15 Relationship Tips We’ve Learned From Our Hosts (Just in Time For Valentine’s Day)

When you’ve been together for a long time, it’s easy to unknowingly take your partner for granted. That’s why woeing each other with simple gestures or little mementos every once in a while goes a long way. It seems to work for Scott and Sabrina McGillivray, whose antics we followed on Moving the McGillivrays.

When you’ve got kids, bills and piles of commitments to tackle every day, it’s easy to let things ride as status quo. But what made you fall in love with your partner in the first place? Every once in a while do as Bryan and Sarah Baeumler do, and get dressed up nice and fancy before hitting the town. Remembering the romance is a pillar of any successful relationship.

No one disagrees more than Kortney and Dave Wilson, yet they always seem to do it with a good-humoured smile. On Masters of Flip they rarely see eye-to-eye on design details or budgetary concerns, yet they manage to make it work. How? Through compromise and learning to let go of the small stuff. In the end they both feel as though they get the wins that are important to them, and they both get to reap the benefits of a thoughtful partnership and successful home flip.

If you can’t let your guard down around your partner then who can you let your guard down around? Don’t be afraid to get silly and act like no one is watching… after all it’s called a partnership for a reason; together you can tackle the world.

A pillar of any strong relationship is the ability for a couple to grow together. And one of the greatest ways to grow together is to experience new things and invoke your sense of wonder. We all have way too many grown-up responsibilities to worry about on a daily basis; sometimes it’s fun to just be a big old kid again and enjoy the things life has to offer.

Remember dating? Most parents probably don’t. With mounting responsibilities, less sleep and more work always coming at us it’s easy to get bogged down in the daily grind. But the next time you’re carving out that calendar, be sure to schedule in a night out with your partner. The time alone together will allow you to reconnect and remember all the things you love about each other.

Predictability is an easy button for boredom. While it’s great to know your partner so well that you can tell how they will feel or react to a certain situation, it’s also key to switch things up once in a while. Surprise your partner with their favourite dinner or by doing something else that they will appreciate but not expect. Keeping them guessing is a surefire way to keep love alive.

Checking in every once in a while is a great idea, especially when you’ve built a life together the way Chip and Johanna Gaines have. The Fixer Upper couple knows a thing or two about strong communication, and it makes us love them even more.

Escaping the daily grind with an exciting vacation every once in a while is not only important when it comes to mixing things up, but it ensures that you and your partner or family can take time to relax together for a longer period of time. It doesn’t need to be an all-inclusive beach vacation or fancy ski getaway either; a few days at a bed and breakfast or a staycation unplugged at home can work wonders for the kindred spirit.

Little neck massages, taking over one of your partner’s household chores for a few days or even just picking up a bouquet of flowers or your partner’s favourite snack on the way home from work is a small thing to do, but it shows just how much you care and appreciate all of the things your partner does for you, too.

Life is one big journey filled with small moments of quiet reflection, connecting with nature and being at peace with one’s surroundings. Stop every once in a while to appreciate these things with your partner and it will inevitably strengthen your bond; how can you not inadvertently end up appreciating each other a little more as a result?

Your mother was onto something when she said that laughter is the best medicine. If you can find the humour in any given situation then it absolutely makes intense and stressful scenarios that much easier to handle in the long run. Knowing how to make your partner laugh is a great thing to have in your back pocket: the couple that laughs together, stays together after all.

Find things that you and your partner love to do together and then make time to do them. Also important? Finding things that you like doing away from your partner too. Achieving that balance means you can keep your self-identity intact all while growing with your partner and having fun.

There’s nothing more intimate than cuddles with your partner, yet it seems like such a teenaged thing to do doesn’t it? Whether you’re watching TV, devouring a good book or even just falling asleep in bed, a little cuddling never hurt anyone. In fact the last time we checked it invoked a sense of closeness and well-being.

Life’s short, so why bother with the stuff that doesn’t bring you joy? Yes, we all have responsibilities, but when it comes to your relationship and home lives, surround yourselves with things and people that make you happy; that happiness will translate into a better spirit and feeling of wellness for both of you, making you a more solid unit and team in the long run.