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In our current country of residence, everyone takes off their shoes before entering a home. Everyone. This is the case in most countries, in fact, and in the case of Kosovo, where my husband and I lived several years ago.
Photo by amirjina
I’m pretty sure the only country that doesn’t practice this is the United States. And maybe Canada.
When you take off your shoes, you’re keeping the outdoors that have crept onto your soles relegated to the front door. You’re coming in to relax. You’re telling guests to make themselves at home.
And most practically, you’re keeping your floors cleaner.
When my husband and I moved back to the States after living in Kosovo, the whole taking-off-your-shoes-at-the-front-door had become so habitual, we kept at it. It really does make cleaning easier, and let’s face it - it makes a lot of sense. Fly Lady would not approve, but that’s okay with me, because I do things rather differently than her anyway.
(I should note that I do have a particular pair of shoes - those ugly Crocs - for wearing exclusively in the house sometimes. This helps me when my feet are hurting.)
We’re reminded how un-American this idea is when we have guests coming from the States - they’re always forgetting to take off their shoes. We don’t really mind, and of course we’re not offended, but many of our neighbors here just don’t understand this American mentality. “How do Americans keep their house clean then?” my neighbor asked one time, after confirming with me a rumor she’d heard that Americans wear their shoes indoors.
I highly recommend getting your family in the habit of taking off their shoes upon entering. Make a convenient spot near the front door, or just outside it, for people to place their shoes.
I’m sure we’ll do this the rest of our lives, regardless in which country we live. It works for me.
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Oh my goodness great post. I have always found it odd that people in the US don’t take their shoes off. This is the strangest thing to me ever! I live in Canada and we always take our shoes off (at least in the community I live in anyway). In fact it is considered rude not too. I honestly cannot imagine having all that extra cleaning to do. I do wear slippers in the house all the time but that’s it.
The whole thing really does fascinate me
Org Junkies last blog post..Garage Sales ~ Yes or No?
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We take off our shoes here too. To wear one’s shoes into someone else’s house is in effect telling them their house is too dirty for you to walk barefoot in.
But please do not look too hard at my floors!
We do find we wash our feet several times a day up in the bathroom with the ‘kitchen sink sprayer’ that is installed next to the toilet. Very handy.
But you are right, walking around on hard tile all day can make for some sore tooties and I have just bought a pair of indoor shoes. But darn it all, I forget that I am wearing them and walk outside. Good thing they wash well!
Great tip! I shudder to think about all the dirt that is trapped in the carpet of our old houses where we used to wear our shoes. ick and double ick.
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maria luisa Reply:
September 20th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
In spain we always take our shoes off but keep indoor shoes (slippers) and NEVER walk barefooted. This could cause many feet diseases. Expecting visitors to take their shoes off without providing other wear is thoughtless and I would refuse to do so unless I was wearing tights. Floors are never cleaned, especially with many people walking on sweaty feet, or worse still if there are dogs in the house. Let´s learn about health and real hygiene. Should we not provide some kind of mat at the door for visitors? I definitly would not feel at home in my barefeet. But as I said We do change our shoes for house slippers.
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@Org Junkie - Thanks for clearing up what I’ve always wondered - whether Canadians practice this, too. So it is just us weird Americans!
@Tina - I LOVE Thailand. We spent two months there last summer, mostly in Chiang Mai. Tell me about your kitchen sink spray! I’m serious, I’d love to learn about it.
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I love it! My friend Michele has prisine white carpets, keeps a basket by the door for shoes and (get this) wipes the poor dog’s paws! Y’do whatcha gotta do, right?
Warmly,
Col
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In Alaska it is also customary to remove one’s shoes when entering a home. After living/working there for the past few months it now feels very strange to walk around inside the house with shoes on!
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I live in the USA and grew up wearing shoes inside. Then, when I was 28 years old, I met my husband’s aunt and saw her beautiful home. Everyone that visited took their shoes off at the door. It took me a few more years to really implement in our home, but we now have a rectangle shaped planter box we keep by the door with our commonly used shoes. Our kids, 3 and 1, also know where to find their shoes and where to put them away when coming inside. I LOVE IT!
