5 Tips For Moving Into A Smaller Home After Divorce

Becoming a one-income household after years of being married often means downsizing in various areas of life, including your home. Moving into a smaller home after a divorce can make the most sense financially while also giving you a chance to start fresh with less belongings that remind you of your old life. Here are five tips for moving into a smaller home after divorce:

Hire Professional Local Movers

Divorce is stressful enough, and when you add the stress of a move, things can quickly become overwhelming. The best way to eliminate stress from your move is to hire professional local movers instead of attempting to tackle the move yourself or guilt tripping friends into moving you. Hiring movers will ensure a quick, efficient, stress-free move with all of your belongings handled professionally to decrease the risk of anything breaking.

Declutter as Much as Possible

If you move into a smaller space while trying to hold onto all of your old belongings, your new home will end up feeling cramped and cluttered, which will only increase your stress. A better approach is to declutter as much as possible before your move, thinning out your belongings. Look at getting rid of old stuff you no longer need or want as turning over a new leaf. Have a yard sale or donate your old things to a thrift store, allowing you to create a peaceful, uncluttered space in your new home.

Consider Hiring Professional Packers

In addition to movers, you may want to hire professional packers to make your move even easier. For many people, packing is the most annoying aspect of moving, and one that tends to be put off until the last minute, which only makes things more stressful. By hiring packers, you will ensure your belongings are packed in a way that protects them from damage, and in a way that is organized and clearly labeled. Using professional packers makes moving into your new home and getting settled in a much easier process.

Add Your Own Personality to Your New Home

If your ex is keeping the furniture and other large items, look at this as a positive thing as you can pick out new furnishings that suit your taste and have them delivered straight to your new home. When deciding how to decorate and set up your own home, get in touch with the colors, artwork, dishes, and furniture that will make your home feel joyful, peaceful, and like an outer representation of your taste. If you rarely were able to pick things out for your home while married, this can be a very liberating experience.

Practice Good Self Care Before, During, and After Your Move

Experts consider both divorce and moving to be among life's most stressful events, and when you experience both at the same time it's easy to become anxious and depressed. It's important to take very good care of yourself during this time, and find ways to minimize your stress. Hiring movers is a good start, since it eliminates a stressful aspect of moving and gives you more time to take good care of yourself.

Other ways to practice good self care include talking to a therapist, taking breaks from moving-related tasks in order to have fun and see friends and family, working out to release pent-up stress and energy, and doing things that feel good, like cooking a meal from scratch, taking a gentle yoga class, or picking out throw pillows and wall art for your new home.

By following these tips, you will be able to make the most of your move into a smaller home and turn it into a positive experience.

Share