If your home is still adorned with holiday leftovers and your mind is more focused on alleviating your hangover or eagerly watching the final season of Stranger Things, then here’s some comforting news for you—cleaning on January 1 is considered bad luck.
Indeed, it’s true, and if you’re facing pressure from a parent or partner to start tidying up, feel free to share this information with them.
While it may be appealing to begin the new year with a spotless home, it’s best to leave that task for tomorrow, as cleaning today might bring about some unfortunate events in the future.
This cleaning superstition covers tasks like doing laundry, washing dishes, and even taking out the trash, each of which is said to have its own potential to negatively affect your year.
You might feel the urge to tackle the laundry pile before the routine of everyday life resumes, but many communities hold the belief that washing clothes on New Year’s Day symbolizes ‘washing away a loved one’.
This isn’t about spraying your partner with a hose in the summer; rather, it suggests the possibility of losing a friend or family member before the next year ends, making it a risk not worth taking.
Reddit users have shared their experiences with this superstition, as seen in a post on the r/AskUK thread titled “Do you do laundry/cleaning on New Year’s Day?”
One user responded by saying they avoid doing laundry on New Year’s Day, explaining: “My gran always said “Do a wash on New Year’s day, you’ll wash one of the family away”.”
Let your dishes sit by the sink for another day, and steer clear of the vacuum as well.
According to some beliefs, washing dishes might lead to ‘washing away good luck’ in the upcoming year, while sweeping the floors could result in sweeping away your good fortune.
It’s possible these ideas originated with a young adult recovering from a night out who claimed they couldn’t manage chores on New Year’s Day. However, if postponing the dishes by a day could enhance your luck, it might be worth considering.
Though your trash may appear to be filled with leftovers, candy wrappers, and old milk cartons, it’s also believed to hold a sign of prosperity.
Removing the trash could potentially cause that prosperity to leave your home alongside it.
One belief suggests that January 1 sets the tone for the entire year—engaging in chores might mean you’ll spend the year working hard. It’s a twist on the idea of ‘starting as you mean to go on’, but if you can fill New Year’s Day with enjoyment, there’s hope that the rest of the year will follow in the same vein!