And then yesterday I finally got around to cleaning it up, putting things away and picking up that filthy towel. (It's amazing what a random 50 degree day can do for your mental wellbeing.) That towel was so disgusting I made a new house rule right then and there - no shoes in the house.
The girls and I are pretty good about taking our shoes off as soon as we walk in the door and sticking them in the black and white basket under our bench. But I'm going to start being that vigilant about everyone who comes in the house.
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| House and Home |
When I lived "up north" (Iowa and Chicago) everyone took their shoes off when they walked into someone's house, especially in the winter. No questions asked.
However, I know for some it isn't a big deal at all. And others even consider it rude.
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| Apartment Therapy |
Would you ask people to remove their shoes when they come to your home? How do you do it without sounding
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| Muskoka Living |
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| Homedit |
What about your house? Are you a no-shoes home? Do you make sure to wear good socks when you go over to someone's house...just in case?
good for you! i love to wear shoes, so i can't enforce it- i don't like having bare feet!
ReplyDeleteMany people automatically do that around here. My son does, but my daughter doesn't. I have a friend that has a nice sign on her front door "We are a shoe free home". I look at the homeowner and if she is shoe-less, then I take mine off too.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, we never had a rule or anything, but as an adult I've noticed friends and family automatically remove their shoes (or at least ask if they should) when they come to our house. I really like that. It feels considerate and polite.
ReplyDeleteBut, honestly, I don't think I'd ever be insistent on a "no shoes in the house rule" with other adults. Kids maybe, but peers--no.
I'm with you on this one - we made our house shoe-free a few years back and I love it. The mess stays at the front door! I always ask my kids' friends to take off their shoes if they don't do it on their own and almost every adult who comes in our house takes them off after seeing we are shoeless. I let it slide with those who don't - I want them to feel welcome and comfortable - shoeless or not!
ReplyDeleteI've never thought about it until recently but I always take my shoes off at the door. Even at friends homes I just kick of my shoes. I hate wearing shoes inside and I like to curl up on furniture so for me it's a given. The kids take their shoes off immediately as well. I store all of the kids shoes plus my three of four seasonal favorites in our front hall closet instead of upstairs so it really feels automatic for us. I do keep a small wicker basket by the front door for guests to do the same but I've never enforced it or asked them to take their shoes off. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable asking them too.
ReplyDeleteI am more comfortable without shoes in the house. I also prefer everyone to remove their shoes, but I haven't figured out how to tell them. A few friends know how I feel, but a lot don't. Family, well for years, I have been teased to death about it. At one point I had a basket of new white socks for everyone to put on and gifted them to them when they left. I would love to find an attractive place to put guests shoes, without piling them up at the door.
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in NY I had the prettiest white rug in the living room...so it was no shoes for everyone...except if I was hosting a dinner party or something then I wouldn't say anything. Funny but everyone who saw the rug would immediately ask if they should take off their shoes...so it was easy. Here I don't mind....personally I'm a barefoot kind of a person so I take my shoes off when I get home...so does my daughter. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI always kick my shoes off when I come in the door at my house but never ask others too...I'll have to make sure I have a fresh pedi when I come visit!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous home inspiration! I love the Muskoka Living one.
ReplyDeleteGood Monday morning to you Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI have a basket by the door with paper booties with non-slip soles, and request everybody to remove their shoes as soon as they come in.
I made the mistake of wanting off-white carpeting twelve years ago (never again!), but because of my fussiness, it spooks like it is new.
Over that twelve year period, two people have been offended and made remarks, and despite those two maybe a hundred have been fine with it.
I care more about my carpet since I paid for it and would have to pay for new carpeting -- than I did about upsetting the two people who resented being asked to remove their shoes and considered it an imposition.
In my new house, I will have wood floors everywhere and no carpeting. Even I have gotten tired of removing my shoes all the time.
I don't mind everyone wearing shoes in my house except when it's nasty outside. My family has never been a "no shoes" family but at my husband's grandparents' house everyone always takes off their shoes before they come in.
