I have to look inside my shoes before I put them on.

If I think of something I said or did that now embarrasses me I start to hum. I think this is probably a self defense to distract me from thinking about it. Thankfully I don't do this to often.

I rub my toes together until they hurt...I actually have callouses. I used to rub my tongue against the back of my teeth but finally managed to stop that and then the toe thing started...

All my hangers and clothing have to face the same way. Not sure that's quirky, though.

I don't mind clutter in the house, but messy cupboards and drawers make me bonkers!

I have several, my husband and the kids aren't here right now to tell me what they are. One I can think of is that when I brush my teeth, I like to get everything brushed. I usually end up gagging myself.

I always put my left shoe, sock on first. If I try to put on the right shoe I think it will be a bad day.

A number of you are somewhat familiar with some of mine - playing with words and people's names for example.

Have to clear my plate - family was frugal, and when I lived for a few years among refugees who had *nothing* ... it added to the situation.

The owner of hotel where I worked, had a room and ate in the restaurant said that when I finished with a plate ... she could almost set it before another client at table.

I'd put a slice of bread to toast in the grill, which required turning, and the staff used to say that I should use the toaster, to which I replied that would require extra power, and the stove/grill was running anyway. When they asked what did I care, as I wasn't paying for the power, I'd reply that it still didn't make sense to use more, unnecessarily.

One day I'd forgotten a slice ... and the owner served me a very black slice in a soup bowl ... and I never lived that down, of course.

ole joyfuelled ... who frequently shares quirky thoughts here

I too have restless legs syndrome, and have holes in the soles of all of my slippers from rubbing my feet on the carpet.

Not quirky but when I eat potato chips I pull out the largest ones and save them till last.

I can't really think of anything very odd that I do, I think that I'm very conservative in most things that I do...dress, live, etc. I'm just a pretty normal person without any really odd quirks. An annoying habit that I have recently developed though is that when I'm talking I will say "you know?" or "I mean".

Some would say my quirky habit is breathing.....

Jasdip, I do the same with potato chips! I also eat the broken ones first, saving the whole ones for last....eating those smallest to largest. Fortunately, I don't eat potato chips often (maybe once per year).

I do eat in straight lines....meaning no matter how the plate is arranged, I will cut a neat line and eat from there. My husband said I'm the only person he knows who can eat soup in a straight line. I have no idea when that started or why.

If I eat candy like M&Ms, I sort by color and eat them in order from smallest group to largest group. My nephew does that too.

Is it odd to have your closet organized with clothes hung facing the same way? They hang that way in my closet, my DH's closet...and in a store. It's easier to see them. I do hang in front any clothing that I've only worn briefly and will wear again before laundering. I always put things away when I get undressed or change clothes.

I don't like to leave the house with the bed unmade because I want to get into a nice bed at night. I like an orderly kitchen without clutter on the counter-tops and with clean sinks. I clean up as I cook. I'll never be a *real* cook because I can't bear the clean-up. I will never spend a lot more time to make anything than it will take to eat it.

Very young children don't like a lot of variety in their daily routine. Many don't want their food to touch on a plate, and they eat one thing at a time. Some children's plates are even divided into sections. Maybe Mama insisted you eat *all* of the jar of Gerber's pureed chicken, then *all* of the mashed peas, and only then would you get the Pear & Apple!

I think I'm pretty normal. There's no one here right now to disagree with me. the only thing I can think of off the top of my head is that I can't eat with my glasses on. I told my best friend about that, now she has to take her glasses off when she eats.

I can't think of any right off the top of my head, but the post by Workoutlady made me smile. My youngest DD was like that, always took some food with her whenever we let the house to go anywhere, usually cheese and crackers. We always teased her about it and she said she didn't like getting hungry and knew we probably wouldn't go somewhere to eat. :)

This is one of my favorite pictures of her taken in 5th grade as class was going to Edward's Air Force base to see the space shuttle land many years ago, she had to take a lunch with her and boy was she prepared. lol She will be 45 in Aug.

Drawers and cabinets have to be completely closed. Ironically, married a man who doesn't push drawers in all the way.

