To ask for another annoying things about other peoples homes thread?

[balihai550]

This one two years ago made my christmas... can we have another? 🎄 🙏

Ah Bluntness, how apt your name is!

The question was "what annoys you". I didn't say they HAVE to have theirs on display. I was actually thinking it's odd when people don't own books at all. There isn't anything else I think they should display but I won't be visiting you at time soon so don't fret 😂

Like you, I house my books all over the house, the majority in bookcases with doors. I don't invite "randoms" into my house, my friends and family are welcome in home (when tier rules allow) and can open cupboards to their hearts content. Interesting that you've jumped to people displaying books as a superiority stealth boast. I just like to see what makes my friends tick, what genres they enjoy and what we can share.

I don't know how long tea last @BessieSurtees but I would imagine past a year it's probably gone off?

It's a tricky one as my MIL was being lovely but the tea was foul. I did say to her eventually (four years along) that the tea had possibly gone off, and then produced my own, but she didn't throw the box of tea bags away so they're there, glowering at me and my princessy ways, every time I open the cupboard!

Agree re books @CeeceeBloomingdale - I find it odd not to see books in a house and I do judge people who don't have them although I know that's not kind.

My absolute favourite thing is a house with loads of books and just mooching along their shelves seeing what they've got.

I dont think the OP meant those who display books were doing so to boast but those saying 'No books' come across as superior.

I only have instant coffee! Real coffee just makes me want to vomitt! I am conscious of this! DH ditched his machine because of the pods and seems happy with instant too. Not sure what to keep in post Covid.

The thing is ceecee how would you know they don’t own books, physically or electronically, unless you know them well?

I have books but they’re not necessarily on display in places visitors would see them.
(Office, landing, bedroom etc)
Many are ebooks and not necessarily an insight into what I enjoy as some are bookclub choices I’ve not enjoyed.

I think books are for reading and passing on and contrary to others, seeing bookshelves full of them irritates me.

@Literallynoidea in my case my guest has never had a problem with turning their nose up straight away but it had to be pointed out to me that the tea would be off. However my MiL buys awful coffee and so it must be 30 years since I drank a cup of coffee in her house, she's never noticed and I've never had the nerve to take my own

We have cookery books on display in the kitchen/diner as we constantly use them. Visitors seem to enjoy looking through those

Too hot (DM & PIL)
Never opening a window even in the height of summer (DM)
Being an appalling washer upper so you have to subtly rewash everything before using it (FIL - despite having spent £10k+ on a new kitchen and declaring they don't need a dishwasher)
Too many towels in bathroom so you have no idea which one to use to dry your hands on (SIL)

We don't have a bathroom lock and insist on shoes off at the door so they probably hate us too.

@Bluntness100

The thing is ceecee how would you know they don’t own books, physically or electronically, unless you know them well?

@Bluntness100 They have no cupboards or bookcases! I also know everyone I visit well enough to know if they read or not. One friend does read but never keeps books, however she passes them on if she thinks they are my taste. Her children have lots of books out though. I keep books by my favourite authors but pass on fast fiction. I love to see a to be read pile that isn't filed away.

Houses where people don’t take their shoes off. Gross

Cold houses. I have to leave my coat on if it’s colder than about 20/21.

Untidy or cluttered houses.

People who have a dog and think their house doesn’t smell.

Inspirational quotes...

I hate seeing those little signs/ candles/ prints that say rubbish like “this house is run on prosecco and laughter” or “live, laugh, love”. Was gifted a particularly hideous one that said something about “May you get everything you want before they cancel your credit cards” which now lives at the back of a cupboard until I can get rid of it.

Also I like to see physical books. I have a kindle but prefer real books. I'm not interested in looking at someone's kindle in the same way as I would enjoy a bookshelf. As someone who loves books, I find it difficult to imagine how some people live without any. It's not a judgement of them, more a case of trying to picture life without something that is a staple in mine. Like not owning toothpaste or a kettle.

@Kintsugi16

Why are no books an issue? It’s not like you’re going to read them whilst visiting

I keep a selection of books on the shelf of the bedside table beside the spare bed. Otherwise, I am actively trying to get rid of old books I will never read again or want to share as I use my kindle now. Not so easy at the moment.

My MIL has no where to sit. There is a sofa that she and the dog sit on and then one other hard wooden chair. There are five of us so we end up just standing around. She doesn't offer to sit on the chair so we can all pile on the sofa either.

