Prepare for a divorce—create a household inventory

In most cases, people anticipate a divorce before it happens. While some actions taken before a divorce can receive an adverse reaction from a spouse, creating an inventory should not. Creating an inventory can be helpful in case you suffer an insurance loss such as fire, theft, or flood. An inventory can also be helpful in a divorce.

In a divorce the two spouses will have to divide the household belongings. Sometimes this occurs leisurely and sometimes in a rush. An inventory will make a split easier. If a court issues an order removing one party from the house having an inventory will make it easier for that person to receive a fair distribution of the household assets. If you are dividing items from memory you are likely to forget items that you care about.

Another benefit of having a household inventory is to reduce the potential for items to disappear. After a person who is out of the house takes their initial list of items it is much more difficult to obtain items from the house. That book that you received from your grandmother is likely to be thrown out if you don't retrieve it in the initial group of items. With digital photography you can incorporate photographs into your inventory.  By having a list you can designate items to retrieve later and avoid having them thrown out or sold.

The earlier you start the inventory the better off you are. It is also helpful to consult an experienceddivorce lawyer as early as possible. Both an inventory and a divorce lawyer can help you work through the difficult times created by a divorce.