The Year of the Wood Snake is expected to be just as turbulent as the Year of the Wood Dragon. While there are opportunities for growth and advancement, there are just as many dangers, some of which you may not even realise until they happen. To ensure you have prosperity and wealth all year long, it’s best to start the new year on the right foot.

Make repairs

Check your home for defects and make sure everything is in order before Chinese New Year. Fix leaky toilets, broken faucets, leaky roofs, etc. as leaking water means loss of wealth as well as loss of health. Anything that involves the kitchen or dining room can have a negative impact on your rice bowl. Other critical areas that need repairs are the area around your front door and bedroom. Cracks in the walls and broken doors will cause serious problems as they move into the new year, so make sure all of these are repaired beforehand.

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Freshen up your home

The next step is to get rid of last year’s “junk”. This includes old newspapers, magazines, books, plastic bags, broken containers, and old clothes that you may want to throw away. Allowing clutter to build up will only make problems worse and increase challenges in your life, so don’t forget about the dust behind and under cabinets, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. This will help create opportunities for new good fortune and improve relationships.

Discard cutlery, plates, cups, bowls and serving dishes that are chipped, cracked or damaged. Damaged dishes are a sign of bad luck and bring bad Feng Shui into the home, which will then have an unfavourable effect on your family’s wealth and well-being.

Inspect cabinets and drawers for things that are no longer useful; mismatched socks, torn or worn underwear, shirts, pants and damaged shoes all need to go! Cleaning out your closets symbolises removing all negativity from your life and making room for NEW things.

Replace any damaged bedding. Sleeping in broken bedding brings obstacles and blockages to everything you do. It affects luck in success and can cause a rift in your marriage.

We also recommend repainting your home every 4-5 years as it represents a fresh start and offers many new opportunities for improvement.

Stock up your kitchen

You should always start the new year with a clean and well-stocked kitchen. Throw away any expired food. Recycle old bags and containers. Clean your rice container, wash and dry it, then place a red packet with 3 dynasty coins tied with red string in the bottom of the container and fill it to the brim with fresh rice. Keep your rice container at least three-quarters full during the 15 days of Chinese New Year.

Next, stock up your pantry and refrigerator for Chinese New Year as it is important to have enough food in the house to get through the 15 days.

Update your home Feng Shui!

You should try to update your home’s Feng Shui between December 21, 2024, the winter solstice, and February 4, 2025, Lap Chun (Nine Halls Diagram) day and the beginning of the solar year. December 21 marks the change of the Tai Sui as well as the Three Killings. On February 4, the annual Lo Shu groups move to their new locations and begin to take full effect.

If you want to reuse your Feng Shui remedies, you will need to wipe them down with a damp cloth soaked in cleansing water. However, it is best to always use a NEW remedy. Amplifiers retain their effects, but remedies work by absorbing bad energies from the past year. To reuse them, the bad energies must be properly removed.

HOW TO PREPARE CLEANSING WATER

You will need petals from 5 types of flowers. It is best to get flowers that represent the 5 elements – blue for water, yellow for earth, green for wood, red for fire, and white for metal. You will also need kaffir lime leaves, or use lime or lemon leaves if kaffir lime leaves are not readily available. Soak all ingredients in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of sea salt and place in the sun for 10 minutes before using. Rinse your cleansing cloth in the mixture, squeeze dry, then wipe off all of your healing items, enhancers, charms, and protective amulets. You can also use this to cleanse your home altar, statues, and figurines.

Cleanse Your Home’s Energy

When you’re done cleaning and updating your  Feng Shui, you should cleanse the overall energy of your home with the following ritual.