Moving house is one of life’s key events, a memorable milestone. It often marks the start of a new chapter; whether it’s moving out of home into your first property, or moving to a new area or country for a work promotion or downsizing during retirement. As one of life’s big events there are quite a few superstitions associated with it. We’ve collated a few practices that have been observed on moving day to bring good luck to the event and the new property.
1. A new broom sweeps clean
This is a phrase that most of us have heard. It turns out that in China, according to the practices of Feng Shui, you should leave old brooms, or indeed mops, behind and not introduce the old dirt and negativity into the new property. A new broom symbolises a new start.
2. Blue door
Originating in South America, painting a front entrance blue is advocated to ward off ghosts from entering the new property. According to folklore, spirits can’t cross water, so painting the entrance blue was thought to trick the spirits and deter them from entering.
3. Fennel
In the Middle Ages during Midsummer Night’s Eve, people would hang a fennel bulb either on their door, gate or the wall of their property as it was believed to ward off evil spirits that abounded during Midsummer Night’s Eve. The practice of hanging fennel above the front door or even pushing fennel through key holes as a ‘good luck’ superstition lived on.
4. Orange trees
Citrus trees and citrus fruits are thought to bestow good luck or good fortune on the receiver when they are given as a gift. In China, bringing an orange/ tangerine tree into a new home is considered to be good luck.
5. Don’t move on a rainy day
The superstition goes that moving on a rainy day will bring bad luck. Now, removal companies will try their level best to accommodate a customer’s requirements but unfortunately we just can’t order the weather!
6. Hammer time
Once you’ve moved into your new home, superstition has it that you shouldn’t hammer nails into a wall to hang pictures or put up shelves etc after sunset for fear that you could awaken the tree gods.
7. Bread and salt
According to Jewish a tradition, bread as a staple food is thought to symbolize sustaining life. Whilst salt is thought to represent permanence as it doesn’t decay. The tradition involves these food items being bought into the house first to promote hospitality and ward off hunger.
Whatever your superstitious leaning, it’s advisable not to leave the actual logistics of the move to fate, but to call upon the services of a professional removal company to really ensure a smooth and stress free moving day.
If you would like to discuss planning a move with our helpful team of experts or would like to arrange a pre-move survey to obtain an accurate quotation, please contact us on 01902 714555 or via sales@burkebros.co.uk.
