Your home is your comfort zone — a space where you should feel safe, positive, and full of energy. However, certain things kept inside your home may actually be blocking that positive flow. From an aesthetic and scientific point of view, as well as from traditional beliefs like Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, keeping some items in your house can attract negative energy, financial troubles, and even health issues.
In this article, we’ll explore 7 common items you should never keep in your house if you want to maintain peace, prosperity, and positivity.
1. Broken or Damaged Items
It might sound harmless to keep that broken vase or chipped cup as a memory, but doing so is one of the worst things for your home’s energy. Broken items represent stagnation, failure, and blocked progress.
- Why it’s bad:
According to Vastu and Feng Shui, damaged or cracked objects symbolize broken relationships and financial instability. They attract negative energy and slow down personal and professional growth. - What to do instead:
Repair what you can, and discard what you can’t. Replace broken utensils, mirrors, clocks, or furniture with new ones to restore a sense of renewal and flow. - Bonus Tip:
Never keep a broken mirror — it is believed to bring bad luck and emotional distress.
2. Dead Plants or Dried Flowers
Plants are the symbol of life, growth, and vitality. However, when they die or dry up, they carry the exact opposite energy.
- Why it’s bad:
Dead or withered plants represent decay and stagnation. They can subconsciously affect your mood, making your space feel dull and lifeless. Moreover, dry leaves and stems can collect dust and insects. - What to do instead:
Regularly check your indoor plants and remove dead ones immediately. Replace them with healthy, green, and fresh plants such as money plants, peace lilies, bamboo, or snake plants — all known to attract positivity and purify the air.
3. Clocks That Don’t Work
A stopped or slow-moving clock is one of the most overlooked energy drainers in a home.
- Why it’s bad:
Clocks represent the flow of time and progress. A non-working clock suggests stagnation — that things in your life aren’t moving forward. In many cultures, a stopped clock is considered an omen of bad luck or death. - What to do instead:
Either fix the clock immediately or remove it completely. Make sure all clocks in your home are working properly and reflect the correct time. - Bonus Tip:
Place clocks on the north or east walls of your home for better luck and productivity.
4. Unused or Old Clothes and Shoes
Every home has a pile of clothes and shoes that are never worn but still occupy space. These unused items are silent energy blockers.
- Why it’s bad:
According to both science and spirituality, clutter creates chaos — physically and mentally. Old clothes collect dust, bacteria, and negative emotions attached to old memories. Holding on to them prevents new opportunities and fresh beginnings. - What to do instead:
Declutter your wardrobe every few months. Donate what you don’t use. It not only clears physical space but also opens up your life for new energy and abundance. - Pro Tip:
Keep only what you love and wear regularly. The rest — let go.
5. Pictures or Paintings Depicting Sadness or Negativity
Art is powerful — it affects your emotions more than you realize. If your walls feature paintings or pictures showing war, sadness, loneliness, or destruction, they can subconsciously make your home feel heavy and dark.
- Why it’s bad:
Negative imagery absorbs the room’s energy and reflects it back in your emotions. This can lead to stress, arguments, and emotional instability. - What to do instead:
Choose paintings that represent happiness, nature, growth, water, sunrise, or family love. Positive visuals encourage calmness and harmony. - Examples of good art:
- Peaceful landscapes
- Blooming flowers
- Birds in flight
- Smiling faces or family portraits
6. Items Related to Past Relationships
Keeping gifts, letters, or photos from past relationships might feel sentimental, but they often carry emotional baggage.
- Why it’s bad:
These objects are emotionally charged and keep your mind stuck in the past. If you’ve gone through heartbreak or a breakup, these reminders block emotional healing and prevent new love from entering your life. - What to do instead:
Thank those memories and then release them. You don’t need physical reminders of people who no longer serve your emotional well-being. - Pro Tip:
Create a small ceremony of letting go — say goodbye with gratitude, then donate, discard, or store those items outside your living space.
7. Sharp Objects Displayed Openly
While knives, swords, or other sharp tools may look stylish in some decor settings, they should never be displayed openly in your home.
- Why it’s bad:
Sharp objects emit aggressive energy. In Feng Shui, they’re known to create “cutting chi” — energy that can cause conflict, stress, or health issues. - What to do instead:
Keep such items properly stored away in drawers or kitchen cabinets. Avoid displaying weapons or knives on walls or open shelves. - Bonus Tip:
If you have a decorative sword or antique weapon, ensure it’s placed in a case or covered properly to minimize negative energy.
The Hidden Power of Decluttering
Beyond beliefs, there’s psychological proof that clutter and negative objects drain your focus and motivation. When your home is full of unwanted things, your mind becomes equally cluttered. Decluttering removes emotional weight and improves mental clarity.
Here are a few benefits of removing unwanted things from your home:
- Improved Mental Health:
Clean, open spaces help reduce anxiety and boost happiness. - Better Sleep:
A clutter-free bedroom promotes calmness and better rest. - Enhanced Productivity:
Organizing your workspace increases focus and creativity. - Positive Energy Flow:
According to Vastu, clutter blocks energy flow, causing financial and emotional stagnation. - Attracting Prosperity:
When you let go of old, broken, or unused things, you make space for new opportunities, wealth, and good luck.
Spiritual Meaning Behind Letting Go
Many spiritual traditions emphasize that your outer world reflects your inner world. If your home is full of chaos, old memories, or broken things, it mirrors emotional blockages within you.
Letting go of these things is not just about cleaning your home — it’s about cleansing your life. You’ll notice subtle yet powerful changes:
- A lighter atmosphere
- Fewer arguments
- More financial stability
- A feeling of calm and renewal
Decluttering is a form of energy healing. It allows positive vibrations to circulate freely, helping your life flow with more ease.
How to Cleanse Negative Energy from Your Home
After removing the above 7 things, you can further enhance your home’s energy by following simple cleansing rituals:
- Burn Sage or Camphor:
This purifies the air and removes negative vibrations. - Use Rock Salt:
Keep bowls of rock salt in corners of rooms; it absorbs negativity. Replace weekly. - Let in Sunlight and Fresh Air:
Natural light is a natural cleanser. Open windows daily. - Play Peaceful Music or Mantras:
Sound frequencies uplift your home’s vibration. - Keep Crystals:
Crystals like clear quartz, amethyst, and citrine can bring calmness and clarity. - Use Fragrance or Essential Oils:
Lavender, sandalwood, or lemon scents promote relaxation and freshness.
Conclusion
Your home reflects your energy — what you keep in it shapes your emotions, health, and fortune. The seven things mentioned — broken items, dead plants, stopped clocks, unused clothes, sad art, old relationship mementos, and sharp objects — might look harmless, but they silently drain your positivity.
By consciously removing these items, you invite peace, progress, and prosperity into your life. Remember:
“Out with the old, in with the new — this is the first step toward transformation.”
So, start today. Walk around your home, observe, and let go of anything that doesn’t serve your happiness or growth. A clean and positive home is the foundation of a positive life.