No matter how modern or enlightened we might consider ourselves—and our society—to be, superstition lingers. Just check out some buildings with floors that go into the teens or higher—is there a 13th floor? An estimated 85% of U.S. buildings with more than 13 floors actually skip that number.
Those of us who knock on wood, throw salt over our left shoulder, and avoid walking under ladders likely do so because of tradition—and hey, most of us need all the good luck we can get, right? If you’re in the process of moving into a new home, you might be especially on the lookout for avoiding bad karma.
Whether or not you actually believe, here are 12 superstitions you might want to keep in mind when it comes time to settling in your new house:
1. Ditch the old broom
In this US tradition, it’s bad luck to bring an old broom into your new house. Why? Because you’ll bring all your former bad luck with you. If you insist on bringing your favorite broom, there is hope: sweeping something into the new house first will avoid brushing away all your newfound good luck.
2. Sweep during the day
In West Africa, it’s advised that you avoid sweeping your home at night, or else you further risk sweeping away your good luck.
3. Break bread with your house
In the Philippines, entering a new house for the very first time with a loaf of bread (as well as a broom) brings good luck.
4. Let loose some change
Another pointer from the Philippines is to scatter coins around the living room of your new home. This will invite financial prosperity to your new life.
5. Have the right windows
When choosing a home, Chinese Feng Shui philosophy dictates that to have good luck, the house must have east-facing windows for the sunrise.
6. Paint your porch blue
In the Southern United States, it was traditional to paint porch ceilings blue. This “haint blue” color was meant to keep evil spirits (haints) from entering their home.
7. If the chair is a rockin’…
The Irish believe that it is bad luck to rock an empty chair, as it welcomes evil spirits into the home. And a chair that rocks itself? Yeah, there are probably already spirits in your house (sorry).
8. Which herb keeps away the witches?
If you’re looking to keep witches away from your home, consider hanging fennel over your front door, or stuffing fennel seeds in your keyhole (may not come with the same guarantees as your security system).
9. Be sure to go in through the out door, too
According to folklore from the Pacific Northwest region of the US, its bad luck to exit the house from a different door than the one through which you entered.
10. Keep your shoes off the table
Putting your shoes on the table is seen as bad luck in the US and the UK—in fact, it could even lead to death. The exact origin to this superstition, however, is unknown.
11. Don’t wake up on the wrong side of the bed
According to a good old American proverb, waking up on the wrong side of the bed really is a thing. If you want to have a good day, you should get out of bed on the same side you entered. (bonus points: make your bed if you want to sleep well)
12. Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Mirrors can be vessel for misfortune. Not only will breaking one bring you 7 years of bad luck, according to superstition, but even intact ones can be quite ominous. According to folklore, mirrors can steal souls—which is why Victorians traditionally covered all the mirrors when someone died (to prevent their soul from being trapped inside).
