Do you find yourself longing for spring and feeling fed up of all this cold weather? Try having a big clear out in line with ancient Feng Shui principles.

According to Feng Shui consultant Jackie Notman, decluttering our homes and work spaces can improve our mental health and mood, so try setting aside a few hours to do a big cleaning blitz.

"Think light, bright and airy. Natural light has so many health giving benefits, one of which is that it lifts our mood," she remarked.

"Make sure you get as much natural light as you can by cleaning your windows and curtains, and having the curtains open - ventilation is important too."

The act of spring cleaning not only improves the appearance of a living space, it also re-energises the people under that roof.

Ms Notman suggested visualising visitors coming to your house to see you, as this is one way of knowing exactly what needs to be done around the home to clear it up in time for spring.

"Would I feel welcome? Or would I have to push open a broken gate, scratch my way past overgrown shrubs and avoid the cracks in the path? Then, when I found your door, would I know it was the right one? Is the door number visible? Does the door bell work?"

She noted that the front door is a good metaphor for the way we socialise with others, so give it a lick of paint and surround it with pot plants or hanging baskets to make visitors feel welcome.

"There’s a reason why, until recently, it was very common to clean our doorstep every day - it wasn’t just to keep it clean, but to ensure that anything that passed over the threshold was beneficial to the household," Ms Notman added.

If you want to practise green living this year and give your friends eco-friendly gifts, start with the basic principles of Feng Shui and ask loved ones if they’d like a hand with their spring cleaning.

Posted by Sam Wallace