Many times more often than not these days, men and women go through a traumatic experience and lose their partner and their best friends.  For whatever reason you decided to end it, the relationship is over and it’s time to focus on yourself and what you want.  The most common thing to do after a big break-up is to change the color and or cut of your hair, or lose 20 pounds, or buy the fancy sports car, but what about your home?  All of those things are great because they make you feel better, but why not focus some of that energy towards getting your identity back and decorate that man or woman right out of your home! 

Decorating or re-decorating after a divorce or break-up can be a new beginning, a chance to create a new environment in a way that reflects your style without having to compromise, which is often the case in a serious relationship or marriage! Most of the time we give the man at least one room they can decorate however they chose, whether it be the basement, the office, or the garage, but we usually have to decide together on how the shared space will be decorated.  We usually have to compromise on what we buy, if there will be a formal or informal family room, where the TV goes and how we actually decorate.  But now is the time to do whatever you want to make you feel good and have it exactly the way YOU want it.  Go ahead be selfish, buy things and decorate in ways that make you happy.

So how do you re-decorate the ex right out of your home and find your really feminine or masculine side?  Start small, if you are thinking pink, start with buying the pink mixer, pink cooking utensils and maybe the pink Cone dustbuster. You may want to wait a few months before you actually paint your walls pink. Keep in mind that break-ups are very new in the beginning and you don’t want to do anything too drastic.  Painting the bedroom walls black are probably a bad idea, (even if that is what your heart is feeling today).  Every day you will most likely go through an array of mixed emotions therefore black is not the answer.  But why not buy that red washer and dryer, or change your comforter out and make it that sassy leopard print.  If your ex hated the color yellow and you absolutely love it, use it.  If you hated the women’s flowered motifs, get rid of them.  Bring in the super masculine modern style you always wanted, buy the black flat screen T.V.  This is your time to do whatever you want.  Keep in mind though not to get too girlie or masculine, because you don’t want to have to make huge changes later when the real man or woman of your dreams comes into your life. You don’t want to spend a lot of money, and then come to find out the massive flat screen TV you mounted on the ceiling in the bedroom has got to go, or the giant sofa you had custom made reminds your man of a bottle of pepto.  Stick to small changes, grab a pink slip cover or switch the shade of your lamp, take down the country wall paper, add stainless steel appliances.  Do small things that will make you completely happy and in love with your home, but things that can easily be changed later. 

If you don’t have a huge budget, hit the local flea markets, ask friends if they are getting rid of old furniture, or even revamp the pieces you have now with a bright new layer of paint color.  Inspire yourself to make your home a happy home with items that bring you pleasure!