One of the first things I did when we moved in was rip out the carpeting. ALL of it. The hardwood floors are nice, but nothing special. But: it is so much easier to keep clean. I vacuum every day in the main rooms, because we have parrots and they are messy. But if anyone spills something or tracks in dirt, all I have to do is mop it up. With a carpet, there is all this fuss about carpet cleaners. And also, when you vacuum a carpet, you never get all the junk out of it. They are terribly unsanitary and harbor a multitude of dust mites and who knows what-all.