Do You See What I See?

Would you get out of your chair just to fix what’s off in this picture? I often do. Did you even notice that the stacked chests aren’t straight with the floor lines?

I get teased a lot about my straightening habit, so curiosity had me Google OCD. Out of ten listed symptoms, I brush the edges of a few, but the article states that is common.

One example they gave is have you ever worried that you left something on at home or you forgot to lock the door behind you? We all have, right? Most times we can put it out of our mind knowing deep down we did the tasks, and we rarely go back to check. An OCD sufferer will most likely always go back.

Other things I’m teased about is our pantry items are arranged with labels visible, and contents in our fridge have specific spots. Why wouldn’t anyone want to see at a glance what’s in a can or box? I joke that the fridge thing is because I might need to find something in the dark. Shh, I know there’s a light inside. Smiley Face. If I wake up blind one day, with no warning and I need breakfast, at least I’ll know where everything is. Okay, so my reasoning is lame, but I like organization.

After doing this research, I have a new understanding and sympathy for anyone diagnosed, OCD. As for myself, I’m not concerned enough to seek medical advice. I’ve self diagnosed myself with OSD, Obsessive Straightening Disorder.

At times I drive Mister and the kids crazy. They think I move items they’ve placed, or re-do say folding a shirt, because I disapprove of their job. That’s not at all the case.

It’s difficult to explain, but it has nothing to do with them or their technique. It is all because of what I see, and a feeling it provokes. In case you are wondering, I also correct jobs I do.

Sometimes this gets me called a perfectionist which also couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yes, details are important when I do a project, and I like to do my best, but I make and don’t dwell on mistakes.

If I’m sewing and a seam doesn’t end up exact, I don’t redo it unless it’ll effect the projects functionality. But having said that, I try to make my lines straight and stick to pattern requirements.

Does this make me a perfectionist? I don’t think so because I’d have gone crazy a long time ago with all the mistakes I make.

When, how, or why, straightening hanging pictures, anything like the chests alignment, stacks of messy papers or magazines became important is a lost fact. I don’t remember not doing it.

Knowing how this bothers some people, I work hard and have gotten better over the years at controlling this reflex, but it’s still a daily effort. Don’t worry, I’ll never straighten your pictures or papers when I’m visiting you.

Do I consider this habit a character flaw? No, not a flaw, it’s part of who I am.

There’s a building project Mister and I did years ago, and after completion we discovered a mistake. It remains that way today because it doesn’t effect its functionality, plus it would take days of work to correct.

Am I able to forget about it? No, but I don’t obsess about it either.

Will it remain this way forever? That depends if I’m ever bored enough and can convince Mister or someone to help me fix it because it’s not a one person job.

Next time someone does something like straightens the pile of books you just made don’t take it personally. As long as they quietly do it with no verbal nastiness perhaps they are nagged by the same demon I am. If so they mean no harm.

Do you notice and like things straight?

Do things in your cupboards or fridge have a certain place and are labels facing forwards?