LOVE your blog by the way - just found it last night and read through all your posts!!! Great stuff!!
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Interesting…nearly everyone that is commented is like my family in some respect - life is cool that way. I wear slippers in the house just like Org Junkie because otherwise my feet get too dry and my heals crack.
My husband I grew up in households that wore shoes in the house - although in my house my parents seldom did for two reasons. My Mom loves going barefoot and my Dad wore heavy workboots and so it was natural for him to want to take them off when he entered the house.
Somewhere along the line very early in our marriage we chose to always take our shoes off in the house. And we wipe our dog’s feet too.
I have a large basket where the children (3 and 6) put their shoes when they come in and find their shoes when I tell them we are going out.
My parents have adapted very well to this as have all my siblings in fact, I think both my sisters have shoeless households. However, my in-laws have a very difficult time with it.
I think it just makes sense.
Melissas Howards last blog post..making what is old, new
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My daughter picked this habit up while going to school in Hawaii and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do at home but my husband was resisitant before. We are both better about it now and will probably make it a firm rule when we move into our house soon. (Temp. rental due to a move) Although I love to be barefoot - I do have indoor shoes because I need the support. I have different shoes/boots to wear out back when I pick up after the dogs. I keep a big cotton rug by the door the dogs come and go from and they have to sit for a bit for their paws to dry if wet. The rug is easy to pick up and throw in the washer.
Howdys last blog post..Happy Birthday Miss K
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Interesting ideas, all. It does seem to be more of a trend in our generation than our parents’.
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I am so glad I married my Korean husband because this became a natural tradition in our home. Living in NYC and walking in subways where people are constantly spitting and who knows what else, I am very happy to take my shoes off before entering our apartment. I sometimes feel bad though asking my parents or other Americans who are not accustomed to it to take off their shoes at the door. I have to stop them as they’re walking in sometimes and I feel a little rude.
Julias last blog post..Custom Stamps by CraftPudding
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@Julia - I know what you mean! I often feel rude asking our American friends - as if I’m telling them they’re specific shoes are too gross to be in our home. But everyone here finds this obvious, so Americans are the only ones I have to remind.
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I also grew up wearing shoes in the house but my husband and I stopped when we moved to our current house because it had nice carpet. Most of our visitors see that we take off our shoes and take theirs off too but we don’t ask anyone to do it. With 2 toddlers and 2 cats our carpets need to be cleaned at this point anyway!
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Guilty by birth I suppose. I’ve never lived in a house where I’ve been expected or where I expected shoes to be removed. I have visited homes like this and yes, they were always clean. I was envious. But no connection was made. Well, “ding!” I see it so clearly now. Thank you!
My only problem is going to be getting my 8 year old to actually wear his shoes outside. We live in a coastal town and he is forever barefoot. But, I think if I put socks in the basket for him to put on, that could work.
Thanks for the inspiration!
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I grew up wearing shoes indoors, but I stopped that practice when I grew up and started my own home. My kids remove their shoes upon entering any house, and most of their friends do it here too — whether to mimic my kids or because their parents have taught them to, I don’t know. My husband has been harder to train.
Karens last blog post..Knap! Knaetter! Knak!*
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My husband, kids and I always take off our shoes at home but make certain to wear socks - keeps our feet nice and toasty warm.
The challenge I personally encounter is in my family room/office - it’s where my 15 TwitterBudgies reside and they have an insane gift for chewing up nesting material and decorating various places with style and verve (ie, my socks gather bunches of chafs).
I also find myself having to remove my nice toasty socks whenever I have to mop the kitchen floor (I soak two kitchen rags and skate about with them - great cardio workout) but hey…it’s a worthwhile tradeoff.
