Shoes vs. No Shoes in the House

[LadyDeac03]

I don't think I've ever given this much thought, but one of the local blogs I read has a big discussion in the comments section on this today.

It started with this email/post:

In places like Japan, Austria and Sweden, entering a house with shoes on is a rarity. But those living outside of these countries know that not all guests are familiar with or honor the shoes-off policy.

It’s a tough house rule to implement because on one hand, as the host, it should really be your house, your rules. But on the other hand, guests should be made to feel as comfortable as possible — and we all know that not everyone is comfortable going shoeless.

Growing up we never had a shoe/no shoe policy. I feel like I just as frequently wore shoes around as when I didn't, just depending on what felt more comfortable at the time. I certainly remember going to friends' houses though where I was told I should remove my shoes upon entering, and I had no problem with that.

In our house now we have no policy one way or the other. However, since we have hard wood floors and usually some pet hair on the floor, I tend to either wear shoes or slippers around and am unlikely to walk around in socks or bare feet much. When guests come over for dinner or parties they generally keep their shoes on.

That said, I could see people wanting a no shoe policy on carpet (especially light colored carpet) where going with sock feet or barefoot would be more comfortable. Some people in the comments also mentioned asking people to go shoeless with a young baby who was doing a lot of floor crawling so as not to drag in outside dirt to the house.

I guess I just had no idea some people feel as strongly as they do one way or the other :noidea:

 

[ConnorEl]

We always take off shoes and wear socks. We have no rules for adult guests or visiting families--some will notice what we're doing and remove theirs and others don't. But if kids (apart from their parents) are visiting, they are asked to remove shoes and wear socks.

 

[DeaconCav06]

I live in a shit hole and my floor would likely give me AIDS.

 

[ImTheCaptain]

i take my shoes off and let the guests do what they will. Maine is a state where a mudroom actually gets a lot of mileage.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

I hate shoes and take them off immediately upon entering my house. When I have guests over, about half will generally take their shoes off when they see I'm barefoot/just socks. Also my running shoes, hiking shoes, cleats and old sneakers are on the floor in the entryway so it looks like a "put your shoes here" pile.

While I don't mind people wearing shoes in my house, and I do generally leave my shoes on at other people's houses, I think anyone who wears shoes more than necessary is weird. So much more comfortable to be barefoot.

For the record I have all wood floors.

 

[LadyDeac03]

I voted Leave Shoes On, but as I think about it more, I'm probably in slippers the majority of time in my house, so not sure how that counts. Don't necessarily have real shoes on, but unlikely to go pure barefoot.

 

[DeacHoops]

i couldn't care less what other people do in my house, but 99% of the time, my shoes come off immediately when i walk through the door. i just don't like shoes. i'm always a little bit thrown off when somebody comes over and asks if there's a "no shoes" policy just because i'm not wearing any. i agree with ladydeac that i wasn't aware people felt strongly. i just don't like wearing shoes...so i don't.

 

[DeaconCav06]

I almost always have sandals on.

 

[WakeGal]

We always had the rule in our house that you could/could not wear shoes. It honestly didn't matter. This is the way I remember it in most people's homes growing up. Once I started dating the fiance, his mother has a strict no shoes policy. So when we would go visit, the shoes had to come off immediately. That took a long time to get used to, considering I often wear my shoes all day long until I change into sweat pants.

 

[awakeandready]

I didn't really see a good option for me. I generally take off my shoes when I get home because I prefer to be barefoot or in slippers. At work or a close friends house in an informal setting I usually take my shoes off if they are flip flops or slip ons and I am comfortable with the cleanliness of their home. If it's more formal, someone I don't know very well, or I have shoes that require lacing/buckling/strapping of some sort - I leave them on unless told or it is obvious to do otherwise.

Cliffs: when comfortable take off otherwise leave on if not told to do otherwise

 

[ChrisPaul3]

My mom always said that shoes are like reverse condoms: If you don't take them off, don't come inside.

 

[RJKarl]

need one more option- no shoes , but shoes when guests are here

 

[Baconwfu]

9/10 times I'm wearing loafers and just pop them off when I walk in the door.
It's not really a policy or anything, it's just what I do.

 

[freakadeac]

 

[ProfessorDeac]

I always leave my shoes on. I find it so much more comfortable.

 

[DeacInVermont]

i take my shoes off and let the guests do what they will. Maine is a state where a mudroom actually gets a lot of mileage.

With all of the snow and mud in Vermont, the general expectation is to take off your shoes when entering. I've often had meetings at clients' homes when I'm in a full suit and tie and have to lose the dress shoes. In such a situation, one becomes quite careful about the state of their men's hosiery...

Growing up, however, we always wore shoes in the house and I still do whenever I visit my folks.

 

[ChicdeaC]

When I lived in Denmark, you always took your shoes off and in the beginning it felt uncomfortable. I get why it was the "rule" but there was something that felt intimate about taking your shoes off and just walking around someone's house in your bare feet or socks. We even took our shoes off outside our office which was on the second floor of a dairy barn, that always seemed strange.
Recently, an American friend who was in DK with me asked if I was going to have the shoes off rule and I laughed it off as a "of course not". It's funny how when something is the standard you adjust to it quickly and don't feel uncomfortable but then when it no longer is that way you quickly return to the feeling that it would be "weird"

 

[wakegrrl]

I'll take my shoes off when I come home just because I'm more comfortable without them; my husband is much the same way. It's interesting that, even though we've never said anything about that to our son, he has started doing the same thing. But we certainly don't enforce that when people come over, and when we go to someone's house we try to follow their lead.

 

[denverpacker]

i couldn't care less what other people do in my house, but 99% of the time, my shoes come off immediately when i walk through the door. i just don't like shoes. i'm always a little bit thrown off when somebody comes over and asks if there's a "no shoes" policy just because i'm not wearing any. i agree with ladydeac that i wasn't aware people felt strongly. i just don't like wearing shoes...so i don't.

^This.

Never understood why this is even an issue.

 

[Deacon Dog]

Wife and I live on a small farm with livestock. Obviously outdoor boots & shoes come off before walking around the house. No hard and fast rules about other shoes.