To think that people who keep their curtains closed all day must be ill, or hiding something?

[Bluedeblue]

The first thing that I do, when I get up in the morning, is to open the curtains. Possibly a window as well, to let a breeze in. There are a few houses nearby, who never open any curtains. Bedroom and lounge curtains are always firmly closed, even on lovely summer days. The gardens are unkempt and scruffy, all the paintwork is peeling. But someone definitely living there, as in one case, a brand new car on the drive and I've seen pizza delivery to the other. Does anyone else find this really odd, and think that there must be something amiss with these people? It must be so dark inside. I find it almost a bit creepy.

[OGMarie]

I have my curtains shut for many reasons, first I live on a main road and don't like people looking in. Add to that I suffer awfully with anxiety and depression and I feel less anxious with my curtains shut, with regards to my garden (which is also a bit of a mess and needs doing), the mere thought of being seen an seeing someone while trying to do the garden makes my anxiety sky rocket, and the longer it stays a mess the more scary the thought of going out and facing the people I live next to. Finally I also have a car as I can't do public transport and I also order a lot of take aways in which yes I know they are not good for me but I literally have no energy or motivation to cook and I have to feed my kids and myself as we have to eat. I also have several other health issues that affect day to day life. So please don't judge so easily as people are having a hard time as it is and worry that people think this of them and its a really difficult life to have trust me I'd give anything to be even half more healthy than I am.

[whataballbag]

My bedroom curtains are usually shut because I had an unfortunate experience involving eye contact with someone on a double decker bus stuck in traffic when I first moved in and hadn't realised quite how much you could see in

[deepbreath]

Ooh, you could be talking about us!
Our curtains are often closed during the day as dh had multiple eye operations several years ago that made him very sensitive to light, even on days that seem overcast to us. He is still working from home, so isn't tucked away in his darkened office at work.

If you passed by our house, the garden isn't always immaculate and the paint is definitely peeling. I am the only person in my house that is able to fix it. I am an unpaid carer, so I don't always have the energy to deal with those things on top of everything else. I don't have a big chunk of money to pay someone else to sort it for me. The new car outside is dd's Motability car. Takeaways sometimes arrive here too!

[Janetizzy30]

I keep my bedroom curtauns clised because i have a huge window and don't want people seeing me ir my husband in the nude or doing the deed...sometines i forget to open the downstairs curtains but they always get opened later on.

[Maggiesfarm]

@Bythemillpond

We don’t have any curtains

Aw bless.

When I was a young person, I rented a small flat which had no curtains in some areas. I hung a big towel or a duvet cover over the windows :).

I like curtains closed because that is how I like it. I doubt anyone notices and if they do, I care not.

[LostThings]

Just keeping the sun out. That ok with you OP?

[MurielSpriggs]

To put a different slant on this topic:-
We always find it strange when people got lights on at night and anyone can see in their houses as that's how stalking etc starts

We usually have them open at night. Nothing very interesting for anyone to see, just us watching TV or reading. As far as I know this has not led to us being stalked (and can't really see why it ever would!).

[Bythemillpond]

We don’t have any curtains

[Wehavetogobacktotheisland]

Mental health difficulties. Depression, fibromyalgia, chronic illness in general.

[tigger1001]

"To put a different slant on this topic:-
We always find it strange when people got lights on at night and anyone can see in their houses as that's how stalking etc starts"

I agree - if the light is on in our house the blinds are closed. Hate the thought of people being able to see in when it's dark

[Bluedeblue]

We always find it strange when people got lights on at night and anyone can see in their houses as that's how stalking etc starts

On the street I grew up in, there lived a Policeman and his wife. Curtains always open at night, with all the lights on and....he was always stark bollock naked!

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

We have shutters (helpful )

[RosieRoww]

Also- possible shocker for you- but some people do work night shift- so surprise, surprise, they dare to sleep during the day, therefore the curtains closed.🤷‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

[friedeggsandchips]

@Bluedeblue

The first thing that I do, when I get up in the morning, is to open the curtains. Possibly a window as well, to let a breeze in. There are a few houses nearby, who never open any curtains. Bedroom and lounge curtains are always firmly closed, even on lovely summer days. The gardens are unkempt and scruffy, all the paintwork is peeling. But someone definitely living there, as in one case, a brand new car on the drive and I've seen pizza delivery to the other. Does anyone else find this really odd, and think that there must be something amiss with these people? It must be so dark inside. I find it almost a bit creepy.

