You Can Do It All: Taking Care of Your Home After Divorce

Divorce doesn’t just change your relationship status. It often changes your entire to-do list. Suddenly, you're the one responsible for everything around the house. And if you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even know how to change an air filter,” you’re not alone.

But let me be very clear: There is nothing your ex did around the house that you can’t learn to do... and probably do better.

This season isn’t about perfection.

It’s about ownership. 

And confidence.

And remembering that pride in your space is pride in yourself.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here are my top tips (and a few tools I swear by) to help you feel capable, organized, and empowered in your home again.

Step One: Get the Tools

No, you don’t need to become a contractor. But having the right basics on hand makes a world of difference.

Here’s what I recommend for every divorced woman’s toolkit:

• A basic tool set (This one is compact and pink because… why not?)

• A cordless drill (My favorite here — easy to use and rechargeable)

• A ladder (This one folds and stores easily)

You don’t have to know how to use everything today — but start by watching a few YouTube tutorials and trying small things first. Hanging a frame, tightening a door hinge, fixing a squeaky cabinet... it all adds up.

Step Two: Put Systems in Place

When someone else used to handle these things, it’s easy to let them slip. So let your phone or your Alexa do the remembering for you.

• Set monthly reminders for:

  • Air filter replacements

  • Smoke detector battery checks

  • Pest control appointments

  
  

• Set weekly reminders for:

  • Trash night

  • Watering plants

  • Budget check-ins

Trust me, this removes so much mental clutter.

Step Three: Learn What You Don’t Know

Did your ex always grill? Fix stuff? Handle the grocery runs?

Now’s the time to either learn it or delegate it confidently, but don’t assume you can’t.

Try a new recipe. Watch a tutorial on grilling basics. Learn to use the lawn tools. If you don’t want to do it forever, that’s fine. But knowing you can? That changes everything.

Step Four: Get the Kids Involved

Your kids are watching. Not just how you survive, but how you rebuild. Let them take pride in your home too.

• Give them small responsibilities that match their age.

• Show them how to clean a bathroom, fold towels, take out trash.

• Use phrases like:

  • “This is how we take care of our space.”

  • “Let's help each other out - we are a team.”

It builds respect, responsibility, and connection, and it reminds them they’re part of something stable and strong.

Final Reminder: You’ve Got This

You’re not just taking over the to-do list, you’re taking back your power. One chore, one drill bit, one trash night at a time.

So if you ever feel overwhelmed, remember this: You're not doing it all because you have to. You're doing it all because you can.

And every task is proof of how strong, capable, and resourceful you’ve become.

What’s something you’ve learned to do on your own that made you feel unstoppable?

With love, Lindsay