Shopping for a new sofa with your partner shouldn't be a cause for fighting. But sometimes tension can arise when the first two stores don't have what you're looking for, traffic mounts, and the day starts to slip away.

If you find yourself snapping at your partner by the third and fourth store, do your best to put it all in perspective. In the grand scheme of things, sofa shopping is low stress compared to raising kids and balancing the budget.

The more you can stay calm during low stress moments the better equipped you'll be to handle the tougher challenges life can throw your way.