Spring cleaning for Good Energy

Spring cleaning is a great way to embrace the new season, clear out the old and welcome in some good Feng Shui energy. Here are some tips on how to get organized:

Kick off your spring cleaning by getting organized:

Feng Shui Kitchen

Feng Shui Kitchen

  • Pick up and eliminate clutter in each room before you start cleaning.
  • Try placing a cardboard box and two or three garbage bags in each room you’re decluttering.
  • Then, fill them as you sort through your shelves, cabinets, and closets

Donate & Store

  • Donate old books, magazines, toys, and clothes that you don’t wear to charity, or fill a box for your next garage sale.
  • Donate items that can still be used. If it’s broken, torn or well worn, throw it away.
  • If you can’t bear to give away old magazines and books, box them up and store them out of the way

Clear Out Your Kitchen

  • Take time to clear out your pantry, kitchen cabinets, and drawers.
  • Wipe out and install fresh shelf paper.
  • Store or donate equipment you don’t use, such as small appliances or cookware.
  • Discard stale spices or dated items such as baking powder.
  • Clean the refrigerator and freezer.
  • Vacuum the cooling coils under or behind your refrigerator.

Make a Wardrobe Transition

  • Now that it’s warm outside, have your winter clothes cleaned. Don’t store dirty clothes.
  • Consider storing clothes at a dry cleaner if you don’t have enough space.
  • Put away gloves, winter clothing items, and boots to make room for spring/summer clothing.

Freshen Bedrooms

  • Add bright or soft spring colors and remove fall, winter, or holiday colors.
  • Rotate and flip mattresses.
  • Wash blankets or comforters or take them to be cleaned.
  • Wash mattress pad and bed skirt.
  • Have pillows professionally cleaned or hang them outside in the fresh air, or freshen with the air (no heat) cycle of your clothes dryer.
  • Wash or dry clean rugs.

Clean out Bathrooms

  • Refresh or replace old products.
  • Go through your medicine cabinets and safely discard any outdated products.
  • Replace worn bath mats, shower curtains, and liners, or wash and dry shower curtains and liners.

 

Doing these things (even some of these) will excite the energy in your home and create a positive energy flow. What does that mean? Your home will FEEL amazing! And so will you!

 

 

Xeriscape for shady areas

Shade falls on every property at some time, whether it is from your house or a large tree, or both.

Xeriscape roughly means landscaping with plants that require very little water. It’s not a look or a landscaping style, but a principle. Xeriscaping your yard does not mean that it has to look like you live in Las Vegas, with mostly rocks and cactus. The sunny areas in your yard can look lush, colorful and still be water wise. But what about the shady areas?

Check your soil. Unless your shady area has been thoroughly worked over many years, you will need to improve your soil. Add compost to clay or sandy soil.

Choose your plants.  Shade can be difficult.

  • Sweet Woodruff (can be invasive)
  • Coral Bells – many varieties
  • Bellflower
  • Creeping Grape Holly
  • Bugle Ajuga
Bugle Ajuga

Bugle Ajuga

Coral Bells

Coral Bells

Sweet Woodruff

Sweet Woodruff

If your shady area is underneath a deciduous tree, there is some early spring sun. Plant some early spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips.

There are many options to improve a shady location in your yard. So, add some of these elements to your shade garden, then embrace and enjoy the cool shade!

Landscaping ranks top out of and home improvements

Most people landscape their homes for their own enjoyment. You probably want your home to have attractive front yard landscaping for both yourself and visitors. The backyard is the area gets used more, and so you want to design it for both beauty and function. Another reason for landscaping your home is for seasonal color and interest.
However, some are concerned as to the relationship between the amount of money they spend on landscaping and their home’s value. What if you want to sell your home? Will you actually recoup the money you have spent on landscaping your property?
In recent years, there have been quite a few studies done on just this subject.
Money Magazine determined that landscaping offers an excellent return on investment. Actually it ranks top out of any home improvements. In addition, there was a study done by the American Society of Landscape Architects in conjunction with Money Magazine. A recovery value of 100% to 200% of landscaping costs can be gained when you sell you home.
Clemson University stated that homes with excellent landscaping will sell for 6 to 7% more than comparable homes with just good landscaping. Research by Michigan State University found something similar, but gives good landscaping even more value. They state that the perceived value of a home which is landscaped nicely is improved by 12%.
The Society of Real Estate Appraisers also feels a landscaped home adds value, 99% agreeing that it actually causes these homes to sell more quickly.
And what about trees? A study done by the U.S. Forest Service found that just trees alone can add 3 to 7% to the value of a home.
If you put all of this information together, it is easy to see that adding nice landscaping can definitely provide a positive financial impact on your home’s value.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Schlenger

Blue Iris Designs’ new website!

I have a new website for Blue iris Designs and, like a grand tree, I have grown my work to great things. My work has grown to encompass more than just landscapes. It has evolved to encompass all of the important elements of any sapce; energy. It flows from outside, to indoors, and through every molecule of your body.

So, follow my latest works (including the website) and see how Blue Iris has stepped gracefully into it’s next evolution of design and space.

Namaste’

Copyright © Dandelion by Pexeto