Earth Element: Keep Clutter Under Control With Feng Shui

We just celebrated Taurus this month and in the same week,  compiled some easy cleaning lists for your home.  Coincidence?  I think not.   Feng Shui is the study of energy and focuses on five major elements: earth, metal, water, wood, and fire.  Clutter tends to accumulate when the earth element is out of balance.  Learn how the five elements work together (and against each other!) with a special focus this month on earth.

Earth Becomes Metal

Open Spaces Feng Shui has a nice diagram that shows you the relationships between the five elements.  Each element nourishes or controls another element in the energy spectrum.   Any earth element in your home has a strong connection to both metal and fire.  Iron is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth and our Earth’s core is most likely molten iron. Fire, as it turns to ash, nourishes and becomes earth.   Think about how you can combine these three elements in particular in various spaces in your home to create balance.

Earth Tones

Just like these elements nourish one another, they can also keep each other under control.  In Feng Shui, the earth element is controlled by the wood element.  Is Mother Nature starting to make some sense now?  Think about combining earth colors (yellows and warm neutrals) with wood elements for perfect harmony.

Create Galleries and Vignettes

Earth astrology signs (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo) can tend to keep clutter around them as a source of comfort.  If you have an abundance of a earth element at home (pottery, ceramics, etc.), use wood shelves or tables to keep it better organized.  Our article on open shelving is the perfect source of inspiration for such things!  Likewise, take a look at our ideas for creating gallery wall themes and turn your art hoard into a display piece.  Double points if you can incorporate plant life, too!

Terra Cotta

If you’re looking to bring more nourishment or stability into your life, using a little Feng Shui can help.  Adding an earth element, such as terra cotta pots, square-shaped items, or landscape art can help.  In fact, Pier One Imports has a few abstract landscape paintings that would add a peaceful, easy feeling to any room.  They are all on sale for as low as $22.98.  Worth checking out! These items are grounding and are especially welcome in the Love and Relationships, Health, and Wisdom centers of your home.  If you need a quick reference guide, check out our handy blueprint for your home (called the bagua).

Right at Home

As we mentioned earlier, the earth’s symbolic shape is the square.  Anything square or rectangular-shaped contributes to your feelings of nourishment.  It’s no wonder our favorite earth signs tend to be home bodies.  An earth element has a unique nurturing quality that makes you feel balanced and secure.  Have you ever felt replenished by a trip to the desert?  Now is the time to go – use our Airbnb link to save $40 on your next trip to destinations like Palm Springs or Joshua Tree. Be sure to read about our favorite places to eat and hang out in Scottsdale, Arizona, too.  Can’t get enough cacti in our lives!

Just Say No

Be aware that the physical state of your home can directly affect the physical state of your body.  The down side of earth is that too much of it can make you a bit of a pushover.  An over abundance of the earth element can also promote weight-gain and clutter.  Control earth with wood by incorporating plants (see our Feng Shui guide for best indoor plants), wood furniture, or items in blue or green.  This Dark Turquoise Ceramic Planter from World Market is a terrific combination of earth and wood.  We love the Bohemian feel of the wood stand and it’s a steal (on sale) for $19.99.  If you’ve got plant lady issues, incorporating a wood stand or two adds visual interest.  And wouldn’t you like that effect to translated to the physical state of your body as well?

Mellow Yellow

If you suffer from anxiety or are feeling scattered, add some extra doses of yellow to your home.  Yellow is the primary color of the earth element and is symbolic of health and wellness.  Warm, golden tones are especially grounding and uplifting as well.  Try and find spaces in your home that are either over-abundant in earth or that are lacking it.  Subdue the energy by moving a few things around and see how that feels for awhile.  Once you get the hang of how the five elements work together, you will be finding new ways to use them in your sacred spaces.  Stay tuned!