I’ve just spent months and months clearing all my clutter. My “yes” box is tiny compared to my “no” box and my “maybe” box is huge. Now I’m ready to downsize and move into my brand new tiny house. How will I feel and how do I feng shui my tiny house? Will I feel squeezed and diminished? Will the smallness of my space be too yin? Will the narrow shortness inhibit qi? Will the eight mansions of my bagua be strong enough to deal with my life time issues? Will my sense of refuge and shelter provide a solid enough base to ascend the Tao holon of self fulfillment? 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 latest phenomenon in our housing culture. It is the complete opposite of the trend toward mega mansions in recent years. This modern day development is so very much the manifestation of the yin & 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 that we’ve found the perfect spot to anchor our tiny house, we need to figure out how to implement the attributes of the dragon’s lair, i.e. the armchair position. Is there any kind of elevation, we ask, or perhaps some tall trees that could serve as protection thus symbolizing the black tortoise in the back? Undulating shrubs or a low fence might be the green dragon and white tiger on the left and right. An open view toward the red Phoenix could be anything from a birdbath to a fountain, a small rock garden or a flowerbed. Our Ming Tang or bright hall could be a tiny porch with a step-up and perhaps a retractable awning which will provide a feeling of refuge and shelter.
Now that we have found or created the perfect setting, we want to consult 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 in the door looking in and looking out. On a two-dimensional Image you’ll see better where qi might be blocked and what might be useful as a good focal point.
• The electronic age is conducive to tiny house living. Digitize as much as possible, i.e. files, documentation, invoices and receipts as well as photos and store it all in the clouds.
• Lights – a crucial design feature – will shape our feelings of space. Decorative lighting might be installed for special effects. Indirect lighting suggests extra space and can be dimmed for ambient needs.
• A monochromatic color scheme will make a tiny space feel larger. Textures and shape can be used to include all five elements.
• Mirrors, a favorite feng shui option, can be used cleverly to reflect light, an outside view, or just to double interior space.
• What about mementos and memorabilia? Rotate your display of small items seasonally or at holiday time. They could be photographed and put into 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 the rage and come in many miniature versions.
• For your relationship corner you could try a couple of tea lights in miniature rose quartz or a small frame with the Chinese character for “Double Happiness.”
• Check your sensory perceptions and see whether all your senses are engaged. A small Bluetooth speaker or even Alexa will provide streaming sounds, and incense or a diffuser for essential oils will waft olfactory satisfaction.
• In a small window garden or on the railing of your front porch you could grow tasty herbs, an aromatic boon for the soup in your mini slow cooker.
• A small stool at your front entrance will support your career goals, and don’t forget your sentinels. A couple of planters or urns with flowers or miniature trees will symbolize the guardians of your treasures in a tiny abode.
