Odd behaviour

Jean1234

Registered User
Mar 19, 2015
259
0
Hi everyone, just a light hearted question. Has anyone come across the obsession of folding everything up into precise little squares? It is something I am noticing my OH doing more and more, from tissues, serviettes, hankies, dish cloths or any other cloths that might be around the house. He takes ages doing it and it has to be done exactly with no edge out of place. He will go round behind me tidying up anything I put down that is not completely done right in his mind. He also has to dry and shine any sink or washing up bowl immediately it has been used even if you are going back to use the sink in a couple of minutes. I tell myself I should be pleased that he is being so tidy and remind myself that it won't always be so but sometimes it is hard not to tell him to leave it alone!!!
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
74,001
0
72
Dundee
Oh yes!

My husband folds things very neatly. He also lines up placemats, coasters etc etc. Everything has to be exactly in line! He now can't do stuff like wiping up the sin but he used to.

I sometimes watch him line up all the placemats then push them out of line. Nothing daunted he gets them all back in order again.
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
There is a theory that people do this because of boredom or because they have too much energy. He may of course be trying to 'find his place' in his world of chaos by being helpful!!! It is frightening to lose your memory in this way, terrifying in fact and some say that order brings some sense of peace
 

TinaT

Registered User
Sep 27, 2006
7,097
0
Costa Blanca Spain
There was a post which was well responded to some four years ago about the habit of folding up hankies or cloths into small squares. I have seen a few ladies in care homes doing this very thing. Perhaps it is the repetitive movement of the fingers. I know it pleases one resident very much to tidy the tables after meals and fold up the napkins into smaller and smaller squares

xxTinaT
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Oh yes! Dementia seems to trigger some form of OCD. I can't have anything lying about, he tidies it up. Before he uses a tissue, he folds it a certain way, and afterwards it gets folded up very precisely into a square. He also folds newspapers and TV guides up so I have to go find my page again! He takes my slippers and lines them up orderly on the coffee table. I could go on! It's probably why he loves sorting his playing cards so much.
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
Beate that is such a good idea, playing cards - never would have thought of it, perfect for order, thank you x
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
I found this out by accident when someone left a pack of cards behind. He can do it for hours! Just arranges and rearranges them into a system that only he can see.
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
Tea towels are folded in half and placed between or underneath pans and crockery, sometimes rolled up. Cooker hob is polished every time mum goes into the kitchen and tissues are folded over and over and put in places that are obviously important even on top of the dog when sleeping. Last Winter these neatly folded tissues were all put on the log fire, but she has not started doing that this year, Yet! Mum's obsession with folding and polishing extends to lots of things in our house except towels and sheets and polishing wooden furniture. The very first thing she does after getting up in the morning is head for the kitchen tea towel or tissue at hand and starts polishing the hob.
 

Jean1234

Registered User
Mar 19, 2015
259
0
Thanks everyone

Hi everyone, just a light hearted question. Has anyone come across the obsession of folding everything up into precise little squares? It is something I am noticing my OH doing more and more, from tissues, serviettes, hankies, dish cloths or any other cloths that might be around the house. He takes ages doing it and it has to be done exactly with no edge out of place. He will go round behind me tidying up anything I put down that is not completely done right in his mind. He also has to dry and shine any sink or washing up bowl immediately it has been used even if you are going back to use the sink in a couple of minutes. I tell myself I should be pleased that he is being so tidy and remind myself that it won't always be so but sometimes it is hard not to tell him to leave it alone!!!

Thanks everyone. That's what I love about This site, you find out so much more than you would just seeing the Doctor! And yes, coasters and place mats get lined up several times a day and I have the shiniest hob going. Lol
 

Batsue

Registered User
Nov 4, 2014
4,893
0
Scotland
With my mum it is using her foot to make the carpet pile lie in the same direction, we have plain carpets which can show where you have walked when the pile is flattened (very subtle variation in the colour), mum can spend ages going over the carpet with the side of her foot to get rid of the marks.