Topic: Do you wear shoes in your home?

[DrSbaitso]

I had a conversation with a few friends today where the topic of wearing shoes indoors came up. One of them claimed that in America, hardly anyone takes their shoes off when they come home. Is this true? It's a very foreign concept to me.

This got me a bit curious...
1. Do people put their shoes on immediately when they get out of bed in the morning? Or when they walk out the door?
2. Don't the floors end up get covered in dirt? If you always wear shoes then it's not a big deal, but it still would look filthy, wouldn't it?
3. Isn't this really uncomfortable? I couldn't imagine having my feet so constrained all day...
4. What do people do if it's muddy or snowy out? Do they put on a different pair of shoes when they walk through the door?

[ScaryTooth]

I can't speak for everyone, but It depends on a few things for me.

I don't put on my shoes until I'm about ready to walk out the door. And the type of shoe depends on what type of activity I'm leaving the house to do. For work, I put on my work boots, And I usually take them off as soon as I get back home. If I'm leaving the house to go running, of course I put on running shoes. In the summer time It's pretty much just sandals/slides for everything. If I'm doing a decent amount walking, like going to a festival or something, I have a pair of etnies skate shoes that I wear. I usually always slip out of my shoes as soon as I walk in the door, especially with sandals. But If I'm just stopping by my house for a couple minutes, I leave my shoes on.

[scottws]

My girlfriend's mom is against it due to the dirt factor so I started doing it at home too.  I think before that though I would wear shoes, yeah.

[beo]

what an utterly strange topic for conversation!

not that i'm in america, but to answer your questions...

1. it's not a conscious choice to put them on in the morning like an item of clothing, it's just a case of not bothering to take them off once they're on.
2. it probably does leave dirt on the carpets, but then i think i've vacuumed once this year, so it's not like it makes any difference.
3. i normally wear skate shoes, so being uncomfortable isn't an issue.
4. refer to number 2.

however, when i go to my parent's house it's always shoes off in the hallway.

[TheOtherBelmont]

I don't wear my shoes in the house at all, I take them off when I get home, along with my socks.  Also, I think the whole Americans wearing shoes thing in the house is just a stereotype for the most part, almost everyone I know takes their shoes off in their house.

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, I think that's a total misconception.  I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that doesn't take their shoes off at home.  Hell, I don't even tend to wear shoes at other people's houses.  Basically anytime I set foot in a house with people I'm relatively comfortable with I take my shoes off, and they generally do as well.  I'll only leave them on if the relationship isn't so personal or close, and then only if I'm not asked to take my shoes off, which I often am just because, as has been said, I think most people generally like to keep their floors clean, etc.

So yeah, I say you've been told a myth.

[poomcgoo]

I'm wearing my sneakers right now.  Like beo said, I don't put them on like an article of clothing in the morning, I just throw them on when I'm ready to go out.  I take them off if I'm noticeably uncomfortable, but half the time they just stay on simply because they aren't bothering me.

Also, during the day I'm usually in and out of the house at random so it's easier to just leave them on when I know I'm about to go right back out.

[scottws]

I think an exception would be a house party.  Pretty much no one takes their shoes off then.

[firestorm225]

I pretty much never wear shoes indoors. My number one choice of footwear is flip flops anyway so it's easy to put them on a second before I head out the door.

PS I'm still alive.

[beo]

firestorm...? haven't seen you for ages!

so, what's up and stuff?

[scottws]

Wow.  firestorm.  No offense, but I completely forgot about you.  Next thing you know mpt435 will post or something.

[Quemaqua]

And of all the threads to poke your nose into after disappearing into the abyss for three quarters of a year or so.  Pretty funny.

[iPPi]

I always take off my shoes at home.  I only have shoes on when I leave the house.  The same goes for when I'm at other people's home too.

[Raisa]

I never walk around the house with my shoes on.  I have this habit of taking my shoes off before entering a person's house.  Usually, if they don't want me to, they let me know. If they don't say anything, I just take the shoes off.  I either leave it at the front door or just inside the front door. 

At home, I have house slippers or i go barefoot.  In a little apartment - studio type - I have a place for shoes right by the door and the rest of the place remains nice and clean and untouched by shoes.  when people come to visit, I usually request them to take their shoes off.  If they're delivery people, I ask them to stay outside.  If they're service people and they really need to come in, I request them to take their shoes off and I have them use a pair of house slippers.

so yeah...  guests get house slippers too.