Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese practice of harmonizing energy in a space, emphasizes the impact of objects and placement on your well-being, success, and happiness.
Whether you’re looking to increase prosperity, improve relationships, or simply create a more peaceful home, it’s important to know which items might be subtly working against you.
Here i will explain 25 common items that can bring negative energy into your home, and offer Feng Shui-based advice on how to remedy or remove them.
1. Broken or Damaged Items
Feng Shui teaches that broken items symbolize broken energy. Whether it’s a cracked vase, chipped plate, or a malfunctioning clock, these items can block the natural energy (Chi) from flowing smoothly.
What to do: Either repair them promptly or let them go.
2. Dried or Dead Plants
Dead plants are one of the biggest red flags in Feng Shui. They represent decay, stagnation, and lost opportunities.
Tip: Replace them with vibrant, living plants like bamboo, jade, or peace lilies that attract positive energy.
3. Mirrors Facing the Bed
Mirrors are powerful tools in Feng Shui, but they must be used wisely. When mirrors face the bed, they are believed to invite a third party into the relationship, causing restlessness or infidelity.
Solution: Move or cover the mirror at night.
4. Unwashed Dishes and Cluttered Kitchens
The kitchen is linked to wealth and health. Dirty dishes and kitchen clutter can lead to blocked energy in your financial life and physical well-being.
Action: Make it a habit to clean dishes and wipe counters daily.
5. Shoes at the Entrance
Leaving shoes piled at your front door can block the flow of Chi into your home. It symbolizes bringing in “dirt” or unwanted energy from outside.
Fix: Store shoes in a closed cabinet or shoe rack just inside the entryway.
6. Sharp or Pointed Objects (Poison Arrows)
Items like knives, spiky decor, or angular furniture corners can create harsh energy that “attacks” or disrupts harmony, known as poison arrows in Feng Shui.
Tip: Use furniture with rounded edges or soften sharp corners with fabric or decor.
7. Photos of Deceased Loved Ones in the Bedroom
While it’s fine to honor ancestors, placing photos of the deceased in your bedroom can invite Yin (passive, cold) energy, which interferes with restful sleep and romance.
Alternative: Keep these meaningful photos in living rooms or family areas.
8. Electronics in the Bedroom
TVs, laptops, phones, and other electronics emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which not only disrupt sleep but also invite chaotic energy into a restful space.
Recommendation: Minimize electronics or at least switch off Wi-Fi and devices before bed.
9. Artwork Depicting Sadness or Loneliness
Art is powerful. Paintings or photos of storms, lone figures, or abstract sadness can subtly influence your mood and energy.
Try this: Decorate with joyful, peaceful, or nature-themed art to raise your vibration.
10. Unread Books and Paper Piles
Stacks of books, magazines, and mail can overwhelm the mental and spiritual atmosphere of a home. In Feng Shui, they contribute to energy congestion.
Fix: Regularly declutter paper, donate books you won’t read, and organize your workspace.
11. Water Leaks
Leaking faucets or pipes are considered a literal and symbolic drain of wealth in Feng Shui. They suggest money flowing away from you.
Immediate action: Fix leaks as soon as they’re noticed.
12. Trash That’s Not Taken Out
Leaving full trash bins overnight, especially in the kitchen, contributes to stale energy and blocks abundance.
Feng Shui tip: Take out the trash daily and keep the bin covered.
13. Dusty Corners and Cobwebs
Dust collects stagnant energy. Corners, especially high and low ones, are where energy often gets “stuck.”
Routine: Regularly clean corners, under furniture, and along baseboards to refresh the Chi.
14. Empty Bottles or Containers
Empty bottles, jars, or even cosmetic containers represent emptiness or lack, which Feng Shui associates with scarcity.
Declutter: Recycle or toss them out, and only keep what’s full or in use.
15. Items Under the Bed
Storage under your bed can block the energy needed for rest and renewal. Even worse if the items are sharp, broken, or emotional (like old love letters).
Feng Shui remedy: Keep the space beneath your bed clear or store only soft, peaceful items like bedding or seasonal clothes.
16. Unused or Old Electronics
Old TVs, phones, or laptops that no longer work carry stagnant energy. They symbolize holding onto the past and avoiding progress.
Declutter: Recycle responsibly or donate what still works.
17. Taxidermy or Animal Skulls
Feng Shui considers dead animal displays to hold Yin energy. They represent death and are thought to lower the energetic vibration of a space.
Alternative: Use animal symbols in art or sculpture instead.
18. Dark or Heavy Curtains
Overly heavy or dark window treatments block sunlight, a major source of positive energy. Without light, Chi can’t circulate.
Switch to: Sheer or light-colored curtains that allow natural light in.
19. Mirrors Facing the Front Door
Mirrors facing the main entrance reflect energy back out of the house. This deflects positive energy and prosperity from entering your life.
Correct placement: Put mirrors perpendicular to the door, not directly opposite it.
20. Clutter Under Staircases
In Feng Shui, staircases represent movement of energy between levels. Storing items under stairs can trap energy, particularly if the stairs are near the center of the home.
Best practice: Keep the area clean, open, and decorated with light, reflective elements.
21. Cracked or Dirty Mirrors
Mirrors are believed to double energy, but if they’re cracked, they distort it. Dirty mirrors reflect unclear energy back into the space.
Fix: Clean mirrors regularly and replace broken ones.
22. Unfinished Projects
Half-done projects around the home symbolize blocked goals and stalled progress. They create frustration and unfinished energy loops.
Feng Shui boost: Either finish them or let them go.
23. Aggressive Animal Imagery
Decor featuring lions, tigers, or wolves might seem powerful, but in Feng Shui, they can introduce overly Yang (aggressive, dominant) energy, especially in sleeping or relaxing areas.
Tip: Choose animals like koi fish, cranes, or turtles for calm and prosperity.
24. Overloaded Closets
Stuffed closets symbolize emotional overwhelm and lack of openness to new experiences or growth.
Decluttering goal: Leave 20–30% of space open in every closet to allow Chi to circulate freely.
25. Old Gifts with Negative Associations
Holding onto gifts from ex-partners or people you’ve had negative experiences with keeps emotional baggage alive in your space.
Feng Shui advice: Donate, discard, or repurpose these items to energetically release the past.
A harmonious home starts with intentional design and energy awareness. You don’t need to become a minimalist or throw away everything you own, but being mindful of these 25 items can make a powerful difference in how your home feelsmand how your life flows.
By removing or transforming items that block, distort, or stagnate energy, you make room for more joy, abundance, and vitality to enter.
Next Steps:
- Start with one room at a time.
- Pay special attention to your entrance, bedroom, and kitchen.
- Ask yourself, “Does this item support the energy I want in my life?”
With small shifts and greater awareness, your home can become a sanctuary of positive energy.