LET me start with a few of my own: if I’m about to exercise, head out for a walk, or do just about anything and I feel food stuck in my teeth, I absolutely must floss first. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens until that’s taken care of. Peace minus irritation begins with clean teeth for me.
And then there’s the tea towel fetish. If I see one hanging crookedly in the kitchen, I simply cannot walk by. I’ll stop mid-conversation, mid-thought, mid-whatever-I’m-doing to straighten it. Yes, and that goes for crooked picture frames hanging on a ceiling wall. Order must be restored. Okay, I’m a little OCD.
Here’s another one. Before showering, I neatly stack the clothes I’m going to wear in the exact order I’ll put them on. Think of it as my mini checklist in fabric form. And at night, my ritual is non-negotiable: floss, brush, then slip into my nightie before climbing into bed.
My mornings have their own peculiar rhythm too. After brushing my teeth, I drink warm water with lemon juice and here’s the kicker – a dash of Tabasco sauce. Yes, Tabasco. Forget caffeine; I like my mornings to start with a fiery kick.
After this I’ll make our breakfast smoothie for the two of us. But here’s the quirky bit. I’ll have all of my smoothie making juicer and cutlery all neatly arranged the night before ready for my morning breakfast routine.
Then there’s my quirky post-shopping routine: I sanitise my hands before touching the car wheel. And when I wash my hands, I count slowly to twenty before I’m satisfied they’re clean. Yes, I know.
And stacking the dishwasher – everything’s rinsed before it goes into the dishwasher and it’s all stacked neatly and in order.
Strange? Maybe. Comforting? Absolutely.
Why we all do it
Now, I know I’m not alone.
Maybe you double-check the door lock before bed. Or arrange the tins in your pantry so all the labels face forward. Or you have a wardrobe full of clothes in a colour sequence or some other strange pattern.
Perhaps you can’t begin the day until the bed is perfectly made after you check your handiwork and smooth out the rough bits and edges. Or you hum while cooking without even realising you’re doing it. Because it’s just part of your daily routine.
Then there’s the routine some ladies have putting on their makeup. It’s a carefully crafted step by step process, even to the point of making that odd movement of the lips or eyebrows so everything feels right.
I love observing people’s little habits. It’s almost always a beautiful mini movie clip of interesting little eccentricities that can be quite entertaining, even cute to watch.
For example when our 5 year old grandson has a sleepover and is eating his dinner, he usually has a wet wipe by his plate. And he’s constantly wiping away little bits of food from his mouth. Sometimes, I’ll do a little tease. While he’s eating, I’ll point to something on his nose. Then with a look of surprise he’ll gently wipe his nose and ask me if it’s clean. Of course he had nothing on his nose to begin with so you can imagine the reaction I get. “Grandad!”, he’ll say. “Stop it!” Yes, I’m a tease but it’s all done in good hearted fun.
These little habits might seem unnecessary from the outside. But inside, they serve a quiet purpose. They’re like little anchors in the middle of life’s storm. They bring rhythm, order and comfort to each of us.
The funny side of quirks
Of course, our habits can also be hilarious. Who hasn’t laughed at themselves for checking the fridge twice in case new food magically appeared? Or insisted on drinking tea only if the bag steeps for exactly three minutes?
Our quirks make us relatable. They’re the kind of stories families tease us about at gatherings, the small things friends notice and smile at, and the hidden details that make us who we are. Without them, life would be a little too neat, too predictable, dare I say, boring.
The deeper meaning
But beyond the laughter lies something more profound. Our quirky habits are often quiet acts of care – the tiny ways we bring calm to chaos or structure to uncertainty. They remind us that life isn’t only about big achievements or milestones; it’s also about the little rituals that shape our days and shape our lives.
They’re proof that individuality isn’t found in perfection, but in peculiarities. They’re the small signatures of our personality, woven into the fabric of everyday life.
Celebrating our quirks
So instead of hiding them, let’s celebrate them.
The next time someone teases you for lining up picture frames, arranging books by color, or straightening your desk before you start working, smile. Those habits aren’t flaws. They’re part of your story. They make you, you.
Because in the end, it’s often the smallest, quirkiest habits, the ones we barely notice, that say the most about who we really are.
Here’s to the flossers, the towel-straighteners, the hand-sanitisers, the singers-in-the-shower, and everyone else who carries their quirks proudly.
After all, it’s our peculiarities that make us wonderfully and beautifully human.
So quirk on!
COLIN DEOKI lives in Melbourne, Australia and is a regular contributor to this newspaper. The views expressed in this article are his and not necessarily of this newspaper.
