When you meet the person of your dreams, he or she may seem like the total package – perfect in every way. We all know that's not the case, but in the throes of a passionate relationship, the little flaws can be overlooked. That's a good thing, until you get married and start living together 24/7. Studies have found that sweating the small stuff has just as much of an impact on the marriage as bigger issues. That's not to say you'll dump your spouse – or get dumped – for leaving dirty clothes all over the floor. But couple that with a few other nasty habits, and it may be a recipe for disaster, particularly if the relationship is strained from other sources. Here are a few bad habits to banish from your marriage. Picking up after yourself and generally conducting your hygiene and environment like an adult is a must. You and your spouse know what the hot-button issues are for each other. Perhaps dirty clothes on the floor is your pet peeve, while his is leaving dirty dishes in the sink instead of the dishwasher. One way to come to an agreement is to let your partner know your top three pet peeves, and he can tell you his.
Perhaps each of you can work on improving the other's number one on the list. On a related note, nit-picking is another habit that can put strain on the relationship. Constantly being corrected is not fun, and it can chip away at your relationship. There is more than one right way to do things – if he's making an honest effort to help out by cleaning the bathroom, don't pick at his toilet-scrubbing method. Finally, avoid those little gestures of disrespect, like eye-rolling and interrupting. Manners still matter, even though you live together. Anything that belittles your partner or makes him feel less important than you needs to stop. Perhaps you don't realize you're doing it. A great way to stop is to ask him to call you out on it. It's humbling, but it also could save your marriage.