11 Things People Quietly Judge When They Walk Into Someone’s House
When people first walk into someone else's home, there are specific things that are likely to quickly catch their eye.
takayuki / Shutterstock Everyone has their own preferences in their living spaces — from chores to daily rituals and home decor, maximizing comfort and self-expression at home is an individualized process. While you may not choose to make the same choices stylistically as someone else, that doesn’t mean they're inherently right or wrong.
However, there are certain things people quietly judge when they walk into someone’s home because they feel unsettling for certain reasons. Whether it’s a matter of cleanliness, a strongly eccentric decor choice, or even an aura about the space, some people can’t help but notice their differences in taste and choices.
There are 11 things people quietly judge when they walk into someone’s house
1. A bad smell
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According to a survey from Today’s Homeowner, nearly 30% of people argue that the first thing they notice about someone’s home is the smell. If it’s a good smell, of course, that protects people from immediately making assumptions about the cleanliness of your living space, because if it’s not, it only pushes them closer to judgment.
A bad smell is one of the things people quietly judge when they walk into someone’s home because they can’t simply ignore it. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s not easily overlooked like bad decor or dishes left lingering in the sink.
2. Pet hair
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Over 65% of all pet owners struggle with handling excess pet hair around their homes, according to a survey conducted by Houzz, so it’s not surprising that it’s one of the things people quietly judge when they walk into someone’s house.
Whether it’s coating the furniture or sticking to your things when you’re entering someone’s home, for some people, it can be a disturbance to carry them around. At the very least, keep a lint roller nearby, so they’re not battling with trying to clean off in the car on the way home.
3. Uncomfortable furniture
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We often underestimate the power of the furniture in our homes and the choices we make about furnishings that foster connection, intimacy, and bonding in our spaces. For example, if the dining room table doesn’t foster togetherness or conversation, what’s the point?
The same goes for comfort. If all of your living room furniture is for show rather than a place for guests to feel comfortable and connected, who are you really impressing?
Even if it’s just the layout of the couch or chairs in space, like being placed so your back is to the door or turned away from everyone else, the furnishings in someone’s home can make a huge difference in someone’s experience and perception of you.
4. Overflowing trash
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Overflowing trash is one of the things people quietly judge when they walk into someone’s house because it's hard to ignore. Whether it’s smelling up the space, becoming a visual eye sore, or even keeping people from throwing their own trash away, it’s a huge disturbance, despite being a quick fix.
Even from a purely energetic perspective, like feng shui educator Anjie Cho suggests, being able to see and smell trash in someone’s home has profound meaning, outside of pure discomfort. It can be symbolic of the negative energy we’re getting rid of in our lives, but when it’s open for everyone to see or smelling up your space, it’s also seeping into the energy of everyone inside of it.
5. A dirty bathroom
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While most people are able to overlook certain messy elements of a home or even dirty dishes in the sink from time to time, a dirty bathroom is one of the things people quietly judge when they walk into someone’s home.
Even out in public, over 30% of people say they’d never return to a store or restaurant with an unclean bathroom, so it’s not surprising that they have similar standards for their close friends and family. It’s unsettling not to have a safe space in someone’s bathroom. Dirty toilets and unsettling decor aren’t just creepy, they make people feel uncomfortable in a way that transmits to their perception of you.
6. Books
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Whether it’s for better or for worse, your bookshelf is going to be one of the first things a person judges when they walk into your house. Whether you like it or not, the kinds of books and media you choose to display are going to be a topic of conversation, at least if your guests are observant, and something they’ll use to craft a better picture of your identity.
So, if you’re hoping to paint an authentic picture, don’t display books simply for show, or keep coffee table books you’re not interested in talking about on display.
7. Clutter
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Despite the majority of Americans suggesting they have at least one room in their house that’s filled with clutter, it’s still one of the things they’re going to quietly judge when they walk into someone else’s home. Of course, everyone knows that at certain times in your life, whether you’re a caregiver, a parent, or living on your own for the first time, clutter is impossible to ignore.
Of course, it may be something people occasionally judge you for, but anyone who suggests it’s a deal-breaker out loud is living in a fantasy world. Not everyone has the luxury of free time to keep their house pristine and clutter-free, and that’s okay.
8. Harsh lighting
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According to a study from the EXCLI Journal, the kinds of lighting you choose for your living space can have a drastic effect on your general well-being, mood, and productivity, but it’s also one of the first things people quietly judge when they walk in for the first time.
From harsh LED lights to an overly dim social space, having the wrong contrast of warm and bright lights is key to fostering a space where everyone feels comfortable and safe. Opting too far in one direction or the other is sure to urge people to judge, even at the expense of their perception of you.
9. Cliche art and home decor
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Home decor can be profound for exemplifying someone’s identity and self-expression, according to psychology professor Sam Gosling, which is why meaningless art and decor choices feel upsetting to visitors of your space.
So, if you have the freedom, time, and money to spend on pieces that serve as a reflection of you, do it. It will not only keep people from forming the wrong impression of you, but it will also ensure they’re not judging you on the decor they’ve seen in a million other homes and public places.
10. Piles of mail
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Even if something is keeping you from opening your mail, something many people struggle with behind closed doors, moving it away from the entryway or a high-traffic area in your home can keep it from being one of the things people quietly judge when they enter your home.
Grappling with anxiety, chronic stress, or burnout, and even unresolved childhood trauma, can make daily tasks like opening your mail hard, but finding a more productive place for those letters and bills to live can make everything and everyone more comfortable.
11. Dead plants or flowers
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Introducing plants, flowers, or greenery into your space can be great, not just in alignment with feng shui principles, but also for boosting personal mental health and well-being.
However, when you don’t take or have the time to care for and nurture those living things, a practice that also has great benefits for personal health and well-being, it can sabotage the energy of your space. Dead and dying plants are a sign of neglect and negligence, and when they linger in your space, they sabotage the feng shui and are one of the things people quietly judge when they walk into your home.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
