Shoes off

Having to take shoes off in someone's house was literally never done when I was younger. It seems like a very new thing to me.
I'm not alone either. A new neighbour invited us all for a drinks party. Person after person was stopped at the door and told to remove their shoes. There was consternation! Elderly people standing around in stockinged feet were most unhappy. It completely spoilt an otherwise kind invitation. We all live in the same block of flats. Nobody had muddy feet or dirty shoes at all.

I was brought up to leave shoes in the hall . All my family did it. We always wore slippers. When people visit me I do ask them to bring their slippers. When I visit anyone even if it's for an hour I take my slippers. I would never wear my shoes in anyone's home. When my daughter and family come they leave there shoes in the hall they do in their own home.

When I sold my house I told the estate to tell viewers they would have to leave their shoes in the porch . No one didn't view my house because of my rule and no one who came objected to taking thier shoes off.

When I have had work done in my home if it's major work like I have had done since I moved to my bungalow . Had the sticky backed carpet protector put on all my carpets and not a bit of plaster or paint marked my carpets . When I had my boiler serviced it was ok for the engineer to walk on my hall and kitchen floor but he put shoe protectors on to test my radiator and the thermostat.

It's our home and it's up to us what rules we have . If I go to a person's home I wear my slippers and if there isn't a coaster for my drink I ask for one as I would never put a hot drink onto someone's furniture. It would be disrespectful.

I am not house proud my bungalow is a home the same as my old house. If people like to sit with their feet under them as they sit at their own home I take it as a compliment that they feel so comfortable in my home they can do it. Also if any crumbs are spilt I vac once they have gone. If they have a dog it's welcome in my home . Just vac any hairs up when they leave.

But the no shoe rule applies. I know I will probably have some nasty remarks but so what . We all have our own home rules.

First it was only our Swedish friends who insisted on shoes off. They provided slipper socks or clogs to wear on their wooden floors.

It was the custom here in Scotland for visiting children to bring plimsolls or ballet shoes to parties.

I don't request visitors to take their shoes off but all my AC have adopted the shoes off policy and like you shelflife I have difficulty putting mine on again.
I may buy them suitable visitors' indoor slippers for Christmas. My feet get cold.

Here in Canada it’s a way of life and to come into someone’s home and NOT take off our shoes would seem strange.I do agree though that a seat is very useful.

I have slippers in my hallway for our family and our son built a seat for that purpose to change shoes. If we visit friends we take our shoes off it’s how I was brought up it’s polite. This is a very wooded area and it’s not nice taking dog walking shoes into peoples homes.

Gosh - one of my neighbours always removes her shoes in my hall, despite my repeatedly telling her to keep them on. My flooring is nothing special - just laminated flooring, though it does like nice. This makes me think, should I have been removing my shoes when I visited her? 🤔