awkward situation: no shoes at baby shower

[Moliphino]

I understand scenarios where legos are left on the floor but when and how often are needles left laying around on the floor? Who stores their needles, sewing, hypodermic, or otherwise loose on the floor?

Not on purpose, but my mom leaves a sewing kit out on the coffee table all the time that has been knocked on the floor and spilled stuff everywhere on a few occasions. A pin or needle isn't super easy to see on patterned carpet.

 

[indimom]

I guess I'm one of the odd ducks who had no idea "shoes off" was so prevalent. I've never been asked to remove my shoes at anyone's house, ever. I will occasionally take my shoes off in the homes of family where I am comfortable. In my mind, I automatically treat floors as "dirty" even if they've just been cleaned. I would never consider the floor clean. (I feel the same way about the kitchen sink - I never consider it a clean surface, except maybe the first ten seconds after I cleaned it myself, lol.)
Related question - I know that house pets are also pretty common in the world today (I have two dogs myself). Are you wiping their paws every time they come in from outside?? Do you let them in and out vs. using a dog door so that you can catch them at the door every time?? Serious question. I have family who do this. We don't. Again. I'll just mop the floor regularly vs. trying to catch two dogs every time they come in from outside.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I know that house pets are also pretty common in the world today (I have two dogs myself). Are you wiping their paws every time they come in from outside?? Do you let them in and out vs. using a dog door so that you can catch them at the door every time?? Serious question. I have family who do this. We don't. Again. I'll just mop the floor regularly vs. trying to catch two dogs every time they come in from outside.

So my sister-in-law and her boyfriend do this with their dog. In fact they wipe his delicate bits too... I believe theirs is more related to a religious aspect (the boyfriend is Muslim) but they are the only ones I know that do that. The dog is def. used to it and expects it. They only let him outside when they know they can immediately clean him afterwards. While not something I'm used to seeing if they are fine about it then it's whatev

On the other hand my in-laws won't let their dog out if it's rainy or muddy and rely on puppy pads instead. This annoys me and makes me frustrated on the dog's behalf because the dog isn't learning good potty behavior and frankly it's gross to see the puppy pads on the floor and with a dog long past the potty training stage. I grew up around old english sheepdogs, their fur got muddy it wasn't the end of the world. Now bathing a 70lb dog was always fun lol.

 

[Pooh2]

I have never been asked to remove my shoes in someone else's home and would consider that odd.
Especially at an event like a baby shower or other party!

 

[AndreaDM]

Now that I've wasted work time reading 9 pages I'll chime in too lol. I don't wear outside shoes in the house, but I do have "house crocs" that I wear all the time due to PF, entire first floor is tile and hardwood and it is very painful to walk barefoot. I splurged on the cute (well as cute as crocs can be) 50th anniversary ones from WDW and they are never worn outside except maybe on the patio. Guests can do whatever they want in our home, but obviously everyone I know would remove muddy, wet boots, etc. When I visit someone else's home I am always prepared to remove my shoes and basically follow the host's lead.

eta: add me to the list of people who wouldn't want to wear some random slippers other people have worn.

 

[leebee]

Sign me up with the Northerners- shoes off here! It's because it's winter, though. Nobody gives it a second thought; in the winter, shoes and boots come off at the door; they are wet, salty, dirty/sandy and nobody wants to track that around someone else's home. 99% of us also have socks on (it's COLD in winter) so people just go around in their stocking-feet. As far as unloading groceries, we shuttle the groceries from the car to the front hallway. Once all bags are brought in, we remove our shoes and transport the groceries to the kitchen. Also, don't know who mentioned it, but yes, we also shovel our walkway. We then put down sand and/or salt to provide traction or prevent ice build up. You could conceivably walk into my house in your party shoes, but they'd then be dirty and wet. Honestly, in the winter nobody thinks twice about it, they just take off their shoes. I have a pair of satin-like pink Isotoner slippers that I carry in my jacket pockets when we go to friends' homes in the winter (when I remember). Shoes off, slippers on- or else I wear my socks. DH keeps a spare pair of slippers in the car for the same reason. In the summer... let me think, it hasn't been warm here for awhile! I think most people keep their shoes on, but that'd be sandals, flip flops, or crocs for the most part, without socks. I don't know anyone who asks people to go totally barefoot in their homes.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I guess I'm one of the odd ducks who had no idea "shoes off" was so prevalent. I've never been asked to remove my shoes at anyone's house, ever. I will occasionally take my shoes off in the homes of family where I am comfortable. In my mind, I automatically treat floors as "dirty" even if they've just been cleaned. I would never consider the floor clean. (I feel the same way about the kitchen sink - I never consider it a clean surface, except maybe the first ten seconds after I cleaned it myself, lol.)
Related question - I know that house pets are also pretty common in the world today (I have two dogs myself). Are you wiping their paws every time they come in from outside?? Do you let them in and out vs. using a dog door so that you can catch them at the door every time?? Serious question. I have family who do this. We don't. Again. I'll just mop the floor regularly vs. trying to catch two dogs every time they come in from outside.

