Getting your Significant Other on Board With DIY Projects

Getting your significant other on board with DIY Projects can sometimes be tough, Pretty much any time there is a change in our home, you can be sure that I am the culprit. Honestly, I care more about the aesthetics of our home than my husband. Every time I mention a change, the first thing he says is

“What’s wrong with how it is now, Erin?”

Then I want to scream,

“what do you mean? How could you not see what’s wrong? “

Lol. In all honesty it can be annoying and feel like a constant state of war on decor when they don’t see your vision as plainly as you do.

Clearly he cares more about cars, dirt bikes, pool tables, and the latest technology, than any throw pillow, paint color, or light fixtur, right? Wrong. He has made it evident that he wants to be involved in those decisions as well, and since its his home as well (insert eye roll), I run things past him and sell my vision,

So many people have seen my husband (Julius) in my IG stories helping me in a project, and while I am so thankful for his willingness to assist, it comes with convincing every time, so if you are in these shoes, don’t worry…I am too.

Here are my tips on getting your significant other on board with Decorating/DIY Projects:

Discuss your Plans Together:

Although I know that sometimes we feel we know what’s best for a particular space, asking your significant other what do they feel about the idea of board and batten for example, or do they like this or that particular wall treatment keeps them included in the process. If they don’t like something, ask questions as to what they don’t like about it. A compromise might easier than you think.

Show Examples:

Sometimes having multiple examples and visuals on hand, along with the potential cost, to share at the moment you are discussing an upcoming project will help to alleviate any worry or doubt. Show examples of what you are thinking in spaces that are similar to yours. Its definitely helpful to visually see what an idea looks like whether than trying to explain verbally. I do this all the time and it helps..

Incorporate Elements that You Know Will Make Them happy:

Typically when I decorate a space, and bring the idea to my husband, I ask him if there is anything that he wants to add to the space. For example, for my One Room Challenge Reveal,  he was super adamant about having the toilet paper roll on the right side of the the toilet, screwed into my faux shiplap.  I really wanted it to be hidden on the side of the vanity. Was I gonna allow that to be a deal break and get into a full fledged argument about it? Nope.

Keep details simple and plain:

Sometimes too many details can be overwhelming, so keep it simple and straight to the point. Knowing your significant other, you know what details you really need to bring to them, and what you don’t. The ones you don’t need to bring to them, keep them to yourself.

Split some of the responsibility:

The reason I learned how to accomplish so many DIY Projects on my own is because I never wanted to be in the position where Julius had to do everything in order for me to get something done. So things that I can handle on my own, I manage until I really need to pull him in. That way he doesn’t feel like all of his down time is engulfed in DIY projects, especially if that is not something he is passionate about.  I find it relaxing and it balances me, that’s not the case for him and I am okay with that.

Learn each others Strengths and Weaknesses in DIY’s:

I suck at math. So if there is anything that requires extensive measuring, dividing spaces, things that are heavy, or a bit more complex than my brain wants to tackle, I hand that task over to him to figure out. More simple things (in my opinion simple), I manage, and pull him in at a particular time. I usually find out what day he wants to tackle his part and work on everything that I need to in order to prepare for his portion.

 

If Emotions are really high about a certain project, table it for another day:

If it seems like a project that you will never agree on… table it for the moment. Move to other projects and as your trust and DIY experience grows, that project may come back up. But until then, if you can’t seem to discuss without a argument for feeling tensions amongst each other, stick a pin in it.

 

Show appreciation:

So many times I’ve neglected this step, because my thought process has been, this is helping you as much as its helping me. While that is true, to have someone willing to work with help to make your decor dream a reality is priceless. Plus a little gratitude goes a long way, particularly for future projects;)

 

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So that’s pretty much it in a nutshell.

I hope that you found these tips helpful and are ready to get your significant other on board with DIY Projects.

If you found these tips helpful, make sure you pin it and share it!

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time.