Why You Shouldn't Bring Your Old Broom Into Your New House, According To Feng Shui

With the Census Bureau finding that nearly 44 million Americans move each year (via My Move), surely many of us are familiar with the stresses and pressures of packing up everything we own and hauling it to a new place. Moves are tiring regardless of whether you're relocating to a new block, city, or state, so we must do what we can to create a calm mindset throughout it all. For some, this means keeping positive energy in mind and paying close attention. Be careful not to break any mirrors, don't open an umbrella inside, and avoid walking under any ladders. Even if you aren't someone who normally pays attention to how certain actions can bring promising fortune, you can probably admit to picking up a penny head-side-up for good luck at least once in your life.

While many of these actions can apply when you aren't moving, a few specifically matter if you're headed into a new home — like not bringing your old broom with you. From the perspective of the ancient Chinese tradition of feng shui, it's advised that you throw out that old broom and buy a new one.

The feng shui custom of not allowing old brooms to come with you during a move stems from the idea of only inviting good energy into your space. Since we used those brooms (and mops) to clean up dirt and grime, we risk sweeping all that old dirt and bad energy into our new home. It's best to start out fresh with new cleaning supplies that will be untainted by past problems and unfortunate situations. Even so, if you find that energy is feeling unbalanced in your home, feng shui offers effective ways to remove any negative energy sneaking in. 

Feng shui expert and trainer Marie Diamond of Mindvalley lists some essential ways to improve positivity through the mindful practice. Keep your spaces free from clutter and stop holding onto unused items. Energy sits in and around our objects, and keeping old items or allowing too much to accumulate in one space discourages that energy (and you) from moving forward with new opportunities. Consider removing mirrors and televisions from your bedroom or cover them up when not in use. These reflective objects intensify energy, which can allow negative emotions to fester. Diamond also recommends keeping plants out of the bedroom, especially those with sharp-edged foliage, and making a point to cleanse any second-hand items you acquire.   

There's plenty more feng shui advice for moving and inviting clean energy into a new home. Conroy Removals outlines good practices to remember for move-in day, such as setting out fresh fruit and flowers, playing music, wearing bright colors, and avoiding arguments with others. Bringing the new house a gift is also recommended, which can be something small like a candle or something more significant like furniture. 

The emphasis tends to be on bringing in the new, but the art of feng shui encourages keeping some of the old, too. You can do this by entering your new home for the first time with something of sentimental value in tow. You can even determine the best day to move by using the Chinese Almanac in coordination with the birthdays of each member making the move. Whichever way you incorporate feng shui into your next move or current home, here's to great effervescence and fortune coming your way!