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Original poster

Be honest! What things do you judge in other people’s houses?

623 replies

Teaandsleep · 14/02/2022 21:07

Just a fun post.

Recently doing a huge renovation in our own home and am absolutely mortified at the dust everywhere, I keep having visions of visitors coming to the door and seeing all the dust everywhere, it is thick!

I also currently have a spatula sticking out my down pipe drain as we have just unblocked it and it’s to catch any old leaves/moss until it’s replaced 🤣

OP posts:
DrSbaitso · 16/02/2022 18:47

I just didn't engage with people who weren't readers. They probably think my place looks like a library or bookshop.

No, they think it looks like a house with books in it. What, I wonder, do they think of you?

Jeez, reading is supposed to broaden your mind and horizons, not give you cause to narrow them right down.

ComtesseDeSpair · 16/02/2022 18:52

I just didn't engage with people who weren't readers. They probably think my place looks like a library or bookshop.

I think this is one of the problems with judgemental people: being judgemental themselves means they fear being judged in return, which makes them self absorbed and gives them the mistaken impression that other people spend a lot of time dwelling on or thinking a great deal about them in return - in reality, I doubt anyone who visits you thinks anything much at all about all your books or what they mean or represent.

DrSbaitso · 16/02/2022 18:52

@Ifeelsuchafool

I judge on books too. Mainly because I love having people to stay and I love staying with friends. But it's no good if you have to bring your own books every time. One of the joys of staying with friends is having unfamiliar bookcases to rifle through on a wet day or a long dark evening. If that's not on offer, we probably wouldn't get on I'd be thinking. But I don't judge in a nasty way, I don't look down my nose and feel superior. I just recognise that we're very different, and therefore unlikely to ever be particularly close friends.
You never go to your mates' houses in summer?
DrSbaitso · 16/02/2022 18:53

I can't believe there are so many readers on here with such small minds.

Headabovetheparakeet · 16/02/2022 19:00

I judge on books too. Mainly because I love having people to stay and I love staying with friends. But it's no good if you have to bring your own books every time. One of the joys of staying with friends is having unfamiliar bookcases to rifle through on a wet day or a long dark evening. If that's not on offer, we probably wouldn't get on I'd be thinking.

What if they have hundreds of books but none that you want to read?

maddiemookins16mum · 16/02/2022 19:00

Dirty bathrooms and manky towels. I once visited a friend and was helping her dry up, the tea towel was stinking.

Abouttimemum · 16/02/2022 19:04

Goodness I work in English / writing / communications and don’t have any books in my house, bar a few old travel guides. No thanks.

I judge on dirt. FIL lives alone with his dog and his house is filthy. Changing DS at his house (nappy etc) or even heating his food in the microwave, makes be cringe. DH doesn’t seem to notice. Our house isn’t perfect but it’s definitely not dirty. No reason for it either.

mamabear715 · 16/02/2022 19:23

I'll hold my hands up & say I'm a smoker, but I only smoke outside the house. No astroturf here, and I HAVE books, so should be ok! No pets since we lost our old GSD.
I have NO grey / silver-grey anywhere. Can't bear it. Don't think many of you would approve of my decor though.. I LOVE pine cones, feathers, rocks & pick allsorts up while I'm out!
I have a fox's skull on a shelf and it's going nowhere. :-)

Bleachmycloths · 16/02/2022 19:24

Dirt, dust, grime, grease. And strong dog smells are gross.

Hertsgirl10 · 16/02/2022 19:27

People with Grey houses, so boring I always think these people have no personality at all, literally every house I see has grey everything.

Twillow · 16/02/2022 19:39

But I would judge someone who let their cat on the kitchen work surfaces, that's just grim.

Not sure you can stop a cat going where it wants to?

My real bugbear is full kitchen worktops - not just your ordinary appliances, bits and bobs, day to day clutter but every counter piled knee-deep in stuff - cereal packets, old mail, laundry, etc etc. How do they cook? Do they ever cook? Is it all cereal and microwave dinners?

maybloss2 · 16/02/2022 19:44

I try not to judge as at one time in my life, I was juggling everything and had a partner who was a total slob, so my house was not how I’d like it. Tho my pet judges are pets (hair& smells) and dirty toilets urghhhhh.

Kanaloa · 16/02/2022 19:46

You never go to your mates' houses in summer?

