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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What are your weird personal rules?

666 replies

Biffbaff · 17/05/2021 15:19

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)!

OP posts:
RestingPandaFace · 19/05/2021 12:37

Tea must be drunk from a wide mouthed mug with a white inside (pale cream acceptable but makes me twitchy)

Coffee and tea go in different mugs and you can’t mix them.

Hand wash only bras and tights.

I do not hold conversations whilst on the toilet. If you ask me a question you’re going to wait for me to answer. Best thing about working from home is not being ambushed in the toilet Hmm

HelloCanYouHearMe · 19/05/2021 12:54

@ThanksForAllTheFish

All you need even number people would hate me. I need everything left on an odd number - preferably 5 but 7 or 3 is also acceptable (9 and 1 are still ok but not my favourite).

I have a favourite knife and fork that I like to eat with at home - they don’t match at all l. I will go wash them to eat some if they are dirty in the sink rather than using one of the 20 odd other knives or forks we have in the drawer.

I also can only ever sleep on the side of the bed furthest away from the door.

Im an even number person, however 5, 15 and 45 are acceptable odd numbers for dials to be left on
Seriously1996 · 19/05/2021 12:57

My mum won’t sit down to eat if there are 13 people at a table

190190tnt · 19/05/2021 13:05

@BatleyTownswomensGuild

No walking and eating. I can't bear the idea of chomping on a burger or something whilst wandering down the road. I have to sit down to eat.
100% with you on this one. Love food so much, want to give it my full attention, walking down the road and eating at the same time - sacrilege!
Pearlywunzel · 19/05/2021 13:48

I have to make sure all our kitchen light switches are facing the same way. Some lights are controlled by the switch at the back door and also by the switch at the hallway door, and I run back through the dark kitchen to switch them off so they all line up properly.

I eat Giant choc buttons in pairs with the flat sides together (so they are comfortable to suck). If an odd one is left at the end, I have to give it to someone else because I don't like to eat an individual one.

All the baked beans must be removed from the tin, so they can fulfil their destiny.

If I buy a teddy and it comes in a plastic bag, I have to leave the top open so he can breathe.

If I'm crossing a road with DS, we sing the Abney and Teal theme if there's an island in the middle of the road.

Always eat toast or sandwiches from the bottom of the slice first.

Cold puddings have to be eaten with a teaspoon.

All just common sense really!

Forgottenwhatsleepis · 19/05/2021 14:04

@LadyCatStark my DH is like this too, but not just AC- car stereo, TV volume and heating (he can just about cope with heating on an even and half number). I've gotten used to his little quirk now, but I do wind him up lightheartedly with it sometimes 🤣

Deedee248 · 19/05/2021 14:20

When I'm out in a public place I never put my handbag down on a floor. So in a cafe or bar it has to hang on the chair, when I go to the toilets if there is no hook on the door it has to hang around my neck rather than be put on the floor.

Totally agree with this. I literally NEVER put my handbag on the floor at all. I can't understand it when you wait in a queue in the ladies loos and you see someone's handbag on the floor under the door! Yuck!!!

Tomasinabombadil · 19/05/2021 14:25

@Seriously1996

My mum won’t sit down to eat if there are 13 people at a table
Oh I’d forgotten that one🙃 My late MIL had that same rule too.

On my 40th birthday (many moons ago🤣) I’d arranged a birthday meal at a posh restaurant with a total of 14 people attending. (I was paying).
On the night as we gathered at my house for drinks beforehand, one guest had sent their apologies for not being able to celebrate with me.
My MIL said she would stay at my house to await our return.
Then another of my friends announced that she was pregnant, MIL said that made 14 so it was ok for her to join us at the restaurant.🙂

nonevernotever · 19/05/2021 16:02

This just confirms to me that humans like patterns and order. Since I've spent the morning mentally classifying these habits into:
Sensible hygiene / safety etc type rules like shoes off inside / leaving beds to air before you make them / Loo cleaning cloth not used for anything else
Hygiene / safety etc type rules that probably were sensible when they started but eg technology has moved on - like turning empty sockets off
Superstitions learned from parents / older relatives - like not washing at new Year in case you wash the luck out of the year / wash someone's live away etc
Anthropomorphic rules - like not giving the contents of your tins headaches, making your socks feel like singletons etc
Pattern and order making rules - controlling the number on the volume / how you hang your washing / What order you get dressed etc
ANd then just weird rules - a lot of which I suspect come back to superstitious learning when people were small - like not pooing wearing socks / sleeping in particular positions etc

