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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

553 replies

Bluedeblue · 16/06/2021 17:26

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.

OP posts:
Mugsen · 16/06/2021 18:32

What a thing to judge your neighbours on! Why not judge on whether they're nice people, rather than whether they open the curtains. But no, appearances is all that's important these days Hmm.

LunaMuffinTop · 16/06/2021 18:33

My living room looks outs on to the street and I don’t want people nosing in my window when they are walking past I also have window stickers up to stop people from being able to see in but I keep my curtains closed because the sun shines directly into my living room and having the curtains closed keeps the room cool.

NativityDreaming · 16/06/2021 18:34

I find it uncomfortable passing houses that have all their curtains open all the time; I always think they must be exhibitionists!

Dddccc · 16/06/2021 18:36

Haha all our curtains are closed 90% of the time I don't like people being able to see us relaxing in our house or what tv or pc ext we have we do open windows only on a night time and they are kept part open all day people walk past front and back and hate them staring

Doilooklikeatourist · 16/06/2021 18:38

We don’t even have curtains or blinds downstairs , but we live at the end of a driveway so don’t have passersby
We close the long curtain at our bedroom window , when it’s hot and leave the window open to let the fresh air in , but keep the heat of the sun out
The gardens quite nice though 👍
I don’t understand why people keep the windows closed all the time ( unless they live on a busy road or near the tip etc )

PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 16/06/2021 18:38

Cannabis farm?

Our curtains are more likely to be closed on sunny days, in the front bedrooms at least; they are SE facing and get absolutely baked otherwise.

Rubyupbeat · 16/06/2021 18:39

We keep them shut in the hot weather yo keep the heat out, plus the air con requires the windows to be shut too.
My garden is neat and tidy and there is nothing creepy going on here......

Alwaysconfuddled · 16/06/2021 18:41

I keep the back bedroom curtains and window closed on a sunny day until later in the evening when the suns off that part of the house, I do it to keep the the rooms cool

QueryA · 16/06/2021 18:41

I know it’s irrational but I hate curtains closed during the day and get annoyed if I come home from work and no one has opened the curtains all day. I know where it stems from, my mum! She used to tell us off if we didn’t open the curtains ‘what will the neighbours say, they’ll think someone’s ill, or someone’s died, or that we are just slovenly and lazy’ Unfortunately although I know from the many reasons listed above it’s perfectly fine to keep your curtains closed, however it does make me feel uneasy as I’ve been conditioned/trained that it is ‘wrong’

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 16/06/2021 18:42

Tidy garden. South facing room that gets like an oven. Window open but curtains shut most days. Plus I work shifts.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 16/06/2021 18:43

Can echo query about the death thing though. Front room curtains are opened as soon as.

Else you get casseroles left on the step…

LadyOfLittleLeisure · 16/06/2021 18:44

My DH gets really annoyed with me opening all the curtains first thing in the morning - I love light filled rooms Smile He sits in a really dark office with curtains and window closed all day, it's horrible, can't see why he likes it! That said, I don't think I'd notice what other people do with their curtains most of the time ...

rubyandbel · 16/06/2021 18:44

I couldn't cope without natural light. I would start to feel depressed. I also like the windows open for ventilation. Luckily my house is set back from the road. Live and let live I suppose.

rubyandbel · 16/06/2021 18:46

@QueryA

I know it’s irrational but I hate curtains closed during the day and get annoyed if I come home from work and no one has opened the curtains all day. I know where it stems from, my mum! She used to tell us off if we didn’t open the curtains ‘what will the neighbours say, they’ll think someone’s ill, or someone’s died, or that we are just slovenly and lazy’ Unfortunately although I know from the many reasons listed above it’s perfectly fine to keep your curtains closed, however it does make me feel uneasy as I’ve been conditioned/trained that it is ‘wrong’
Same. My mum would say it looked like a doss house lol
wonderstuff · 16/06/2021 18:49

Maybe they just leave early and are busy. My living room blind currently closed because its broken and I can't raise it. Kitchen permanently open to balance Smile

Waxonwaxoff0 · 16/06/2021 18:50

I keep my blind down in my living room all the time. My house is right on the street and I hate when people stare in as they walk past. I open the bedroom ones though.

TurquoiseDragon · 16/06/2021 18:51

I've got my bedroom curtains closed most of the time right now, to help keep the room cool.

bishbashbosh99 · 16/06/2021 18:53

We live in the conservatory so living room shutters are always closed. Especially in summer s keeps it cool for the evening when we sit in there.

amatsip · 16/06/2021 18:54

I keep lounge curtains closed and have done for 13 years as my dog barks at everyone going past, living on a main road there are hundreds passing by everyday.

Though my garden is immaculate.

PurpleRainDancer · 16/06/2021 18:55

Probably keeping the curtains closed to stop you peering into their houses any more than you already appear to do OP Grin

Killahangilion · 16/06/2021 18:55

I open my curtains as soon as I get out of bed and they stay open until bedtime. I also open most of the windows and doors first thing to get fresh air circulating.
I can’t stand a dark room and find it quite depressing. DS is a vampire and closes the curtains in the sitting room where he has his computer stuff and will happily sit in a dark room. It seems very weird and unnatural to me. I live mostly in the sunroom. 😁

whynotwhatknot · 16/06/2021 18:56

Because i want to

whynotwhatknot · 16/06/2021 18:58

And im naked alot

GypsyWanderer · 16/06/2021 18:59

Reasons our curtains are sometimes closed:

  1. I’m having a shit mental health day and can’t face it.
  2. during summer in the afternoon when the sun come sun our living room because keeping the curtains closed in really hot days keeps the heat out.
  3. DH keeps them closed when he plays his game because he can’t see the screen.
  4. my youngest insists on closing them whenever she watches tv as she swears the sun gets in the way, even on cloudy days.

The above 4 reasons are why my curtains are mostly closed and my nosey neighbour is probably wondering why when she walks past my front garden of poppies and pretty yellow things (aka weeds) Grin

GypsyWanderer · 16/06/2021 18:59

Oh yeah and also whenever anyone plays with the VR set because it has vampiric tendencies and can’t be exposed to full sun apparently.

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