What are your weird personal rules?

[Biffbaff]

I have a personal rule, and I don't know where it came from, but it's: No outside things can touch the inside of the bed.

For example, if I want to put a bag on the bed, I would put it on top of the duvet. Absolutely no way in hell could I put it on the bottom sheet, or if the duvet was rucked up or folded over on the inside of the duvet. It makes me on edge just thinking about it.

Please share your weird personal rules (lighthearted + no judgement here)!

I have to do at least an hours yoga before I ride my horse or terrible unspecified things will happen.

I've never tested this theory out of fear of said things happening.

Knickers first, then bra, then socks, then top, then bottom. Then second top layer.

The egg box needs to stay balanced (I will move them if H has been at it)

For a long time I felt mildly embarrassed by my internal insistence on using one of each colour for pegging out the karate jackets (the more solid ones in yellow and green on the central piece, the less solid pink and blue on the sides). Then I discovered that H - like several previous posters - tries to match the pegs to the washing colours and use them in pairs. He was horrified by my karate jackets!

I have to balance my feet going up and down steps (if they're the wrong distance apart I have to do an awkward little extra skip half-way). When I was young I would make certain I balanced my stepping off kerbs too. I've almost overcome my compulsion to balance my bumps and scrapes, though the rubbing an itch is more persistent.

I'd never articulated it, but this thread has made me realise that I also don't ever put anything on the inside of the bed.

H always leaves a bit of tea and coffee at the bottom of mugs. He grew up using a tea strainer, too. He reckons the coffee is because they had a percolator every Saturday morning when he was in 6th form - ie once a week for about two years nearly four decades ago...

How do some of you get through the day with all these rules? The stress must be immense. I can’t think of any….

I can't eat chicken that's been in the fridge. It's not a rule for any other reason than it gets a weird 'wet dog' taste that I can always pick up on and I just can't eat it.

Years ago when I smoked the centre cigarette had to turned upside down and smoked last.

Yes to PP balancing your feets distance. When I was a child if I stood on something a bit higher like a slightly raised paving stone I had to find another for the other foot. I still do it now somewhat, makes me itchy if I haven't balanced it.

@moynomore

Do people actually put shoes on tables? Like, tables that are eaten at?

I think PPs were talking about brand new shoes, not shoes that have been walking in, smell of old cheese, with dog shit on the soles

I'm definitely with the "new shoes in the table brings bad luck" superstition

But they aren't rules, as such, they're just what you do.

I mean, I'm going to be putting on all those clothes anyway. It would be more stressful if I didn't know what order they were going to be in!

Anyone else have a husband who will use a glass for a drink of water, rinse it in cold water and put it on the draining board? NOOOO! It's been used. It needs to go in the dishwasher or be washed in hot, soapy water, dried and put away.
And at night, first I have to lie on my right side until I have settled down and then I turn on my left for the rest of the night. This rule is never to be broken.
The last rule set in stone is (I know) not wise. This rule says never walk past a dog. It needs loving. It need me to love it. It NEEDS a pat. This once nearly got me in trouble at a Spanish airport. There was a guard marching round with the world's biggest German Shepherd dog straining on the end of its lead. Without thinking, I trotted over to give the dog its compulsory pat. Cue guard shouting at me and dragging a snarling dog away......

@Mellonsprite

The washing must be hung out with matching pegs, and pegs the same colour of the item, or a colour that contrast nicely. So odd pegs on 1 item or a pink T-shirt with red pegs would be a complete no-no.

I used to do this as well, matching pegs always and matching pegs to the items colour too, also socks next to each other in pairs....until it drove first my mum then DH crazy so they advised me to chuck the lot and get all wooden pegs instead. Hanging the washing out is much less stressful now

@dementedma

How do some of you get through the day with all these rules? The stress must be immense. I can’t think of any….

people aren't doing all the rules, just their little one.

This place is bonkers tonight.

@RUOKHon our washing up clothes are put in the sink each morning with some boiling water and zoflora! Kitchen smells lovely, I can wipe down with it once it's cooled and the cloths are cleaner..

No egg and chicken in the same meal, ie salad

Cold puddings must only be eaten with a tea spoon and hot puddings only with a dessert spoon.

I'm another who can't totally drain a mug of hot drink, I always have to leave a bit. Dh once tried to make me drink the last bit 'to prove to yourself there's nothing wrong with it'. Have to admit I got quite shouty about that.

It goes back to my childhood and finding tea leaves, bits of limescale and biscuit crumbs at the bottom of cups

New shoes on the table is a superstition isn't it? Thought to be bad luck. Not related to worn shoes and hygiene issues.

100% cold drinks in a glass only!

Jaffa cakes may only be consumed in multiples of six. Bastard McVities reduced the packets from 12 to 10 a feed years back and now I need to buy three-packs to ensure that the number available is always a multiple of six.

I realise that sounds bonkers and I promise I’m completely normal in all other respects.

our washing up clothes are put in the sink each morning with some boiling water and zoflora!
You have special clothes just for washing up? Now that is crazy.

I will not move any item of furniture around not even mats if my kids are not at home with me ... if I did something shit would happen and it would be my fault because I moved a rug into a different position.

Laundry is always hung from the waist. Bottoms hang up, tops hang down.

Everything is hung by one edge only, so the wind can blow through. (I have a long line, this doesn't work on a rotary line.)

I will rehang laundry that is breaking either of these rules!

I also hang pairs of socks together, but won't rehang if DP doesn't do that.

I can only get out of bed in the morning or turn off the light at bedtime if the clock’s on an even number or ends in 5....

People with the bed thing - do you not have pets? Kids? My bed is a den, used by any and all kids and animals to crawl into, paws, legs and all. No I do not change the bedding daily, weekly or similar. I'd do nothing but linen laundry.

Also we only have mugs and use them for anything from tap water to New Years' champagne (yes).

My rule is no bare feet on wet floor, nowhere and never. It makes me cringe just thinking about this. Not even at home or in a 5* hotel.

@FatOaf

My DH can't watch telly unless the volume is on an even number. Absolutely no other OCD traits whatsoever!

My television and car CD player must always have the volume set to a multiple of three. Twelve, 15 or 18: fine. Fourteen, 17 or 20: unlistenable.

I've had to look since starting to read these to see where the volume numbers are, I just adjust it to suit. Sometimes the sound changes between programmes, if I swap from Sky to the digital settings the volume is so much louder.

I reckon some of the old wives tales and superstitions have grounding in wisdom. Don't dry your hair in front of a fire for one. Yes, you may get a bit hot and faint and die.

@SlipperyDippery

I have that one too!

Mine is that nothing used to do the washing up must be used to wipe a surface. I always see (or did before lockdown!) people using the asking up sponge to wipe down the kitchen surfaces and I think it grim - but am clearly in the minority!

@slipperydippery definitely not in the minority, that's my rule too! Can't believe some people use the same sponge

@Needsleeeeepsendheeeelp

I cannot abide by plug sockets being switched on when there's nothing plugged into them! It just feels leaky. I have to turn them off, wherever I am (other people's houses, any public places, the GP waiting room.....)

Volumes on an even number is just good sense.

I don't like it when anyone messes with my placement of things, such as photos, cookbooks, vases on display etc.

You sound like my late MIL, apparently electricity would leak out and be wasted if the socket's switched on, but she had the excuse of being born in 1910!