Gwenhwyfar · 19/05/2021 17:09

@nonevernotever

This just confirms to me that humans like patterns and order. Since I've spent the morning mentally classifying these habits into: Sensible hygiene / safety etc type rules like shoes off inside / leaving beds to air before you make them / Loo cleaning cloth not used for anything else Hygiene / safety etc type rules that probably were sensible when they started but eg technology has moved on - like turning empty sockets off Superstitions learned from parents / older relatives - like not washing at new Year in case you wash the luck out of the year / wash someone's live away etc Anthropomorphic rules - like not giving the contents of your tins headaches, making your socks feel like singletons etc Pattern and order making rules - controlling the number on the volume / how you hang your washing / What order you get dressed etc ANd then just weird rules - a lot of which I suspect come back to superstitious learning when people were small - like not pooing wearing socks / sleeping in particular positions etc
Not all humans have posted on this thread though. It's self-selecting. I've been lurking, but can't think of anything to contribute. I don't know whether I have strange rules and I'm probably not the only one.
nonevernotever · 19/05/2021 17:13

Fair enough @Gwenhwyfar :-) Some humans!

AlfonsoTheTerrible · 19/05/2021 17:22

I leave a mouthful of tea or coffee in the bottom of cup because that's how my parents did it. Goodness knows where they got it.

LindaEllen · 19/05/2021 17:27

@AlfonsoTheTerrible

I leave a mouthful of tea or coffee in the bottom of cup because that's how my parents did it. Goodness knows where they got it.
That just goes back to when loose leaves were used as you'd just get a big mouthful of leaves at the bottom. It's unnecessary with teabags :).
Gwenhwyfar · 19/05/2021 17:35

@nonevernotever

Fair enough *@Gwenhwyfar* :-) Some humans!
And while some of these things are quite normal and understandable, I find some of them indicative of neuroticism, at least.

(I'm sure I have strange rules as well, but I would need someone else to point out they're strange I suppose).

maiafawnly · 19/05/2021 18:05

@WhipperSnapperSteve

Gank every Alliance. Grin

Computer & computer keyboard & mouse LED's have to be the same colour.

Lok'tar Ogar!
browneyes77 · 19/05/2021 19:19

Whatever meal I’m eating, I have to have a little bit of everything on the fork or ensure that a little bit of everything goes in my mouth each time. So a Sunday roast I need to have the veg, potato and meat all in to be chewed together.

I always go to bed with the tv on quietly in the background (Dave channel - love a bit of QI or Mock the Week). Can’t sleep in complete silence.

I’ll never drink from anyone else’s bottle/can/glass and they aren’t allowed to drink from mine. I don’t do backwash thanks.

I never take food from someone’s plate and I don’t allow them to take food from mine. Especially, If their fork has already been in their mouth.

Mayo does not belong on any sandwich that has cheese in. In fact Mayo does not belong on any sandwich at all. Mayo is evil, nasty tasting stuff that should only ever be mixed in with tuna. That’s it’s only purpose and the only time it will ever touch my tastebuds.

user1490954378 · 19/05/2021 20:30

Tea towels must be dried out on a radiator, and never left damp. A fresh dry one put out to use while the other one is being dried. Also all sinks wiped dry after they are used.

Eggnoggoanngoanngoann · 19/05/2021 21:22

All tins in the food cupboard must be set up in the same order and all facing forward. Spaces from used items must not be filled with something else eg cant put a tin of soup in the empty sweetcorn space. It means when im writing a shopping list i just look at whats missing and reorder...yes we are boring eaters who eat the same thing over and over and over!!!

IARTNS · 19/05/2021 21:52

If the power/volume button isn't centred/the right way up the world will end.

IARTNS · 19/05/2021 21:53

On my car stereo ^

Sweetpea1532 · 19/05/2021 22:34

Just wondering...why do British posters call corn "sweetcorn "?
What are you distinguishing it from? Seeds for growing corn? Maize?

lazylinguist · 19/05/2021 22:55

Because that's what it's called here when it's eaten as a vegetable (as opposed to in cornflour, cornflakes etc).

Sweetpea1532 · 19/05/2021 23:30

Thank you!
Makes senseSmile

bridgetreilly · 19/05/2021 23:35

Corn is, well, all kinds of corn. Sweetcorn is the corn you eat.

everydayiwritethebook · 19/05/2021 23:37

If I eat small fruit (grapes, cherries) it has to be in multiples of five. The same with olives.
Black ink only in ballpoint and gel pens. In fountain pens (which I collect) I use coloured ink sometimes, and particularly Diamine shimmer ink. I'm VERY fussy about my pens.
I can't sit down to a meal before I've washed the pans up - I have a sink full of hot water ready for the task.
My makeup is stored in different categories in different bags, eg eye makeup and mascara, blush, foundation and powder, and lipsticks.
Sauce and ketchup has to be on the side of the plate, not squirted all over the food, and gravy only goes on the meat, not on the potatoes and vegetables.
I always have to have a toiletry bag packed with the essentials I need so I can just grab it and go. It hasn't seen much action this past year!
I never let my petrol light come on - usually fill up when it's just under half full.