I have a question about objects. Both my mom and my dad recently passed away. They have some things that I really want and some things I really could use. My husband passed away too, a long time ago, and I still have some things that were his.

I heard that it is bad feng shui energy to keep things of a deceased person, but could you elaborate? Can't the energy of the objects be changed? And what about pictures. Is it okay to have them but not display them?

-PK, USA

Karen's reply:

I sigh when I hear someone say it might be 'bad feng shui' to do this or that because such sweeping generalizations are fraught with problems. Each situation must be looked at on its own merits.

First of all, an object does not become 'bad' or have a negative effect on an environment just because the person who used to own it no longer inhabits a human body. How could that possibly be right?

I categorize clutter into four types:

1) Things you do not use or love
2) Things that are untidy or disorganized
3) Too many things in too small a space
4) Anything unfinished

Categories 1, 2 & 3 are relatively easy to assess in relation to this question. Category 4 can present more complex issues because grieving or other emotions can be involved.

My advice is to keep the things you love or use, providing there are not too many of them, the space you have is big enough for them and your life is moving on. If some items do not fit this description then as your grief passes, move to a phase of letting go - of the objects as well as the person.

To assist this process, don't allow your energy or the energy of your home to stagnate. Keep active and take regular exercise. A Space Clearing ceremony is also an excellent thing to do after someone has died, to revitalize the energy of your home and consecrate it to your future life. It's best to have a friend do this for you if you are still grieving - someone who is not too emotionally involved with events and can hold the energy of the space at high level. Better still, call in a professional space clearer if there is one in your area.

There is a brief description of how to do the Space Clearing ceremony in the back of Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui but to do it safely and effectively it is necessary to read the full description in my first book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. If you have objects in your home that belonged to a person who was sick for a while before they died then this ceremony can clear the energy they will have been imprinted with.

As to keeping photos, it's a matter of keeping up-to-date in your life. It's best to have photos around you that energize you and are important to you. All photos emit frequencies. If the ones you currently have on display make you feel good and your life is moving forward in positive ways, fine. If not, replace them with something better. Review your photos regularly to make sure they all still support who you are and what you are doing in your life.