How to Clean Up Your Life After Going Through Divorce

Divorce brings a lot of change with it, so it’s no surprise that your house might look a little different once you get through this stage of life. More specifically, it can be hard to keep your space clean. But it’s important to at least try. You can get started using these tips.

Get Into a Routine

The easiest way to keep your house clean — and keep your mind off your divorce — is by getting into the regular habit of cleaning. If you’re used to your ex doing some or most of the housework, this is especially important, since it can be hard to know where to start. So get into the habit of performing certain tasks on days of the week that work for you.

For example, if you have some free time on the weekends, make sure you do most of the housework those days. Maybe do all your laundry and dusting on Saturday, and then vacuum or mop on Sunday. Then Monday through Friday, just tidy up and do the dishes every night. This way, you always know which tasks you need to do each day, and you also know which days you’ll have clean clothes or a clean floor for sure.

Make Choices That Work for You

When you’re married, you have to compromise on quite a bit. This means your spouse might say you can’t put up a poster you love or that you can’t display your favorite pillows on the couch. But now you run your own household, so you get to say how it’s decorated. It might take some time to get used to this idea, but you’ll love it once you do.

So next time you shop for household items, choose the sheets, towels and soaps that suit your tastes, not anyone else’s. Light up the candles in the scents you love, without worrying about offending someone else’s nose. And decorate in a way that you like, because you’re the only one who will be looking at it every day.

Stock Your Shelves

Speaking of going shopping for household items, make sure you stock up when you go. You certainly don’t want to run out of laundry detergent on your day to do laundry, and you don’t want to realize you’re out of Kleenex the second you get a cold.

If you’re not used to being the one doing the shopping, try to buy in bulk. This way, you don’t have to take too many trips to the store, so you won’t have to change up your routine too much as you get used to living on your own again. You can even buy online if you can’t make it to the store anytime soon. As you shop, think about any household items you go through fast and don’t want to run out of, such as dish soap, shampoo, toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels and laundry detergent.

If all else fails, you can always pay someone to clean the house for you or even shop for you. But before you hire someone, give yourself some time to adjust and at least try doing the cleaning and shopping on your own. You might find you’re better at taking care of your house than you thought! And in the meantime, if you have any legal questions about the divorce process, come to the Law Office of Edgar & Dow today for help.