Guest Author - Diane Kern

Continuing our talk about storage and overload lets move on to the kitchen. One never seems to have enough space in a kitchen. It doesn’t matter how many cabinets you have you always want more. To me this means you have things you don’t really need or use taking up space. What about all of those storage containers. Do they all have lids that match? Are they stained beyond cleaning and when you pull them out of the cabinet you put them back for a prettier one? What about appliances that you don’t use? Clean out your cabinets, get rid of the clutter. Give away appliances you don’t use. Have a rummage sale.

Look up in the kitchen. Do you have a pot rack? Do you have a knife storage block on the wall? The pot rack hanging over your head creates pressure on your head when you are working. It also creates a disturbance in your visual field. You can create headaches for yourself. When your eyes don’t know where to focus you can have trouble concentrating and this can lead to kitchen accidents too. Knife blocks on the counter or wall are simply an accident waiting to happen especially if you have children. Please store your knives in a drawer. Clean out your spice rack. Make sure everything is fresh and tasty. Spices do grow old and lose their flavor. Everything we put in our bodies affects us as you know, even something as small as a dash of spice. Same goes for your frig. Make sure it is clean and get rid of those old condiments and bits and pieces.

In your office check your bookshelves. Are the organized or are they overflowing? Do you have piles of magazines and newspapers heaped up on the floor? Keep up to date on your reading. If it is still there months from now I can guarantee you will never look at them anyway. Pull your books up to the edge of the shelf. This lessens the effect of the shelf becoming a sha. If you are able, arrange the books according to size. This lessens their haphazard visual impact on your brain. Keep your desk top clear so you can concentrate on your work. Try to sit in one of your good directions. Check out my ming gua and trigram articles to help you find yours. Do not sit with your back to the door.

You might think that the garage is not an area to be concerned with but that is far from the truth. Many people never use their front door but enter the house only through the garage. It may only be on holidays that guests use the front door. So what we see as we enter the garage is important too. Keep your garage neat and clean. Have it organized with closed storage when possible. Get rid of broken sports equipment, useless flower pots etc. Make sure you have proper ventilation, no gas fumes, fertilizer fumes or smelly shoe fumes should enter the house.