Start Your Marriage on the Right Foot With These Principles

A marriage is the ultimate symbol of a new beginning and a fresh start. Once the excitement of the wedding and honeymoon has worn off, many newlywed couples find themselves in the precarious position of realizing that they did not do enough to prepare themselves for the challenges of married life.

Here are four principles to follow to ensure that you get your marriage off on the right foot:

Combining Households

Combining two households into one can be more challenging than you might think, especially if either of the parties is attached to their belongings. It is critical that you talk with your partner about what to do with all your stuff and make a plan on how to combine the belongings to best benefit your new home.

According to All Storage Online, it’s pretty important to compromise on how you’re going to fit things into your new home. You’ll want to talk to your partner about what to keep, what to put into storage, and what might need to be tossed.

Set Ground Rules About Household Responsibilities

Once you combine your two households, you will need to decide who is going to handle all of the responsibilities. It is imperative that both people are on the same page about what is expected of them and what they want the other person to contribute.

By setting ground rules about cleaning, chores, laundry duties, yard work, and maintenance, you will set the expectation and avoid contentious discussions in the future.

Money Matters

Financial disagreements are a continual challenge for many couples. From the very beginning of your marriage, it is important that you and your partner have a budget and a financial plan to achieve both short-term and long-term goals.

In addition to a solid budget, you will need to decide who will be responsible for paying the bills and how you will combine two incomes to pay for one household.

Establish a Routine

It may be difficult to establish a new routine of living as a couple, especially if the two of you have been living alone. This problem can be made worse if you work different shifts than your spouse. While routines sound boring, Aleteia argues that they’re actually what save marriages — especially marriages that last for decades.

Be cognizant that it may take time to establish a comfortable routine and that this transition is normal. By being respectful of your spouse's needs and wants and by effectively communicating your thoughts, you will be able to settle into a routine that makes both of you happy.

By employing these strategies, you can ensure that you will put your marriage in the position to be successful from the start, leading to a long and happy union.