and aromatherapy, spritz lavender-water on your blanket. Just fill a spray bottle with filtered water and add 10 drops of lavender oil. I use Young Living’s.

Having your own blanket also serves you well if you feel the hotel blankets or bedspread might be a bit sketchy. Cover up with it, or spread it over the top of the bed as you lounge around.

If you don’t have a lot of space to pack a blanky, bring a shawl or travel-size one. You’d be able to use both of these on a plane ride too. Check out this travel blanket from Magellan’s. It even has a pouch so you can stow it away in your carry-on after the flight.

Happy Travels!

Feng Shui for Traveling

By Jessica Hoelzel

Feng Shui While You’re Away: Tip #2

Bring candles. There’s no better way to bring warmth, ambiance and romance into a space than with candles. Lots of nice ones are available in travel sizes. Check out these in small tins from Teavana. Or this Organic Fair Trade one from Amazon.

Just as with choosing mood music, which I wrote about in my earlier post, choose candles based on the mood (or energy) you want to cultivate in your “home away from home”. Scents like lavender, chamomile and cedarwood invoke relaxation. Grapefruit, orange and mint can be uplifting.

Whatever you choose, the cozy glow they offer will make you feel more at ease in the space. And as their scents fill the room with a pleasant aroma, they’ll alleviate any stale air or lingering unpleasantness.

Happy Travels!

Feng Shui for Traveling

By Jessica Hoelzel

I just got back from beautiful Colorado. We had lots of sun and fun in nature. Now it’s back to blogging…

I thought I’d share some helpful tips for anyone else who’s jetting off or hitting the road. Being in a new place can throw you off balance, especially if where you stay doesn’t have the best feng shui. Sometimes hotel rooms can seem stale, dark or just don’t “feel” right. I’ll begin my series of “feng shui while you’re away” quick fixes with this tip:

Feng Shui While You’re Away: Tip #1

Bring music. Whether you can plug in your iPod to the hotel’s clock radio or carry in your old-school boom box, having “just the right” tunes can shift the energy of the space. Choose based on whatever mood you’re looking to create – upbeat music while you get ready for some fun, or soothing classical to help you wind down. If you’re in the middle of a concrete jungle, consider some music with nature sounds like babbling brooks or chirping birds.

Happy Travels!

Traveling Clutter – Time to Clean out the Car

By Jessica Hoelzel

We are on the go – dashing to and from work, the store, the game, the dentist, the dry cleaners, wherever. And hauling a lot of stuff along with us: food, drinks, books, CDs, electronic devices, papers and gear. Our lifestyles breed traveling clutter.

We not only have to keep clutter in our homes in check, we have to keep up with the junk we’re carrying around well. Think of it this way – our cars, like our homes, are an extension of us. If they’re dirty and junky, what does that say about us?

What’s the state of your vehicle? When the weather is nice, like it is (finally) here in MN, it is the time to clean out that junk collector. Park it in the driveway. Pull anything important out first, such as electronics/paperwork/calendars. Put them in a safe place. Next take out the car essentials: umbrella, snow scraper, tissues, and car seats. Set these aside. Now, clean out all the garbage and “other” things that have accumulated. Dig under those seats for buried treasure. Give the ride a good vacuum and wipe down. I love using Thieves Household Cleaner. You can make a spray bottle with an itty bitty cap-full and it smells fresh and spicy, like cinnamon and cloves. It gives my interior a good shine too.

After it’s been cleared out, only put back what you need to keep handy. Finally, kiss the dash, apologize for the state you let it succumb to, and vow to take care. Our cars will last long and run well if we love and care for them. Plus, won’t all the time you spend in your car be more enjoyable?


Storage Solutions
If you have kids, or need to keep a lot of useful things in your car, purchase some traveling storage units. These are available at some car washes, department and organizing stores. There are units available that hang over the back of a seat, or fit over the center console. Ones I like:

Trunk and Auto Document Organizers to keep stuff in it's place

Put trash in it's place with the Trash Stash Car Litter Bag
 
Over-the-Seat, In-the-Middle and other solutions from Organize Your Ride