1. You can't hide
That means that if you put your stinky foot powder in the back of the medicine cabinet, your partner will eventually find it. While you can hide away some things, don't go too crazy. If you're a woman you will get your period; he's a big boy, he'll understand. Just don't leave your toe nail clippings out on display like a butterfly collection.
2. Don't sweat the small stuff
Everybody has annoying habits. There needs to be some tolerance of your partner's pecadillos. Some weirdos put the butter in the cupboard because that's what their mum did, even though this is a gross miscarriage of justice. It's probably not worth arguing about though. If you want to learn more about the crazy habits of the male species, check out this article on AskMen. Forewarned is forearmed!
3. Be sweet and romantic
Sweet gestures don't need to cost money. Leave lovely messages on post-it notes tucked inside of your partner's books or bag to give them a romantic surprise. Or you could sneakily sing some goofy songs on your partner's voicemail to lighten up their workday. Wait until they duck out for a few hours and then bake them some surprise cookies. Then unveil them with great fanfare at the right moment. It's these small and inexpensive gestures that say you care.
4. Good cop / bad cop
One of you will inevitably end up being the neat freak of the house. This person will develop a prison guard's keen sense for when things are amiss. The other person will slide into decrepitude and start flinging banana peels over their shoulder. It's just the way the universe stays in balance. Over time you will either get used to each other's nonsense or morph into a giant blob of chaos.
5. You'll suddenly have two of everything
Stop being a turtle - don't carry all of your Christmas cards from 1996, Jewel CD cases and gigantic Apple Mac from 1994 around with you everywhere. You need to turf out the old to make way for the new. It's a metaphorical as well as literal purging of the past. Doing so may lead to arguments about what you both get to keep, but that's a whole other article!
6. Sometimes you won't talk
If you're not upset with each other, but you stop talking sometimes for hours on end, don't stress! You've moved beyond the phase of constantly filling up space with conversation. Silence can be intimate too. However if you do want some tips on avoiding those awkward moments, eHarmony have a great article on their site about how to get past those silences.
7. Keep the passion going
Change your bedroom antics regularly by trying new positions, new toys or whatever it is that floats both of your boats.
8. Have separate friendships
Sure, have some shared friends. However with your own friends you can blow off some steam and do completely separate things, and that's healthy! Whether your like mountain biking or poetry, get involved in a meetup group that satisfies your passions. Then when you return home you can tell each other about your adventures.
9. Get out of the house
Don't stay cooped up in your pad together all the time. You will get cabin fever and start to annoy one another. Instead, do something active as a couple, like cycling or hiking. Consider taking that epic journey to a nearby town, city or even to a different country. Sharing exciting memories together in new places will allow you to blow the cobwebs out of your relationship.
10. You will really get to know each other
This means that you will hear all about his stomach flu in stereo sound. This means he will know about your tendency to cry for no reason right before your period. However, before you get all worried, here's the good part: You can both dance like idiots together, share weird food obsessions, and become pathologically addicted to cult TV shows like Doctor Who and Breaking Bad.
You can let it all hang out and be completely yourself in front of this person. Then you'll create a blend of the strong, the vulnerable, the weird and the normal parts of both of you. Hopefully creating something remarkable and worthy of keeping.
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