AIBU people staring into my house

[Wheredidallmytreesgo]

Having the front garden wall redone. Living room at the front of the house, exposed. Fairly sizeable driveway but still, several times a day (and worse, evening when I’ve got my slobs on and stuffing my face with snacks 😁), people stop outside my house, gawping and pointing at the work being done and shamelessly staring into my living room/at me. For actually what’s a very uncomfortable amount of time.

AIBU? I feel like I’m in a zoo. Don’t people realise that this is quite rude?!

Any ideas of how to respond? I usually duck and hide but this evening tried just hard staring at one couple, as they were really pointing and discussing the house/looking straight at me. Didn’t seem to do anything though. Maybe walking around naked should scare them off.

PS, we don’t have any curtains because it’s a great window with a window seat, and there was/will be a nice high wall so this problem won’t last forever. But just to say we can’t draw the curtains 😭

[GlamGiraffe]

@Wheredidallmytreesgo I dont have curtains either. The room is lovely without (bit draughty though!) Unfortunately my house is on a tour route. I didnt know this when I bought it and couldnt understand why there were suddenly loads of people right outside my windows and door peering in whilst I was in my hideous pjs. When I realised the times they came around I made sure i was wearing a ridiculous mini lacy nightie and opened the door every time asking what they wanted and asking if they wanted to buy drinks🤣🤣. The guide stopped bringing them near the house from then on! If they want to look, give them something to look at!
Sit there In your bra!(laciest one you can find😁)

[Spasiba]

So many people suggesting op either draws the curtains or fits some.
If you can't be bothered to read the post properly don't bother to answer FFS!

[GlamGiraffe]

Wave over enthusiastically at them. I find this shames them into quickly stopping and walking away in embarrassment. It also makes me laugh yo myself. They dont repeat offend either.

Alternatively stick a sign ourside where wall is being done, on a post saying "as interesting as my living room may be, dont stare in and be so nosey (you know who you are!)"

Although I do favour the approach of if someone insists on looking, give them something to look at...hang frilly underwear In the window, or do something peculiar when they stare.

[AdobeWanKenobi]

@Betchetybetch

Radical idea; shut your curtains

Or even more radical an idea, RTFT

[Betchetybetch]

Radical idea; shut your curtains

[Shinebright72]

[quote Wheredidallmytreesgo]@Shinebright72

Surely it’s not awkward for both parties?! People aren’t forced to look in![/quote]
When you walk do you continually look in a straight line at all times? People look the same way you do (other wise you would not notice them).

[Wheredidallmytreesgo]

@Shinebright72

Surely it’s not awkward for both parties?! People aren’t forced to look in!

[Shinebright72]

Get some blinds! There’s nothing worse than walking past someone’s living room and you can see right in I think it’s awkward for both parties.

I wouldn’t be able to relax! To be fair you can’t complain people have every right to look if they want.

[ginghamstarfish]

People are nosy bastards in general. My last house, on a quiet rural lane, had a huge front window, and ALL the neighbours walking their dogs had a good gawp every time - never came and introduced themselves mind, just stared through the window until I put a voile curtain up. Twats. Now in a different house, very close to roadside. There's no pavement in front of our house, but there is on the opposite side. Amazing how many walking by cross over to the non-pavement area when they get to our house, all the better to see in. I now have venetian blinds which are tilted so they can't see in. I don't get it and wouldn't dream of doing it myself.

[Wheredidallmytreesgo]

Bloody hell, we planted laurels behind the wall (now this is very outing but tbh if you know who I am then stop fucking staring) and if anything people are now MORE interested 😂🤣😁

It’s obviously been a fascinating project for people to view progress on during their 100 walks a day. But fuck me, nosy as hell. Fortunately we have a bush which has grown out of control 1/3 up the window and I have no plans to trim it until the laurels are a bit thicker!

[gottogonow]

Notice in window saying “please catch my eye if you are free to help with...(come on Mumsnet finest, the possibilities are endless)”. Sometimes people can’t see through the glass, not sure of exactly when but if I am running and car driver waves me across, sometimes I see them and sometimes the window just reflects what’s outside.

