Whether it’s a messy home office, overflowing wardrobe, or a cluttered living room, disorganization can be a significant issue for adults living with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). The symptom list of ADHD includes impulsivity, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and the inability to focus, making decluttering a daunting task. However, decluttering with ADHD is not impossible. By applying specific strategies and techniques, it can become a manageable task leading to a less chaotic and more organized environment.
Understanding the Role of ADHD in Decluttering
People with ADHD often struggle with decluttering due to inherent challenges: problems with focus, difficulties in organizing thoughts, impulsivity, poor planning skills, and time management issues. This situation frequently leads to a consistent accumulation of items making the environment cluttered.
Moreover, anxiety and depression, which are common in people with ADHD, can further impair the decluttering process. When left untreated, this situation might evolve into a vicious cycle of anxiety due to clutter, procrastination to clean, and resultant further accumulation.
Establish a Decluttering Goal
It’s essential for individuals with ADHD to establish achievable decluttering goals. Goals can help maintain motivation and provide a clear direction. Concrete and measurable goals, like “declutter the kitchen countertop by Saturday,” are more effective than vague goals such as “clean the house.”
Develop a Plan
After setting a clear goal, the next step is to develop a plan. Breaking down the goal into manageable chunks is an effective strategy. In the case of decluttering, you can break the entire process into small tasks such as sorting out one drawer, one shelf, or one box at a time. Furthermore, using visual cue cards or checklists can help you stay updated on the cleaning progress.
Creating Decluttering Rituals
With ADHD, consistency might be a challenge, but it’s a critical aspect of decluttering. Establishing daily, weekly, or monthly decluttering rituals can help maintain a clean and orderly environment. Simple daily rituals could incorporate placing things back where they belong after use, throwing trash immediately, or a 15-minute tidy-up session every evening.
Use of Digital Tools
Technology can be leveraged to assist in the decluttering process. Several apps and digital organizers can help keep track of tasks, provide gentle reminders to declutter, and even offer motivation through gamification. Notion, Trello, Evernote, and Habitica are a few examples of such tools.
Consider Adopting the Minimalist Lifestyle
For many individuals with ADHD, a minimalist approach to life can significantly reduce clutter. By owning fewer things, there’s less to organize, less to clean, and less to distract.
Use of Labels
People with ADHD often struggle with memory recall. Using clear labels can help them quickly identify where things should go and aid in maintaining order. Labels can be colored, coded, or contain images for easy identification.
Categorize Items
In the cleaning process, items should be categorized into four types: keep, toss, donate, and sell. This strategy helps in making decisions about each item quickly rather than spending excessive time contemplating each item’s fate.
Establish Zones
Establishing specific zones in each room for different activities can further assist in organizing the living space. Examples could be a reading zone in the living room with a bookshelf and a cozy chair or a cooking zone in the kitchen with all the cooking utensils and ingredients.
Employ a Buddy System
Taking on a major task like decluttering can be overwhelming for people with ADHD. Having a supportive friend, family member, or professional organizer can provide motivation, guidance, and act as a distraction buffer.
Embrace Habits that Support Stay Organized
Stay organized is just as crucial as the decluttering process. Habits such as making the bed every morning, washing dishes immediately after use, or regularly putting laundry away, can make a significant difference.
Seeking Professional Help
If decluttering continues to be a challenge despite your best efforts, there’s no harm in seeking professional help. ADHD Coaches, therapists, professional organizers, or even house cleaning services can provide valuable assistance.
Conclusion
While decluttering with ADHD can seem like an insurmountable challenge, it’s achievable with the right techniques and approaches. Small, consistent efforts towards decluttering can drastically transform the living environment into a more serene and less chaotic space, helping to manage ADHD symptoms and improve overall quality of life.
Remember, the decluttering process should not be a punishment but a step towards a better life. Patience, kindness to oneself, and celebrating even the small victories can make the cleaning journey less daunting and more rewarding.
References
- Ramsay, J. R., & Rostain, A. L. (2008). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult ADHD: An integrative psychosocial and medical approach. Routledge.
- Tuckman, A. (2011). More attention, less deficit: Success strategies for adults with ADHD. Specialty PressInc.
- Morgenstern, J. (2004). Organizing from the inside out for teenagers: The foolproof system for organizing your room, your time, and your life. Owl books.
- Zich, K., & Kawasoe, S. (2001). Photo decluttering: Understanding photo discard practices. Proceedings of the 19th ACM SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, pp. 977-986.
