What's the first thing you notice whe you walk in to a home?

MiracleMama

Thu, Jan 14 2010, 10:00 am

GAMZu wrote:

I guess you probably wouldn't be able to enter any house with small children who are in diapers or are in the midst of potty training... there's always poop happening, and even when it's cleaned up, the smell can linger, especially if it was a messy accident.

I don't know. I've got 3 in diapers, one of whom is working on potty training, and my house doesn't smell bad at all. (Unless I've been smelling it so long that I'm oblivious. shock

)

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Jan 14 2010, 10:24 am

MiracleMama wrote:

GAMZu wrote:

I don't know. I've got 3 in diapers, one of whom is working on potty training, and my house doesn't smell bad at all. (Unless I've been smelling it so long that I'm oblivious. shock

)

(It might also depend on size of home for the smell to be able to dissipate vs smaller, cramped quarters...)

GAMZu

Thu, Jan 14 2010, 11:02 am

Mimishkl, I wasn't attacking. I just seriously wanted to know what you do when you come into a house with a bad smell, if you can't come in.

MiracleMama, of course the house doesn't smell all day every day. But when you are in middle of cleaning up one baby's dirty diaper and one toddler's accident from the floor and the clothes and you have 8 therapists a week coming to your house, there is a big chance that someone's gonna get a nosefull when they come in. Also, when you enter a house where there was a poopy accident, it smells more strongly than when you are already in it.
Just for clarity. Smile

csfm

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 1:18 pm

flowerpower wrote:

If there is a warm welcoming atmosphere there.

Ditto. That's really the most important thing to me.

csfm

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 1:22 pm

amother wrote:

Howmuch nicer it is than mine! Sad

Yup. If it's not nicer than mine (unlikely scenario, mind you), I feel great empathy for the balabuste and tell myself that I should be more grateful to Hashem for what I do have.

csfm

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 1:25 pm

Tehilla wrote:

yy wrote:

If the kids seem happy, and how the parents talk to the kids.

I force my way into the master bedroom to spy out whether or not there are white sheets. Then I lift the toilet lid and hamper to take a whiff. After that, I drop on the floor and look under the stove and cabinets to see if it was recently cleaned. I also inspect the children's room to see if there is pretzel dust under the beds along with dirty underwear. I finish by intently gazing at the refrigerator drawers for sticky messes.

If they are still smiling, then I ask them to make me a meal and state my purpose for being there.

Too funny!

csfm

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 1:30 pm

EvenI wrote:

MiamiMommy wrote:

The other post got me thinking. When you walk in to someones house, what's the first thing you notice? If the floors are clean? If the silver is polished?

I often don't notice any silver when I first walk in. If that happens, I just ask them where they keep it and which piece they are least attached to.

Hahaha!

challi

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 2:37 pm

I notice the smell. Its not even necessarily from diapers. Actually more often than not its not a diaper toilet smell at all. But just a bad smell.

The next thing I notice are the walls. Nice clean walls make a home much more inviting as do colors rather than just white.

freidasima

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 2:50 pm

I would say atmosphere but that includes a lot of things.
First, if it is neat. Doesn't have to be totally clean but without things all over the floor, couches, etc.
Second if there are books on the shelves and sforim. Sometimes families with lots of room don't have any in the living room but have a library so it took me time to get used to the fact that there are really learned frum families that you don't walk in and first thing you see if a big sforim bookcase like in our house.
Third, if there is a tense atmosphere in the house. Or whether it is welcoming.
Fourth, the smells.
So I guess I use all my senses when I walk into a house.

JollyMommy

Thu, Jan 21 2010, 12:13 am

for sure if it is neat or cluttered first.

I only once went into a stinky home- it stunk of mold, and I love the ppl who live there, so I recommended they get someone to inspect their home, lo and behold I was right- big time mold. I could NOT go in and luckily it was succos so I stayed outside.

mandksima

Thu, Jan 21 2010, 2:11 am

Tehilla wrote:

You people are making me paranoid about how my house might smell.

Me too! Tehilla, you're a riot.

My home is never as neat, clean, organized, etc as much as I'd like it to be and now I'm going to worry that when guests come, they'll be repulsed and eager to leave!

I do notice really dirty houses first thing but I hardly see that as my Israeli neighbors are incredibly neat! I love inspecting other people organization so I can learn a thing or two. I also notice empty walls right away as if someone just moved in even though they've been there for years. It is odd to me, as I have a need to feel lived-in right away.

MamO3

Thu, Jan 21 2010, 5:42 am

I believe it's all of these. the smell, cleaniness, walls, clutter, atmosphere.
The way to make a place look great is to try to create a seamless design, where everything is flowing. your eyes should not stop at any one thing in particular. all these points you're making go hand in hand together.

MamO Interior Designers

Last edited by MamO3 on Thu, Mar 11 2010, 7:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

ClaRivka

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 5:20 pm

I look at the furniture and floor. If the floor has alo of dirt and dust I kno not to get down on he floor and play with the kids. If the couches have a sippy cup on the side im sorry to say that I cannot sit on that couch without feeling disgusting. As I do not have kids yet and my house is basically spotless (cept for kitchen) pls do not judge me bc children have not taken over my life yet.

levial

Wed, Jan 27 2010, 5:43 pm

The smell. Call me 8 months pregnant.

The second would be the amount of clutter vs. cleanliness.
I don't mind clutter so much - I do mind when it looks like people never sweep, or wipe a counter. I do mind when you can't sit because no one has thought to welcome guests with a seat and moving toys, sfarim, etc.

louche

Thu, Jan 28 2010, 10:02 am

ClaRivka wrote:

Hmmm...maybe you should take some of your own advice and not judge people with children. What's "disgusting" about a couch with a sippy cup on it? It would be a pity if the cup tipped over and spilled a beverage on the couch, but "disgusting?" Now a couch with an open poopy diaper on it, that would be disgusting to sit next to, sure, but a sippy cup? get real.