When I quit my job to stay home with our first child, I found out how many people are knocking on doors every day, soliciting business. We would often get people coming around during the dinner hour, but when I started getting people ringing my doorbell, waking me up from my "nursing mom" nap, or worse yet, waking my son up, I decided to take action. Sorry, but I NEVER buy anything from anyone who comes to my door!The typical "No Solicitors" sign that you can buy at a hardware sign is just too obtrusive for me. I don't want to have the kind of sign that can be read from the street attached
next to my front door. So I came up with a less obtrusive solution: I printed out "No Solicitors" in about 16-point type on my printer, cut the paper to a small, perhaps 1.5-inch long strip, and taped it above our doorbell.It works like a charm! All of the sudden, the door bell stopped ringing. The only time I am awakened from a nap now (yes, I'm napping because I'm pregnant...soon I'll be napping because of nursing a child at night, but the naps WILL end!) is when the FedEx or UPS truck driver delivers a package.
Just today, Lukas said, "I think Daddy is home because I saw someone walking across the grass." I knew it was a little bit early for Tom to be home, so I looked out the window for some sort of flier on my front porch, but nothing was there, so I knew we had ALMOST been solicited. But the salesperson saw the sign and walked away without disturbing us. One friend asked if putting up a sign really works...yes, it does!
I will say that I still get about 5 or 6 solicitations a year. Most are kids selling candy or magazines, who don't know what "no solicitors" means...for those, I just say, "no thank you."
But I've also had the cable salesperson ring my doorbell. When I took him to task for not honoring my "no solicitors" request, he said, "I'm not soliciting, I'm checking to see if you need service." Sorry! We don't have cable, and he knows that, so anytime he knocks on my door, that's a solicitation.
I also had a realtor ring my doorbell once, before the housing market plummeted, because he wanted to know if we wanted to sell our house. I admit I made a snappy remark, like, "Didn't they teach you how to read in realty school?" while pointing to my sign.
Ok, I'm spoiled by the lack of people ringing my doorbell, so when someone does, I can't believe they are so dense!
I hope that works for you! To read more of my WFMW posts, go here.
10 comments:
Another way to do it is to live in the country with a house back off the road and a husband who did not cut the weeds along the driveway for a very long time. I have had one person in 3 years. I like it!
I do like your idea though, and wish I had done that when I had lived in town, like you I did not like the hardware store signs.
We don't get too many even though we live on a major road-I think it is because our house is obviously run by a stay-at-home family who is too busy to deal with the yard. :) They can tell we aren't interested. :)
i had a friend that had this posted to her screen door (no doorbell)
"Don't bother knocking to sell us something. We're not interested and we have no money to spare. If we are going to buy something, we'll go to the store and find it ourselves."
I really need to do this. The only trouble is, sometimes they approach my husband when he's mowing the lawn. The worst are those kids selling magazines. But at least this idea will keep some of them at bay!
Oh...and don't apologize for taking naps. There is nothing wrong with taking a nap. Trust me, I'm a mom to four kids (my 3rd turns 21 next week!) and I have probably taken a nap every day for the past 25 years. It recharges you for the rest of the day. So go ahead...take that nap when you need it!
You know, I have actually contemplated doing this. Your post just solidified my decision. And now is the worst time of year...politicians campaigning!!!
Great idea. I get so tired of salespeople interrupting our day. We have a nice sign at the entrance to our neighborhood, but it keeps getting misplaced somehow. Hmmm... I love it when they hand you some "gift" (a candle or gift certificate) and when you say your not interested they ask for it back.
I'm going to put my label up today.
Keep your naps--even when you're done nursing! I put a sign on the door during naps (or sometimes all day long!) that says, You Wake Them, You Take Them. The only person who has ever rung the doorbell is the UPS man--he HAS to get a signature!
I'm with you Cindy! Last year I got so tired of my naps (and my children's naps) ending due to the doorbell ringing. I finally put up a 'No Solicitors' sign. It made a HUGE difference!
Great tip!
Great tip! I need to do this myself. Thanks!
Thanks for the idea. I like the way the sign looks.
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