A move-in ceremony (入伙, ru huo) marks the moment a house becomes your home. It is less about superstition and more about starting with intention: a clean home, a full kitchen, lights on and a calm first day.
You don't need to do every step below. Pick the ones that feel right for your family.
Choose the date and time
The date matters most. A good move-in date suits the home and does not clash with the people living in it.
- Avoid days that clash with the zodiac of the head of the household, and ideally everyone moving in
- Choose a good two-hour window to step in. Morning windows are popular because the day is "rising"
- If the family's dates conflict, the head of the household's chart usually comes first
I select move-in dates from the almanac and the owners' Bazi. Send me everyone's birth dates and your preferred weeks.
Prepare the day before
- The home is fully cleaned, and the beds are in place
- Fill the rice container (米缸) with new rice and put a red packet on top
- Buy a new broom and dustpan for the new home
- Get a pineapple (旺来, "prosperity arrives"), and a bag of coins if you want to scatter them
On the day: step by step
- Open up. Before anyone enters, unlock the main door. Once you step in, switch on every light and open the curtains.
- Enter with full hands. The head of the household enters first, carrying the rice container. Everyone else carries something: water, salt, sugar, oil or tea leaves. Nobody walks in empty-handed.
- Roll the pineapple in. Roll the pineapple through the main door into the living room. Some families also scatter coins at the entrance.
- Start the stove. Boil water first, then cook or warm something sweet, like tang yuan or red bean soup. A warm kitchen on the first day stands for a home that never lacks food.
- Run the water. Turn on the taps in the kitchen and bathrooms briefly. In Feng Shui, water is wealth starting to flow.
- Share the sweet soup with everyone present, in the home.
- Sleep there that night. The first night counts as the real move-in.
Things to avoid on the day
- Arguing, raising your voice or crying in the home
- Napping during the day. It is said to bring a "sleepy" year
- Carrying rubbish or old things out on the first day. Bring things in only
- Sharp words and bad news. Keep the mood light
For renters and HDB upgraders
The same steps work for a rented home, a resale flat or a move between rooms. If you can't keep the full list, keep the three that matter most: a good date, the lights on, and the stove used on the first day.
After you move in
Hold a housewarming within the first month if you like: guests bring energy into a new home. Keep the home lived in. Cook, open the windows, and use every room.