How often do you change your carpet? I find it a hassle to move everything out, so it's hard to do the entire house, but a few rooms at a time. If a carpet is stained you either get a rug and cover it or it gives you an incentive to change it. I once had a beige carpet (big mistake) and a friend tripped and spilled blackcurrant juice all over it. I lived with it for a while and then decided I needed to change the carpet anyhow. Is it better to get rugs instead, if you can't afford it or have the time?
I despise carpet. It didn't occur to me to ask before moving in here what type of flooring she was going to put down. The place was in repairs, so I made the mistake of assuming she was a good landlady and took care of her properties. I live near the beach and woods, and neither is a good place for carpet. I would like to never live with carpet again. I'd rather have the cheapest alternative if I had to, rather than dealing with the mess, stains, etc. of carpeted floors. Cold floors are no fun in the Winter, but I'd rather have solid surface flooring and rugs, since the rugs can be cleaned or replaced much more readily than carpet. I've had the same carpet in the past for 6 years with no problems, only spot cleaning and the occasional shampoo, but apparently that was a better quality of carpet, so I'd say that needs to be taken into consideration with your question. Better quality carpet that's been scotchgarded or otherwise treated might repel stains better, so might not need to be cleaned or replaced as frequently.
The first ever apartment I rented had hard floors throughout. I was constantly amazed by the amount of dust and crumbs I would have to sweep up daily. It made me wonder just how much crud carpets collect up over time and it put me off them for life.
I hate carpets; they are magnet for dust and steal visual space, as I learned when I managed to get my parents changing the linoleum in my bedroom's floor for a fluffy carpet, my most cherished dream. I asked for changes on style and design over time, but I ended up missing my linoleum flooring and, worst thing, getting a naked floor was even worst because it was wooden, as opposed of all the other floors in their home, being of ceramic tiles and one of them even of marble. So that, first thing I did when I moved away my parents' home was checking for the flooring and always get removed any carpet first thing before doing anything else. I prefer ceramic tiles and would like some day to have linoleum flooring again despite the supposed (or real) asbestos issue associated to this type of flooring. Actually I have a nice brown runner carpet, but is always stored to be used only when a special celebration takes place.
I've lived in places without carpet and rugs are a good alternative, but sometimes there is no choice. In my old flat you had to have carpet because of neighbors underneath and in some houses, the floor is concrete so you have to have carpet or put in expensive tiles or laminate. Carpet can seem the cheaper option and I guess people with children prefer it so they can lie on the floor and not hurt themselves when they fall over.
I don't particularly like carpets, specially because where I live it's warm most of the year and carpets are just a nightmare to clean. The carpet where I used to live was really old and it must have been there forever... it was disgusting. I just changed it for wooden floors, which I prefer.
My dream before was to have a fully carpeted house. When we bought this house in 2001, it is quite big for us and I hesitated in having it carpeted. First off, the living room has marble tiles so my husband said it is not appropriate to put a carpet over it. In the bedroom, the floor is wood so it is okay. However, our dogs started sleeping with us in the bedroom... we had to forgo with the carpet.
I am not a big fan of carpet, it can get so dirty no matter how much you vaccum. We do ask people to take their shoes off but it is still dirty from people spilling things on the floor and not cleaning it up. I would rather have hardwood floors in the house to cut down on the dirt in the house.
