Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November this year. Dhanteras comes two days earlier, on 6 November.And you know what that means. The big Diwali cleaning is coming. Cupboards get emptied, fans get wiped and someone in the family finds a box nobody has opened since 2019.Indian tradition says Goddess Lakshmi enters clean, bright homes. Feng shui, the Chinese art of placement, follows a similar idea. Clutter blocks the flow of good energy, which feng shui calls chi. So when both traditions point the same way, it’s worth listening.Here are seven things to remove before Diwali night.
1. Broken Mirrors and Cracked Glass
That bathroom mirror with a corner crack. The photo frame with split glass. A chipped tea glass still sitting in the kitchen.In feng shui, broken glass is believed to scatter energy and create a sense of things falling apart. Vastu shares a similar view. Replace them or throw them away carefully, wrapped in newspaper so nobody gets hurt.
2. Stopped or Broken Clocks
A clock that doesn’t tick is a symbol of time standing still. Feng shui links it with stalled progress, especially in career and money.Check every room, including the old wall clock in the storeroom. Change the battery if it still works. If it doesn’t, let it go.
3. Dead Plants and Cactus Pots Indoors
Dry, brown plants hold stale energy. So before Diwali, remove anything that has clearly given up.Many feng shui practitioners also suggest keeping cactus and thorny plants outside. Their sharp spikes are thought to create “cutting” energy indoors. Swap them for a money plant or a healthy tulsi in the courtyard or balcony.
4. Broken Idols and Torn Pictures of Deities
This one needs care and respect. Chipped idols or faded, torn images of gods shouldn’t be thrown in the dustbin.Families traditionally immerse them in flowing water or leave them under a peepal tree or at a temple. Then bring home a fresh Lakshmi-Ganesh idol or picture for the Diwali puja, which is anyway part of the tradition.
5. The Shoe Pile Near Your Main Door
Feng shui calls the main door the mouth of chi. In Indian homes, it’s also where Lakshmi is welcomed with rangoli and diyas.A heap of old chappals right at the entrance blocks both. Donate shoes nobody wears. Keep the rest in a closed rack, ideally slightly away from the doorway.
6. Dead Electronics
Old phones in a drawer. A mixer grinder that stopped working two summers ago. Tangled chargers that fit nothing.Broken electronics are seen as stuck energy in feng shui. Plus, they quietly eat up storage space. Give them to an e-waste collector or a local repair shop.
7. Expired Things and Old Papers
Go through the medicine box first. Then the bathroom shelf, where old creams and half-used shampoos tend to pile up.After that, tackle papers. Old bills, warranty cards for appliances you no longer own and receipts from years back. Feng shui links paper clutter with mental heaviness, especially when it sits in the wealth corner of your home. That’s the far left corner as you stand at the main door facing inside.
One More Quick Fix
Check for leaking taps. Both Vastu and feng shui see dripping water as money slowly flowing out. A plumber visit before Dhanteras is a small cost for peace of mind.
When to Start
Pitru Paksha runs until 10 October, and many families avoid big home changes during this period. So the best time to begin is after Navratri starts on 11 October. That still gives you nearly four weeks before Dhanteras, plenty of time to clear one room at a time instead of panicking the week before.