Speaking of potato chips, I love to eat the ones that are folded in half! My DD does too, although she never knew I did, until I mentioned it to her. I also have to 'twitch' my toes if I'm sitting down or reclining and not wearing shoes. It drives my family members nuts, but I just fell a compulsion to twitch them, as toes that are unrestricted by shoes, just don't feel right to me if they never move, lol!

I don't 'think' that I'm quirky, but I can't ask Robert because he might ask me about his quirky habits. And bless his heart, THAT conversation could go on for hours, lol.

Chisue, were we separated at birth?? I'm almost compulsive about cleaning up as I go while what I do passes for cooking LOL. After thinking about it, it seems that clothes facing one way or the other in the closet is due to 'handedness'. I'm a leftie and DH is a righty. We have separate closets, each with clothes facing our own way - mine open to the right and his open to the left.

Pickyshopper, do you also love kettle chips like I do? Lots of folded overs :-)

I have a very annoying quirky habit of grinding the back of my tongue against my throat. I have allergies and it itches the back of my throat only it makes a pig-like grunt. I don't do it so much when I'm awake but I'll do it in my sleep. I've woken myself up sometimes doing it. I had a friend with severe asthma that needed a mask several times a day and puffers. I picked it up from her when I was 11. When you do something in your sleep, you can't just stop. I can catch myself if I start to do it when I'm awake though.

Shutting cupboard doors and drawers isn't quirky. It's civilized. It's rude and thoughtless to leave then open. IMO

I sing silly made up songs to my dogs when we are in a car.

My food quirk is that I if I have to bag it I never pre-make a sandwich. I pack the ingredients and make my sandwich fresh just before eating it.

I'm sure I have lots, but the only one that comes to mind is when I am walking in a department store or the mall when the AC is on, I walk with my arms crossed in front of me. I hate AC. It must be a family trait, because one day, years ago, my mom and daughter were with me. All three of us were walking with our arms crossed in front of us.

Watchme - I agree with you on the cupboard thing. My kids leave them open all the time. It drives me batty. You'd think they'd start to shut them when I call them up from the rec room just to close it, but nope, they still do it. It makes the kitchen look messy even when it's somewhat decent.

I agree that having to have cupboard doors and drawers closed isn't quirky. It's civilized. I was brought up to close them and it just seems right to me. Sloppy, otherwise.

I do have most of my clothes in my closet facing the same way, simply because I find them easier to hang that way. Hold the hanger with one hand and the clothing with the other and it seems to work.

I have a little bit of (self-diagnosed) OCD, and I always have to push one of my doors to make sure it closes completely. It's an interior door that often just closes to the point of being shut but not "clicked in" ... if you know what I mean. Drives me nuts and I MUST push it completely closed.

Oh - and I LOVE folded potato chips!

Suzieque

BTW, dear spouses, children and grandchildren, the handles on kitchen drawers and cabinets are there to use, not only to OPEN, but also to CLOSE the drawer or cabinet. You do not need to touch the woodwork with your STICKY FINGERS. This also applies to the refrigerator, the microwave, etc.

After you have created a snack on the kitchen counter top, LOOK at it to see if you need to clean up after yourself. (Brushing crumbs onto the floor isn't cleaning up.)

Silly requests, right, when a grandchild coming out of the bathroom still has to be asked not only, "Did you wash your hands?" but also, "Did you flush?"

I also have to have food with me at all times. If I get hungry and can't eat, I get very sick. My DH learned this the hard way. Coming back from our trip to Atlantic City, he kept saying, "ok, we'll stop at the next rest stop". We he said that one time too many. When we did stop I was really sick and had a severe headache on top of that. Now, we always have a box of snacks in the car when we travel. I think my quirky habit would be, I always have sit in my seat from the left side. It feels akward sitting from the right. Maybe because I'm left handed.

linda, you do realize that getting sick and headachy when you are hungry is your blood sugar right? If you have not, you should have that checked to see just what the issue is.

