Part of the reason those New Year’s resolutions fade away is that we have not decluttered and cleaned up from the old year. Feng shui, the 3,000-year-old ancient Chinese art of harmony and balance, can help us create an environment that will inspire and activate all those new resolutions by changing the energy in our homes to a positive flow. You don’t have to study feng shui to start your new year off right. You don’t even have to believe it for it to work in your life.

Here are five steps anyone can take to create the kind of home environment that will uplift you for the new year.

1. Declutter

It is amazing how much stuff we can accumulate in the span of 12 months. Clutter blocks good energy from moving around. While the weather is cold outside, focus on going through each room in your house and discarding everything you didn’t use last year, and especially those items you won’t use this year either. Make three piles: one to donate, one to recycle/throw out, and one to keep. Make sure the “one to keep” is smaller than the other two piles.

2. Clean

Wash windows, vacuum and clean carpets, remove fingerprints from door frames and scrub floors. It’s a good winter activity that will help you keep warm as well.

3. Repair and replace

As you clean, make a note of the items that need to be repaired or replaced. It’s amazing how much better you feel when things are mended and look nice.

4. Set your intention

 We often have one intention for a specific room and all of a sudden that room is filled with stuff from several other projects. It’s like putting your office computer in your bedroom, your exercise equipment in the dining room, or garages that are used for storage space and not your car. Ideally, you want each room to enhance whatever activity you want to do in that space. You may not have enough room, so think about what activities might go together and move the items into a more conducive space to match your intention.

5. Place your treasures strategically

 There are certain treasures we enjoy, and where they’re placed in your home is important in creating harmony. Think about what each room in your home represents and place the treasure that symbolizes it best in that particular room. Place a treasured dish on the table in the dining area, filled with fresh fruit. The dining area is where you are nourished and fruit in a beautiful dish represents the best nourishment you can provide. Think creatively, but don’t clutter.

These steps can make a huge difference in how you feel in the new year. But don’t expect to do them all at once. Take your time and make your home environment the best it can be. Your home is an extension of you, and you want it to be positive, energetic and beautiful.