New Homes & Renovation
The renovation's finally done, and the next question that pops up is often: do you need to pick a date for house-warming? Do you need to do a ceremony? What do you even prepare? One offhand comment from an elder — "you'd better pick a good day" — is enough to leave anyone confused.
This article walks through how to think about an auspicious house-warming date, the ceremony itself, the blessings people say, and a checklist of furniture and appliances to have ready before you move in. One thing upfront: these are traditional practices offered for reference, not absolute rules — respect whatever your own family believes, and the choice is entirely yours.
Key takeaway: Choosing a house-warming date and holding a ceremony are traditional customs, not legal requirements — a family can decide to keep it simple or skip it entirely based on their own beliefs. What actually is legally regulated is household registration: under Article 48 of Taiwan's Household Registration Act, an application for registration must be filed within 30 days of the event (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026) — so once you've actually moved in, remember to complete the address-change registration.
1How to Pick an Auspicious House-Warming Date: Lunar Calendar Traditions and Timing
The traditional way to pick a house-warming date mostly follows the lunar calendar — checking an almanac or lunar calendar, avoiding inauspicious clashes, and choosing an "auspicious hour" on the day itself for stepping through the door. These are all traditional practices with no official statistics or standard answer behind them — offered purely for reference.
Should you bother picking a date at all? That's entirely up to you. Some families are quite particular about it and hire a professional to choose a date based on family members' birth details; others simply pick a weekend that feels right and call it good.
Having moved a few times myself, I've noticed that date-picking methods actually come from different schools of thought, and the same day can even get different readings across different versions of the almanac. So rather than agonizing over which version is "most accurate," it's more useful to first confirm that the whole family can actually make it and the timing works.
If you genuinely want a precise calculation, we'd recommend consulting a professional date-picker or a proper almanac — this article isn't going to calculate your personal astrological chart or hand you a made-up "auspicious date."
Once you've picked a date, don't forget it needs to line up with your handover and moving timeline. The handover date is usually set by the developer once construction is complete and the occupancy permit is obtained — for how to coordinate that, see Handover Process and Setting the Handover Date, and for the full sequence from customization through move-in, see The Complete Overview of Buying and Renovating a Home.
2The House-Warming Ceremony and What You'll Need: Is It Okay to Skip It?
Let's answer the most-asked question straight away: is it okay to skip the house-warming ceremony? Yes. It's a traditional custom, not a legal requirement, and a family can decide to keep it simple or skip it entirely based on their own beliefs — there's genuinely no need to feel pressure about this either way.
The typical house-warming ceremony generally follows these steps:
- Enter at the auspicious hour: Step formally through the door at the chosen time.
- Light the stove and cook something sweet: Commonly glutinous rice balls or a sweet soup, symbolizing wholeness and sweetness.
- Bring in rice and "seed money": A rice urn filled with rice, plus a red envelope with seed money, symbolizing abundance.
- Turn on all the lights: Switching on every light in the house, symbolizing brightness and prosperity.
Caption: Common house-warming essentials — rice urn and rice, seed-money envelope, sweet rice-ball soup, turning on the lights, and (in some regions) firecrackers — customs vary by region, so go with what fits your family
The list of essentials usually revolves around the same items: rice, salt, seed money, ingredients for rice balls, a new broom and dustpan, buckets, and so on. Some regions also include firecrackers or fruit.
Worth noting: customs and family preferences vary a lot by region — some people are very particular, others keep it minimal. How thoroughly you prepare should follow your own family's practice, not a one-size-fits-all rule.
What if you want to keep it simple? For a lot of people, just doing "light the stove for a sweet soup, bring in rice, turn on the lights" already feels like enough. The point of the ceremony is that sense of peace of mind — not putting on a show.
3Popular House-Warming Blessings (Shared by Homeowners Online)
What blessings do people say on house-warming day? Here's a curated list of common phrases, organized by context so you can use them directly. These are simply well-wishing phrases — there's no question of them being "authentic" or not, and none of them are claimed to be the "one true way" to bring good fortune.
When stepping through or opening the door:
- Good fortune upon this new home, may your ventures flourish
- Open the door to joy, may all go smoothly
Wishing the family harmony:
- Peace and safety for the whole household, may the family thrive
- May your family grow and prosper, may five blessings arrive
Wishing wealth and career success:
- May wealth flow in from every direction
- May business thrive, may you rise step by step
Online communities also have plenty of homeowners sharing the versions their own families use — these are all reader-shared, offered for reference, and we'd encourage you to adapt them to whoever you're speaking to. What you'd say to an elder and what you'd say to a friend are naturally going to sound different.
My own approach: you don't need to memorize a long list. Picking two or three phrases that feel natural and heartfelt lands better than anything else. Blessings are about sincerity, not quantity.
4Can You Move In Before House-Warming? Common Questions About Ghost Month and Move-In Timing
Can you move in first without a house-warming? Yes — that's a personal choice. What matters on the practical side: under Article 48 of Taiwan's Household Registration Act, an application for registration must be filed within 30 days of the event (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026) — meaning whether or not you hold a house-warming ceremony, once you actually move in and start living there, remember to complete the address-change registration within the deadline.
Traditionally, some people do a brief symbolic "pass through the fire" to move in provisionally, then hold the formal house-warming once a proper date is chosen; others move in right after handover and add the ceremony later. Practices vary from person to person, and there's no standard answer.
