Open House - Can I ask people to remove shoes?
dreamywhite
15 years ago
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Removing shoes upon entering.
Comments (116)I guess you don't use door mats to wipe off the bottom of your shoes/boots during bad weather. Hmmmm, I live in Maine also. I know I have some at all my doors and so do all my friends. lol We don't have a problem with constantly have to drag out the shampooer. They wipe their feet, or take of their boots and put on their shoes. The big deal as you call it is making my guests feel comfortable in my home. I would never be so rude as to ask them to take off their shoes. I care more about their comfort then I do about "things". It is as simple as that. People before things. NancyLouise...See MoreSign for no shoes in the house that I use
Comments (26)Okay, so if you're going to request that people not wear shoes in your house, there should be some support on your side for those who have foot problems, etc. Here's my suggestion: For invited guests, don't surprise them at the door. When you invite them, tell them of your no-shoes requirement, so they can bring their own "clean" shoes. If you have requirements for the indoor shoes, you must tell them what they are. (Ex: Indoor shoes must be shoes you have never worn outdoors. Or may be shoes that have been worn outdoors, but soles have subsequently been cleaned with soap and water. Whatever.) For uninvited guests: Point out the sign and then offer them these alternatives, of your choosing: 1) disposable shoe covers 2) As the Japanese do, you supply a variety of differently sized indoor slippers. They must be compatible with a variety of hosiery. And for those who wear their own shoes/sandals without hosiery, but prefer not to wear strangers' shoes without hosiery, then you should provide a variety of differently sized and gendered hosiery that is compatible with your slippers. 3) Oh, and provide an indoor place with seating in which they may change shoes and store their own. All of these obligations on you are part of just being a polite host....See Morenational open house -- should I open my house?
Comments (6)Several years ago there was a news article on the 'Disappearance of the Open House Signs', that sprang up every Saturday morning! It seems many buyers weren't comfortable with their neighbors and strangers walking through their home, without desired results of offers. From statistics, (I presume from the industry) the article stated that an 'Open House' rarely benefited the house in which it was held, and the Realtor usually sold one of their other listings to the potential buyers! So good avenue for Realtors, not so good for your house!...See MoreHanging a 'Remove Your Shoes' sign on door
Comments (70)What if you had a lightweight sign and hung it with that blue sticky-putty stuff? I don't know what it's called but it's kind of like play-doh, and you can put little balls of it on the back of the sign and hang it that way. Now that I have answered the actual question, I'll say that I agree with funkyart that it is off-putting to encounter an order like that before you even knock on the door. If you must hang the sign, how about in a spot just inside the door? We are a "mostly shoes-free" house. My family removes shoes automatically, in the mudroom. Friends of ours and friends of our kids almost all remove their shoes automatically, too, either because they also do it in their own house, or because it's obvious that we all have removed our shoes. If KIDS don't remove their shoes, I ask them to do it before they get too far. If ADULTS don't, I say nothing. If we have adults over for a party, I never ask anyone to remove their shoes. I think if you have someone over for a social event, they have chosen an outfit that includes their shoes, and for a variety of reasons it wouldn't be right to ask them to remove them. I think when you have a party or just a few friends over, that's the risk you take -- your floors may get dirty, someone might spill a glass of wine, someone might dance with a lampshade on their head... ooops, that's a different forum. Now, back to my popcorn. I had to admit I peeked in here only because I knew there'd be some Opinions on this topic....See Moretaku
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