Making sense of it all
One thing that is coming up multiple times in my career as a professional home organizer is the mention of ADD and ADHD. It turns out that in 1994 it was decided that all forms of attention deficit disorder would be called ADHD. What is ADHD and how can we better understand how it can affect the organization of ourselves and our loved ones that are navigating life with the diagnosis? ADHD is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Symptoms might include: a hard time keeping track of things (keys for example), not being able to focus on jobs, activities, conversations, and tasks for extended periods of time, talking too much, not being able to settle down/sit still, fidgeting, difficulty waiting, and more. As you can imagine, these symptoms often result in a disorganized mind which can lead to a disorganized home. Even without a diagnosis, many of us can feel this way from time to time. How can we use this knowledge in order to take control of a life that feels like a mess?
I am not a doctor or a specialist, so I won’t be delving into the details of causes and diagnosis, but one key point of interest in this condition is the effect that dopamine has on our attention and focus. Dopamine is a chemical messenger in the brain that has an important role in how we pay attention, focus, move and function. People with ADHD may process dopamine differently and/or have lower levels of dopamine in certain areas of their brain. This may be the reason why individuals with ADHD struggle in some areas, while not in others. Additionally, it affects the brain’s reward system which impacts the person’s desire (or lack of) to do mundane tasks with no immediate gratification.
Knowing that, let’s take a look at how we can make life easier at home (or in the office) for someone facing these challenges:
Make it easy.
Multi-step systems take a lot of focus. Take out any unnecessary steps and simplify to the bare bones for best success. For example, filing bills. A binder labeled with every category of bills, with tabs categorizing them even further is enough to make any of us go nuts. You have to hole punch the paper, take out the binder, open the binder, put it in, close the binder, and so on. No thank you! Take out the middle steps to make a mundane task like filing simple. A filing cabinet with a hanging file called “2024 taxes” can hold all receipts, donations, and IRS documents until they need to be filed. Separating them into “receipts”, “donations”, etc requires too many unnecessary steps.. A folder named “Utilities” would be sufficient for the most recent statements and any important account information for all utilities instead of a separate space for each (ex. electric, gas, water…). Folding laundry is a lot for someone with ADHD. Anyone can still be organized without folding (for real!) - using labeled bins for things like “pajamas” and “gym clothes” can take the pressure off. Instead of folding and putting away, just drop the items in their bin. This technique is just as effective as a Marie Kondo fold and more approachable for many people.
Prioritize.
After breaking down a day or a task into smaller pieces, prioritize it. Pick your top 3 items to focus on and forget the rest.
Make it obvious.
Second-guessing where something goes is enough for someone with ADHD to give up and move onto the next thing their brain hands them. Keys go right by the door when they walk in (a shallow dish might be easier than a hook for some people), all trash bins and laundry hampers will be used more frequently if they don’t have a lid and are in a place that is not behind a closed door. Clear labeling takes the mental load down a notch so things feel more defined and doable.
Vertical over Horizontal.
When filing paperwork, clothing, or anything really, try filing vertically so things can be flipped through instead of piled on top of one another. Being visible and easily accessible is huge for simplifying mundane tasks.
Use a planner and/or calendar.
Write down important events and to-dos. Use reminders to keep the lists out of your head and on paper (or in a digital list) instead.
Use timers.
Setting a timer for a task can help keep the focus where it needs to be. Knowing you have 5 minutes to put laundry away is much easier to grasp than “putting laundry away” which can feel too vague and daunting.
Make it comfortable.
Noises can be very distracting for me so while loud music might be your go-to for getting a boring task done, I prefer quiet or a podcast. Chores around the home seem easier when you are wearing something comfortable. For a busy day of home chores, put on something you feel super comfortable in! If you have a lot of driving to do, after you write your list of priorities, grab yourself a coffee or something that makes the errands more bearable.
Delegate.
Too many things on your mind? Delegate the least appealing to get it off your plate. A spouse, a child, a neighbor, or even hiring someone out to do the mundane can free you up for the things you enjoy the most. If you need help getting organized, a professional organizer like myself could help get you started and/or encourage you to focus on the task at hand. It’s much more fun with a helper that’s in your court and the immediate gratification of a decluttering session could get that dopamine flowing!
For more information about ADHD, please consult your doctor and/or the National Institute for Mental Health.
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