Moving into a new home is one of life’s most exciting milestones. For the Chinese, it is also a moment steeped in tradition and spiritual significance. Long before the housewarming party, many families follow age-old customs designed to usher good fortune, harmony and abundance into their new space.
If you are getting ready for a move, here are 8 rituals to observe; each one helping you start this new chapter on the best possible note.
1. CHOOSE AN AUSPICIOUS DAY AND HOUR
In feng shui, timing is everything, and moving on a lucky day sets the stage for everything else to go well. You will want to select a date and time that brings good fortune, but also avoid those that clash with the zodiac signs of anyone in the household as this brings very bad luck.
To make this process easier, we compile the Feng Shui Almanac every year; a handy calendar that highlights the best dates each month for important activities, such as weddings, business launches and moving into a new home. With it, you can quickly identify the best days to make your move.
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For best results, schedule your move during the waxing moon (the first 15 days of the lunar month), when energy is rising. Morning hours are best, as this ensures you bring strong, vibrant Yang chi into your home.
Prefer a more customised approach? We can calculate your ideal date and time for you right here.
2. SWITCH ON THE LIGHTS THREE DAYS BEFORE
Three days before you officially move-in, turn on all the lights in your new home and leave them on continuously for at least 72 hours. This is a simple yet powerful way to activate and fill the space with Yang energy, driving away lingering negative chi and inviting brightness, warmth and vitality.
Make sure everything is in good working order before the big day. Lights, plumbing, appliances; all should function smoothly. Key pieces of furniture should already be in place, ready to welcome your first official night.
3. OFFER INCENSE TO THE LOCAL SPIRITS
On the morning of the move, make an incense offering to the local landlords and spirits of the land. This sacred ritual honours the unseen guardians of your property and is one of the most powerful feng shui practices you can do. It helps clear obstacles, protect the home and ensure that life under this new roof unfolds with peace, prosperity, and the support from both earthly and cosmic realms.
4. STEP OVER THE FIRE
At the designated auspicious hour, light some charcoal at the entrance of your new home. Each family member should then step over the fire before crossing the threshold — symbolically leaving bad luck behind and stepping into a fresh, auspicious start.
The Patriarch should lead the way, carrying a golden rice urn that is half-filled with rice. This cements his position as the head of the household, with the rice urn representing wealth and financial stability. It being half full indicates plenty of room for the family’s wealth to grow. The Patriarch must wear long pants, never shorts to do this, as “cheong fu” signifies lasting abundance.
The Matriarch enters next, also in long pants or a long skirt, and carrying a pillow; a symbol of peace, restful sleep and marital harmony. Sons should enter holding books, while daughters should carry flowers. This is to ensure the sons will become brilliant scholars and have success, while the daughters will become great beauties and contract auspicious marriages. Everyone should wear clean, modest clothing; nothing torn, sheer, or too revealing.
If you have prayer altars, this is also the time to set them up and offer the five essential offerings: water, light, incense, food and flowers – a gesture to welcome divine blessings into your home.
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5. OPEN ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS
Let fresh air in! This simple act allows positive chi to circulate and refresh every corner of your home. Sunlight, air and movement brought by the breeze generate the kind of active energy that revitalizes a space and brings it to life. Even better if you turn on lively music for sound as well.
6. ROLL A PINEAPPLE THROUGH THE HOUSE
This one might raise a few eyebrows but rolling a pineapple through your new home is a cherished tradition believed to invite in an abundance of wealth and success. In Hokkien, the word for pineapple (ong lai) sounds like “prosperity is arriving,” making it a powerful symbol of good fortune.
As you roll the fruit from room to room, call out auspicious phrases like “More wealth!” or “Great health!” You don’t have to get the words perfect; what matters most is the joy and intention behind them.
7. SHARE YOUR FIRST MEAL TOGETHER
The first meal in your new home carries great symbolic weight. Dining together promotes unity, gratitude and shared joy. Make sweet tea, cook rice, and serve a dessert of longan and fruits simmered in rock sugar; a sweet way to welcome in good luck.
8. HOLD A HOUSEWARMING PARTY
A lively home is a lucky home. Invite close friends and family members over soon after moving in and let laughter fill the space. Their presence and cheerful chatter will amplify the positive energies and help you settle in comfortably, happily, and most importantly, prosperously.
By honouring these cherished customs, you are doing more than just moving house; you are planting the seeds for an auspicious life ahead.