Enjoy,
Barbara
Barbara Lings last blog post..21 Days to a more profitable blog - Day 2! Enhance your blog to compel word-of-mouth
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In our Asian Culture it is the norm to leave shoes outside the house. Everyone does that. Even if shoes are brought into the house they are removed at the door and kept in the shoe cabinet next to the main door.
I find that it certainly keeps the house much cleaner. We do have bedroom slippers to use in the house when the weather turns cold or for normal usage so the “coldness” from the floor doesn’t seep in when you walk and result in aching feet- especially for older folks. I get the boys to use kid size bedroom slippers so they don’t catch a chill.
Dominiques last blog post..I is for IGLOO
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I love the idea of taking off shoes inside. I’m normally barefoot, but that has more to do with comfort than cleanliness. Most of our friends take off their shoes as well, again for comfort. We are in Arkansas, after all.
Tiffanys last blog post..Waiting for the Sun (The Jayhawks)
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Indeed in Canada everyone, everywhere takes off their shoes. It’s a country custom! I married an American (he has now adapted our shoes- off custom) and at first I was aghast that his family kept there shoes on inside the house - all the gravel, sand, dirt that made its way into the home. UGH. They couldn’t care less though so who can argue.
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It’s not customary here in the UK however in our house we have a big shoe rack by the door so most of the time people put their shoes on it. If they don’t I’ve been known to either shout ‘SHOES’ if its the kids, or stare at peoples feet if its a visitor, this usually gets the message across.
Am I very rude?
Laura @ Move To Portugals last blog post..Grocery Spending so far in May
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marie Reply:
September 21st, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Has so many people forgotten why we have mops and hoovers?
As children we always removed our shoes. My mother kept the slippers in the utility room and we always wore them in the house. She would clean the shoes(soles and all) ready for next time out.
I still remove my shoes at home and so does my mother,but neither of us would expect our visitors to do so. My father who is 76, has two hips prosthesis, discal and umbilical hernias and finds it extremily difficult to stand, was told to remove his shoes in a non-carpeted house.It was so sad watching him straggling while attempting to do so unaided.Where have our priorities gone?
My mother was so disgusted than when she was told to take her sandals off without providing slippers she stood up and left the house. She wouldnt under any circunstances go to the toilet (if she had to)in her barefeet.Would anyone? We believe in hygine, do not worry so much about spending a little time moping or hoovering
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We have some friends who ask everyone to take their shoes off. (I’m in the US.) Although I understand in theory, it is not a custom in this country and it does make people feel uncomfortable. Some people don’t know to bring socks or slippers and spent the evening with their feet cold. Or they are just not comfortable with the way their feet look (or smell- yuck)… nothing will ruin a meal faster than someone with stinky feet at the table!
I think it goes back to the American mindset of thinking that if you invite people to your home, your goal should be to make them feel as comfortable as possible. If you are more worried about your carpet than your guests then perhaps you shouldn’t entertain in your home.
I know that doesn’t work for everyone, that is just the way I see. People are welcome to do whatever the want at my home.
I feel like if my friends let their dog live in the house and get on the couch it would be insulting to act like my shoes are somehow more disgusting than their dog.
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Bev Reply:
September 19th, 2008 at 6:14 am
I’m Asian so I grew up removing my shoes. My husband is white so he grew up wearing his shoes. However, he’s adapted and realized it is not only more comfortable, but our house is so much cleaner! Also, I have a dog… but sadly, I’m so OCD… we clean his paws every time he enters the house AND we always wipe him down after a day spent outdoors (because I can just imagine the filthy sidewalk that he laid/sat on… as we ate lunch at an outdoor cafe… after all, that is the same sidewalk that thousands of shoes have walked across…). I too believe in making sure my guests are comfortable, however at the same time, I still feel that they should respect our customs. I do keep my mouth shut if they decide to keep their shoes on. After all, I do have a nice sign that says, “Aloha, please remove your shoes, Mahalo”. My thoughts (to compromise), is if my guests would like to go upstairs to check out the rest of the house, then I would have ask them to remove their shoes. Otherwise, they get to stay downstairs!
