Cleaning Up and Tidying Up will Bring Good Fortune

 Hi, I’m Sato Shimo, a Feng Shui Interior Therapist in Tokyo.  Many people tell me: “I want to declutter my apartment, but I just can’t let things go!” If you’re living in Japan’s cozy spaces and struggling to tidy up, you’re not alone. Here are practical tips for when: You know you need to tidy but can’t get started. You start decluttering but feel overwhelmed by letting things go. Trust Your Gut: The “First Move” Trick Ever heard of the “First Chess Move Theory”? In chess, players sometimes have to move within five seconds. Studies show that 86% of the time, that quick choice is as good as one made after 30 minutes of thinking. This works for decluttering, too. Pick up an item—like an old T-shirt or a souvenir mug—and your gut might say, “I need this” or “I don’t need this.” That first feeling is usually right. Hear a confident “Keep it!”? Keep it. Hear a quiet “I don’t need this”? Toss it before your brain makes excuses. Letting go can feel tough, especially with gifts or m...

 Hi, I’m Sato Shimo, a Feng Shui interior therapist in Tokyo. Your home might hold the key to breaking free from feeling stuck! These easy steps refresh your energy through your space, perfect for beginners seeking a wellness boost. Who Can Benefit? New to Feng Shui? No problem—these steps are simple and beginner-friendly! They’re especially helpful if you: Have dusty corners or cluttered areas you rarely touch. Hold onto sentimental items, like old school memorabilia. Are navigating a life change, like a new job, move, or retirement. Tend to prioritize others, neglecting your own space. 1. Air Out Your Space Let fresh air into unused areas, like a storage room or closet. In Japanese, we call this "ki" (気)—like the vibe of your home. No storage room? Open a window in any corner you rarely use. This simple act can refresh your space’s energy. 2. Let Go of Sentimental Old Items Part with items tying you to the past, like old school uniforms, event T-shirts, outdated study notes...

 Hi, I’m Sato Shimo, a Feng Shui interior therapist in Tokyo, and I write about home organizing, cleaning, and feng shui in everyday life. Have you ever tried to organize your home and felt overwhelmed by all the “rules”? Maybe you've read books telling you to assign every item a "home" or to label every drawer… and you ended up exhausted before even starting. I like to categorize tidying habits into levels, inspired by how we often group things in school—like beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Beginner Level: Start Simple, Stress Less If you’re new to tidying and feel buried under detailed storage plans, you’re likely a beginner. You might think, “Every item needs a perfect spot!”—an idea pushed by books or influencers. But that can feel exhausting before you even start. What to do : Focus on one simple habit—put things back where they came from, even if it’s not a labeled or “perfect” spot. For example: Return scissors to a tool container, not necessarily a specific...

 Hi, I’m Sato Shimo, a Feng Shui interior therapist in Tokyo, and I write about home organizing, cleaning, and feng shui in everyday life.  As a beginner runner who started during the COVID pandemic, I quickly realized that participating in marathons means collecting a lot of stuff—bibs, medals, T-shirts, towels, and even participant booklets with my name in them. These things hold memories, but they can pile up fast! To keep everything organized without taking up too much space, I use a clear file folder with 20 pockets. Each race has its own pocket, and once the file is full, I review what I truly want to keep. This makes it easier to manage without feeling overwhelmed. For towels and shirts, I make sure to use them regularly. When they get old, I thank them and let them go. I believe that items are meant to be used—not just kept as trophies. Holding onto too many things from the past can block us from enjoying the present. If you want to display your medals proudly, try ...

Today I'll tell you about 3 negative influences of messy room. 1)Lose money If your room is messy, you might not find the thing you are looking for. Have you bought the same things twice or three times before? For example, scissors, nail-clippers, umbrellas, and toiletry goods etc. One of my clients has more than 5 reading glasses....according to her, she bought it everytime she couldn't find. Please remember,  you can wear only one glasses when you need! Also, if you have the room(not storage) filled with disused articles, that room is "dead".   How about decluttering and making better use of the room? 2)Waste of time The people who are not good at tidying up, you know, they tend to look for something very very often...they cannot remember where to store. You know, "Time is money". Looking for something is the same as waste of money. If you lost the borrowed thing from your friend due to messy room, you would lose his/her TRUS...

Are you busy with work? Are your feelings all mixed up? Often forget things or important appointments? If your mind is a mess, your room might be a mess, too. Unnecessary things for you give off bad energy and it affects your mind insidiously. Before you take a time management seminar, why don't you declutter and clean up your room? It's free of charge! Decluttering clears your head and makes you feel better. Just give it a try😊.