Even though it’s months away, now is the time to be preparing for the New Year ahead. The holidays are full of good feng shui energy so it’s a good time to do some of these things early.  No matter what the Chinese animal is for the Year, these tips still apply for end-of-year prosperity and prep for 2024.

The New Year is symbolic of a fresh start and preparations take time so it’s best to start the little details now for big results later. These tips bring happiness, prosperity, longevity, and good health, but also make your job a little easier come January. It’s a great way to lessen your load so you don’t save too much work for late in the year when you deserve a moment of rest and relaxation.

The good news is you can mix these in with holiday preparations… two birds with one stone! It’s a great way to make the most of your time and energy since it’s great to refresh your home for family gatherings and celebrations that come with November and December. You can customize these steps to your own liking and in any order you prefer so make it fun! Create a visual 2024 checklist and feel a sense of accomplishment when you finish an important part of your feng shui prep. We use creative methods with kids for things like chores and bedtime routines, but the same goes for adults to inspire us to take action during busy seasons:

• Declutter your spaces: No space goes unnoticed and now is a great time to check if there are items in your garage, closet, office, attic or other space that could go to a new home. Consider what you no longer need or what no longer serves you and pass it along. This makes your space more intentional and ensures that you don’t have items taking up space and blocking energy from flowing freely. You can either donate the items, have a garage sale or re-gift to family and friends.
• Organize the items that stay: Evergreen items like sentimental momentos can be properly stored and organized so they are easy to access throughout the New Year. You can do this through labels, bins and shelves. You can organize by month, holiday, occasion or even color!
• Clean with purpose: In feng shui, cleaning goes beyond the usual sweeping and mopping which is important as well. Cleaning can also mean the energy that already exists in your home or office.
  • Smudging: Burn white sage like palo santo and waft the smoke throughout your home, paying special attention to corners and hidden spaces that can naturally be forgotten.
  • Saltwater cleansing: Saltwater has natural cleansing properties as well. You can mix sea salt with water to wipe down surfaces as this also clears a space’s energy. Salt lamps work well for this too. You can keep a salt lamp lit in rooms like the living room or bedroom where you really want to keep the energy flowing year round.
  • Sound therapy: Sounds make a big difference when revitalizing energy. The same way our bodies wake up by the sound of an alarm. Energy similarly wakes up through sound and vibrations. You can awaken energy through chimes, bells, singing bowls, clapping your hands or even instruments like drums and maracas. Take a trip to Half Price Books and you can also find some really natural, calming music that can be played in the background as well.
• Be intentional going into 2024: Think about where you are today and all that you accomplished this year and re-purpose new intentions for 2024. Find a spot where you can play your intentions for easy viewing and place objects related to those intentions around this space. For example, if your intentions are related to prosperity, place gold items to enhance prosperous energy. If your intentions are related to love, place items like rose quartz in this space. You can really tailor your needs here and customize to where you are in life and where you see yourself this New Year.
• Utilize the color red: Red is an auspicious fire element color in feng shui because it symbolizes abundance, power, energy, and represents a new beginning. Use the color red to attract joy, happiness and a good future. Find red accents to place throughout your space using decor, clothing and even accessories.
• Spice up your space with scent: You can also consider healing oils for the holiday season to relieve stress, more energy, and joy! Essential oils are a great way to tailor a space to your liking, the scent options are endless and allow you to make a room your own with scents of lavender, peppermint, frankincense, orange, cinnamon, and more. If you’re interested in purchasing oils for the holiday season and New Year, visit my link at https://referral.doterra.me/8052433.
• Bonus, take it one step further! 2024 marks the Year of the Dragon so you can incorporate the element of wood that is closely associated with this Chinese animal. In Chinese philosophy, the element of wood represents growth, progress, and the beginning stages of development.