I'm not interested in looking at someone's kindle in the same way as I would enjoy a bookshelf

But expecting someone to furnish their home in a way as to suit uou is so entitled. Buy your own books and look at them. Go to the library. It’s crazy to suggest someone should have books on display because you’d enjoy looking at them. You don’t live there, it’s not your home.

My MIL has a pack of Earl Grey tea for me which she bought in approx 2012. It was a kind gesture but the tea has now gone off and is disgusting.

For a few years I ploughed on with the shit tea but one day thought fuck this.

I now take my own tea bags (my one cup in the morning is sacrosanct) but am judged a princess for doing so.

I do the same with coffee- I’m not a big coffee drinker but mornings are so much better with my one cup of espresso made the way I like it. Particularly if I’ve been freezing my arse off in an unheated house- doesn’t matter how posh the coffee was when you bought it a decade ago, my bog-standard Lidl tin bought last week is fine, thanks.

This thread actually makes me so sad that I won’t be staying at my parents or in-laws this year. They tick a lot of these boxes and we complain about half of this stuff every time we stay with either of them, both completely opposite complaints depending on if its or my parents - too hot, too cold, too tidy, too messy, where’s the bin...? But, this year I am going to miss it all so much

If a house has no books, I judge.
If a house has some books but trash or chick lit, I judge. The more books the better, for me. Floor to ceiling books, books in the bog, on the floor, by the beds, hell, on the bed. All lovely.

I hate spotless houses, tv on in the day time, or on any time in the kitchen. In fact I hate tvs in the kitchen and bedroom.

Paved front gardens. Concrete ornaments.

China collectibles - anything like hugging figures, forest animals, angels or dancing people. Collectibles of any type really.

Dying indoor plants unless they are in the process of being saved.

Damp or dirty bath mats.

Dirty shower stalls

I don’t have to guess what people would dislike about our home as my MIL freely tells me every time they visit

1. I don’t use softener on towels
2. The house isn’t heated to a constant 30 degrees
3. We don’t keep all the internal doors permanently shut
4. I have a hand towel out in the kitchen but not a tea towel. I rarely dry up and if I need to dry up I’ll get a clean towel out of the drawer. 5)We recycle and have a food waste bin
5. One of our bathrooms doesn’t have a lock. It’s not usually a problem as we follow the ‘if the door is closed someone is in there’ rule but I appreciate it’s not great for guests. However it is an en-suite off my bedroom! What makes this funnier is that neither of their bathrooms has a lock and they keep all doors closed so there’s no way of telling if someone is in there without knocking and asking before you go in.
6. We have a bean to cup coffee machine. We also have instant if people want it but she likes to moan about the machine anyway. See also my kettle that has the option of different temperatures. You still only have to flick the switch to do a basic boil but she moans every single time that it’s complicated and not necessary.
7. I don’t have a water dispenser or ice maker (do have ice in trays though) in the fridge freezer. Except we now have a new fridge so have both of those things. 9)I offer her tea/coffee outside of her designated tea/coffee drinking times (8am, 11am and 4pm). Surely it would be ruder to not offer if I was making one?

As for what annoys me at other people’s houses, not much unless it’s really filthy and unhygienic. Smelly bedding maybe if staying overnight...

Bathrooms without locks. Elvis Presley supposedly died in the toilet. When my MIL had to move in with us we took the lock off the toilet for 2 reasons. First it is fiddly for her arthritic hands to cope with, and secondly, if she fell in the toilet we would want to get in to help her as asap, with no delay while we fiddle to open the lock from the outside.

Showers that let out little more than a drip.

Hoarders houses - my sister has 2 adult children and a 6yo so why is their living room crammed with toys that include a baby Walker and rattles? Chuck stuff out FFS.

People who put the comfort of their dog above their guests and won't put the jumpy dog away/tell people "that's the dog's spot on the couch (so you can't sit there)/let the dog watch while you all eat

@burritofan

My MIL one-ups the “no bathroom bin” by having no KITCHEN bin. You have to pile things in a neat little heap on the counter near the door where they’re then taken to the wheelie bin approximately 6,000 times a day.

My exMIL was like this too! Her only bin was a carrier bag she'd bring out now and again if absolutely needed. Bins smell, apparently, but hanging a carrier bag on a door handle doesnt

I would never leave used sanpro in someone else's bathroom bin - isn't that worse than not having a bin in the first place? I use a cup so maybe am out of touch with the formalities.

@JauntyMcGinty

Cushions on leather sofas.
??????