After so many years together, it’s tough keeping the romance alive. And last year it was extra tough trying to ignore all those obvious flaws. The sagging. The creaking. The annoying noise coming from the bathroom.

It’s time to rekindle the romance. Time to remember why you fell in love in the first place.

Here are five ways to keep the love alive in what might be the longest relationship you’ll ever have: the one with your house.

Put time into relationship

Don’t ignore your house’s cries for help. If it’s broken, fix it. If it’s chipping, paint it. Keeping your house tidy, free from toxins (like cigarette smoke) and eyesores (like crooked mini blinds) will not only lower your stress level, it will allow you to see your house’s assets – the woodwork, the closet space, the nooks and crannies – that give it its charm.

Fight fair

Be kind to your house. Don’t punch walls. Don’t slam doors. Don’t rattle windows just to prove they’re about to break anyway. When your house lets you down – when a floor board breaks or a chunk of gutter falls from the second story – don’t consider your house no longer worth the effort. Instead, think about how to avoid the same problem in the future. For instance, clean your gutters so they don’t grow heavy with sludge. Your house will thank you.

Schedule date night

Buy your house some flowers. Bake it a batch of brownies. Buy pretty slipcovers and throw pillows for its furniture. Everyone prefers spending time in a house that looks and smells good. Remember, it’s not the house that decided to wake up one morning and spend the next two years walking around all day in a ratty bathrobe. In important relationships like this, it takes two to tango.

Splurge a little

When a tax return – or any financial windfall – comes your way, it’s easy to start dreaming about splurging on a new phone or some other luxury. This year, why not splurge on your long-suffering house instead? Refinish a floor. Hire a house painter. Remove the tree in the backyard. Fixing something that bugs you about your house will stop you from having the same complaints month after month.

Accept your house as it is

So what if you can’t afford to install French doors, a three-season room and an outdoor patio? Accept your house the way it is and do the best with what you’ve got. Your house can still surprise you. Try spicing things up by repurposing a room. Experiment with using a small bedroom as a dining room, a living room as an office or a closet as a mud room. Dig deep and discover the hidden possibilities.

edowns@jg.net