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I’m a Florida Cracker. I’m always talking off my shoes. Especially becasue we are coming in from the barn with euggghhh on our boots.
Robin @ Heart of Wisdoms last blog post..We Have Too Much Stuff
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Hi there! I just Stumbled on your blog and love it. I’ve looked around a bit and found so many great posts to read. I’ve bookmarked you and will return often. Take care.
Shanes last blog post..Encourage Your Teen to Read with Free Books
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I am canadian born and raised ! I have always wondered why on sitcoms they all kept shoes on inside. I honestly thought that was just on television.lol
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@Jessica - That’s an interesting point, particularly about the dog. That makes sense! I think other cultures want their guests to be comfortable as well, and this is how they show it. I can’t speak for everywhere, of course, but where we live, you’d be saying you were uncomfortable in their home if you left your shoes on.
That said, almost no home here has wall-to-wall carpeting. And there are a variety of slippers available for guests by the front door, in case they get cold.
@Shane - Welcome! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you around.
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I have to pipe in with the other Asians who’ve commented here, and say that leaving your shoes outside is a normal custom here. I honestly didn’t even think about it that much before this post! It’s just how we do things. Part of it has to do with germs, of course. Plus, the fact that we are a spiritual kind of people, with prayers and rituals being conducted at home, and most Asian religions don’t allow footwear inside their place of worship.
Having said that , I wear a pair of flip flops at home. But they’re exclusively for home use, and will not see the outside of the front door!:)
PreSchool Mamas last blog post..How to Make Model Towns and Farms with Your PreSchooler
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Well, this “hippie” mama LOVES to be in her barefeet. If I could figure out a way to go barefoot around town, I’d do it. I’m hillbilly like that. So yes, I am always barefoot at home (and don’t buy into FlyLady’s dressed to the shoes theory AT ALL). Anyway, we always take off our shoes immediately upon coming in. I love the idea of getting a planter or some container for everyone’s shoes, as a previous commenter suggested.
In our current home, we have brand new carpet, so we try to gently encourage people to take off their shoes when they come in by saying, “Hi! Come on in! You can leave your shoes right here.”
I also agree with you that I think our parents’ generation is much more resistant to this. My parents and parents-in-law never take their shoes off in our home voluntarily. It drives me NUTS.
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where did you get the STARBUCKS WIGGIT for your blog?
Traceys last blog post..
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I have a HUGE basket by the front door where all shoes go when we enter. I love the idea and everyone knows where there shoes are so there is no running around trying to find shoes in the morning.
Storms last blog post..Works for Me Wednesday #4
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It’s also a common practice in the midwest (and many other areas receiving lots of snow each winter) to remove shoes at the door. The last thing you want in the winter is wet, sloppy, dirty snow tracked through the house.
This habit took a while for these Texans to get used to, but it really makes sense!
joyfuljourneys last blog post..Energy to Burn
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Hello Simple Mom
Yes, us Hong Kongers also take off our shoes before entering a household so as to keep germs away. This is especially when you have small children who tends to live off the floor and pick things up, put them in their little mouths as they please.
Great article and I love that photo too!
Eco-mama
Eco-mama from Hong Kongs last blog post..Organising and Cleaning Tips, anyone?
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I totally agree.. we have a “shoe” bench..that hides all our shoes when we come inside. Sure does help keep the house a lot cleaner..
Taras last blog post..Weigh in Wednesday
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I grew up in the US taking my shoes off inside, but my mom is Thai, so that may be why. However, when I moved out, I kept up this tradition, and when people came over, they’d always ask if they should take their shoes off. I’d tell them they didn’t have to, but they always did.
Now here in Germany, it’s still the same in my house, but at my German MIL’s house they always wear shoes and she frets if I go barefoot, thinking that I’m going to catch cold (even in the summer). My hubby grudgingly accepts my no shoes in the house rule, but he forgets a lot too. Aargh.
