BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO YOUR HOME

Breathing New Life

INTO STAGNANT ‘CORNERS’ DURING CORONAVIRUS!

WORDS AND IMAGES SUPPLIED BY KATYA PASTORINI, PAINTED BEAUTIFUL

For further information contact Carrie or Katya on e-mail: paintedbeautifuljersey@gmail.com www.paintedbeautiful.com • Facebook: Painted Beautiful • Phone: 07797 816443

The poignancy is not lost, spring being the season of new beginnings when the earth seems to come to life again. The widespread stillness could be just what the earth, animals, you and I need. The environmental improvements that have been witnessed already give me hope that this crisis is a huge opportunity to re-evaluate priorities for change and improvement at both a macro and micro level.

How ever, it is with mixed emotions that I am writing – who does not want a seemingly endless amount of time to do all those jobs that you have not had the time, or will, to do? Although the price will be heavy, you and I have no control and the only way to tackle this is find the positives, remain mentally and physically safe and keep busy in the confines of our homes. My first positive is how deeply he ar tened I have been in the last couple of weeks, from the small acts of kindness to a rallying of support for the local fishing industry and other local businesses and suppliers.

My next positive step is: It’s time to say goodbye to my loyal friend, Procrastination! There is no excuse, focus must be on all those jobs that will ultimately be hugely rewarding…

THE PRACTICAL

Sort Once you have sorted the ite ms that you no longer wish to keep, naturally at the moment there is nowhere for you to donate the items, but I sincerely hope that this is not lost sight of and everyone can find a space to hold onto their items for the time being. When they are sorted it should give a sense of relief.

Spring Clean I have tried to find one, but there is no excuse and after all, it is cathartic, purposeful and rewarding. Noth ing will escape, light fittings will gleam, cushions and throws will temporarily look like the children and dogs have left the house.

Bring the nooks back into the room Every home has some level of nook or corner that can be brought back into the home by making it into an area for reading, breakfast, working, studying, or even a bar. These areas will be needed more than ever at the moment.

Light Brin g light into dark corners, this can be from carefully placed mirrors, candles and light fittings.

Projects The last half of March bought with it a sense of urgency over the need to resource all the projects, whether it be decorating, painting/upcycling or crafting that had been stagnating. Alas, I did not order the copious amounts of wood I intended to, for panelling the dining room, building cupboard d oor s and the like.

Although, all is not lost as hardware retailers have been deemed as essential, for which I am very grateful to the all the teams who will facilitate this.

At the core of this is looking at what you already have and giving it new life, whether it’s a larger project like repainting your kitchen cabinets or smaller ones like upcycling items of furniture. THE SPIRITUAL: BRINGING IN AND RE TA INING POSITIVE ENERGY

Fresh air Make sure you open the windows, at least for some time during the day, to let in fresh air. This also helps in bringing the positive outside energy into the house while allowing the negative stagnant energy to move out. Combine this task with regular sweeping or vacuuming which counters the effects of static energy.

Aroma-therapy Generously place vibrant flowering plants o r ar omatic herbs such as basil, rosemary or mint, especially in the living room and kitchen. This is an excellent remedy for energising the space with positive vibes while removing negative energy.

Crystals Also used in jewellery, crystals like Amethyst, Citrine or Rose Quartz are perfect décor items, too. Their unique healing properties, help create a positive environment as they absorb all the negative en ergies of a space.

Saging Saging or smudging is an ancient practice involving burning dried sage, dried herbs or even incense for purifying the surroundings. Burning essential oils is another alternative which will uplift the energy of the house.

Salt cure Sea salt is not only a vital ingredient for the body but also a precious Feng Shui cure for purifying your home and life. Keep bowls of sea salt in va riou s corners of the house which would work as magnets to pull out the stagnating energy. Cleaning the house areas - the windowsills, kitchen floor, refrigerator and bathtub - using salt water could be another option to remove stagnant energy.

Bells Ringing of bells or wind chimes is also a popular practice that results in positive vibrations and streamlines energy flows.

Keep busy, well and safe.