Your Divorce Agreement: Splitting Property

Division of personal property is a big project, especially if you and your ex-spouse were together for a long time. It’s not as simple as “you get one, I get one”; you need a framework for dividing not just the practical items like furniture and tools but sentimental objects, too, such as family photographs. 

Here are some tips to help the process run smoothly. 

General household items

For things such as furniture, decor, kitchen equipment, and other ubiquitous household items, we suggest an exercise called the Property Project. It’s a simple and fair way to divide up your things. 

Here’s what you need:

• Two colors of sticky notes (one for you, one for your spouse)
• Markers
• Your phone

And here’s how it works:

• Make a list of off-limits items. These are items you are unwilling to budge on (though you may still have to in the end). We’ll tackle that when we discuss sentimental items.
• Pick a room in your home, then flip a coin to see who chooses first. 
• Take turns tagging items you want using the sticky notes. Don’t move on to the next room until all the contents are completely divided.
• Once all the contents of a room are tagged, take photos of each item for good measure.
• If there’s something nobody wants, determine whether it should be sold or given away.
• Move on to the next room. The person who lost the toss in the previous room goes first in the next room. Don’t forget the basement, garage, shed, etc.

Sentimental items

Heirlooms and gifts

Separate from the Property Project, make a list of any items that are off-limits, such as heirlooms or gifts. Be sure to note...