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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Silly house rules

372 replies

tabbyH · 20/03/2011 20:37

My husband has just emptied our kitchen bin. Apparently this means that I'm not allowed to put anything in it! Not sure what the time frame is until the bin is allowed to be used again... Does anyone else have any peculiar rules?

OP posts:
PureBloodMuggle · 21/03/2011 11:36

My mother is a clear kitchen surface loon. On making a piece of toast whilst last visiting her, I mistakingly place a plate on the work surface, whilst waiting for the toaster to toast (hidden away in a small room off the kitchen (aka 'the pantry')

When I went to collect the toast I came back to find the plate disappeared (Christ knows how she did it she wasn't even in the kitchen or anywhere near so I thought)

Next time (if I dare make toast again) I shall not be so stupid and bring the plate, that i've just taken out of the draw and not sully the surfaces also it'd save my fingers from the hot toast too. Two birds with one stone and all that.

I don't have any weird rules, more anti anything my mum did that it thought was odd growing up (ie don't anyone DARE put my washing up liquid and dishclothes in the cupboard under the sink and hide the damp tea towels in a 'special place' either!!)

Heifer · 21/03/2011 11:38

I think I am too much of a slattern to have any rules really..

If I had to have 1, it would be

Under no circumstances should you ever pee in the bath or shower
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when I am in there

PureBloodMuggle · 21/03/2011 11:39

Just thought of another!!!!

Don't like it when people wrap the plug chain around the tap in the bath room (the bit that sticks over the sink and the water comes out of if it has a name) it has to go around the base of the tap and the plug bit hang down into the sink or at least away from the general area where I might be holding my tooth brush to rinse it

ThreeBubbasAndManyBumps · 21/03/2011 11:59

I understand that one shaz to the extent that if some poor disillusioned soul has their loo paper the wrong way round in their home, I promptly sort it out for them. I am awaiting thanks from many, many much improved householders.

tookool I know!! Cushions are not for sitting on!!

Oooh, and the oven. My DH isn't allowed to use the oven after I've cleaned it (which, to be honest, isn't very often :o)

Skinit · 21/03/2011 12:11

Carrots...I have started to put my toaster away...my MIL does it and it's one habit that I agree with. Th bloody thing is ugly and massive! It's only used once a day...whay have it out for 23 hours when it's only used for one?

Carrotsandcelery · 21/03/2011 12:19

Oh no Skinit! There lies the path of burnt fingers and toast crumbs on the work top, across the work top, on the floor and in the cupboard!
In my dparents' house you had to do it fast or my ddad would freak out about it being on the work top. Mind you he will take your meal plate out from under you and wash it while you have your fork in your mouth and lay the breakfast table while you are still sitting there eating your yogurt! Grin
What makes me laugh is they have all sort of unnecessary nonsense on the worktop. It is not minimal by any stretch of the imagination... but woe betide you if you leave the toaster there! Hmm

NeverGoogleZombieJuice · 21/03/2011 12:24

Always, always, always use the spoon for the sugar first when making coffee - I go mad when I see coffee granules in the sugar. This was instilled in my brain when I was little. Good sense actually IMO

pawsnclaws · 21/03/2011 12:33

My MIL has lots of these rules, and it just makes visits really uncomfortable.

For example - after using the bathroom sink to wash your hands, you have to dry the sink and soap carefully with a piece of toilet roll.

You must always use the correct hoover for the correct area of the house. Even the garage is carpeted and has its own hoover.

DH remembers when they were young his mum had a phobia of leaving any laundry in the house while they were away - so for the 2 days before they left she used to make everyone (adults included) wear paper pants that could be discarded as they left. That is honestly true.

BooyHoo · 21/03/2011 12:37

i put the toaster in the cupboard Blush

the rest of my house is a tip but the toaster always goes in the cupboard.

ThreeBubbasAndManyBumps · 21/03/2011 12:37

Nooooooo! Paper pants??!! ROFL - your poor DH, that's years of therapy, surely?! :o

BooyHoo · 21/03/2011 12:41

my toilet roll is also positioned the correct way on the holder. as are the toilet rolls of any houses i have needed to use the bathroom in recently Smile

but Shock at having a carpeted garage!!

whatsallthehullaballoo · 21/03/2011 12:42

My mum and dad would only buy No Frill Orange squash. WHen I asked for blackcurrent one day she said "No - It will just get drunk too"!
We hated orange squash.

PlanetEarth · 21/03/2011 12:42

Drying the soap Confused? That is hilarious! Paper pants? Shock

sterrryerryoh · 21/03/2011 12:45

My sister still lives with my Mum and Dad, and she loves coming to my house because she's "allowed to use the dishwasher" at my house.

