I don't mind teeny tiny little "money spiders", but the bigger they get, the more they make me shudder. Some of the house spiders here grow to about 3" across (counting legs as well) and their bodies grow to nearly 1" long. I've been known to vacate a room when I spot a big one. The hairy spiders in the garden really give me the creeps as well.
I've just read online that those house spiders can go for months without food or drink. So that's how come the house can seem spider-free for ages, then suddenly there's a bunch of big ones , all at once. Mating season .