Extended family members wear hiking boots that leave scuff marks on my hardwood floors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom goes berserk when someone asks her to take off her shoes. She goes on and on about how dirty bare feet are and how disgusting it is to be putting bare feet on floors and getting the floors dirty. She also complains about how my family's bare feet track crumbs everywhere in her house whereas shoes wouldn't.

Its november. Who is running around in shoes with no socks?

This is the DC area and isn't that cold. I rarely wear socks, especially in my heels or shoes I wear to work. Walking the dog or going to the bus stop I just have boots I slip on with no socks.

I think we can all agree that the only boots you wear without socks are uggs. Otherwise everyone is wearing socks with boots. It’s for comfort not warmth.

[Anonymous]

Have a basket of inexpensive socks with the rubber things and cozy socks near the door. When people come in, say, “we just redid our floors, so please take off your shoes. I’ve got socks for you here if you need them!”

It’s welcoming and friendly but makes it clear the shows come off. Your house, your rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have foot and ankle issues and it’s painful for me to go barefoot. Please don’t prioritize scuffs on your floors over your guests health.

I wear leg braces and have one pair of shoes to wear with them. My shoes don't scuff floors like hiking boots do. Do your shoes leave marks?

[Anonymous]

If you are a shoes off household, is there somewhere for guests to sit and take their shoes off if they need to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate shoes of households with the fury of a thousand burning suns. If you don’t want to clean your floors after people leave don’t have people over.
Send your family to my house where we don’t worry about this ridiculous sh!t.

Yes, and? How does your personal and very out-of-proportion fury help OP in any way with the question asked? Unless of course you're one of OP's boot-wearing relatives, in which case: Please stay home and enjoy stewing in your curiously intense anger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to picture a large family gathering with 30+ pairs of shoes by the door and everyone walking around in bare feet.

Unfortunately, I’ve been to these. Not a family gathering. It’s embarrassing and weird to be shoeless in someone else’s home.
We don’t wear shoes in our house, unless we are having people over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate shoes of households with the fury of a thousand burning suns. If you don’t want to clean your floors after people leave don’t have people over.
Send your family to my house where we don’t worry about this ridiculous sh!t.

Yes, and? How does your personal and very out-of-proportion fury help OP in any way with the question asked? Unless of course you're one of OP's boot-wearing relatives, in which case: Please stay home and enjoy stewing in your curiously intense anger.

Don’t you judge my fury as out of proportion! I am very happy with my level of fury.
You want to come over for a mimosa too?

[Anonymous]

Ask them to take off their shoes. If you know them well enough to have them in your house, you know them well enough to have a conversation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom goes berserk when someone asks her to take off her shoes. She goes on and on about how dirty bare feet are and how disgusting it is to be putting bare feet on floors and getting the floors dirty. She also complains about how my family's bare feet track crumbs everywhere in her house whereas shoes wouldn't.

Its november. Who is running around in shoes with no socks?

This is the DC area and isn't that cold. I rarely wear socks, especially in my heels or shoes I wear to work. Walking the dog or going to the bus stop I just have boots I slip on with no socks.

I think we can all agree that the only boots you wear without socks are uggs. Otherwise everyone is wearing socks with boots. It’s for comfort not warmth.

A lot of women when they attend parties or holidays wear tights. Tights + hardwood floors are a slipping disaster. I am a shoes off household, but allow them for parties because otherwise all the women would be either barefoot or in tights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are a shoes off household, is there somewhere for guests to sit and take their shoes off if they need to?

To OP (and anyone who is a "no shoes" person) -- This is a very good point. Especially if you have any guests for whom taking off and putting on shoes is tougher than just kicking shoes off as they stand upright.

I'm in favor of no shoes! But if you want compliance with "no shoes please," make it as easy as possible by providing some kind of bench or stool for those who need to sit to remove shoes. I have some older relatives who can't just lean on a wall and pull off shoes.

Just noting that if you're asking everyone to remove shoes in order to get boot-wearers to remove boots, be aware of providing a place to sit for those who need or just want it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate shoes of households with the fury of a thousand burning suns. If you don’t want to clean your floors after people leave don’t have people over.
Send your family to my house where we don’t worry about this ridiculous sh!t.

Yes, and? How does your personal and very out-of-proportion fury help OP in any way with the question asked? Unless of course you're one of OP's boot-wearing relatives, in which case: Please stay home and enjoy stewing in your curiously intense anger.

Don’t you judge my fury as out of proportion! I am very happy with my level of fury.
You want to come over for a mimosa too?

Nah, my judgement and I might get indigestion from your anger, but enjoy your mimosa!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask them to take off their shoes. If you know them well enough to have them in your house, you know them well enough to have a conversation

The bold here wins the internet for today!

Perfectly put, PP.

[Anonymous]

We are not a shoes off household, we let people do what they want and most kids take shoes off but adults leave theirs on.

Just ask your guests to wear different shoes than their boots. Some guests need shoes and no slippers are not shoes and boot covers are slippery.

My mom has had 2 hip replacements, my MIL is an amputee, and my father has balance issues. All these people need sturdy, stable, non-slip shoes to be safe. Some people need ankle support and perhaps that’s what the hiking boots are for. No adult guest owes you an explanation of their health issues, but you could ask that they wear sneakers or shoes with non-marking soles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate shoes of households with the fury of a thousand burning suns. If you don’t want to clean your floors after people leave don’t have people over.
Send your family to my house where we don’t worry about this ridiculous sh!t.

Yes, and? How does your personal and very out-of-proportion fury help OP in any way with the question asked? Unless of course you're one of OP's boot-wearing relatives, in which case: Please stay home and enjoy stewing in your curiously intense anger.

Don’t you judge my fury as out of proportion! I am very happy with my level of fury.
You want to come over for a mimosa too?

Nah, my judgement and I might get indigestion from your anger, but enjoy your mimosa!

Omg now I REALLY want to have you over for a drink!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have foot and ankle issues and it’s painful for me to go barefoot. Please don’t prioritize scuffs on your floors over your guests health.

I bring house shoes w me, you can too. It’s not hard.