I've been carrying inside my house only for a very short time. We've had an alarming number of home break-ins, several of them while the occupants were in bed or relaxing in living rooms. Heavy drug use in this area makes people bold and it makes them heartless. Right now, if I go into the basement and leave my gun upstairs, I get this nagging little voice telling me how pointless this is – if someone comes kicking down my door, they're going to have that gun and I'm going to be unarmed. So I carry faithfully. I have a little LCR .380, so it's not very hard. That little fella will sit right in the pocket of pajamas, even. But I can't help but wonder how soon complacency will set in. The next time I go into the basement, maybe that nagging voice will be a little softer, and a little softer the time after that. It worries me a little. I can only hope that by carrying the Elsie Pea everywhere I go, it will become a routine, as automatic as putting on pants or shoes.
If it was just me, I probably wouldn't worry about it. I'd take my chances or even just rely on a hammer, Louisville Slugger or sturdy kitchen knife. But when you've got a wife (or kids, or hell, even pets) to protect, it really compels you to imagine the worst case scenarios. That's ugly business, but it DOES help to keep the habit of carrying in place.