We keep the front ones closed as we live close to other houses so want privacy.
Also don't want people looking in not because We got anything to hide but just like our privacy.
Also having curtains closed keeps room cool in summer.
Not dark inside as curtains open at back into garden and also got lights which we can switch on.
To put a different slant on this topic:-
We always find it strange when people got lights on at night and anyone can see in their houses as that's how stalking etc starts

[Hesma]

I keep mine shut to keep the house cool and confound nosey people who care about the state of their people’s curtains 🤦‍♀️

[BettysGotMoxie]

I work nights, so sleep in the days which means my curtains are closed in the daytime. How are some of you so blinkered as to not realise there are many perfectly good reasons that some other people don’t live exactly the same way you do?

[BirdsandBeesmakinghay]

@Bluedeblue

Of course I notice if someone never opens their curtains, garden looks like it's not been mowed in 5 years, and everything is scruffy. I don't walk the dogs with horse blinkers on. I don't "care", it doesn't affect me, but yeah, I do think it looks depressing, and I do think it's odd, especially with this lovely weather, that the people inside are sitting in the dark.

Yes. My next door neighbours are like this. Closed curtains all the time, never go out and the house is unkempt. The garden was also unkempt until recently. I don’t know where going on for them . They may be depressed or ill. It does concern me though. Not in a nosy way, just ‘what is going on?’

[Lilibet2022]

How do you know they were sitting in the dark? My lights were off all day and curtains closed. I was out! they're perfectly allowed to sit in the dark in their own house even if they were in.
When my nightmare neighbours finally fuck off I'll happily have my windows and curtains open all day!

[Skysblue]

I love my house full of light (and need it for the plants) but my friend keeps hers shut all day because she works from home and says the outside world distracts her 🤷‍♀️

[Bluedeblue]

Of course I notice if someone never opens their curtains, garden looks like it's not been mowed in 5 years, and everything is scruffy. I don't walk the dogs with horse blinkers on. I don't "care", it doesn't affect me, but yeah, I do think it looks depressing, and I do think it's odd, especially with this lovely weather, that the people inside are sitting in the dark.

[Lilibet2022]

You're so invested in your neighbours you also comment on their gardens, cars and even the fact they got a takeaway. Maybe you are the problem neighbour here.

My nightmare neighbour this week has commented on the state of my garden (it was furniture awaiting collection now gone and she was doing this at midnight having a house party with loud music on a week day and telling another neighbour's DH to fuck off when he told her he had work on the morning ), also wrongly assumed the repair man was the rat man 'because he was wearing gloves' (news to him he was the emergency plumber) and the other nosey CFer who has been telling everyone I order McDonald's every month (I share an entrance with the other nicer side!) who treats her DCs has this week told an acquaintance all my comings and goings for the past week at the gym class they both attend. I'm both befuddled and a little bit creeped out that these complete strangers are completely invested in my otherwise mundane life. CF no 2 mentioning I left the house exceptionally early so it couldn't have been work is just more justification for my I keep my curtains permanently closed so they don't know whether I'm in or out.
OP if you find yourself doing this. Find something else to do with your time like a spot of gardening or something when you find yourself invested in theirs.

[blubberyboo]

Gamers keep their curtains closed so that sunlight doesn’t reflect off the screen

[grapewine]

I feel sorry for your neighbours. Just stop bloody looking what they're doing. What's it to you about the door?!

[cardibach]

@RiotView

My house opens directly on to the street so I'd feel very exposed if I opened the curtains!

So does mine. I have shutters which can be angled. Venetian b,in DS would also work. Couldn’t cope with shut curtains.

[RosieRoww]

So you deliberately judging and spying on your neighbours and wondering why they keep their curtains tightly closed, goddess me, what a mystery.🧐😂