My OCD Types: Ordering...I'll have the red peppers with the red tomatoes...

I'm an ordering misfit. I love order. If I had the money, I would go into a store like Target and purchase 100s of plastic totes and keep everything in one. I would have lists on the outside of each tote letting me know what was in them. As well, if I didn't live in a house with two other people, I would have a spot for everything. The spot would be so clearly defined I could draw white paint around each something to mark it's spot. Like a crime scene...but no body, just a specific picture frame. 

I like order just like many other folks with OCD. Being that I live in a house with my husband and son, who should not be subjected to my "order horror", I have to be content (as much as I can) with the order of my own things. To help you better understand this, I am going to take a look at my clothes. Clothes are great. Clothes are fun. Clothes need to be ordered.

When I bring newly cleaned clothes into my room, there is a specific place for each item. I have a stack of underwear in my undies drawer that is the newest underwear I have purchased. I have a stack of the next newest, and so on. I also have a stack of underwear that is only used to sleep in or when I am having a special time...wink, wink. As well, I must wear my underwear in order. The underwear that just came out of the wash goes at the bottom of the stack. I wear what is next in the stack. If I reach into my underwear drawer and begin to grab a pair and then think "hmm, I think I would rather wear the pink pair instead...", I can't. I must wear the underwear that I originally grabbed. 

There is also an order to my shirts, as they are hung in my closet. I color code them. Laugh...go ahead. I would. I try to hang them from lightest color to darkest color. Or something like that. As well, I bunch my shirts. Long sleeve shirts are all hung together. Short sleeve shirts are all hung together. As well, all "nice" shirts are hung together. There is a system here. I get rather upset when this system is tampered with at anytime. It's probably important to note, that I also only like white hangers. I think there is a pink and silver hanger in my closet of clothes. I use them for only specific items and I really need to throw them out, because they actually cause me anxiety.

I also like order in my sons clothing and toys. Luckily he is only 1, so he doesn't really notice my ordering of his items. Of course, I am eventually going to need to let it go so that it doesn't become a problem. But, I like his clothing folding a certain way and put away in the drawers a certain way. I like his toys stored a certain way. Another luckily, I am okay if this doesn't always get to happen.

These are just some of my ordering ways. Not all of them. It would take so very long to discuss them all. Suffice it to say...Order is the Order of the Day...LOL

My OCD Types: Numbers...1,2,3...1,2,3...1,2,3

So, numbers. I am not even sure where to begin with them. They show up in so many ways in my life. Of course, they are fairly present in everyone's life, but in mine, they seem to have way more significance than they should. For instance, the number 3 is a major source of comfort and stress for me. Many of my compulsions have to be carried out in sets of 3. Either 3 times, or 6 times, or 12 times. You get the picture. This isn't always, but much of the time. I switch light switches on and off 3 times when checking them. I end sentences with 3 exclamation points or type 3 periods between thoughts. I stare at the water faucet and count "...1,2,3...1,2,3...1,2,3..." in my head until I feel comfortable about it being turned off. Many times, when I am just doing mundane things like washing my hands or cleaning something up, I will count the 3s in my head. Like I said, it is both a comfort and a stressor. Which means, it sucks!!!

Another place where numbers hold more significance than they should is in TV or radio volumes. I do not like my TV to be at certain volumes, because the number isn't right. For instance, it can be at volume 10, but it cannot be at volume 9. With volumes I tend to like even numbers and multiples of 5. You would not likely find me with the volume set at 3. This number logic also holds true on a treadmill or similar device. I will be fine with using the treadmill at 3.5 or 4.5 mph, but I will not use it at 3.3 or 4.2 mph. 

Along with things needing to be certain numbers or needing to be done in a certain number of times, I find that I am concerned with numbers in other ways. For instance, with birthdates, phone numbers, addresses, etc. My birthdate is 12/27/77. I like this birthdate. In my mind, the numbers of this birthdate go together well. My husband's birthdate is 5/20/76. This is an okay birthdate, I would much prefer it be 1975 though. Then the numbers would fit better in my mind. My son's birthday is 7/19/09. This birthday has left me a little bewildered, but I have come to like the way the numbers fit. The 19 and the 9 were troublesome to me for a bit. But I like that 19 and 9 seem to fit together and 7, to me, is one of the best numbers. Seems completely insane, doesn't it. But, hey, that's me and that's my OCD!!!