3.14.2011

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES OR CLEAN MY FLOORS

Do you ask friends and family members to remove their shoes when entering your home?

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I was having a conversation with Tonia of Chic Modern Vintage about this topic the other day. I’ve never done it myself, but have been to friends homes where they ask for the removal of your shoes.

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She told me that a family member even go as far as having socks and slippers for her guests to put on. AND she even supply foot spray and powders if you have “feet problems”. Now me personally, I think that’s a little too far! But I do like the idea of having different socks or slippers for guests that are washed afterwards.

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I’ve given it much thought and now I’m going to do this in my own home. The only problem is that I don’t want this

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So to those of you who already have this rule in your home, or are contemplating it, what do you do to keep the space tidy where the shoes are left at the door by guests?

19 comments:

René said...

I love this idea and most of the kids who come to our house take their shoes off at the door. Between you & me, my husband is the worst for coming in with dirty shoes. As far as storage, they just all seem to pile up by the door...maybe a basket?

Tonia Lee Smith said...

LOL, did you have to mention the foot spray? I would try a small shelf to store them, but IKEA has a few things especially for shoe storge.

Brandi said...

I used to be a big fan of the Tv show Jon and Kate plus Eight. In one episode she showed all of her shoes being kept in the garage. After that episode I started doing the same. I purchased a tall storage shelf from Home Depot so we could store our shoes on there. We each have our own shelf which makes it easy. The thought of all the dirt and grime on the bottom of shoes makes me cringe, so I'm happy to be a "Shoe free" household!! LOL!!!

Miss M&M said...

I don't know how I feel about it yet. My friend has everyone remove shoes at her home, actually a couple of the do. They have no storage areas just a collection of shoes at the door. Ikea has a shoe cabinet that could work well in an entrance area.

Dayka Robinson said...

I used to do it because I have bamboo floors and they attract A LOT of dirt & dust. It was never really problem, because if you lived here, you simply picked your shoes up and took them upstairs. I also had a basket or awhile, but it was really only needed when there was a lot of company.

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

I do it. My mom always had us take off our shoes growing up so now wearing shoes in the house truly feels odd to me. Plus, when you think of everything that can get onto your floors from the soles of shoes...yikes!! Besides being more sanitary, it just makes less work when keeping floors clean.

As for avoiding the pile at the front door? As I have no real entry area, I have a large basket. Not ideal, but works.

Janell

Conscious Bride said...

We have a "no shoe policy" in our home. Since we don't normally have many guests at once, I use one of these near the door (see link below). It also houses a pretty basket to keep extra slippers for guests. I encourage the guests to keep them or we throw them out after use.

http://www.target.com/ClosetMaid-31-Horizontal-Organizer-Espresso/dp/B001UTRUOY/ref=br_1_21?ie=UTF8&id=ClosetMaid%2031%20Horizontal%20Organizer%20Espresso&node=1283871011&searchSize=30&searchView=list&searchPage=1&sr=1-21&qid=1300113802&rh=&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchRank=salesrank&frombrowse=1

Unknown said...

This post struck HOME with me! LOL! I purchased my home almost two years ago. Being single, kids grown and living alone I installed wall to wall off white carpet. Something I've ALWAYS wanted. Needless to say I had 2 small elegant signs made for my front and back doors that say, Please remove your shoes. It has been hard trying to find the perfect container, basket, etc. for guest to put their shoes in. Just this weekend I purchased a very small wrought iron bench (probably made for dolls) and attached a wrought iron picture frame to the back with a sign inserted in the frame that says, "Shoes here please". It sits right inside my front door. Cute, different and decorative. I also have little "footies" in assorted colors for guest to wear (new in package). Granted I do not have tons of company. In fact very little at all. But they all know to remove their shoes! My girfriend just told me she hates to bring her man by because of his feet! That suggestion of feet spray may be the ticket! LOL! Great post!

Kathysue said...

Laekitha, This is a real pet peeve of mine. I say if the family wants to do it that is fine, BUT never ever have a guest do that!the message it gives is, my floors and carpet are more important than your comfort. It is the first thing they are greeted with so it gives the message, don't get to comfortable or mess anything up. I have had many a guest say they will take off their shoes and I scold them and say, Don't you dare, my home is to be lived in.
Carpets and floors can always be cleaned but you will only have a few chances to make a guest feel welcomed and comfortable.
Happy Monday sweet friend, Kathysue

Laila @OnlyLaila said...

I grew up removing my shoes before entering a home so that rule still applies today. Most folks who know me just do it automatically. My parents have a doormat that asks visitors to remove their shoes.

autumn said...

my husband is a big advocate of taking shoes off at the door, but i have to admit that i am not...we are in a rental house right now, and the carpets already look so bad, so it's kinds like...how could they look ANY worse?
BUT, if we moved and had new carpet, i would for sure tell my kids to take their shoes off at the door. i like the idea of keeping the shoes in the garage, but winers are COLD here, and so we might have to come up with another place to store them from nov-march.
:)

Unknown said...

Right now we don't (I have friends were shoes off is the rule!) But I'm pretty sure in the upcoming weeks, taking of your shoes upon entering our house will be a must.

for guests, most likely I'll get a big basket for them to place their shoes in, but when we have parties I'll nix the concept (jut too much of a hassle) For us, shoes will go in our bedrooms

BellaLovesPink said...

I find required shoe removal supremely annoying. However, I don't live in an area where water, snow or other outdoor messes could potentially be drug across the carpet (the AZ desert has its advantages). So, it's definitely not a requirement in our home and i can see how/why it would be in other's.

Unknown said...

LOL. Thats funny because I was thinking of doing the same in my Atlanta studio. I have a couple of foot prints on my carpet. And I was thinking what in the world!

Most of my friends do it anyway without me saying it. I use to say oh you don't have to but now I've changed my mind.

At my vacation home in Chattanooga I'm building an entry locker so all of the kids can put their belongings and I don't have to say "where are your shoes or coats?"

I'm using a plan from Ana-White.com
here's the link:

http://ana-white.com/2010/09/locker-cabinet-for-fresh-home-magazine.html

By you having 3 small boys it can serve as double duty too!!

AprilDenise
uniqueillusions.weebly.com

Christina Ceballos said...

I just moved to Hawaii and the "red" dirt here is really difficult to take off so my kids know when they play outside or it rains they take off their shoes at the door.I don't know if its a courtesy here but every time i have had guests come to my house or a delivery they always take off their shoes without me asking them to.I would love if everyone was like that but i don't know if i would go to the extreme as some people.

Champagne on Tuesdays said...

We don't ask guests to remove their shoes, but we have a copper shoe tray by the front door for people who want to remove their shoes - and for the ones we kick off coming inside.

Danielle said...

We don't have a strict no shoe rule yet, but we did buy the shoe cabinet from ikea. I love it! It can store at least 8 pairs of adult shoes.

There are some pics of the cabinet on my post here:
http://www.candidd.com/2010/11/new-additions.html

Good luck!

Matthew Celestine said...

Having a no-shoes rule is such a good idea, especially if you have children. Most guests will understand perfectly well.

I have an whole blog about removing shoes in homes: Shoes Off at the Door, Please You might like to take a look.

Anonymous said...

I live in Alaska and most people have a no shoe rule. I hate it. Where I was raised, it would have been soooo rude to request people remove their shoes.

We have no carpet. I hit the floors with the swiffer for about 2 minutes every day. Our floors are clean and they are foreer walking on. By all four kids.

I'm thinking about getting a sign made to tell people to please keep their shoes ON in my house. :)