[TheGriffle]

*gawp not gasp! I’m sure your wall is good but not that good!

[TheGriffle]

@Wheredidallmytreesgo do some of the people who gasp have their phone in their hand? If you have a postbox right outside you are a prime spot for people playing Pokemon Go! They might just be battling the gym or spinning the Pokestop or catching the Pokemon around it!

[ittakes2]

Aluminium foil which is also good to block out the light.

[Wheredidallmytreesgo]

Ahhhh, I have found my people. @Jodes79 @cherryblossommorningstoday and @CountessFrog I think people who haven’t experienced just don’t understand!

@Dontcoughnearme

Not really - we have several cameras and a banham security system 🤷🏻‍♀️ And a dog. No one is getting into our house (Just staring in)

[HippoMumsy]

Get some multicoloured chalk paint pens and draw some nice designs on your window, almost like a stained glass style! Then when the works done, the chalk paint will wash off with some window spray cleaner and a wipe! Means you’ll still get the light from the window but people won’t be able to see you as much!!

[Dontcoughnearme]

No curtains? Security issue.

[angelfacecuti75]

Wave..
Or put a sign up saying please don't stare into my living room you nosey fuckers.

[Jodes79]

Oh this gets my goat! This has started happening to me on a regular basis! And it’s really pissing me off! I live in a semi detached, my living room with a large-ish window is at the front of the house. There is a communal pathway leading down the side of my house that’s sometimes used to access the back gardens. For some reason, I don’t know if it’s the many new neighbours, or the fact that everyone is at home right now, but recently there has been a huge amount of human traffic walking up this path and every single time, they stare straight in, looking directly at me! It’s not like I’m doing anything weird or in any way interesting, I’m generally just sitting, working on my laptop. And it’s the same people! I mean how many times do you need to look in and see me doing the same boring thing!? Before anyone says it, I do have a blind, but it is a black out blind and I don’t fancy sitting in the dark all day just because I have exceptionally nosey neighbours.

I have found a temporary solution though, it’s not particularly pretty, but it’s cheap and will do for now while I’m working from home and the neighbours are being pains in the arse. No, I haven’t put up a sign saying F off, although I really wanted to. I bought a roll of one-way-mirror film. It sticks using static rather than any messy glue, and works a treat! I can still see out to the trees and nosey neighbours, but they can’t see in. Having said that, if it’s dark outside and I have the lights on, it doesn’t do the job, but I can just pull the blinds down which obviously, @Wheredidallmytreesgo you won’t be able to do. I hope you’ve found a solution!

[CountessFrog]

Gosh people do this outside my house because it’s quite distinctive.

I just wave!

[syskywalker]

Get some nets. Or get over it.

[Celestine70]

Put a sign in the window, mind your own business. I have a step-father that likes to peer in people's windows.

[Biber]

Something to think about is how visible you'd be to the street when it's dark and your lights are on, Would windowlene work then? I'm not sure the suggestions of window film would, and voiles certainly wouldn't.

The investment in plants or a moveable screen sound good. See picture for similar to what I have. They come in different sizes and colours. Or, lower budget but less nice looking, is taping paper, your DH's posters as you suggested earlier, or even newspaper up.

The pressure fitting rods do work well. But if your widow is wide you'll need something stronger than the Wilko net rods. There are telescopic poles for shower curtains that are more substantial. BUT both sorts only work if you have a window recess with walls at a right angle. With even a slight slope, they are not secure. Been there, got the tee shirt.

[cherryblossommorningstoday]

Stare back

We are mid garden landscaping and have no garden fence at the moment. We live on a private side road with access to 3 houses. It is a dead end. Today 2 people on bikes cycled down and stopped to stare at our garden! Straight in and at our house. I stared back whilst my OH cringed!

[Thisismytimetoshine]

raise a glass to them and laugh at them
How charming you all sound, full of true Christmas spirit.