That fruit sitting on your counter may be more powerful than you realize. In feng shui, different fruits carry different meanings. Apples are associated with peace, grapes symbolize an abundance of wealth or success, and peaches represent immortality. As well, it’s recommended to keep nine oranges in a room to ward off bad luck. If you’re not a big fan of fruit, consider hanging a still-life painting or some other representation.
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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.
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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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It's not just what you keep 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 always be the best choice. 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.
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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 this belief; some think that the iron in a horseshoe wards off spirits, while others hold that the number of nails used—7—brings good luck. Hang it 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.
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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 having a vulture's head in the home can keep death away.
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Not having 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 new homeowners.
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Fish symbolize abundance and prosperity, but homeowners who don't want to maintain an entire aquarium in their house can opt for a modest goldfish instead. Its color represents fortune and wealth—good luck in a pleasingly small package.
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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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Even if you've got your heart set on hardwood flooring, it's worth considering the alternatives. Sometimes, materials that only look like wood can be just as good as—or even better than—the real thing. Explore your options now!
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