Traditions and Superstitions When Moving Into a New Home - Yarnall Moving and Storage Solutions (2024)

You have enough on your hands when you’re moving, right? Whether you’re fretting over details or antsy to begin a new chapter, there’s a lot to do. In that spirit – and just for fun – here are a few extra things to add to your plate, in the form of moving myths, expression of faith, traditions and superstitions, as well as our comments on same.

• Move into your new home on a Thursday, considered by some to be the luckiest day. That is, unless everyone else is moving on a Thursday, which will make getting a van pretty difficult.

• Lighting a candle in your new home is an age-old transition, said to bring light and cast out darkness. If you’re caught without a candle, feel free to use the flashlight app on your smart phone.

• Stuff fennel into your keyhole to protect your home from witches. And any resident with a key.

• The first time you leave your home, exit through the same door you entered. Unless the house is on fire, then proceed accordingly.

• Light a fire in the new home’s fireplace to purify the home and protect it from evil. Also check the flue to protect you from asphyxiation.

• Boil milk and rice in an open pot until it runs over the sides to invite prosperity, wealth and abundance. It might be worth moving just for this.

• Ring a bell to summon good fortune. Or put a bell on your pet and be done with it.

• Prepare a homemade dinner for all your new neighbors to ward off evil spirits and extend the hand of friendship. Aren’t they supposed to bring the food?

• It’s bad luck to move on a rainy day. It’s also messy and requires a lot of tarpaulins.

• Abandon your old brooms, mops and vacuums, to leave behind any negativity you experienced in your previous home. If you were perfectly happy at your former residence or can’t afford new cleaning equipment, you may want to skip this one.

• Buy a new broom and carry it in with you the first time you enter your new home. This apparently means after you’ve signed the deed; otherwise, you’ll look weird at all the open houses you attend.

• Perform a sage-burning ritual to clear out negative energy. And lingering odors of the previous residents.

• Never pound a nail after sundown, or you will wake the tree gods. Understandable, you could be hammering a relative.

• Make your move only when the moon is waxing. Add in those Thursday and rain prohibitions, and you could have about an hour and half to get settled.

• Paint the porch blue to ward off evil spirits. Unless you have an HOA, then there’s probably a codicil against it.

• Plant a pomegranate tree in your yard for fertility and many years of sweet life. See “paint the porch” above.

• Invite a guardian spirit to protect you and your new home. But, just as a precaution, make sure you have adequate homeowner’s insurance.

• Never carry a hoe into the house. If you do so by mistake, carry it out again while walking backward. How could you bring in a hoe by mistake?

• Never accept knives or other sharp items as a housewarming gift, or your friendship with the giver will be cut – unless, of course, you pay the giver a penny, which reverses the curse, assuring he or she will not be your enemy. If you could care less, save the penny.

• Carry a container of uncooked rice with you the first time you enter your new home. Then put it in the pantry where you’ll forget it until you buy another one.

• Spread a pinch of salt on the floor of each room and over the threshold of the front door to (1) ward off evil or (2) bring flavor to life. Either way, it will stick to your bare feet. Just sayin’.

• Scatter coins in the living room on your first day in your new home so prosperity will reign. Then pick them up so no one will slip and fall.

• Bring wine to your new home. And open it as soon as you can to congratulate yourself for a job well done.

And speaking of jobs well done, remember to give Yarnall Moving & Storage Solutions a call whenever you need help in moving. We are happy to work with you on any day of the week, in rain or shine and under any phase of the moon!