ReplyDeleteI had a dinner party for a childhood friend of my son to introduce his new wife. She's from Turkey. They took their shoes off at the front porch. Seems like a tradition to introduce bad spirits/dirt into a home. I liked the symbolism of it. As some one who fought the don't smoke in my house with my family, I have to say asking someone to take off shoes would be a piece of cake! Do what makes you feel good about YOUR home.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend with very light carpet throughout her home and she has a basket with the slipper sox in her closet. When you come in she will get out the basket and you get to pick what silly slipper sox you would like to wear. Having a variety of different choices it becomes a fun thing. She just collects them when it's time to leave, washes them and she is ready for the next guests.
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic..I have discussed with friends several times. I do not mind shoes in the house, and do not require others to take them off. Unless shoes are wet and muddy...not likely here in sunny Ca...it feels odd to ask people to remove them to me. I do respect a no shoes policy..but once a homeowner asked everyone to remove shoes...then wore their own in the house. All the guest were walking around in socks or barefoot and they had shoes on...weird!
ReplyDeleteI am sick of cleaning the floors, too. I hate what shoes track in. We leave ours out in the garage but the dogs are another story-- now with the melting snow today it is sooo much worse. We try to make everyone go through the tiled sunroom, but I too have towels everywhere. I have never asked people to take off their shoes, but I think in bad weather I will start! Good luck, at least its warmer and sunny today!!! xo Nancy
ReplyDeleteUp here in (the cold part of) Canada in the winter we have to take our shoes off - there's no other way! I do like to wear something on my feet though so I am a slipper convert, you know the ballet slips, not the fuzzies. I like to feel like I can bust out my dance moves at any time and I don't want to be tripping over some huge slippers.
ReplyDeleteI can't stand wearing shoes and would go without if it were possible and socially acceptable so it is no big deal for me to go shoeless. I would never ask an adult guest to remove their shoes but kids are another story. I have no qualms about telling little ragamuffins to remove the footwear.
ReplyDeleteNo shoes allowed in my home! As soon as they walk in I immediately ask them to take off their shoes, in a nice way. I'm usually walking in with them also, so I think that helps as well. If they have a problem with it, just explain you like to keep your home as clean as possible. :)
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Marisha
avidaebelaofm.blogspot.com
I've seen these debates fly on Apartment Therapy before! We have a 'shoes-are-fine' policy in my home. With wood flooring throughout the downstairs, my feet would be COLD without shoes although I do tend to wear big furry slippers quite often ;) All the flooring gets cleaned once a week so I'm not too bothered to be honest! But if I went to a household where they had a 'no-shoes-allowed' policy, I certainly wouldn't take offence - their home, their rules! xxx
ReplyDeleteGood for you. Ask people nicely to take their shoes off and they really won't mind.
ReplyDeleteI have an whole blog on this subject; Shoes Off at the Door, Please You might like to take a look
I have to admit that I don't really like to have to take my shoes off unless I am at the house of a close friend. I like to feel completely dressed and taking my shoes off just feels a little weird and intimate. The worst is when someone asks you to put on some slippers from their collection! I, like, so don't want to put on someone else's shoes and I certainly don't want to wear their cute little socks! I guess I'm persnickety! This convo made me think of this though: there used to be a day when it was considered rude to ask others not to smoke in your home. Can you imagine? No shoes will probably be standard in 20 years.
ReplyDeleteWe had a random 50ish degree day today and I'm ready to take on some projects! It's amazing what a little warm weather will do for you, so ready for spring! I always think about the socks I wear to other peoples' homes, just in case :)
ReplyDeletei cant believe you mentioned the towel by the door - that's too uncanny. i too put a towel down, navy of course to show all the dirt and hair, and just got around to getting it to the washing machine. it was DISGUSTING. i think no shoes is a good idea. i just dont know how to ask/tell people either :/ reading comments now!
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, I do wear my shoes inside my house because I'm always cold.