So can you move in or move during Ghost Month? That's a matter of traditional taboo, not a legal requirement. Some people avoid the entire month, others don't think twice about it — respect your own beliefs and decide for yourself.
Let's be honest here: there's no official standard answer to this kind of question, and you'll find plenty of contradicting opinions online. This article lays out the common views for your reference, without asserting a verdict or trying to alarm you. If it genuinely matters to you, do whatever puts your mind at ease.
As for what counts as "moving in from elsewhere," Article 17 of the Household Registration Act requires registration for anyone who has resided somewhere for three months or more (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026) — one more small administrative task to handle after moving in. If you're stuck on questions about Ghost Month handover, see Common Questions About Ghost Month Handover and Choosing a Date.
5House-Warming Furniture, Appliances & Essentials: What to Have Ready Before Moving In
How much furniture and appliances should you have ready before moving in? We'd recommend splitting it into two tiers — "must-have" and "can wait" — to avoid buying everything at once. After all, under Article 48 of the Household Registration Act, registration must be completed within 30 days (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026), which means a lot of people really are moving in for good — the basics need to be in place first.
Caption: Two tiers of house-warming furniture — have ready first: bed, fridge, washing machine, basic lighting, curtains; can wait: sofa, coffee table, sideboard, decor
Must-have (needed the day you move in):
- Bed (with mattress), basic bedding
- Refrigerator, washing machine
- Basic lighting, curtains
- Air conditioning (season-dependent), water heater
Can wait (add gradually):
- Sofa, coffee table
- Dining table and chairs, sideboard
- Bookshelf, decor items
Appliance recommendations and specific product picks vary from person to person — this list only covers categories and doesn't endorse any particular brand. Your unit size, household members, and budget are all different, so the right answer for you will be different too.
Here's a genuinely useful approach: before the furniture arrives, use Roomfit to draw out your new home's layout and place the bed, sofa, and fridge at true 1:1 scale, confirming the walkways are wide enough and doors won't get blocked. When the movers show up on move-in day, they can just follow the plan — no fumbling with placement on the spot, and no hauling something back out because it doesn't fit.
We've tried both "plan the layout first, then bring everything in" and "figure it out on the spot" — the difference is stark: the former saves an enormous amount of back-and-forth hauling. To manage your budget alongside this checklist, pair it with the renovation budget template and furniture shopping list; if your new home is still under renovation and you want to nail down the timeline first, New Build Renovation Sequence and Timeline rounds out the picture.
6Key Points for House-Warming Prep: Traditions Are for Peace of Mind, Registration Is a Legal Task, Furniture Goes First
House-warming becomes a lot clearer once you split it into three layers. The traditional layer — picking a date, the ceremony, the blessings — is about peace of mind, and it's entirely up to you, with no standard answer. The administrative layer — household registration has a legal deadline, don't forget it. The practical layer — placing furniture and appliances before they arrive is the least stressful approach.
My own experience: separating "must be done" from "nice to have" takes all the anxiety out of house-warming. Place your furniture in Roomfit first, follow the plan on move-in day without redoing anything, and save your energy for actually celebrating the new home.
7FAQ
Is it okay to skip the house-warming ceremony?
Yes. The house-warming ceremony is a traditional custom, not a legal requirement, and a family can decide to keep it simple or skip it entirely based on their own beliefs. What actually has a legal deadline is household registration — under Article 48 of the Household Registration Act, an application for registration must be filed within 30 days of the event (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026). So the ceremony is entirely optional — just don't forget the address-change registration.
Can you move in before doing house-warming?
Yes, that's a personal choice. Traditionally, some people do a brief symbolic move-in first and hold the formal house-warming once a proper date is chosen, while others move in right after handover and add the ceremony later — practices vary and there's no official standard. What you do need to remember is the practical side: under the Household Registration Act, registration must be completed within 30 days of moving in (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026) — that's the one step with a clear legal deadline.
Can you move in or move during Ghost Month?
This is a matter of traditional taboo, not a legal requirement — some people avoid it entirely, others don't think twice about it. Respect your own beliefs and make your own call. There's no official standard answer to this kind of question, and you'll find opinions on both sides online. Legally, there's no restriction on moving in or completing household registration during Ghost Month.
What furniture and appliances should be ready before house-warming?
We'd recommend splitting it into "must-have" and "can wait." Have the bed, fridge, washing machine, basic lighting, and curtains ready for move-in day; the sofa, bookshelf, and decor items can be added gradually. Since registration must be completed within 30 days of moving in under the Household Registration Act (Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, 2026), the basics need to be in place first. Planning the layout in Roomfit before the furniture arrives helps you avoid buying something that doesn't fit.
What are some house-warming blessings I can use directly?
Popular ones include "good fortune upon this new home, may your ventures flourish," "peace and safety for the whole household, may the family thrive," and "may wealth flow in from every direction," organized by context — entering the door, wishing the family well, wishing career success. These are simply well-wishing phrases with no question of authenticity, and homeowners on forums share plenty of versions for reference. Picking two or three phrases that feel natural and heartfelt lands better than reciting a long list.
8Related Reading
- Choosing a Moving Date: Ghost Month, Traditions, and Taboos
- Moving Checklist and Packing Guide: From Sorting to House-Warming
- Furniture Dimensions Reference for Your House-Warming Furniture Checklist