I get low blood sugar all the time. I've had it forever. I'm not diabetic though. Well not yet, I did read it can be a precursor to it. I get most of the hypoglycemia symptoms. As a teen I actually naturally controlled my blood sugar and didn't even realize I did it. I was a 5 small meals kind of day gal and I really should go back to that. Not only do I get the headaches, sweats, feeling ill, but I am a raving b when I'm hungry. It's funny cause as soon as I get food in me it's like night and day. It's been a few years since I was tested though and probably should. I feel like it's got to be genetic thing though, several other family members have the same thing and not one is diabetic.

Look up insulin resistance, it could be that too.

Ya, that says there are genetic factors. Actually heart disease runs very strongly on my mother's side of the family. I found that out through doing genealogy. If I ever find a doctor here, I'll mention that. Joys of free Canadian health care - sometimes you have to wait just to get yourself a doctor.

I have one no one has mentioned, so it must be very quirky...shoes have to be lined up left to right when taken off. I'll even line up my grandkids and DH'S shoes. I don't tell them, I just do it. Don't want them to know there's yet another thing that irritates me. :))

I will walk extra steps to use the older sink in adjoining laundry room rather than the new kitchen sink. I hate water spots, but still wanted a ss sink.

Many more quirks, but I'll stop now before you think I'm too quirky.

Well, this makes no sense but when I go into the restrooms at a store or restaurant I always go in the one at or near the far end if it's available.

Closing cabinet doors and drawers is important..

The food not touching other food on a plate, don't get it, hope I never served food wrong.

I don't care for my food touching because I like the flavor of the individual dishes and don't care for the blended taste that happens when they are mixed together.

Even though he's used to it, my quirky habit(s) make my dh a little nuts. I prefer to leave the lights off in the evening; I have to sleep with the window open even in -20 degree weather and I get grumpy if I don't have a project around the house to plan or work on.

pekemom I do that as well in public restrooms. I remember hearing years ago that show most people use the first two stalls. The less rear-ends that touch that seat, the better in my book.

little monkey, clever, I never realized that, I was just hoping people would take the nearest stalls and not be pulling at my door....I like your reasoning even better.

I know I have several but some of them are just the way things SHOULD be done! (Things like wiping the top of a pop/beer/food etc can before opening it) The only one that comes to mind is opening medicine/vitamin bottles, I really try to get the entire protective seal off it. It bugs me if it doesn't all come off. I'll even transfer some things on occasion if it's really bad. I've gotten better about it with the big increase in use the last few years but still, most of the time I don't like looking at bits and pieces of those foil seals. While on the topic I often change the cap on pill bottles to eliminate those child caps and sometimes to color code them. The caps from different juice bottles fit the pill bottles so it eliminates the child cap and color codes it so I can reach in the bag o' pills and get the one I'm going for without looking at 4 different labels.

Jasdip, I hate to tell you this honey, but your chip thing is quirky! :D For me, eat the biggest, most perfect ones first, although the semi-folded over with open ends are the ones I go for when eating with dip or sloppy joes. They make sort of a chip taco that way. Same with nuts, the perfect ones go first. Crumbs are expendable if they go stale or rancid. Although if I grab a handful, it's eat top down, whatever order.

I have one that my husband and sister both do so it's probably not quirky, but I find it quirky. Actually I find it a little gross so sorry in advance if someone else does this. I do not think YOU are gross, just the habit. When eating Doritos they lick both sides of the chip before eating it. I'm fairly sure this is done only in the company of family. I know it is for my husband and I doubt my sister would ever do that in public.

My sister has major OCD habits. Little things will bother her if they aren't turned a certain way, she can't stand any sort of mess anywhere. I'm the total opposite. Though I try to have the house somewhat reasonable it's often a mess. It is hard to manage 4 other people some times. While I don't like mess, I wouldn't obsess over it and not be able to do something until it's taken care of. We're so different it's hard to believe sometimes that we not only share the same DNA, but that we grew up in the same household.

Cynic mentioned one of my quirks. Having to peel *all* of the foil, plastic seals on plastic containers. Margarine......having to get all of the white film off the rim and edges. I hate stragglers.

Also peeling all of the label off of containers that I'm keeping. I hate labels on jars, plastic buckets etc.

The folded-over chips? Yeah! My favourite. AND the ones that are slightly browned. I seldom see those anymore, they have extra flavour.

