Some of you may know that I’ve started studying Feng Shui. Really, I’ve attempted to read all that I can on this idea of encouraging all the good energy to come and stay in my home and minimize anything that is detracting me from my goals. Sounds good right? Y’all this shit is complicated. I’ve read so much, listen to podcasts, bought audio books. When I want to learn something new, I dive in head first and don’t come up for air until the very last second. This has been no different. Quickly I got VERY overwhelmed, though, and decided I needed to just tackle one “issue” at a time. Honestly, Feng Shui can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ll attempt to share what I’ve learned so far, but trust that I’m in infancy stages and I still have lots to learn.

With that said, however, let me just tell you that my kids have had challenges getting along for as long as I can remember. Sibling rivalry. They are both young. They spend so much time together. I had all the excuses to explain it away, but it was causing such angst in our home. Deciding this would be at the top of my list to “fix” with Feng Shui, I jumped in to find out what I could do to help.

While listening to the audio book, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life, by Karen Rauch Carter, I discovered that a long hallway with lots of doors could cause fighting among family members. Well, mystery solved!

So upon discovering that mirrors could help the stagnant energy, I set up to buy some mirrors. Stat! Well, I set out to find CHEAP mirrors because I really, really want to be a frugal human being, but I stepped one foot into Home Goods and found THE MOST AMAZING mirrors covered with an intricate distressed wood design, I instantly thought it warranted the $25 price point each. Ha! Frugality flies out the window when I find something I love. But also I can justify any purchase that brings me joy. These are beautiful! They bring me joy - Marie Condo would approve because I felt a Zing of happiness when I found them.

Not only did I buy those amazing wooden mirrors, but also a mirrored tray and a mirrored frame with the best vision of what this amazing hallway was going to look like. Most of the Feng Shui cures that are suggested are not esthetically pleasing, but I won’t let a little obstacle like Feng Shui deter me from having a pretty home. I mean. Who decorates a hallway, but then with mirrors? What would that even look like?

Naturally, like most of my projects, my vision makes me happy, the things I have to do before I can implement my vision give me anxiety and my to do list keeps me from implementing. In this case, my old wall of photos would come down and those brown frames had to be painted white. I needed to actually build the shelves I found on Pinterest and I needed to paint the hallway. Notice all the steps here? I could have hung those damn mirrors the day I got them, but no. I set them in the hallway, on the floor, leaning up against the wall and there they sat for WEEKS.

Slowly, I did manage to paint the picture frames. And then they sat in my living room, on the floor, up against the ottoman and the wall. My kid even knocked into one and broke the glass because they were ON THE FLOOR. Stop it already. I couldn’t even be upset with him because it was totally my own fault.

Next, I did manage to build the shelves. They are amazing! They were simple and easy, but it admittedly took me way too long to first stain, let them dry, then glue, then screw in place. BUT - they turned out great and I made them all by myself.

Want to make your own? All you need:

9 ft wood from Home Depot (Two 1x4s, One 1x2)
Stain - type and color
Gorilla Wood Glue & wood screws

Once the shelf was built, I only needed to paint the hallway. I had previously decided after soo much consideration on the most perfect neutral interior paint for my walls. Seriously, I gathered input of anyone who visited my house over the course of a few months to choose their favorite of all those paint swatches were on my living room walls. I settled on XOXO and it’s perfect. It works with brown. It works with grey. Every room and each wall I paint with this color makes my heart sing. After I painted the hallway, I just stood there and stared. I love it!

Just the second the paint dried, I finally hung the mirrors

Next, I hung then the shelf with some help from my little man. He had to hold it in place while I screwed this into the studs in the wall. This shelf is small but mighty - it’s heavy! Finally, after deciding which of the dozens of photos I had hung previously would get to stay, I settled on these …

This finished hallway makes me so happy. I find myself just standing here and staring at it. The part I forgot to mention though, was after a few days of the mirrors lying up against the wall, my kids had stopped fighting all the time. I didn’t even notice at first, but now, they come home from school and they play games together instead of begging for screen time. They create imaginary worlds and talk and play and laugh. It is like MAGIC. I will notice it’s gotten quiet, which is usually cause for alarm, but I will find them playing together in one of their bedrooms. They are getting along so well now!! I don’t know how much of this was really due to my Feng Shui cure, but the I love the mirrors, my new hallway decor and my kids have stopped fighting, so I’m going with it! Thought I’d share in the event your kids also fight like cats and dogs and perhaps you have a long hallway with lots of doors. Throw some mirrors up! Feng Shui doesn’t care if it looks pretty. Mostly, though, if you try this and it is working, please let me know!! I’m super curious to know.

Final product …

Feng Shui - Hallway