How long will it be before your house and marriage are running like a well-oiled machine and you don't need to talk about the budget and the chores and the (gasp!) gross shower curtain? That depends on you, in part.

Don't Be Afraid of Problems

Establishing a life with a life partner isn't all fun and games. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try to avoid life's little annoyances, they'll always be there. Some couples simply don't like to argue, so they end up ignoring issues (like budgeting, like home projects) until someone gets so irritated that the initial, smallish problem is blown way out of proportion — and at that point, the hope of calmly resolving the issue is all but lost.

Communicate with each other in a respectful manner before problems reach a boiling point.

Help Out

Even if it's her turn to scrub the grout, if she's overloaded with work this week or she's got the flu … why not tackle the chore for her? This is just the impetus many couples need in order to establish the essential give-and-take that make successful relationships thrive.

Little things really do tip the scales in a marriage, for better or for worse. If you make every effort to go out of your way for her — to be considerate, to help her when she needs it, to compliment her appearance when she's wearing nothing special … you'll be light years ahead of many of your contemporaries. Start clearing a space on your mantel for the Husband Hall of Fame plaque. You're earning it every day.