It's summer and time to freshen your front porch and the welcome it presents to your visitors. Your front porch is much like your home's mouth. You want it to present itself with a hospitable face and a warm reception for yourself and your family each day. Regardless of which way your front door faces, your porch can still smile and say "welcome home." Here are ten tips to help get your front porch ready for summer:
> Clear the path to the front door. Make sure there are no plants blocking the walkway from the street to the building.
> Wash the front door and windows. Polish all the hardware, oil the hinges, and make sure everything is in good working order.
> Check to be sure your doorbell is working, easy to find and recognize, and that you like the sound it makes. If your doorbell is a "tacky buzzer" change it out for one you enjoy hearing.
> Get a fresh doormat that says "Welcome." Resist the temptation to get one that says "Go Away!" Purchase the nicest doormat you can afford. A semicircular mat is your best choice so that no sharp corners point at your visitors as they arrive.
> Decorate your door. Whether you hang a seasonal wreath or other design element, make sure it is appropriate to the time of year, fresh, and in good repair.
> Sweep away all the cobwebs and knock down the wasp nests. Paint your porch ceiling pale blue and the bugs won't build webs or nests because they'll think it is the sky.
> Stage a sitting spot for you and a friend. It doesn't matter if you have a loveseat, two chairs, or even a swing. Porch sitting is serious summer business, especially in the south. Be sure to include a spot to set down your lemonade.
> Give yourself the delicious smells and lovely sights of blooming flowers. Not only will you and your neighbors enjoy them, so will the butterflies and hummingbirds.
> Be sure your address numbers are hung in a horizontal line. Vertical or cascading numbers indicate your place is "going down."
> Keep your banners and flags bright. If yours is faded, get a new one. Make sure your flag pole points upward rather than parallel to the ground so as to call your guests, not confront them.
The best news I can give you is that you can actually increase your income, improve your relationships, and enhance your sense of well-being by using your front door every day. The house shown here is on a corner and the driveway leads to a side door. When we began using the front door our bank balance doubled within six weeks. No kidding.
You don't have to not use your side or garage entrance. Just make sure you go in and out your front door every day. Subscribe to the paper if you have to. Sweep the porch every morning before you go to work. Water your gardens daily. The more love and attention you focus on your porch, the more you'll attract into your life. Everyone who passes your house and thinks "what a nice house" gives you some of their energy. It adds up. Try it for yourself and see.
I'd love to hear your results. Please email photos and stories to trishakeel@tomorrowskey.com. If l use yours in my next feng shui book you'll win a free copy, so be sure to include your contact information.

Author's Bio: 

The premier feng shui master of Texas, Trisha Keel provides residential and commercial consultations, seminars, and delivers Professional Feng Shui Practitioner Certification Training in Houston. Previously a registered provider of continuing education program hours (CEPHs) for the American Institute of Architects, she has trained architects, interior designers, NAHB homebuilders, and landscape architects in Feng Shui Friendly Residential Design. Trisha also provides feng shui parties, life master discussion groups, and is the author of Living HeartWise (available at www.amazon.com). She is currently featuring her unique series Feng Shui and Moon Magic, teaching a blending of feng shui and the lunar energies of each month of the year and Co-Create the Life You Choose, teaching action steps for working with the her studios in Houston. Visit her website at www.tomorrowskey.com.