I'm with you. I've never been asked to take off my shoes in anyone's house.

I don't have a dog, but my sister and brother in law keep a towel at their back door and wipe the dogs paws when he comes in if it is wet or yucky outside.

 

[DumboDash2006]

We have wood floors and live in MI. Almost everyone takes their shoes off, but if not, we don't insist on it.

In our previous home we had carpet and I don't remember anyone not taking their shoes off immediately except for sometimes dd's friends as clueless children and I would tell them to take them off. But most just did it anyway.

IMO carpet vs wood matters. I don't know if I would insist on it with carpet unless it was rainy/snowy/muddy outside, but it never came up.

 

[shh]

don't know anyone who asks people to go totally barefoot in their homes.

This happened at a baby shower - no previous warning. Hot climate. I felt very uncomfortable the entire day walking around barefoot and resented the host for at least not letting people know ahead of time, so I could have brought slippers, crocs or socks. I wouldn't have minded if it was a cold climate, as most people are wearing socks.

The host had an all-tile floor - this is one of the easiest floor surfaces to sterilize/clean after guests leave. That was the only time it happened.

 

[ronandannette]

This happened at a baby shower - no previous warning. Hot climate. I felt very uncomfortable the entire day walking around barefoot and resented the host for at least not letting people know ahead of time, so I could have brought slippers, crocs or socks. I wouldn't have minded if it was a cold climate, as most people are wearing socks.

The host had an all-tile floor - this is one of the easiest floor surfaces to sterilize/clean after guests leave. That was the only time it happened.

That is curious, especially in a locale where leaving shoes on is customary. From your OP I had thought maybe the issue was high-heels on hardwood. I always cringe watching the real estate shows where everybody's tromping all over hardwood (sometimes expensive, exotic hardwood) in stilettos. They might as well take an ice-pick to the floors.

 

[prairie_girl]

ITA. I can't stand to see the bottoms of people's feet, especially the people who spend all day barefoot. And I am so grossed out by even my husband walking around our (very clean) home barefoot that I insist he shower before bed every single night because I don't want his dirty feet under the sheets. Yuck. It's a pet peeve of mine.

Maybe his feet are dirty because you allow people to wear shoes and they’re the ones bringing in all the dirt…

 

[DLgal]

Maybe his feet are dirty because you allow people to wear shoes and they’re the ones bringing in all the dirt…

They are not visibly dirty. I just know they are. I only mop my floor once a week. We get into bed at night clean. No exceptions.

We also don't wear shoes indoors, except for me, who wears indoor crocs. We never have company or people walking through our home. We hate people, LOL.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Your feet get dirty regardless.

If you're wearing socks you're sweating and/or moving all day long in that

If you're not wearing socks but not barefoot your feet are getting sweaty and/or moving all day long in your shoes

If you're not wearing socks and you're barefoot your feet get dirty

The only way your feet aren't getting dirty is if you're washing your feet and your shoes every single day and even then in between washes they get dirty. It's not the hill I'd die on but I also grew up in a more relaxed household (somehow) on this subject in the first place.

 

[CdnCarrie]

This happened at a baby shower - no previous warning. Hot climate. I felt very uncomfortable the entire day walking around barefoot and resented the host for at least not letting people know ahead of time, so I could have brought slippers, crocs or socks. I wouldn't have minded if it was a cold climate, as most people are wearing socks.

