Decorating is a bigger task than you might initially realize. Just as there are thousands of choices available, you have to work within a budget and select things that work with your home. What do you do when your partner won’t help?

Their Help is Important

Not only do you need the help, but you want their input so they don’t hate the results. Even if they give you their blessing to pick everything, it’s easier if they help. You want it to feel like home to both of you, even though they may not consider browsing sites like this as much fun as you do.

Magazines and Sticky Notes

Set out a pile of decorating magazines and some sticky notes, telling them to use the notes to mark their favorite pages. Give them a goal of five minutes. They’ll likely be sucked in and spend more time than they planned.

This or That

Try to find out what they like by giving them ideas from which to select. For instance, you can ask if they like colorful or neutral decor. Ask them what they’d like the main function of each room to be.

Bring Samples to Them

Some things have to be felt and seen in person, so get some samples. When presented with carpet or tile samples, they are likely to have opinions. Set the samples out where your partner can experience them with no pressure.

Browse a Home Improvement Store

Maybe your partner doesn’t care about cabinets, but strongly likes a certain type of lighting. A walk through the store will bring out their likes and dislikes. Make it into a date night by combining it with a trip to a new restaurant they’ve been wanting to try.

Communicate

Ask about concerns that might be keeping them from being interested in decorating. Maybe they’re worried they’ll do a bad job. They could be concerned about money, or have something else weighing on their mind.

Be Flexible

If you want decorating to be a mutual project, you need to take your partner’s feelings into consideration. Just as you are asking for their help, you need to be willing to compromise. You may have to adjust your ideas.

Help to Make It Happen

Don’t pressure them to do home improvement tasks they aren’t comfortable with. They might quit helping or do a poor job. Find out their confidence level by watching how-to videos like the one below together.

Compliment Them

Tell your partner how much their help means to you. They are likely to have ideas you haven’t thought of. Be sure to let them know how helpful this is.

You and your partner will bond over your combined efforts, creating results that reflect both of you. Decorating is a fun way to spend time together; it’s a break in routine. Bringing them on board to help you is not only possible, it’s fun.