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You’re in Luck
Who wouldn’t benefit from a little extra luck? There are many strategies believed to bring luck, prosperity, good fortune, and good health to a home’s inhabitants. While there may not be a pile of scientific studies to support the validity of these lucky symbols, it can still be fun (and possibly fortuitous) to integrate these items and symbols when updating your home’s decor. Bring the air of good fortune into your home by loading up on these prosperous animals, colors, and symbols.
Fruit
That fruit sitting on your counter may be more powerful than you realize. In feng shui, fruits carry different meanings: Apples are associated with peace, grapes symbolize an abundance of wealth or success, and peaches represent immortality. Another belief that’s recommended is to keep nine oranges in a room to ward off bad luck. If you’re not a big fan of real fruit, consider hanging a still-life painting of your favorite produce.
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Elephants
In many parts of the world, elephants symbolize strength and wisdom, and an elephant with its trunk turned up is a sign of good luck. Keep an elephant figurine near your front door to protect your home, or accessorize your family room sofa with a throw pillow that depicts an elephant for positive energy and good fortune.
Crickets
A chirping cricket in the house could keep you up all night, but that noisy cricket could also be a sign of good things to come. It’s believed that crickets represent wealth and good luck, and that their visits remind us to be happy!
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An Auspicious Front Door Color
It’s not just what’s inside your house that brings good luck, but how it appears from the outside as well. Various religions and cultures have strong associations with the color red, making it a popular color choice for the front door.
If you’re into feng shui, however, red may not be the best choice for your entry. In feng shui, the color of your door should depend on the direction your house faces: earth tones if it faces east, reds and yellows for south, soft neutrals for west, and deep, dark tones for north.
Horseshoes
Often mounted near a doorway or used as a knocker, the horseshoe has long been a favorite lucky charm for homeowners. Different cultures have different reasons for finding this symbol lucky: Some think that the iron in a horseshoe wards off evil spirits, while others hold that the number of nails in a horseshoe—seven—brings good luck. Hang it right-side up in a U shape so the luck never runs out, or hang it pointing downward so the good luck will fall onto all who walk beneath it.
Vulture Heads
You’ve certainly heard of keeping a rabbit’s foot as a lucky charm, but here’s an even creepier one: a vulture’s head. In some parts of the world, it’s believed that hanging a vulture’s head in the home can keep death away.
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Saint Joseph Statue
Not having any luck selling your house? Many Roman Catholics have taken to the tradition of burying a statue of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of home and family, upside down in their front yard while saying a prayer for a speedy sale. Some homeowners dig up the statue once their house has been sold, while others leave it in the ground to protect the home’s new inhabitants.
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Goldfish
Fish symbolize abundance and prosperity, but homeowners who don’t want to maintain an aquarium in their house can opt instead for a a bowl with a goldfish or two. A goldfish’s color represents fortune and wealth—good luck in a pleasingly small package.
Acorns
Have you had a run of bad luck? Scatter a few acorns around the house to turn your fortunes around. Ancient druids considered oak trees sacred and carried acorns around for good luck.
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The Five Chinese Elements
The concept of feng shui has its roots in Chinese culture. It encompasses many different elements with the goal of creating harmony between people and their environments. One of the simplest ways to practice feng shui in a home is to incorporate the five Chinese elements of wood, water, metal, earth, and fire. In a feng shui home, all of the elements are present in every space.
Incense
Not only is incense used for aromatherapy or to positively impact a home’s scentscape, but it’s also said that the smoke drives negativity out of a space. Burning sage is supposed to achieve a similar effect. While incense is generally thought to be lucky, certain scents are also known to be lucky. Both citrus and vanilla-scented incense, for example, are believed to bring prosperity.
Turtles
Like elephants, turtles are animals that are believed to carry luck with them. Feng shui practitioners believe that the turtle is one of the Four Celestial Guardians and, when placed in a home, will protect its inhabitants from evil forces. Keeping live turtles as pets is one means of protection, but it’s also supposed to be lucky to integrate turtle symbols or figurines into one’s decor.
Lucky Plants
When received as a gift, lucky bamboo plants are thought to deliver luck and prosperity. These common houseplants are not only auspicious, they’re also easy to care for. Along with lucky bamboo, there are a host of other plants that are believed to bring good fortune to a home, including money tree plants, snake plants, orchids, jade, and peace lillies.