A Divorce, a Fresh New Start: What Should You Do with All Your Belongings?

Around one-third of marriages in the Netherlands end in divorce. Going through a divorce is a difficult experience, but it also marks a fresh new beginning. In a short period of time, you may have to deal with many decisions that can affect your life. Do you need to move to a smaller home for financial reasons? How will you divide your shared belongings, and where will you store your own possessions? How should you furnish your new home? In this blog, we help you think through the options.

Decide where you will live temporarily or permanently

In many divorces, both partners move out of the shared home. This happens in around 33% of cases. The family home is often too large and too expensive for one person to afford alone, so both partners move to smaller homes.

When the shared home cannot be sold immediately, one of the partners may need to find temporary accommodation elsewhere.

Create space in your new home

Have you already found a new home? Since it will probably be smaller than your previous home, you may not have enough room for all your belongings. A new home offers the opportunity to make a fresh start and keep your living space clean and organised.

Start by deciding:

• Which belongings you definitely want to take with you
• Which items you can get rid of
• Which belongings you would like to keep but do not currently have space for or have not yet had time to sort through

Large household items such as sofas, cupboards and beds will usually move with you to your new home. But what should you do when there is not enough space for them? You may also have boxes filled with photo albums, family heirlooms or books that you want to sort through later, but that currently only create clutter.

Consider temporarily storing these belongings in a small storage unit. This allows you to make a fresh start in your new home while keeping enough space for the things you use every day. At ALLSAFE Mini Storage, you may also be able to use a free transport service, so you do not have to worry about moving your belongings yourself.

Are you temporarily staying with your parents or friends because you have not yet found a new home? In that case, you may be able to take very few belongings with you and will probably need a larger storage unit.

Make your new home feel more spacious

Once you have moved into your new, and possibly smaller, home, you will need to decide which belongings to keep there and which ones to store elsewhere for the time being. The following tips can help make your home appear more spacious:

• Use light colours in your interior. They reflect natural light and make your home appear larger. Choose natural or pastel shades and use few or no patterns.
• Keep walkways and sightlines clear. Belongings left in corridors create a cluttered appearance and make the space feel smaller.
• Remember that less is more. Too many decorative items can make rooms feel crowded, so avoid placing too many candles, ornaments or figurines around the home.
• Add mirrors. Large mirrors can make a room appear almost twice as spacious. Placing mirrors opposite windows can make this effect even stronger.

With these tips, you can make a positive and refreshing start to this new chapter of your life. Do you have any useful tips of your own? Share them in the comments below!