Summer doesn’t really fit the literary academic aesthetic dear. It’s about wearing wool sweaters and drinking tea and reading books while the rain beats the windows of the old mansion. It’s not really a summer kind of thing.

Although surely visiting a friend to stay you could either bring your own book or (rather than wandering the hallways searching for books) talk to the friends you’re staying with?

ThistleTits · 16/02/2022 19:47

@seasunshine22

Vertical blinds and net curtains
Together or one or other?
DrSbaitso · 16/02/2022 19:50

@Kanaloa

You never go to your mates' houses in summer?

Summer doesn’t really fit the literary academic aesthetic dear. It’s about wearing wool sweaters and drinking tea and reading books while the rain beats the windows of the old mansion. It’s not really a summer kind of thing.

Although surely visiting a friend to stay you could either bring your own book or (rather than wandering the hallways searching for books) talk to the friends you’re staying with?

Haha.

The pretentiousness is ridiculous.

Kanaloa · 16/02/2022 19:55

It’s embarrassing. And the lack of basic understanding that not everyone has the room or feels the need to display their books to visitors downstairs.

DrSbaitso · 16/02/2022 19:57

How does this even work? You meet someone at work, or art class, or wherever. You chat, get on well, enjoy each other's company. You go out for lunch and a film, you're having a great time with your new friend. They invite you back to theirs for a drink, you get there and find they don't have loads of books for you to borrow or spend long dark evenings and rainy days perusing, so you end the friendship there and then? Over that?

And think you're the clever one?

Kanaloa · 16/02/2022 20:02

Lunch and a film? What are you, a total dimwit? As if… meeting a friend to see a film… might as well just watch Iron Man 2 and eat crispy pancakes and drink Tizer. I’m afraid you’re just not cut out for us booky people. Anyway, off to ensure my bookshelf is adequately inspiring in case anyone pops over for a coffee since I want them to feel comfortable and safe.

Kanaloa · 16/02/2022 20:04

I do agree with strong dog smells though. I actually did have a dog but I think if you have pets you need to be 100% on top of cleaning more than if you don’t because I don’t like the hair or the smell.

I wouldn’t judge as such though but if the smell was too strong I wouldn’t visit much/would meet up elsewhere since I really don’t like it. Also, not so much house based, but when a dog is all over the furniture so you can’t sit down without it being on top of you. I don’t like other people’s dogs all in my face!

Kanaloa · 16/02/2022 20:05

Also don’t know if anyone’s ever met people with pet ferrets but to say they stink is an understatement. Although it may be the person I knew didn’t clean them out enough.

KentdonMum · 16/02/2022 20:06

I babysat for someone recently and their kitchen was so filthy and the kettle so limescaled up, I couldn’t bear to make myself a drink. The sink was full of dirty pots and pans and the plug hole blocked with food.

DrSbaitso · 16/02/2022 20:12

@Kanaloa

Lunch and a film? What are you, a total dimwit? As if… meeting a friend to see a film… might as well just watch Iron Man 2 and eat crispy pancakes and drink Tizer. I’m afraid you’re just not cut out for us booky people. Anyway, off to ensure my bookshelf is adequately inspiring in case anyone pops over for a coffee since I want them to feel comfortable and safe.
Yes, you never know when a guest might crave a story or require inspiration.

drools and goes to eat some glue before being struck on the head by the full works of Tolkien in hardback

Roxy69 · 16/02/2022 20:17

Bathrooms. Old towels, about 50 bottles of half-finished stuff on the edge of the bath and black mould. Also beds that don't get aired, just straightened straight away for looks.

Hasselhoffsheadband · 16/02/2022 20:21

I judge on books too. Mainly because I love having people to stay and I love staying with friends. But it's no good if you have to bring your own books every time. One of the joys of staying with friends is having unfamiliar bookcases to rifle through on a wet day or a long dark evening. If that's not on offer, we probably wouldn't get on I'd be thinking.

I would be a bit pissed off if I invited a friend to stay and they spent the 'long dark evenings' nosing through my bookshelves and then reading, rather than spending time with me? Confused

WinterWeather1 · 16/02/2022 20:22

Dirt and smell is the only thing I judge and even then, it has to be pretty bad.
I went over to a friends house a few weeks ago and the stench of cat piss as they opened their front door nearly knocked me over. I didn't stay for long as it was so over powering. I suppose the must just be nose blind to it but it got me wondering if my house smells of dogs and I just don't notice it...