Whether or not you’re in perfect sync over every detail related to your future home, it’s important to capture (in one place) design elements that appeal to each of you before you talk to your architect or building designer. While these professionals are "visual" people, they are not mind-readers and they’re certainly not free. So the less time they have to spend getting into your head, the less you’ll have to dig into your wallet.

This simple exercise will lay the foundation for some productive discussions with each other and the professionals you hire to design and build your home. Hopefully, it will also minimize the extra charges that can occur due to misinterpretations.

Start out by collecting all those home building and decorating magazines you’ve been saving and find yourself a spot with room to spread out. Supplies you’ll need for this exercise include a 2" 3-ring binder, a set of 8 tab dividers, a couple of clear pocket pages (for things like color chips and items that are too small to punch), a paper punch, a stapler, a marker that will write on coated paper and a trash bag.

Go through each magazine and tear out the pages that contain details you like. It could be something as small as the hardware on a cabinet to something large like the way a room is trimmed out. If it’s a small detail, circle the detail with your marker; if it’s an entire article that attracts you, tear the whole section out and staple the pages together. Three-hole punch each page or section and insert it behind the appropriate divider.

Before you toss what left of each magazine into the trash bag, don’t forget to go to the back of the magazine for the resource information that applies to your saved page or section. Call or write the resource for product flyers and dealers nearest you. Visit some dealers to get an idea of cost, availability and comparables. While you’re out there, stop in at a builders supply store: look at roofing materials, try out actual windows, ask questions ... ask some more questions. Get used to carrying a pad of paper.

If you do this exercise with your mate (and I wholeheartedly suggest you do), DO NOT pass judgment on each other’s selections. Simply tear, punch and insert using your marker to note pages where you disagree. Besides reducing that pile of magazines, don’t forget the purpose of this exercise is to collect ideas for your new home -- a home that will belong to BOTH of you!