At her house, no one is allowed to use the dishwasher once it's "been cleaned" - and I mean glistening, sparklingly cleaned

My sister protested that there's no point having a dishwasher that she's not allowed to use, so now there are 2 additions to the rule

  1. You may use it if you have enough pots to completely fill it in one sitting (ie - do NOT put pots in, and then leave them in there all dirty and festering) like I do with my dishwasher

  2. once you have used it, you must clean and dry it!

I take advantage of this situation, by "allowing" her to use my dishwasher as frequently as she would like to.... :)

BooyHoo · 21/03/2011 12:47

you are a good sister sterrry. Grin

PureBloodMuggle · 21/03/2011 12:48

How do you manage to dry the soap with toilet paper - doesn't it get stuck to it?!!!

Drying soap, hoovers for different parts pf the house and paper pants pawsnclaws you MIL is a 'special' woman Shock

kreecherlivesupstairs · 21/03/2011 12:51

I sat there open mouthed at the paper pants and soap. I know that the toilets on airplanes advise you that the next occupant would thank you for wiping the sink with some paper towel or something along those lines. Is your MiL a frustrated air hostess?

sterrryerryoh · 21/03/2011 12:52

Well, I like to help out where possible, BooyHoo

pawsnclaws · 21/03/2011 12:55

My MIL is indeed "special". The technique with the soap is to lightly pat. We tried buying liquid soap once but she wasn't having any of that. Not hygienic apparently.

Before my FIL retired he used to have one fried egg and two rashers of bacon each morning, cooked by MIL. To "save time" in the morning, the night before she would lay the two rashers on a plate, cover with clingfilm, crack the egg into a cup, cover with clingfilm, and set said items in the fridge. Because getting two rashers of bacon out and cracking an egg into a pan takes so much time, right? Hmm

Honestly, this little lot is the tip of the iceberg. DH is remarkably normal, considering she actually hoovers us out of the house as we leave. [That's true as well - we literally have to walk backwards out of the front door as the hoover is pushed menacingly towards us so that all traces of our visit are removed].

Blatherskite · 21/03/2011 12:57

NeverGoogleZombieJuice I have a separate sugar pot for Tea/coffee drinkers because the double-dip (where they put sugar in, then stir, then go back for more) makes me feel ill. They are not allowed to sully my nice, clean, pure sugar with their damp spoons.

I don't drink tea or coffee myself as the smell makes me sick which is probably where this one comes from.

Glad to see everyone has their loo roll round the right way too. MIL insists on folding hers into a point too!!

onepieceoflollipop · 21/03/2011 13:09

paws Shock She sounds very odd. Is she nice in other ways?

My ils insist on giving my dcs large mugs brimming over with juice or another drink. Dh and I used to say politely to just half fill. Trouble is, when the dcs inevitably spill a drop or two this is treated as a major drama and inconvenience. It is very frustrating.

Once when we were there dd1 who was about 5 at the time politely enquired if she could get the toys out (it is one small box of baby toys, we are not especially welcome at the ils)

Anyway fil was completely astounded by her unreasonable request. He would not let her get the toys out "because grandma's friends are coming soon and grandma doesn't want them to see toys out, she wants them to see the clean carpet".

It is only very recently (and she is 7) that she has been permitted to use the bathroom unaccompanied at their house. Quite what they thought she would do/spoil up there is beyond me. She is able to go for a wee and wash her hands independently, and has done so for the past 4 years.

nobodysmama · 21/03/2011 13:09

At my Mum's house you are not allowed to eat in the living room. This is in case crumbs, or worse "fruit acid" Hmm, drop onto the nice new carpet. The only people who live there are her, my dad and my brother who is 28 i.e. three adults who you would think could generally be trusted not to spill food. Needless to say, this rule is ignored when she is not around.

Needanewname · 21/03/2011 13:21

Thank you thank you thank you! I knew I wasn;t mad!!!!!

I hate it when DH and DDs come in on Weds and ruin my nicely cleaner cleaned house.

It also pisses me of when DH sits on one particular cushion on the floor instead of the other more tatty ones!

I would love somewhere to put toaster and kettle so my surfaces were clear, but think that DH might have me sectioned if I even suggested it!

I even like the towels just for show idea.

Oh dear, there's no h ope for me is there!

To be fair, this is the first time I've admitted this to anyone, so maybe I;m OK Grin

CailinBainne · 21/03/2011 13:29

ours are boring

Shoes off when you come in (we live on a smallholding with lots of animals and manure though)

Shut the DOOR ! (otherwise said animals come in the house)

No poos in the downstairs toilet (the flush is woeful and they stay there)

If you want something washing put it in the wash-bin

First up in the morning makes the tea (my favourite this one)

catinboots · 21/03/2011 13:30

My schoolfriend's mum used to say:

"Telephones are for messages and not for conversations" Hmm

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