The life changes that come with a divorce are huge. In the U.S., between 40% and 50% of married couples get a divorce. However, even with almost half of these couples divorcing, ending a marriage is still really difficult for a lot of people. The process often requires dividing up possessions you’ve shared and potentially moving into a new place. It can be even more complicated if there are children involved. As challenging as this life event can be, it can be easier if you have some tips for the transitional period after the divorce.
Purge Your Belongings
Although you may not have control of the emotional baggage you bring into your home, you can do something about the physical objects you own that may have bad memories associated with them. A divorce is a chance to start fresh — something that is hard to do if you’re unwilling to let go of belongings that will only remind you of your previous marriage. While you don’t have to get rid of everything, sifting through sentimental items and putting the few that you’re unwilling to let go in a box can help clear up a lot of physical and mental space.
Moving is a great time to reduce the amount of clutter that builds up in your day-to-day life. One of the largest forms of clutter that can be difficult to get rid of is paperwork. Mail, taxes, healthcare statements, and work documents are often important to hang onto. Instead of lugging around a boulder of paperwork for the rest of time, consider scanning all of your paper documents so you can store them on your computer instead. You can save a lot of valuable space in your new home by scanning files.
Make a Budget
One of the biggest things that changes after a divorce is your income. Life is usually a lot more affordable when you’re sharing your housing and bills with another person. The legalities of divorces are also pretty expensive and can set the divorcees back for at least a short while — not to mention the cost of moving itself can add up to several thousand dollars. Therefore, it can be helpful to save up some money for the divorce and budget your move carefully to avoid getting yourself into a difficult financial situation.
Although budgets are extremely helpful for financial stability, studies show that budgets are only used by 41% of Americans. One reason for this is that many Americans don’t know how to create and stick to a budget. The following are a few ways to get your budget started:
–Identify your income and spending
–Track your expenses
–Determine your goals
–Adjust your spending
Budgets take thoughtfulness and diligence, but they can reduce your financial stress by helping you make key purchases and save money. Putting effort into a budget can be really rewarding, and your move will be less stressful without financial worries.
Go Shopping
Once you’ve calculated a budget and know how much of an expendable income you’ll have, you can plan to do some shopping that will probably be necessary in order to replace anything that you had to give up during the divorce. This can be anything from appliances, to furniture, to decor. One mistake that many ex-spouses make is not understanding that, depending on the laws in your state, all assets are divided equally based on their worth, including your cars, bank accounts, and all of the household items. After a divorce, you’ll likely be missing a lot of standard household appliances and products.
In order to nest and truly make yourself feel at home in your new place — which is really important as you get used to living alone again — your home should be cozy and filled with everything you need. However, wait until after the move so you can avoid hauling things around.
If you have the money for it, you may also want to do some retail therapy. Especially after a bad divorce, you may want to refine your style a little bit as you get back on your feet. Get rid of some old attire and fill your closet with clothes that make you feel like the kind of person you want to be moving forward. Even just a few new articles of clothing can make you feel like a new person, which will help you during your whole transition post-divorce.
Set Up the Mail
This one is pretty standard for moving but can be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of a divorce. In order to avoid any awkward interactions about mail with your ex-spouse, make sure you get your mail directed to your new home and notify any companies that send you mail about your move. As you set up your new home, you’ll also be setting up bills solely in your name, which may take some adjusting to. Still, getting your mail set up can save you from a potentially large headache, so make sure to do this as soon as you know the address of your new home.
Transitioning into your own place can be difficult and emotional, especially if you lived with your spouse for a long time. However, this is an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and grow, which can be a really valuable time for you. By taking the steps to make a prepared and responsible move, you’ll be ready to start your new life and see where it takes you.
Need A Massage? Learn How To Give One To Yourself And Your Loved Ones
Receiving a massage, whether it’s given by someone else or self-administered, can help loosen your muscles and establish a better connection not only with your body but also with the people you love.
