The divorce moving project: how to get out unscathed

There are few people out there that enjoy moving. It’s a long and arduous process that requires a lot of heavy lifting and stressful decisions, and in the end all of your items — the couch, the TV, the tables, etc. — all end up in roughly the same spot that they were before, except it’s in a different house. Moving is a tough job.

Now imagine you’re moving — an already stressful and exacerbating exercise — in the midst of a divorce. How do you think that would go? Would you and your spouse be at each other’s throats, screaming and yelling about every individual item that was being moved?

Maybe, but there is a better way. First of all, before you even move, you need to decide how property division will be handled. You could leave this up to a judge, but that could result in a decision that neither you nor your spouse particularly likes. It will also save you money to avoid the courtroom. You and your spouse should agree to amicably negotiate who gets what in property division.

With that all settled, when it comes to moving day, remember that the two of you will feel some stress. This is only natural. So a brief conversation beforehand to get everyone on the same page can help. Also, if you have kids, you should leave them out of the moving process. They are already dealing with a lot with the divorce, and involving them in the move could create some tension.

Source: Times Dispatch, “Avoid a tug-of-war in divorce moves,” Peter Bacque, Oct. 25, 2014