14 Simple Ways to Show Love to Your Husband

Disclaimer: This post was written by an incredibly flawed wife, yet a wife who tries very hard to be better everyday. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to try.

1. Put his clothes away. Yeah, the clean laundry in my house spends 80% of its life sitting on the dining room table and takes an average of 8 days to get folded. So, when I do get around to folding, I tend to put my stuff and the kids’ stuff away, and leave his out on his side of the bed. (Anyone else?) Spend the extra 60 seconds and put his away too!

2. Laugh when he makes a joke. It’s amazing how your lightheartedness can change the whole dynamic. I tried it one night, and it made a huge difference for our whole family!

3. Make him coffee. Simple, easy and you’re probably making it for yourself anyway. If he likes a certain sweetener, buy it (even if it’s not your favorite).

4. Buy him new socks and underwear. It’s just one of those things they always need, and a simple way to show him that you’ve noticed and you care about him.

5. Compliment him to your children. It’s so beautiful when our kids experience the respect and love we have for our hubbies. When talking to your kids, make an effort to speak highly about him. The other day, I was drawing on our Magna Doodles with the kids, and when the toddler asked me to draw a jet, I said: “I can try, but you know Daddy really draws the best ones.” It’s small but significant. And, it’s even better when he’s around to hear your compliments, too.

6. Clean that spot in the house that bugs him (but you could care less about). For me, that’s our master shower. (In fact, I posted a whole video blog about it.) It’s always nasty because I don’t think it’s worth cleaning and no one sees it. But it bugs my hubby. If it’s important to him, make it important to you.

7. Buy his favorite shaving cream. I’m so cheap, so it’s a miracle for me to splurge on anything. Especially something for him. But he loves this certain shaving cream at Bath & Body Works, and I recently bought some at their after-Christmas sale. I swear, he’s thanked me like 7 times since. Let him feel special by sending a few small splurges his way.

8. Ask his opinion on something. We know you tend to run the house, and usually don’t need his help or opinions. But his is important. Even if you don’t feel you need it, ask for his opinion anyway. Following his advice is a great way to show you trust his judgment and value his thoughts.

9. Ask him what you should wear, and take his suggestion. Yeah, I know he likes that dress that doesn’t fit right, or the shirt with the weird arm holes. But, once in a while, wear what he likes. It won’t kill you.

10. Hold his hand, and tell him “I love you” out of the blue. No reason, no context. Just eye contact and those words.

11. Surprise him. Send the kids to a friend’s and make a nice dinner to have ready when he comes home from work. Or, surprise him with a homemade picnic to eat during his lunch break. My husband travels often, so sometimes I like to show up to the airport with the kids to greet him when he isn’t expecting us.

12. Wash his car. Chances are, your hubby spends much of his life commuting to and from work. What if, one morning, he went outside to see that you’d washed his car and put his favorite air freshener inside? If you don’t want to do it yourself, just tell him you’re taking his car to run errands on Saturday, and run it through the car wash. You could even leave a little note inside for him, and his favorite kind of gum, for him to find on Monday morning.

13. Look him in the eye when he comes home. Yeah, I know. It’s 5pm, you’re trying to make dinner, the kids are having meltdowns and so are you. Take that 5 seconds to pause what you’re doing, look in the eye and say, “Welcome home! I’m glad you’re here.” Bonus points if you give a smile, hug and kiss too. ;)

14. Thank him for working so hard. Yes, being a stay-at-home mom is hard, but it’s not easy having a job outside the home either. In general, our men don’t feel appreciated. I read a blog post recently, where a divorced dad shared 16 ways his wife botched their marriage, and “not feeling appreciated” was #1. Say thanks. It’s a small statement, but it leaves a huge impact.