When you took your vows, you probably promised to love each other "for better or worse." Unfortunately, that includes putting up with your spouse's nastiest habit (keep reading and you'll see what we mean). The good news: Dirty dishes or a few towels on the bathroom floor don't have to get in the way of marital bliss. Here, real Nesties dish on their spouse's less-than-sexy tendencies, and we help them cope.
THE FLAW: "The plug in our bathtub needs to be pushed back down or it will stay in shower mode. My husband refuses to take the extra second to do this, so I always end up with water splashed all over my arm. It drives me crazy!" --S-Tuna
HOW TO COPE: It's highly unlikely that your husband is plotting against you, shower after shower, laughing menacingly while he thinks of you getting soaked. So here's an idea: Post a note next to the shower reminding him to push the plug down. Add a smiley face (as opposed to five exclamation points) so you seem like less of a nag.
THE FLAW: "When my husband 'does the dishes' he puts everything dishwasher-safe in the machine, and then leaves anything that must be hand-washed in the sink. What gives?" --Hott4Teacher
HOW TO COPE: Sounds like he's trying to help, but instead of going the full mile, he's running out of steam halfway through. Let him know how much you appreciate his help (and maybe even throw in a little, um, reward) to give him the stamina to follow through. Or, just grab the liquid dish soap and hand it to him -- with a smile.
THE FLAW: "He leaves his clothes next to his side of the bed instead of walking three feet to the laundry basket." --tgoff248
HOW TO COPE: Stop picking them up. This might gross you out, but eventually that smell from his gym clothes will get to even him. And at that point, he's going to have to do the laundry (yes, this requires you not washing and folding his clothes) which means he'll have to pick them up sometimes too.
THE FLAW: "My husband is a great cook, but he leaves a huge mess in the kitchen afterwards. It drives me insane." --TN IrishGirl
HOW TO COPE: Of course it does -- because you don't appreciate dried egg yolk all over the kitchen counter like you should (just kidding). Here's the thing. There's an unspoken rule in many households: "He who cooks shall not clean up," and it goes for both men and women. Cook dinner this week and leave the cleanup to him. He'll get the hint.
THE FLAW: "He can't figure out how to hang up a towel after he uses it. I don't even realize how many towels he has gone through until I realize there are no more towels in the closet and I find a wet, smelly pile of towels behind a door." --jdbmjm
HOW TO COPE: Buy a hamper...and put it next to the door. At least then, if he's not hanging up his towels, he's tossing them away to be washed. Now, who actually washes them is another story...
THE FLAW: "My husband has at least two glasses of water around the house at any given time." --cath3888
HOW TO COPE: Ever see the Sex and the City episode where Charlotte is forced to pick up her guy's teabags all day? Well, just like Charlotte, the only way you're going to be able to get through to him on this is by telling him that it bothers you. Hey, at least you're just talking about some glasses of water. So don't freak out.
THE FLAW: THE FLAW: "He'll lose his keys, then he'll ask me if I've seen them. They're his keys!" --ashleym909
HOW TO COPE: Get him one of those key finders (they're as cheap as $10) so the next time he can't find his keys, all he has to do is press a button. Voila! It's that easy.
-- The Nest Editors
See More: Couple Issues , Love & Sex