Have you heard of the ancient pseudoscience of Feng Shui? It was developed in 4000 B.C. and historically was used in many hallowed structures as a guide to orienting the contents of a building in such a way as to collect and circulate energy or chi. More recently it has grown in popularity as a way of arranging the contents of one’s home. It can be a very complex process but here are a few simple Do’s and Don’ts.

Do

• Always keep bathroom doors closed and toilet seats down. This relates to the ancient belief that water and wealth coincide, you do not want water/wealth escaping your home.
• Use Crystals to generate energy, in spots that may be lacking.
• Have a nice fountain or aquarium to generate good energy.
• Utilise symbols such as Buddha, lucky bamboo, Fu dog, or dragon statures as talismans for good energy.

Don’t

• Place your chair facing away from the door in a home office as it does not put you in a commanding position.
• Place a baby bed near the door or electrical devices as electronics are thought to put an electromagnetic energy around the child.
• Neglect to use mirrors to activate, circulate, expand and deflect energy.
• Forget to apply Feng Shui to less used rooms, as all parts of the home need to incorporate the practice to generate good energy.

No all set-in stains are removeable, but if you do not give it a try, you will never know. The deeper into the carpet the stain is, the harder it will be to remove and it could take several attempts. One of the best stain removers is baking soda.

1. First, vacuum the area to remove any loose dust, dirt or hair.

2. Put 1 cup of baking soda into a large bowl and add 2 tbsp of water and stir into a paste. The paste should be thick like toothpaste. If necessary, you can add 1tbsp of water at a time for a pastier consistency.

3. Scoop paste out with a spoon, put onto the carpet and gently work into the carpet with your fingers so as not to damage carpet fibres. Leave paste to sit.

4. Next, place five to eight paper towels over the stain and weight them down with something heavy to help the stain lift from the carpet.

5. Lastly, vacuum the baking soda crumbs from the carpet.

If it appears to have no effect, this method may not work for this particular stain. If the stain is lighter, it may take a couple more tries to fully remove the stain.

Choosing new carpet for the first time can be quite a challenge. There are several things that go into such a transformational decision. You want your carpet to be cosy but also fit for purpose for your home. Here are some things to consider:

First, think about your lifestyle.

1. If you have a young family and/or a family with pets you will most likely want a hard-wearing carpet with a forgiving colour. Some options could include a textured loop pile or a quality hard-twist cut. Loop piles have many variations: formal, linear or textured.

2. If you are more concerned with luxury, a plush pile in a flat colour may be more to your liking. Plush piles are very soft, dense carpet.

3. If you entertain a lot, a combination cut and loop pile in a mid-to-dark tone or a stippled cut pile may suit. The combination has contrasting textures and are less likely to show footprints.

Darker colours are cosier, whereas lighter colours make a room feel larger. You can also choose a combination of two colours for a more neutral feel. Colour also fades over time, so choose a couple shades darker and also depends on fibre type.