Feng Shui Dorm Room Tips

Tips for how to energize your home away from home

by Stephanie Dempsey

Moving into a new dorm room or redecorating your old digs? Try using the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui to improve the flow of energy (chi) in your campus home. Since chi affects how we feel both emotionally and physically, simple improvements could help make this your best year ever.

If you have a private dorm room, you have the freedom to incorporate as many of the following Feng Shui tips as you like. If you are sharing a space, you will have to create a plan with your roommate. All of these Feng Shui tips can easily be adapted for shared spaces and residence hall limitations.

Get a good night's rest

The correct placement of your bed is essential for restful sleep. Unfortunately, many dorm rooms are too small to rearrange the furniture ... and in some, the furniture is nailed to the wall! If you find yourself in one of these seemingly unworkable cells, don't despair. You can still improve your place of rest and sleep. Just try out the following Feng Shui tips:

• Do not place the bed so that its foot directly faces the door (the Chinese call this the death position). If your bed can't be moved, place a folding rice-paper screen at the foot of your bed.
• Do not place your computer near the head of your bed. If it has to be there, cover it at night and always turn it off before you go to sleep.
• Do not place your bed underneath or against a window, and try not to sleep with your head near a window. If these conditions are unavoidable, cover your window with heavy drapes and close them at night.
• Do not keep live plants near the head or foot of your bed because they can draw chi from you while you sleep.
• The color blue encourages calm. Use it for a wall hanging or your bed linens.

Direct Chi to your focus areas
The following tips will help direct chi to various parts of your life. Choose yours according to where you want to focus your energy this year, or where your life could use improvement. You probably won't be able to enhance every area in your room ... especially if you have a roommate ... but small changes can make a big difference, so do whatever feels good, and that will be enough.

One great way to Feng Shui any area is to include symbols that refocus your sub-conscious mind. Use the elements and colors listed below to choose objects and images with inspiring symbols that you can place around your room or hang on your walls. All of the directions are oriented from your doorway, as you face into your room.

• Career (the entrance to your room) -- keep this area clear to allow chi to enter.
• Knowledge (the corner to the left of the door) -- use wood, black, blues and greens. Try placing a live or artificial plant here.
• Prosperity (back left corner) -- decorate with wood, blues, reds or purples. Use a wood frame to hang an image that represents wealth or prosperity to you.
• Fame (center back wall) -- use fire symbols and colors. A red lamp or candle is great for this area.
• Relationships (back right corner) -- focus on fire elements, reds, pinks and whites. A red plush pillow will enhance your love life.
• Creativity (middle right wall) -- use the colors metal, white and pastels. Try a metal desk, chair or lamp.
• Helpful People and Travel (front right-hand corner) -- decorate with fire and metal, whites, grays and blacks. Hang metal wind chimes to trap negative chi when it comes in the door.

More dorm tips

• Use paper or fabric to change the color of your door. Red promotes power and luck, while green enhances health.
• Fluorescent lights can diminish chi. Choose area lighting, which is less harsh.
• Use mirrors to expand the room.
• Energize your computer or desk area with yellow.

Your mother was right

Now that you're finally out of your parents' house, you can be as big a slob as you like ... right? Wrong! Clutter prevents the flow of chi and can raise your stress levels, making it difficult to get a good night's rest and concentrate on your studies.

Make your bed in the morning, pick up your clothes and file or stack your papers and books neatly. Sorry to sound like your mother ... but de-cluttering and orderliness are the most important steps you can take to create good Feng Shui in any space.