I just spent months and months cleaning up all my clutter. My “yes” box is small compared to my “no” box, and my “maybe” box is huge. I am now ready to downsize and move into my new tiny house. How will I feel and how will I feng shui in my small house? Will I feel squeezed and diminished? Will the smallness of my space be too yin? Will the narrow brevity inhibit the qi? Will the eight mansions of my bagua be strong enough to deal with the problems in my life? Will my sense of refuge and shelter provide a solid enough foundation to ascend to the Tao holon of self-realization? Tiny house feng shui is my new challenge, and my spatial concepts will have to be microscopic compared to my lifelong obsession with lots of space.
The tiny house is the most recent phenomenon in our housing culture. It’s the complete opposite of the trend toward mega-mansions in recent years. This modern development is very much the manifestation of the yin and yang spectrum of opposites. Having reached excess with mega mansions and megamalls, we reach the tipping point or flip syndrome that seeks the opposite.
Assuming we have found the perfect place to anchor our little house, we have to figure out how to implement the attributes of the dragon’s lair, i.e. the position of the armchair. Is there some kind of elevation, we wonder, or maybe some tall trees that can serve as protection symbolizing the black turtle on the back? Waving bushes or a low fence can be the green dragon and the white tiger on the left and right. An open view towards the Red Phoenix could be anything from a birdbath to a fountain, a small rock garden or a flower bed. Our Ming Tang or light room could be a small porch with a step and perhaps a retractable awning that provides a sense of shelter and protection.
Now that we’ve found or created the perfect environment, we want to refer to our checklist for tiny house feng shui considerations:
• Draw a simple floor plan and overlay your bagua grid. The simple rectangle or square of a tiny house is a feng shui plus.
• Take photos standing at the door looking in and looking out. In a two-dimensional image, you’ll better see where qi might be blocked and what might make a good focal point.
• The electronic age is conducive to living in tiny houses. Digitize as much as possible, that is, files, documentation, invoices and receipts, as well as photos, and save it all in the clouds.
• Lights, a crucial design feature, will shape our sense of space. Decorative lighting for special effects can be installed. Indirect lighting suggests additional space and can be dimmed based on environmental needs.
• A monochromatic color scheme will make a small space feel bigger. Textures and shapes can be used to include all five elements.
• Mirrors, a favorite feng shui choice, can be cleverly used to reflect light, an outside view, or simply double the space inside.
• What about memories and souvenirs? Rotate your small item display seasonally or during the holidays. They could be photographed and stored in a memory bank.
• Don’t forget your Tao connections, a pebble from a hike, a twig from the pine forest, a shell from the beach. A jade plant or lucky bamboo will activate your wealth corner. Succulents are all the rage and come in many miniature versions.
• For your relationship corner, you might try a couple of miniature rose quartz tea lights or a small frame with the Chinese character for “double happiness.”
• Check your sensory perceptions and see if all your senses are involved. A small Bluetooth speaker or even Alexa will provide streaming sounds, and incense or an essential oil diffuser will provide olfactory satisfaction.
• In a small window garden or on your front porch railing, you can grow tasty herbs, an aromatic blessing for soup in your mini slow cooker.
• A small stool at the front entrance will support your career goals and don’t forget your sentinels. A couple of pots or urns with flowers or miniature trees will symbolize the guardians of your treasures in a small abode.