I had to google it, but I did remembered correctly: The FIRST stall in a public rest room is cleanest -- and most likely to have a supply of toilet paper. (Must be because all you other folks are giving it a pass.)

Anita -- My DH and I are both 'quirky' about wanting shoes lined up in pairs, and I, too, have a child who couldn't care less. (Fortunately, he married 'same'.) DS's family is both shoe crazy (at least 20 pair of *adult* shoes scattered in the back hall) and disinterested in organizing them. It would drive me nuts to have to search to find a matching pair.

As for your stainless (and spotless) sink, I fought that battle in another house and am now happy with porcelain in the kitchen. That house not only had a stainless sink, but long counter tops on each side were stainless. OTOH, DIL has a stainless that just doesn't show spots -- maybe more 'broken in'?

Not everyone lines up their shoes in pairs? I'm appalled! HA! I do remember back when I was a kid, my cousin had a zillion pairs of shoes, they were in a big pile which I thought was bizarre. These were not el cheapo shoes either! I would like to believe that now that she's a responsible adult, she organizes her shoes! :)

CHisue- oops I had that backwards. Well at least I remembered half of it. Just didn't remember it the right way. Good thing I always put tp on the seat anyway. I'm a only use public bathrooms if I really have to kind of girl.

Y'know...there is a happy medium on shoes. :) I keep my shoe pairs together, but they don't have to be in a military line. More often than not, they're in third position.

My quirky habit is that I will throw some laundry in the tub when I take a bath. Like a bra or some dark colored socks that I need to wash separately. Also, I wear rubber gloves when I wash my hair to save the manicure. Try it, it works!

lol Lucy! Just curious - is it just your laundry? I don't think I would want to know if my laundry was done in someone's bathwater! And I definitely can't imagine bathing with someone else's dirty socks, lol.

Let's see....I don't touch any door handles with my hands, even in my own home. I always use a towel or my shirt if nothing else is available. If I do touch a door handle, I immediately wash my hands.

Yes, it's just my laundry.

Public washrooms, it's been said that the first and last stalls are the least used, so I use those. You can watch people bypassing the first stall and go to one of the middle ones.

My brother is anal, I would say OCD, although he would never say it. His shoes are all black, and lined up meticulously. His clothes of course face the same way, but also spaced the same distance apart in the closet. Heaven forbid if something is out of place in his home, chairs placed just so under the diningroom table, after we've finished eating and cleaned up. I can go on and on......

I had an ex dil whose house was always perfect. Even her kids. Never dirty or rumpled. I noticedrecently that my son is also a neat freak. Thank you exdil. My son learned from her to pick up things and straighten up rooms. He was a mess. Now he is sort of a neat freak. lol

I don't know if it is quirky or not, but repetitive noise drives me crazy....like dogs barking. My dogs are trained to not bark unless there is an intruder on the place...like a person or another dog. They are not to bark at other animals. I hear dogs barking, off in the distance, for hours on end, and I think, how do people stand that??? I am quirky about food. I don't keep anything in my refrigerator, like left overs for more than a couple of days. Three days would be absolutely tops for me. I throw out all condiments...ketchup, dressings, etc., when they are about half gone or when a month or so has passed. I replace all my spices a couple of times a year. I don't know if this is a quirk or my anti social behavior, but I go through times when I won't go to the post office, won't read my emails, won't answer the phone unless it is my husband or daughter. I just don't want to deal with people. My mother used to say that I could live in a world by myself. Hmmmm. Maybe. I have never been bored. I can always think of a dozen or more things to do, and I like staying home (by myself) and doing them.

I agree about the dogs, ours is only out if we are home, and if he starts barking I bring him in so he won't disturb the neighbors...in the 70's we lived next door to a dog who barked from the time the owners pulled out of their driveway until they pulled back in, all day. We moved soon after that, had a 2 yr old and a newborn.

Edited to add..that dog didn't bark when they were at home so they never believed there was a problem...I should have recorded it...today it would have been easy recording sound and picture.

I blow out straws before I use them.Started years ago when a spider crawled out of one ,,(shudder)