There are two chairs in our bedroom – one closer to his side of the room and one closer to my side.  (Ever since I grew up sharing a bedroom with my sister, I've divided rooms in this way - my side, your side.  The neat side...that would be me, the MeSsY side...that would be you.)

It’s a minor irritation but one that bothers me nevertheless.  I want him to not ever put his clothes on my chair. (He doesn’t do it that often but it bugs me to no end when it does.)

I don’t know why this bugs me but it feels like an invasion.  Because…because…okay – because:

• I don’t ever put my clothes in his chair;
• I clean my chair of all items regularly;
• It’s my chair, he has his own.
• The idea of clothing s p r a w l doesn’t resonate with me.  (This is why I wash and put away the laundry every week – to avoid sprawl.)

The few times a month when he leaves the toilet seat up doesn’t bug me.  He leaves the seat up and I put the seat down (having learned not to ever sit down without checking first on toilet-seat position).  In fact I always put the seat and the lid down on the toilet – it looks unsanitary to me to have the seat and lid up.

I don't bug about:

• the fact that he leaves lights turned on,
• or doors open,
• or doesn't refill the ice cube tray ever. 

It's easy to flip the lights off, touch the door so it shuts all the way, and refill the ice tray because I don't like to see it hanging out on the counter empty. 

But a pair of socks or pants or pajama bottoms that don’t belong to me taking up residence in my chair! Nah-uh.  Don’t do it.

O-kay?!