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Original poster

Shoes off policy in the home

211 replies

Metrobaby · 20/08/2004 14:10

I was just wondering if anyone has this policy in their home. If so, when people come to visit do you ask them to remove their shoes too? And if you visit other people's homes, do you take off your shoes or wait to be asked?

OP posts:
Mirage · 31/08/2004 13:48

Shiraz,I know how you feel.MIL,FIL,BIL & SIL visited us at the weekend & only SIL removed her shoes.MIL went down to the bottom of the garden & blithely walked mud back in all over our carpets.Arghhh!!!!!

Bozza · 31/08/2004 21:06

I'm with Aloha on this one. Went to a friend's house when 7 months pregnant wearing knee high boots. Because I was only going to be there 10 minutes (we were going out) I just sat on the stairs and refused to go in further and have to take my boots off.

WideWebWitch · 31/08/2004 21:29

Ah, so this is where everyone's been! We take our shoes off and they're in an untidy pile in the hall but we wouldn't ask guests to take theirs off and we do it for comfort as much as anything - I wear heels for work and can't wait to get them off when I get home. I do make ds take his off but then he'll often have been playing football and have filthy trainers on and even if he hasn't he does it automatically, which I think dates back to living in the countryside when we'd all often have muddy feet. If I'm wearing comfortable flat shoes I might have them on in the house. Interesting this! My mum insists all guests leave their shoes by their back door and I really don't like it, especially if my shoes are clean and comfortable and I don't feel like taking them off. Wow, didn't realise I had so much to say on the subject til I started typing!

bluebear · 31/08/2004 21:43

Smelly Melly - just saw your question...I felt uncomfortable for a few reasons 1) I was wearing laced shoes so I had to bend down for a while to undo them which made me feel uncomfortable in front of estate agent 2) Buying a house (not 'visiting' a house) is a business thing, and it felt wrong to be 'undressed' even if it was only my shoes. 3) I had done a lot of fast walking to get to the house on time, it was summer, my feet were hot and sweaty and I didn't want to inflict them on someone's floors.
If that's weird/shallow I don't care...it's the way I felt at the time.

bluebear · 31/08/2004 21:44

oh, and yes we don't wear shoes at home but I don't ask visitors to remove theirs.

Jimjams · 01/09/2004 08:44

I think being asked to take shoes off to look round a house would make me less likely to buy it. Just because it would make the house feel more like a show house and less like a home.

Ds1 takes his shoes off in all sorts of annoying places- walking inside = "take your shoes off rule". Wish he wouldn't take them off for a 5 minute car ride for example.

my friend's dd used to go ballistic if you took your shoes off but left your socks on. It was either shoes and socks on, (and you had to wear socks with shoes) or shoes and socks off. She would have made the estate agent take his socks off or keep his shoes on- there would have been no choice!

OldieMum · 01/09/2004 09:44

I've just seen this thread for the first time. Good grief! Where has this issue been all my life? I have never been asked to remove shoes in someone's house and have never asked anyone to do it. Have I been living in a parallel world without realising it?

JuniperDewdrop · 01/09/2004 10:23

oldiemum

JuniperDewdrop · 01/09/2004 10:24

My Ds's took there shoes off in my neighbours then proceeded to bounce all over her sofa Suppose I should be grateful they removed their shoes! They don't do this normally btw just think they felt comfortable as they like her.

bundle · 01/09/2004 10:27

always take off my shoes at home, feel happy unfettered. probably do it in other people's homes too but not for sake of their carpets..

Ghosty · 01/09/2004 11:30

ROFL at this thread
I have lived in South Africa, Spain, Holland and the UK (both North and South) and never ever ever came across the 'Shoe Removal' thing until I moved to NZ. After 2.5 years here I am only just getting used to it. You ALWAYS remove shoes when viewing houses when house hunting - agents and vendors expect it.
When I go to someone's house for the first time I usually check to see if they are wearing shoes and if there are any shoes by the door. That tells me whether I will be expected to take mine off. It still makes me smile however as I feel very odd without shoes on when I am out of my own home.
I loved Aloha's post and agree wholeheartedly that shoes are part of the clothes ...

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