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Goodness - all you non shoe wearers lol My mother told me when I was very young that we needed to keep our shoes on our feet until we were done for the day. When FlyLady talks about wearing shoes, it doesn’t even phase me because I’ve done it all my life. About 9 pm is when I finally take off my shoes and am done for the day.
I’m all for doing what works, though, and I honestly can’t function without my shoes - I go inside and out so often that putting my shoes on each and every time would take out a lot of valuable time in my day.
Interesting post though - I had no idea that most of the world had a no shoes inside policy. interesting.
Have a Great Day!
Kristin
Kristins last blog post..WFMW - SASE
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I spent a fair number of growing up years in Canada (West Coast) and we always took our shoes off.
Most of our “American” friends also take their shoes off when they come into the house for a couple of reasons, we have a rather large collection of shoes by the back door that people can see when they enter. There are some people that don’t get the clue… to those it isn’t made an issue, but then they don’t walk around the whole house either.
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Well, I grew up in a house where we always had to have something on our feet. My dad found bare feet to be gross-but he lived in a tentament as a child and bare feet = squishing coackroaches with your toes. That obviously left him a psychological scar!
As an adult we usually take off our shoes-and most of my friends here in rural upstate NY do the same. I don’t know why it’s fairly common here. .
Jenn @ Frugal Upstates last blog post..Happy Anniversary to Us!
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we use to leave them at the front door until we got a dog that would run off with our shoes. So now we have a large basket that we have under a table by the front door on the inside. My hubby still has a hard time remembering to take off his shoes but my kids remember! They’d rather go barefoot any ways.
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Here in China it is also the custom to remove your shoes. We were already doing it while living in the US, so it’s second nature to us. No one in our family likes to go barefoot, so it’s slippers/flips year round.
In the US, most of our guests will remove their shoes because they see us shoeless. I think I found the solution for guests who may be reluctant. The Chinese have a basket of bamboo slippers of various sizes available for their guests. There are also plastic shoe bags to buy, so this could be an alternative for those who want to keep the shoes on. In China, the men who bring the drinking water bottles wear put these on before entering your home because they are in and out in a matter of minutes. So, looks like I’m bringing slippers and shoe bags home!
http://www.gaceinchina.blogspot.com
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Also good point of having shoes exclusively for the house. Stick to it - don’t wear your inside shoes outside for a minute - ie. down the driveway to pick up the mail, put something in the oil-stained garage, walk across the lawn and into the garden to pick a tomato for dinner, etc. Inside shoes are for the inside only! If not, the dirt returns.
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I’m with you Jessica. Unless my shoes are wet or muddy I am much more comfortable with them on. Plus I think if you expect and ask people to remove their shoes you darn well better have a place for them to sit down and do so. Not everybody wears slip on shoes. My husband always wears boots and he needs to sit down to take off and put on his boots. Also my parents are elderly I would never expect them to stand up to put on or take off their shoes. I just think there are other things people need to consider sometimes.
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When I was growing up, shoes-on was the rule. I mean, it was literally the rule — we would get yelled at if we ran around barefoot. There was always something to step on, the potential for splinters from the (ancient) hardwood floors, and a genetic klutziness that predisposed us to toe-stubbing. If I ever pointed out that friends took their shoes off in the house, my mother would respond that unbroken toes are more important then pristine carpets — and usually would add that when I was old enough to take myself to the emergency room, I could walk around barefoot all I wanted.
Laura Gs last blog post..I Am America (And So Can You!)
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I live in North Idaho and we ALWAYS take off our shoes when we enter the house. I do have slippers I put on when it gets chilly, but those are for the inside only. Most of my friends also have this rule in their homes, so we’re not complete neanderthals here in the States.
Sheilas last blog post..Joel: Bargain shopper extraordinaire
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I grew up in the UK but my mom was Canadian.Shoes ALWAYS came off at the door and we usually put slippers on.I now have my own family and we do the same as do visitors.It not only keeps the floors clean but its simply more comfortable to wear nice slippers or go barefoot..As with other contributors, most of our friends do this.
