Closing curtains when going out for the day

[ZappyDays]

Please can you help settle a debate with my DH.

It is 1:30pm and we are going out for the day, we won’t be back until after dark.

One of us decided it would be a good idea to close all the curtains in the house before we go out, even though it’s daytime, because it will be dark when we get back and save a job later. The other thinks it’s a bit odd to shut the curtains while it’s still daytime and we can just do it when we get back.

YANBU it’s a sensible thing to close them before you go out
YABU it’s strange, just close them when you get back later

Do you have house plants? Leave them open if so. I think I’d probably leave them open either way, or close some in rooms I know were won’t be using when we get back.

Close one curtain on each set of windows as a compromise 🤔

I would always close the curtains in that situation, but leave a light on.

Other than thinking it's weird, it doesn't save you a job, it's just doing it early (bit neurotic) - it advertises the house is empty.

So he is BU

My curtains see often closed in the day even when I’m home because I get migraines and when I do t have migraines I watch a lot of films, so I wouldn’t think it matters either way to be honest.

1.30pm I probably wouldn't. But wouldn't have an issue if they were closed.

4pm at this time of the year - I definitely would, to keep the heat in.

I leave curtains open but a timer light comes on in the back of the house so that it looks from outside that someone is home, but not in the front room.

Close one leave one open

Thank goodness!

My DM has a thing about half closing curtains when leaving the house and won't change this. She's been doing it as long as I remember
I personally leave them open and I have a hall lamp that is on a timer so the house isn't left in total darkness

Curtains closed in any room I'm not currently in for me, whether I'm in or not. Why let the sun fade fabrics when you're not even there?

i’ve never heard of closing the curtains because you’ll be coming home in the dark! Sounds bonkers to me. Just leave them. Do it when you get back.

I think you both need to pull yourselves together.

I would close them, but only to help keep the heat in.

Wouldn’t occur to me to do it before leaving but also wouldn’t care if DH wanted to close them all…

I’ve never closed my curtains/shutters during the day in my life. I do live in a very low crime area though.

To me curtains being shut during the day is a sure sign there’s no one home?

Brilliant!

I want automatic curtain closers via Alexa.
I will close early and put a light on especially at this time of year when I ‘might’ have Christmas gifts in the house.

A retired policeman once suggested to me that if the curtains are open potential burglars can see that nice antique clock on the mantle piece, or the laptop on the coffee table, closed curtains are a partial deterrent as they don't want to go to the effort of breaking in and finding nothing to steal.

What kind of curtains do you have that closing them in anyway qualifies as a "job"?

Do you live in a 70 bedroom stately home with heavy tapestry type window coverings?

I'd close them when we got back but switch a table lamp on and maybe leave the TV on.

I've got vertical blinds now so just leave them open on an angle and have a table lamp on a timer (I hate walking into a dark house when I get home from work).

Thanks everyone, the vote has mostly been in my favour. It just took me by surprise as we were getting ready to go out earlier, he was going around closing all the curtains and he took offence when I told him it was a strange thing to do. He then said it would save a job later (for context, we have about 10 windows in total and I never see closing the curtains as an arduous chore) and he said I was being a bit strange because the only reason I could come up with for not wanting them closed was that I didn’t like leaving the house in darkness. Not once did he mention he was doing it for security reasons, which I might have understood, although we live in a very quiet area.

That’s my reasoning too - it’s a neon light saying ‘Roll up, Roll up, we’re out! Burgle us and, because the curtains are closed, no one will be able to see!’

Fortunately my DH completely agrees.

Either is fine.

I couldn’t be arsed arguing about it.

Keeps a bit of extra heat in…. But I wouldn’t think to bother to be honest.