The host had an all-tile floor - this is one of the easiest floor surfaces to sterilize/clean after guests leave. That was the only time it happened.

I agree that is weird and would have been uncomfortable.
In the past I have struggled with what to do when visiting bigger social gatherings inside a home in warm weather which is rare. Usually we are outside in warm weather for family functions.
Do recall years ago wearing jeans and socks when I wanted to wear capris or shorts as worried about being barefoot in their house and we don’t wear shoes inside here. Ended up the hostess was barefoot!

 

[Sweetpancake]

I learned I believe from these boards that some people wear shoes in their home :O ,lol I had NO idea. I live in Canada and we definitely don't wear shoes inside. I think given the winters we experience, that's likely why. But if the norm for you is to wear shoes, I can completely understand how uncomfortable that might have been. Maybe bring a pair of slippers in your purse next time just in case!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I think given the winters we experience, that's likely why

For the life of me though I don't know why this is presented as a big concept.

I'm not talking at you just it's come up more than once (many times really), oddly from a good amount of Canadians. Many Americans live in snowy or rainy conditions. We all aren't heathens here (despite what some other posters think ) We are capable of discerning the weather and thinking "hmm I'll remove my shoes" even if we normally don't (or just don't have an issue with it like a firm yes or firm no).

I guess it just strikes me as a thing that is presented as black and white when it's not, at least to me. Like there's only one choice either your weather says you remove your shoes or your weather says you don't when there's tons of us who live in the midst of both of those and don't only wear our shoes in the house or only take them off, we switch it up as needed. I guess in my life I've not known someone to be 100% one way or the other but the DIS is def. a place of learning the infamous.."must be regional" spiel.

**Please know I'm not picking on your one post it's a reflection of all the posts on this particular aspect of shoes off/shoes on debate

 

[amylevan]

FWIW, I live in an area with 4 seasons, with the potential for lots of snow (and thus salt). Plus it rains. And no, I would not wear my snowy boots or wet rain boots into my own or someone’s house, but it’s not really a “thing” here. We wear shoes in our house. Friends wear shoes in their houses. My aunt‘s immediate family does not wear shoes in their house, but she certainly does not expect others to follow when she’s hosting anything. (For her, it’s a clean thing, so she cleans once everyone leaves).
So snowy winters does not equal no shoes in our area.

 

[Lilsia]

So, our culture takes off their shoes but everyone knows this. Usually there are extra slippers for those who want them, some bring their own. A lot of grandmas knit booties. But this is usually when it is just family or close friends. We will suspend the no shoe custom for something like a party, where there are people other then our close group. I think that the hostess most definitely should have made everyone aware before they went. This is on the hostess and you should not have been pressured to take your shoes off. Carpets can be cleaned.

 

[Lilsia]

Very awkward. Everyone standing around talking and eating with fancy outfits and bare/stocking feet.

Why is it awkward? If everyone is barefoot, then no on stands out. As someone who grew up in a culture of taking shoes off, I can tell you that no one thinks twice about it. Everyone has feet for cripes sake. This embarrassment that some people feel over something that is perfectly natural is perplexing to me.

 

[Lilsia]

Here’s my thing: shoe off people please give a heads up! I really think feet are gross. Bare feet- yuck! ( ever see the bottom of feet that are bare all day?) They’re disgusting! And do people wash their feet before bed ? Check out Some flip-flop wearers feet after a day in a park!! No thanks. My sad orthopedic feet will be happily shod.

I don't think that most people walk around with bare feet all day. We wear socks or slippers indoors, not shoes that have been worn outside. If you go outside in bare feet, then yes, you do come in and wash them. We are not heathens. LOL The whole point is to keep the outside out and your floors as clean as possible. If you really think about everything that you step in while out and about, it is gross. You go to the store and walk through the parking lot, chances are you are stepping in oil or other car fluids. People walk their dogs and let them toilet anywhere. It's gross. If you think that bare feet that have been outside are gross and dirty, then obviously shoes are too. After all, they are stepping in everything you would if you are bare footed. So I don't understand how you would think that bare feet are gross, but not the bottom of shoes. You do see the irony in your statement, don't you?