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Almost all the guests that come to our house ask if they should take off their shoes or they just start doing it. I guess having all of our shoes sitting in the entry way is a tip off.
Angie @ Many Little Blessingss last blog post..I made the bed today! I ROCK! (aka Remember to Praise Yourself)
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So far it seems like most commenters appreciate having guests and family members remove their shoes. Of course, those with different opinions might feel intimidated to speak up! There are a few here who have said the opposite. Anyone else feel differently?
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For me, it’s a matter of comfort rather than cleanliness.
I hate wearing shoes. they are heavy clunky objects that often feel like they are weighing me down.
I do wear slippers indoors, but — other than one time I had to get to a doctor and could not get my foot into a shoe — they never go out of the house.
And my ex and I always remove our shoes when we visit folks. Of course, the feet and socks in the shoes are clean, or we would probably offend someone, but real shoes indoors just don’t feel right.
otherdeb (Deb Wunder)s last blog post..Checking Basics 101 – Maintaining Your Checking Account
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it is a habit to take off our shoes indoors (our indoors, and other’s indoors).
guests take notice, and kindly remove their shoes. when we are guests our hosts are always pleased that we do (especially our kids).
it sure saves on carpet cleaning costs!
i do wish there was some whimsicle sign i could get asking for a shoe free zone. any suggestions??
denises last blog post..Say the Name Jesus
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@denise - Ooh, a whimsical sign… I like that idea. Maybe someone that does that sort of thing will see this post and get inspired to make one.
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In the part of Germany where I life, only the kids take off their shoes, but normally not the adults. To wear socks or houseshoes means, that you are in your private zone, but if you have guests with you, than even the houseowners wear shoes, because than you are in an ‘official’ area of your life.
best reagards
sevenjobss last blog post..Ich mache mich selbständig: wie frei bin ich in meiner Zeiteinteilung?
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@Christina G, @sevenjobs - Sounds like Germany may do things differently. Interesting.
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I would never dream of asking my guests to take their shoes off. I love going barefoot for comfort, but my husband wears shoes in the house. My house is just as clean, if not cleaner, than the next persons.
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I am from Hong Kong and as mentioned above we feel very comfortable taking our shoes off when we are inside. My husband being French comes from a very traditional up-bringing in terms of shoes policy. In his parents place in Paris, everybody wears shoes full access to all parts of the house. I suppose you lose a bit of “Elegance’ when the shoes come off, perhaps one feels a bit exposed too. His parents keep their shoes on the moment they get dressed even though they might be staying in all day. This is part of their proper education in terms of attire.
I still favour shoes off so when my in laws are here, they know the rule. It is all for a good reason.
Eco-mama
Eco-mama from Hong Kongs last blog post..A Carnival on Relaxation Tips
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think about queen elisabeth wearing socks while shaking hands with her guests
sevenjobss last blog post..Kann ich die Zeit der Hausarbeit sinnvoll nutzen?
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I too live in Canada, and we always take off our shoes. My family is originally from the Philippines, and my mother always had a basket of woven slippers at her front door for people to wear around the house. It also works as a subtle way to ask people to take off their shoes when it appears that they aren’t going to.
Nenettes last blog post..I Confess…
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Had to add my thoughts about the no shoes inside…my husband is Asian and his family all take their shoes off before coming inside. I grew up doing both - if out shoes were muddy, wet, etc they obviously came off but otherwise there was no rule. We went barefoot a lot but wore shoes inside if we wanted. Now, I love wearing my shoes, and while we all remove our shoes at my in-laws, I honestly find it very annoying especially when my three children happen to have on tennis shoes. Every single time the kids walk out the door they must put their shoes on (because while it’s fine to be barefoot inside it’s practically a crime to be so outside) but they come inside to go to the bathroom shoes must go back off ,then back on to go back out. This times three gets real old real quick. At our own house the kids mostly go barefoot inside and out but they certainly don’t have too - whatever is most comfortable. My husband and I often wear our shoes inside. I usually end up vacuuming every day whether there’s been shoes worn inside or not so I don’t think it would keep our home any cleaner - kids are just messy! Love your blog by the way.
