If you live in a warmer climate, you might have had a better experience with the lifespan of CFL's. I'd be curious to know where you live.
In your house it shouldn't really matter much. I did once try a CFL outside, and it took a couple minutes to get to full brightness when it was around freezing outside. It lasted two years before I moved and left it there. Bad electricity in your house could also shorten the life of a CFL, as will using one in an enclosure when it's not designed for that.