ReplyDeleteWe don't make adults take their shoes off. I typically change into slippers or flip-flops when I get home, but the husband prefers to wear shoes. When we have playdates, I make the kids (including my own) remove their shoes just because it seems to limit their running speed. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a big boot tray that I leave near the front door during winter, with a pair of my own boots on it. Usually people take the hint. I only wish I could get my dog to wear boots, then take them off himself when he comes inside! :)
ReplyDeleteI think it is a geographic thing - in some areas it seems to be the culture and in others, not so much. While I can totally appreciate why you and others have a shoe-free policy, I don't ask adults to take their shoes off, because what if they have a stinky feet problem or holey socks or something that would make them uncomfortable? - and I want them to be comfortable in my home. If someone asks if they should take their shoes off I say - whatever you'd like. KIDS though - I always make them take their shoes off, whether they are guests or my own little homewreckers! :) **When I come to visit you for G&Ts I promise to take my shoes off!!!!**
ReplyDeletePS I could live in your entry, I love it so!
ReplyDeletePPS I don't have stinky feet but I do have holey socks.
ReplyDeleteYep, just picked up the pink towel from my front door. When I lived in the South I never wore shoes, now, here in the cold I like to keep on my shoes to keep my feet warm! At our old house every where you stepped in was a wood floor so I didn't worry very much. Now our basement is carpeted and I am on a rampage ... my husband is the biggest pain!! I am about to create a little shoe area in the garage before we step in. I probably hate this rule more than anyone, but I just got new carpet!!! Great post! xo
ReplyDeleteWe wear our shoes in our house, but by the looks of my carpets we probably shouldn't. I may be weird but I seem to get more things done around the house if I have on my shoes. I wear my shoes all day long. But when I go to someone else's home I always ask.
ReplyDeleteI love your entry! :)
We are a shoe free house and my kids are trained to take off their shoes when they enter anyone else's house. In the winter it really is a must. I actually walked into a client's house the other day and she had a cute, framed sign in her entry asking guests to remove their shoes. Cute!
ReplyDeleteI'm a total no-shoes home! Well, I try to be at least. Sometimes people come in and don't take them off, which I try to ignore. I need tips on how to suggest for them to take off their shoes without sounding rude!
ReplyDeleteIsn’t That Charming.
Just say "Would you mind taking your shoes off?"
DeleteIt's not like you are asking them to shovel snow off your drive.
This is a great post because I am sure everyone can relate. We ALWAYS take off shoes. And, it's funny, whenever my kids have playdates, we always take our socks with us. My kids just automatically take off shoes and I either bring my socks (or I have been known to bring my slippers). The only one who breaks our house rule from time to time is my husband and it drives me nuts!!
ReplyDeleteAll of my son's friends automatically took their shoes off when they came in - it always amused me.
ReplyDeleteHey lady bug! We have always had a no shoes on in the house policy. My parents had one growing up and I think it was just natural to extend that into my home once I got older. We ask our guests to remove shoes as well, and have never had an issue. For one thing, we have carpets, which can be a disaster to have to deal with, but more than that I just think its really nasty to think about what you could trapes into the house by way of your shoes. The ground isn't exactly the most sanitary thing in the world! Plus I do believe in leaving negative energy at the door. My home is my sanctuary and I try to keep it as clean and protected as possible. We also remove our shoes when we enter someone else's home.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is vigilant about no shoes - probably because cleaning the floors is his job! When you think about it, it is gross tracking everything in. But it's the worst when I am out the door in heels and realize I forgot something and have to run back inside the apartment!
ReplyDeleteWe automatically take off our shoes when we go to another's home, and people do the same at our house too, even tho we don't tell them to. Seems it's been like that for a while, and believe it started, when we moved into a new home, and when the kids moved into theirs, New carpets and all... But it's a common thing to do with all our friends, it just seems the natural thing to do.
ReplyDeleteI always take my shoes off at my own house and when I'm visiting someone else. I'm in the city all day and know what I walk in....I was at a neighbor's house last night for a gathering and I think I was the only one in socks though. No one else had taken theirs off.
ReplyDeleteI'm from MN, so maybe it's a Midwestern thing like you mentioned, but people take their shoes off when they go in some one else's home. And in the winter, it would be just downright rude to track your wet shoes/boots in any home.
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