Clara
Claras last blog post..Why our neighbors don’t like us
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Seems like people are rather passionate about their stand on shoe-wearing. Who woulda thought…
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hi! i heard of your original blog through brooke wagen and have followed along with you for awhile. i didn’t read through the other comments, but just wanted to tell you about my experience with shoes in costa rica where my husband and i live. in costa rica, you must keep your shoes on at all times, outside or inside, unless you are in bed. why? because you might get deathly ill, of course, if you were to take them off! so here is another country that does not practice taking shoes off before entering a home. i am constantly getting in trouble by costa ricans because my children and i are in the house without shoes and (heaven forbid!) even sometimes without socks!
now we have about 7 months of rain here and if we were to wear our shoes in the house all the time - well, you can imagine what my floors would look like. so we all take our shoes off in the house anyway. we do have tile floors (except the bedrooms) so it doesn’t bother me at all when guests do not take off their shoes. they are easy to clean floors, but i still don’t want to be cleaning them every single day.
i love your blogs - keep up the good work!
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Hi there, I’m an ex-pat also, NZ ex-UK. I’d never heard of the custom of removing my shoes until I emigrated to NZ. I wasn’t something we did int he UK. Now it’s so ingrained we do it all the time without thinking, it certainly saves on the vaccuuming!
One thing I find quite odd is that NZ’ers don’t wear shoes at all a lot of the time, even in winter and if they do wear shoes, it’s only Jandals (aka thongs or flipflops) I’m not quite at that stage myself!
Love you blogs BTW.
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I am British and here removing shoes in homes is not so common.
However, I am trying to encourage it and have a whole blog dedicated to the subject. You might want to take a look.
Matthew Cs last blog post..The relationship between host and guest
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@Matthew - Wow, I’ve never seen a whole blog dedicated to taking off your shoes at the door!
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Just started reading your blog and enjoying it already. I always speak up on this topic: I HATE HATE HATE going barefoot. Somewhat relatedly, I have a foot problem that is a whole lot worse if I don’t wear my shoes (with orthotic inserts). I especially hate going to parties where we’re told to take off our shoes. After one, I was in great pain from standing around in bare feet for hours.
Not to mention being oh so very cold. What do folks in cold climates do about this? If you live there, you can wear slippers at least (although I’ve never owned slippers that were as warm as wearing my shoes). But what about guests? Are they expected to bring their own slippers? (Which indeed I try to remember to do if going somewhere in the winter time.)
Why not just encourage people to own a pair of shoes worn exclusively inside? I could imagine doing that, and may actually consider it as a way of keeping down the dirt.
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Re shoes off in the UK.I have lived in various parts of the UK and have found especially in middle class area thats taking shoes off in the house is quite a common practice.At present i live ina part of the Uk that is cold for much of the year.consequently one not only sees the householders shoes by the door but also their slippers there also/and often guest slippers.
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I find the shoes off habit really irritating, personally. I lived in Thailand and I’m fine with it occasionally when I’m visiting a (usually Asian) friend’s home in the states, but in my own home it would be a nightmare. It’s not relaxing to have to worry about getting my shoes off and on every time I come in or go out - especially because I usually wear tennis shoes and have to deal with lacing up. I have a dog and I take him out several times a day. Most of my house is hard wood floors, and in terms of simplifying your life, having to remove and then put back on your shoes 6-8 times a day seems the OPPOSITE of that. It’s one more “task” you add to your daily flow. People on the board seem so freaked out by all this supposed dirt we track in, but I keep my house clean, use a vacuum every couple days, and never have to hassle with shoes on and off all day. Honestly, I think I have chosen the truly simplified approach, and I’ll never understand the shoes off household. Just thought I’d share the OTHER side of this issue…
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i love this idea! right now it’s totally not feasible in our home, because we’re in the midst of some pretty hefty renovations. it would not only be unsafe to walk around shoe-less (due to nails and tools and such), it also wouldn’t help any with all the dust and debris from things like an all-new kitchen and totally redoing the stairs.
but in the next six months to year they’ll be done, and at that point i’m setting it as a goal to make the house shoe-free. hopefully it’ll cut down on my cleaning time!
