People Raised With Old-School Manners Always Have These 11 Things In Their Homes
Seeing these items is a clear indication that this home is a place of respect and dignity.
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock If you go visit my mother, you will leave feeling as if you have just left the classiest bed and breakfast in the world. She has old-school manners, and it shows by what she chooses to keep in her home. People like her create homes that reflect traditional hospitality, order, and respect. Their homes are comfortable, refined, and full of thoughtful detail.
People with old-school manners have houses that feel warm, inviting, deliberate, and gracious. They know how to make guests feel welcome. The experiences of people who visit are intentionally and carefully curated. If you come across these very specific things in a person's home, you can rest assured that they have old-school manners, and you are about to have an amazing time.
People with old-school manners always have these 11 things in their homes
1. Entryway essentials
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A first impression can last a lifetime. How people come into your house is the same way they will leave it. People with old-school manners set the tone by making sure that there are essential items in their entryways or foyers that let visitors know that the red carpet has been rolled out for them.
This might be a beautiful, well-maintained doormat or rug. You would find a ratty, worn mat that looks like your shoes should never touch it. There might be a coat rack and an umbrella stand so you can put your things away and move freely. You might also find a mirror for last-minute touch-ups, and a console table with a decorative bowl to place your keys in.
2. A welcoming living room or formal sitting area
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The worst experience in the world is stepping into someone's living room and not wanting to sit because you are afraid of what you might have on you when you stand back up. A person with old-school manners would never invite you into a home that was not in order. They either consciously or subconsciously understand that a clean environment creates feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and overall well-being for you and them.
Clean, upholstered furniture, a coffee table with books and coasters, family photos, a well-stocked cabinet with drinks and snacks, fresh flowers, decorative centerpieces, a beautiful clock, and warm lamps create an ambience that will make you never want to leave.
3. A dining room where they can gather the people they care about
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Every person with old-school manners has a place where family and friends can gather together and share a meal. Something tells them that eating together is a great way to build strong bonds and foster good relationships. So, they create a space conducive to good food, flowing conversations, and maybe a libation or two to lighten the mood.
Their dining rooms are aesthetically pleasing and inviting. You might find a formal dining table with place settings like linens, napkins, place mats, and place settings. People with old-school manners love a good China cabinet with beautiful dishes inside, proper glass and flatware for entertaining, A classic candelabra to set the mood, and serving trays and dishes that make people feel like royalty.
4. A neat, organized, and functional kitchen
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People with old-school manners love to host, so it's no surprise that they want a kitchen that suits their needs. They love a clean, organized kitchen with all of the utensils, appliances, spices, and seasonings they might need. They know that when the kitchen is neat, they feel more joy, relaxation, peace of mind, and get more enjoyment out of cooking.
Some of the essential items you might find in the kitchen of a person with old-school manners are a recipe book or a box of handwritten recipe cards that have been passed down from one generation to the next. They might also have real silverware that they keep polished and protected, a teapot and cups, ready to serve at a moment's notice, and a cookie jar or candy dish for guests.
5. A clean and sanitary bathroom
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It's a shame when you have to squat at a family or friend's home. You don't feel comfortable using their bathroom, so you treat it like a public restroom, careful not to get any strange germs on you? But if your people have old-school manners, they would never send you into a disgusting bathroom, especially if it's reserved for visitors.
People with classic taste wouldn't be caught with a nasty bathroom in their homes. Their bathrooms are equipped with hand soap, fresh towels, an air freshener or a scented candle, extra toilet paper to avoid embarrassment, and a mirror that is not splattered with toothpaste. It looks and smells clean, and if you're lucky enough, they might even have a heated toilet seat that you aren't afraid to sit on.
6. Classic bedrooms
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It's embarrassing to have company come over, only to find that your messy kids left their room doors wide open and your guests saw the hidden filth within your house. Now they know that you only keep the parts that you expect people to see clean. The rest is an utter pig sty. A person with old-school manners sees their entire home as a work of art and wants every corner to show it.
The bedrooms will have well-made and matching bedding, dressers and trays to store clothing and jewelry, a small desk to right on or a vanity in case you need to stay the night. They will have an alarm clock on the nightstand, careful not to assume you want to sleep with your phone. You could notice books or devotional items there as well.
7. Personal touches that stand out
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Some people who have been able to hold on to their old-school manners place intentional, eye-popping personal touches around their home to make it their own. They are never satisfied with the basics and have come up with unique ways of personalizing their homes that make them memorable for everyone who visits.
The personal touches you might find there are rare and will definitely catch your eye. A station for handwritten notes, thank-you cards, bookshelves with actual books, and soft background music brings a classic vibe to the setting. If they want to share what they've learned about manners with others, you might even come across a book by Emily Post.
8. Meaningful decor and furnishing
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If you have old-school ways of being, there is a high possibility that your decorative choices and furnishings were not a random selection. You likely took your time picking out specific items that had history, inspirational messages, or influential images on them. Nothing in your home was thrown together haphazardly. It was all planned to perfection.
Antique or heirloom furniture, figurines, wall art that makes you think, beautiful drapes, blinds, curtains, seasonal décor, and a warm fireplace are just a few of the staples around the homes of people who have old-school manners. You get the feeling you are in a place that should be handled with care.
9. Hospitality items
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A good host needs certain things in their home if they want to be as hospitable as possible. There as some things that the average person would never think of, but someone with old-school manners will add them to their home so guests have an enjoyable experience. These extra accoutrements may seem like too much for others, but to them, they are a necessity.
Serving trays and tea sets, a bell or chime, a guest book or photo album to flip through, monogrammed towels, napkins, and stationary, and a gratitude journal are just a few of the thing you might find in their homes that make the experience stand out from any others your had in the past.
10. Books and sentimental items
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Books in a home that are to be read and not just for decoration are a tell-tale sign that someone has old-school manners. They show that they care about your interests and want to provide a variety of options to entertain you should the need arise while you are visiting.
This could include magazines, a bible, cookbooks, framed diplomas, certificates, awards, trophies, pressed flowers or vintage postcards, quilts, and hand-knitted blankets, or the aforementioned photo albums that can help you learn more about their family's history.
11. Sensible household routines
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Old-school manners mean that yes, you stay abreast of the latest trends and technological advances. But you also like the things that felt more human, the experiences that you had to see, feel, touch, taste, and smell for yourself instead of simply asking Siri or searching Google. Your household practices include things that have long gone out of style but have nostalgic meaning.
A landline phone, especially a rotary one, is unheard of these days. If you find one in a person's home, nothing beats the satisfaction of rotating each number around the center and watching it come back into position. A sewing kit, an address book, or a wall calendar are things you may not have seen in a while, but that warm your heart and bring back childhood memories.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and the author of seven books. She focuses on lifestyle and human interest stories that deliver informative and actionable guidance on interpersonal relationships, enlightenment, and self-discovery.
