Shoes in the house

We're Japanese this way - no shoes in the house. They go in a basket at the front door. We have house slippers, but usually run around barefoot or with socks.

We're Hindu in this way. My kids are really strict about it. They follow our guests around and point out if they have their shoes on (b/c we don't require guests to remove their shoes).

Shoes off! I dont get why people would want to wear shoes indoors, I cant relax with my shoes on. In Ireland most people kept shoes on, carpet and all, I found it very strange. I am often barefoot at work by lunchtime too

We have a shoe basket, too. DH sometimes needs reminders, but DS is quick to remind him.

For those who don't allow shoes in the house, do you ask your guests to remove their shoes? I am always afraid to ask people to do this, but nothing creeps me out more than shoes in the house. And it drives me nuts when someone comes in from the rain and wipes their feet on the rugs. Umm, I'd rather have the wood floors get dirty.

[alison]

We're Japanese this way - no shoes in the house.

Substitute "Korean" for "Japanese" and this is us, too. It's definitely a cultural thing for me first, and then a cleanliness issue. I even feel weird about wearing my shoes in other people's houses, even if they wear them and don't mind if I do.

When I enter someone's house, I always ask if I should take off my shoes. It feels weird to me too.

My great grandmother in Japan lived out in a small fishing village. When my dad visited her years ago, he took her to a department store. All of a sudden, she stood there without any shoes on. She had taken them off before stepping onto an escalator!

[Vanquisher]

We're Japanese this way - no shoes in the house.

Substitute "Korean" for "Japanese" and this is us, too. It's definitely a cultural thing for me first, and then a cleanliness issue. I even feel weird about wearing my shoes in other people's houses, even if they wear them and don't mind if I do.

When I enter someone's house, I always ask if I should take off my shoes. It feels weird to me too.

My great grandmother in Japan lived out in a small fishing village. When my dad visited her years ago, he took her to a department store. All of a sudden, she stood there without any shoes on. She had taken them off before stepping onto an escalator!

I don't ask. Most of the time, I just take my shoes off and make myself at home. There have been many times I am the only person walking around sans shoes. Whatever. My only exception to this is a fancy party at a fancy house where it would obviously be inappropraite because no one else would dream of it.

But, one day if I have a big fancy house, I will still take my shoes off and have a shoe basket. I don't ask any adults to take their shoes off in my house. I do ask that children do.

[planet]

Shoes off inside, but then again we're shoeless most of the time outside too. We do not ask guests to remove shoes, though sometimes the kids do. The kids also always take off their shoes at the door at anyone else's house. I never told them to do this.

[rainbabies]

i should also mention we're a shoeless-outside-kinda-family too. but when people come over...all three that i know here, they take their shoes off.
i be grown up in a barn...we were not allowed to be bringing no damn hay, sawdust, or shit in the house. that be what mudrooms are for!

[DCJenn]

I'm a 100% city girl and I'm also 100% no shoes. (um, Birks? the closest thing I get get to being socially appropriate and still kinda sorta wearing shoes?) I we didn't have to contend w/ the possibility of fire ants I'd be a 100% barefoot outdoor girl, too.

Maybe that's what's wrong with all of the politicians- they need to lose those ugly suits, take off the shoes and lock the doors and get some work done.

Jenn

PS- everyone here is a slip the shoes off asap. I don't even bother wearing shoes when people come over. My mother is appalled.

Shoes are taken off at the door in our house. For us it's both a cultural thing and for cleaniness. I've seen homes with shoe closets/shelves right next to the front door. I hope to have something like this in the future.
I do have house shoes (Birkenstocks) if I am cleaning or standing in the kitchen cooking. The Birks never go outside. Ever!!
Unfortunately the bottoms of shoes can track in dirt, crap (literally) allergens, metals and chemicals that are picked up in the real world. I certainly don't want any of that on my floors, carpet or couch. I have terrible allergies and this is just one way I keep my house more clean.
Like Vanquisher, I hate shoes, I would prefer to go barefoot all the time if I could. Which makes me love my yoga all the more!
I have to say I am so happy to hear so many of you are no shoes in the house families!! I've felt guilty asking people to take off their shoes but not anymore! I feel justified now that all my msn peeps do it too!

Recently I had some people over and one person didn't take her shoes off and kept putting her foot (and thus bottom of her shoe) on my coffee table. I was less than pleased and haven't invited her over since!

[DCJenn]

one person didn't take her shoes off and kept putting her foot (and thus bottom of her shoe) on my coffee table

Wow. Miss Manners would be all over that.

I know that we have been in homes where people provide little sock things. Do any of you do that? Here it's too hot most of the time.

My husband leaves his shoes on and it makes me nuts. (except for his boots- those come off with his uniform even though he says they're more comfortable than being barefoot. I'm sorry, any shoe that has been traipsing around the hospital all day is not welcome in my kitchen or my bedroom. or my bathroom for that matter.)

that be what mudrooms are for!

ahhhh ... my dream house has a mudroom. back to the "if I knew what would make me happy at 34 ..."

I also take my shoes off in other people's homes. It's kind of funny here, there are contingencies of folks who keep their shoes on all the time and find it uncomfortable to be w/o. SueC said she was taught to put her shoes on when she got out of bed in the morning. I hate shoes and would find that to be torture.

I am a bit more prone to wear my shoes at her house b/c it's older and there's the whole brown recluse spider thing around here ... but I still go shoeless most of the time.

[migirl]

I take my shoes off in other people's homes (unless I'm dressed up or something (not very often ) where it would be clearly inappropriate), and I don't ask guests in my home to take theirs off even though it makes me uncomfortable.

[madeintaiwan]

We're Japanese this way - no shoes in the house.

Substitute "Korean" for "Japanese" and this is us, too. It's definitely a cultural thing for me first, and then a cleanliness issue. I even feel weird about wearing my shoes in other people's houses, even if they wear them and don't mind if I do.

Substitute "Chinese" for us. I usually take my shoes off at other people's house. I always ask. Sometimes I get a funny look and if it is more formal, I just keep them on. But there's always that feeling like I am doing soemthing wrong and it's just uncomfortable. My kids take their shoes off too. DH does 95% of the time.

[Momo]

Muslims remove shoes...I request it of my guests...I'll even offer a pair of socks if they are uncomfortable. This thread has given me the idea to place a basket of athletic footies near the shoe cabinet for those that don't want to be w/out foot coverings.

[alison]

I take my shoes off in other people's homes (unless I'm dressed up or something (not very often ) where it would be clearly inappropriate), and I don't ask guests in my home to take theirs off even though it makes me uncomfortable.

I don't ask guests to take their shoes off, but they usually put it all together with the basket next to the door FULL OF SHOES.