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I guess we’re one of the exceptions to the rule. We’re from the US, but we always take our shoes off at the door, and so does my family and our friends around here. Then again, we’re in Minnesota, and you would not want to be tracking the crud that gets on your shoes in the winter around your house! So you get in the habit and do it during the summer too. I actually have a hard time with it when we visit my husband’s family out east. They all wear their shoes indoors, and I just can’t! I feel like I’m being a bad guest somehow, walking around indoors with shoes on, but they think nothing of it.
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I live in the Seattle area, and everyone takes their shoes off here. Probably because it is SO muddy and rainy!
Growing up I lived in Hawaii and everyone there does so as well. PRobably because of the Asian influence.
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In Austria we take the shoes off, when we enter a house or a flat or thelike - except the owner does not want that. What I find interesting is, that in Austria we have those certain kind of house-shoes made of fabric. My mum even sewed my name on it ;-).
Andreas
Verdiene Geld’s last blog post…Über Nischenblogging
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Great post! I’m a barefoot girl and have always preferred to be so.
We are in the U.S. (Texas, more specifically) and my whole family (aside from hubby) tends to kick our shoes off at the back door. We gave up trying to take them to our rooms and now have a shoe shelf there for that reason!
It is more of a mindset with us. Relax. Be YOU. Stay awhile.
I’ve even built our business around the Barefoot brand we’ve embraced it so much.
Be comfy with your feet. Your floor. Your ease of mind.
Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive
http://theBossMovie.com
http://Barefoot-Executive.com
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I’m another emphatically shoes-off Canadian. Wearing shoes in the house isn’t just dirty — it’s loud. As a student, one of my housemates (who was half-American, but more importantly, a complete slob) wore his shoes in our house habitually. Granted, the place was a dump and the carpets were a write-off, but that didn’t help. And the constant clunk-clunk-clunk as he walked around on our tile floors drove me crazy.
Peter Lynn’s last blog post…I get by without making new friends
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I’m one of those people who wears shoes (and I use the term “shoes” loosely enough for flip-flops to count but not big floppy house slippers that one would normally wear with pajamas) virtually every waking minute of every day regardless of whether I plan on going anywhere or if I will be home all day. A couple of exceptions to not wearing shoes at home consist of either the shoes being muddy or if the carpets have been recently steam-cleaned (The latter has been done once). It’s one of those situations that make me feel like a “black sheep” in my family. Everyone in my immediate family, including my Canadian stepfather, have been perfectly content to, off and on, wear only socks or slippers or no footwear at all. My nephew’s the same way as my family. I, on the other hand, mentally insist that when I get dressed, that it must be include wearing shoes. While I understand people’s reasons for their adherance to the “no shoes in the house, ever” school of thought (and by the way, if I went to the house of somebody who did ascribe to that school of thought, I would respect that and would leave my shoes at the door). But I prefer to have shoes on if I can help it for a couple of reasons:
1. There’s no telling what business I may have calling me outside or beyond the property on short notice
2. I usually (not always) feel more ready to do something active and/or productive (such as housework of any kind) when I do have shoes on versus when I don’t. I don’t know why though.
I may, in the future though, get a pair of ballet-ish slippers that maybe give the suggestion of real shoes in case I need to remove my outdoor shoes for some reason. I don’t know yet though.
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Wow, I live in Canada and I was not even aware that in some places it’s common to not take your shoes off at the door. I thought it was just normal to take your shoes off to leave the dirt out of the living area. Very interesting!
Michelle’s last blog post…Who dresses that kid? Why Spider-Sam.
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Really nice article!
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