Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Internal doors - Open or closed?

108 replies

8ahwe · 10/10/2023 12:10

Normally are the doors in your home open or closed?

You are being unreasonable = Open

You are NOT being unreasonable = Closed

Thanks!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
zingally · 11/10/2023 17:13

Generally open, but not for any particular reason or thought behind it.

Although growing up, one of my mums catchphrases was "push the door to!" She had a thing about keeping the living room door closed, especially in winter, to keep the warmth in.

murasaki · 11/10/2023 16:30

Another for open due to cats.

Oohmontydon · 11/10/2023 16:19

Marblessolveeverything · 10/10/2023 14:57

Every door closed gives you and your family more time to escape a fire.

Yep. We had the fire service come and install smoke detectors when we moved in (service they offered at the time). Found some of ours were in the wrong place so they relocated/reinstalled them. They told us to have at least one window unlocked in each bedroom and a fire escape plan. Prior to that we had doors open but they certainly put the frighteners up me so we close every door now. No dishwasher or washing machine on overnight either.

Moonbowlspoon · 10/10/2023 21:21

Open. Exceptions are:

  • bathroom, when someone is in it;
  • DD’s bedroom when she’s sleeping, although recently she’s wanted it open a crack.
OneTC · 10/10/2023 21:19

Mostly closed. I like having a door closed between the front door and whatever room I'm in

Aprilx · 10/10/2023 21:08

Generally open, I just shut the bedroom door at night.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 10/10/2023 21:04

ASCCM · 10/10/2023 12:19

Downstairs open all the time. Upstairs open in the day and closed at night for fire and privacy

Same

Lambruschinetto · 10/10/2023 20:41

Only kitchen/living room closed, only at night cos fire safety. Rest of the time everything open cos I feel claustrophobic otherwise and it's a pain to constantly open and close doors, doesn't feel free.

Peaceandkindness · 10/10/2023 20:32

Open - mine is all one level and the dogs patrol around

TammyJones · 10/10/2023 20:30

Open apart from after dark from mid oct /nov ti mid March
Our bedroom door at night - unless it gets hot.
Son / guests bedroom door if he / they stop over.

LunaandLily · 10/10/2023 20:26

Cats.

Isseywith3witchycats · 10/10/2023 20:17

upstairs doors always closed three doors tiny landing it looks better, downstairs front room door to stairs always closed so cats cant get upstairs, kitchen door between downstairs rooms partially open so said cats can get to their food bowls and litter tray at night

namechangeforsexthread · 10/10/2023 20:12

@gaspanic even with the doors being closed, enough smoke filters through the top of the door and would set the detectors off, the door giving a lot more time to wake up, react, grab kids and get out. A bog standard internal door gives you up to 15 minutes.

You're right, in that the open door would allow the smoke to reach the detectors sooner, but you'd have much less time to get out. You don't want to be breathing any smoke in and it develops fast. Really fast.

PositiveLife · 10/10/2023 20:11

Kids' rooms are closed (fire doors and also stops cat waking them through night)
Mine is open so cat has a bit more space.
Bathroom door shut so the cat doesn't knock everything into the bath!
Living room and kitchen doors closed to contain the other cat.

AffIt · 10/10/2023 20:02

BarnacleBeasley · 10/10/2023 16:17

Wonder if OP imagined this thread as being essentially fire safety vs. cats?

😁😁😁

minipie · 10/10/2023 19:54

Open for ventilation, light and convenience in the day

Bedrooms and kitchen door shut at night - mainly so cat doesn’t wake us up or bring little presents upstairs, but also for fire safety now it’s been pointed out (hadn’t thought about it till now 😳 )

HamstersAreMyLife · 10/10/2023 19:51

All open even bedroom doors. Not all of them shut easily/at all as it's an old house. I did used to shut the kitchen doors at night to stop the cat moving around but she lives outside so we don't bother now but I might start again.

UtterlyButterly2048 · 10/10/2023 19:46

Closed because, drafts! Plus, they are all fire doors and I have a million dogs that I don’t want running riot round the house.

Shadyboots23 · 10/10/2023 19:29

Open - the cat sleeps in bed with me but needs access to his tray/water

Just installed a new smoke alarm, the idiots that built this place helpfully put it right outside the bathroom. Every time you have a hot bath it sets the alarm off Angry

gingercat02 · 10/10/2023 18:54

Closed when we are out, open if we are home, apart from the bathrooms and our bedroom. No one needs to look at toilets, and I prefer not to have our bedroom open to random teens who are often upstairs with DS

Americano75 · 10/10/2023 18:32

Also have cats so always open.

Narwall · 10/10/2023 18:00

DH is a firefighter so they are all closed!

spidermonkeys · 10/10/2023 17:59

Always closed for fire reasons

gotomomo · 10/10/2023 17:53

Depends, I close them everyone else must have been born in a barn because they never close them!

DilemmaDelilah · 10/10/2023 17:46

Any downstairs door into the bit where the stairs are shut all the time to stop the car getting upstairs. Conservatory doors open when not too hot or cold. Door from kitchen into sitting room open during the day and shut at night (elderly cat has had a couple of 'accidents' on the sofa recently so she is shut in there at night). Upstairs doors usually open, except spare room when it's cold (so we don't waste heat in there) and my office when I have the heater on.
Well insulated and dry house - and windows get opened so there is air circulation.

Swipe left for the next trending thread