At New Year’s time it’s natural to think about what’s transpired in the year just passed and prepare to welcome positive new energy to support your intentions in the months ahead.

As a Feng Shui consultant I help my clients set up a new energetic template every year at this time by doing a home space-clearing.  It’s a powerful way to mark the transition into the new year, clear out stale or negative energy and make space for new opportunities in your life next year.

Here are my guidelines for doing your own home space-clearing this year. 

First things first: find a few hours when you have quiet time to yourself, and start your space-clearing when the energy of the day is at its highest, between 11am and 1pm.

1. Even though it’s not strictly part of a space-clearing ritual, I always recommend sitting down to calmly think about your intentions and goals for next year.  What would you most like to focus on in 2012? Use Feng Shui’s Bagua Map as a guide to the nine key areas of life and identify your top intention for each sector.

2. To start your space-clearing, do a thorough decluttering throughout your home.   Clearing out physical clutter is the first step toward welcoming in fresh new energy.  Concentrate especially on three key places: the front entry, your kitchen and your bedroom.  These are the most important places in any home according to Feng Shui, where “Chi” energy has the greatest nourishing impact.

3. Your entryway: To attract all the good energy you possibly can, make your front entry beautiful and welcoming with a thorough cleaning, clearing and brightening.

4. Your kitchen:  Good health and abundance are on your list for next year, right?   Encourage good energy flow in the kitchen by clearing off countertops and leaving only the items you use every day.  Your stove burners are an important source of positive energy, so make sure they’re all in good working order and try to use them all on a regular basis.

5. Your bedroom: Feng Shui considers this the most important room in your life, so clearing it out to create your “ultimate sanctuary” is key to activating positive intentions for next year.

6. Now, make a circuit throughout your home, clapping your hands as you go to shake up and clear out invisible but powerful old, stale or negative energy.  After you’ve completed this step, open up as many windows and doors as you can to allow the old energy to depart!

7. Finally, make a second circuit with a loud, clear bell to clarify the atmosphere and create room for positive Chi.  As the bell’s tone fades away in each room, take a moment to visualize fresh, positive energy filling the space.   Empower yourself during the year ahead by recalling this moment, until it’s time for next year’s space-clearing ritual.

Now that you’ve completed your clearing for the new year, breathe in the positive atmosphere you’ve created.  Your year is off to a great start.  Enjoy it!

Ann Bingley Gallops is a Networx - https://www.networx.com - writer. Get home & garden ideas like this - https://www.networx.com/article/clearing-your-homes-energy-for-the-new - on Networx.