The 15-Minute Home Energy Audit: Map Every Room's Qi

Key takeaway: a 15-minute energy audit is simply walking each room with five questions and finding where qi gets stuck.

Mini case

A family felt their home was "chaotic" every morning, though no room was actually dirty. The audit found a pile by the entry, a table covered with papers, and an unused treadmill blocking the hall. These were the three spots they passed without ever sitting down. Clearing them made mornings noticeably smoother.

Five audit questions

For each room:

1. Is the entrance open? Does the first glance land on door, window, light, or clutter?
2. Does air move? Any window never opened or vent blocked?
3. Is the function clear? Does the furniture support sleeping, working, or storing?
4. Is there one item that should have been dealt with long ago? It is consuming attention.
5. Is the place where you sit comfortable? Would you avoid this room?

Three priority moves

• First the entry: clear hall, door, and pathway to the floor.
• Then the "sit but feel bad" spots: sofa, desk, bed.
• Finally the invisible storage: drawers, cabinet tops, under-bed.

Do this now

• Walk the home tonight and record first impressions with your phone.
• Pick one obvious blockage per room.
• Start with the smallest move, like removing a chair blocking the hallway.

Deep dive

For room-by-room clutter fixes, read Clutter Is Stuck Energy: Room-by-Room Feng Shui Fixes.