Your ex-husband officially moves out of your house — and your life. But don’t ever feel like you’re left behind. If anything, the end of a marriage is an excellent opportunity to regain your sense of self. And with new beginnings, there is no better place to start than your home.
Purge Your Home of Your Ex’s Clutter
Does your ex like to shop and hoard a bunch of things? It’s time to purge all the closets and throw away all his clutter. You no longer need that mess in your life. While you’re at it, rip off the band-aid and get everything that reminds you of your ex — from your couple photos to his toothbrush — out of your sight.
If you have kids, it might be difficult to make your home free of the remnants of your immediate past. Of course, you may still want to keep that family portrait in the living room. But at least, make an effort to reduce all those emotional triggers to a minimum. It’s for your own good.
Out with the Old, In with the New
Now that you’ve reclaimed your space at home, it’s time to bring in new decors and furniture pieces. Redecorating your home after a divorce can be therapeutic, especially if your own style has been buried under that leather sofa or dark-toned carpet that your former husband immensely loves.
Plus, divorce involves loss. It’s possible that a painting that you and your ex bought from your favorite gallery in Colorado Springs won’t be yours, even if your divorce attorney has fought to get that artwork during the division of property. Don’t fret about that anymore. Go out and shop for new pieces, instead. Scour flea markets and secondhand stores if you’re on a budget. Just remember to pick decors and other household items that embody your own style — those that can make the house feel like yours again.
Let Yourself Indulge a Little
While redecorating your home, let yourself indulge a little. This doesn’t mean impulsively booking a famous interior designer to give your home a complete makeover. Just do things that weren’t possible before, or weren’t a priority. Buy that unconventional centerpiece table you’ve always wanted. Hire someone to redo your kitchen flooring if you can afford it. With these little acts of self-love, you can begin to make yourself a priority again.
Bring in Nature
Bring nature to your home through succulents and other indoor plants. Houseplants are an inexpensive way to enhance the interior look of your place. Plus, seeing greenery every day can help you feel more relaxed and calm during this transitional and probably unhappy time. Don’t worry if you don’t have a green thumb. There are a lot of houseplants and succulents that are easy to take care of, unlike your ex.
Redecorating your home alone can be overwhelming. But sometimes, completing a huge task like that can give you the measure of confidence you need. You can tell yourself now that if you can overcome a challenging redecorating job, you can survive divorce.
