You’ve probably heard of a wedding registry. Maybe a baby registry. A divorce registry works the same way — except it’s for the people who are starting over.
When a marriage ends, so does the shared household. The good dishes. The bed frame. The stand mixer you both picked out at the registry you made six years ago. Two people go from one life to two, and at least one of them — usually both — ends up needing to rebuild almost from scratch.
A divorce registry is a list of things you need for that new start, shared with the people in your life who want to help.
How a Divorce Registry Works
A divorce registry functions exactly like any other gift registry. You create a list, add items from any retailer you like, and share a link with the people you want to invite in. When someone wants to buy something, they click through to the retailer’s website and complete the purchase there. Once they’ve bought it, they come back and mark the item as purchased on your registry so no one buys the same thing twice.
With reStart, you can add items from any online store — not just a single retailer. Paste in a link, and the product name, image, and price are pulled in automatically. You can add a note to any item if you want to explain what it’s replacing or why it matters.
Who It’s For
Divorce registries are for anyone navigating the practical aftermath of a marriage ending. That might look like:
– Moving into your first apartment solo and needing everything a kitchen requires
– Finally getting your own place after months of limbo and starting completely fresh
– Rebuilding after a long marriage, when nearly everything in the home was shared
You don’t have to be dramatically destitute to use one. You just have to need things — and most people going through a divorce do.
Why People Create Them
The short answer: people want to help, and they don’t know how.
When someone you love goes through a divorce, the impulse to show up is real. But showing up is vague. A registry makes it concrete. Instead of a friend wondering whether to drop off food or send flowers or just text to say they’re thinking of you, they can buy you the cast iron skillet you’ve always wanted and know it’s useful.
That’s what a divorce registry does. It doesn’t ask for sympathy. It just gives people a way in.
If you’re ready to create one, the ReStart is free to use — here’s how to get started.
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