10 ADHD-Friendly Tips to Make Organizing Easier
Does organizing your home feel like a never-ending battle, hard and overwhelming, and you want to give up? Or maybe you haven't even started.
But it doesn't have to be that way with the right strategies. Stick with me as I share 10 tips designed to make this process easier.
Know that organizing is not a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all process. It's more about designing a system for your habits and behaviors.
So, let's dive into the 10 tips to help you organize your home easier.
Because some of us would rather watch than read, I also made a video that breaks it down for you. Check it out here👇
1: Make a Plan
Starting a new project with excitement is common, but it's easy to get sidetracked without a plan. This is particularly true for people with ADHD, who often struggle with planning. Therefore, planning is a vital step in the organizing process, keeping you on track and preventing aimless wandering.
Think of planning as a GPS for organizing. It gives you a direction without aimlessly wandering through your home trying to organize. We've all been there.
You start organizing your makeup drawer, and then you find things that don't belong there. You put them where they belong and start organizing that area.
Having a plan will keep you on track, create less overwhelm, and make the process easier.
2: Manage Your Expectations
This is the number one thing that will stop you from organizing or following through.
Organizing is not about perfection. It's about progress. It's not about having rainbow-colored baskets or everything in order and it looks like you don't live in your home.
It's about finding the things when you need them and putting them back with ease. It's about living in a functional home that works for you.
Setting realistic expectations and being open to changes is key in organizing. The process becomes much easier and less stressful when we're not fixated on a specific outcome but on making progress.
Set your expectations for progress and not perfection.
3: Redefine Your Timeline
This is the second thing that will cause you to stop organizing your home. We get frustrated and overwhelmed because things don't get done in the time we think they should. If you've never organized your home before, how do you know how long it's going to take?
You are not going to organize your home in a weekend. It is best to break the timeline down into projects instead of saying, "I want my home organized by the end of the month."
Break it down into projects or zones. For example, you want to organize your kitchen by the end of the month. But if you have a lot of things, that might not be realistic. So, create your timeline around projects, zones or area not dates.
This will reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and wanting to give up.
4: Create Drop Zones That Fit Your Habits
This is a lifesaver for the ADHD person, but I think it's a lifesaver for everyone. Think of them as parking spaces for your everyday items.
You come home, and you set your keys down on the counter, or you throw them in your purse, or you might do something else with them, and then later, you're searching for your keys.Am I right?
Create a designated space for your keys, and make it easy. I use a small wooden decorative bowl for easy tossing and retrieval. It makes a great decor piece on a table yet houses my keys. No more searching for the keys because they have a designated home that is easy to put away and retrieve.
When your everyday items have a designated place, you feel more in control, and things flow much more quickly.
5: Choose The Proper Containers
Not all ADHD containers are ADHD-friendly. Think of it as you have a thick milkshake and you're trying to drink it through a skinny straw. It gets frustrating, right?
The same goes for containers. You want containers with no lids because it's one less step you have to do to retrieve or put away your items. Find containers that work for you and feel easy. Clear bins, labels, baskets, and trays work than other types of storage.
This will reduce frustration and allow you to keep things where they belong instead of on a counter or random place.
💡you can find more details about contianers in the free guide "12 Essential Hacks For An ADHD Friendly Home" It's packed with extra strategies to help you organize your ADHD home step by step!
6: Keep It Simple
Overcomplicating things is like assembling Ikea furniture without instructions. It can be confusing and frustrating.
Stick with fewer categories when you're organizing. We all have underwear and socks, so it would be great if you could keep them in separate drawers or put a divider in the drawer so you have two categories in one drawer.
When there are several categories, it becomes very overwhelming for anyone, especially the ADHD person, because their executive functions don't allow them to remember 10 different categories in one drawer as easily as two or three.
You do what works for you, what feels easy. You know yourself best. So if three categories feel good, then do that. Remember, there is no cookie-cutter approach to organizing; it's about tailoring it to fit your habits and behaviors.
7: Follow Your Habits
Instead of conforming to and fighting against someone else's system, lean into your instincts.
For example, you come home from work, and as you enter your home, you drop your purse, coat, and keys right at the door. Lean into that.
Design a system around those habits. The ADHD people are more than likely not going to want to take their coat, go over and open a closet door, grab a hanger, put their coat on the hanger, put the coat back up, and then close the door because that feels hard, and it should feel easy.
Grab a coat tree so you can hang it easily. To make it even easier, get hooks for your purse and keys.
You want to create an organization that feels effortless and is connected to your habits.
8: Fewer Categories
Fewer categories can be a true lifesaver for someone with ADHD. Imagine your closet overloaded with clothes organized by every little detail—color, fabric, occasion, and even the length of the sleeves.
It probably makes your head spin, and the anxiety creeps in, and you know there's no way you can ever keep up with that system. Now, picture dividing your closet into a few broad sections like casual, work, and special occasions.
With fewer, broader categories, your brain doesn't have to sift through endless specifics. It's much easier to know where to find your favorite shirt or pair of pants when everything is grouped in a way that makes sense to you.
This approach reduces overwhelm and helps you locate what you are looking for more quickly and put them back in an orderly fashion that works with your habits and behaviors.
9: Limit Your Time
This is a game-changer. Organizing isn't a marathon—it's about short bursts of focused effort.
Set your timer for 10 to 15 minutes to tackle one task at a time. This time limit helps you stay focused, preventing distractions or getting sidetrack.
Even if the task isn't one you love, knowing you only are organizing for 10 to 15 minutes and that makes it feel more manageable.
Think of these time blocks like a power nap for your to-do list—a quick burst that cuts through overwhelm, helping you make progress without feeling drained.
10: Make It Fun
Many people do not do this when organizing. ADHD brains love fun and novelty. So let's put some fun into our organizing. Turn on some music, go ahead and dance while you organize, listen to a podcast, or turn on an audiobook.
Or make it a game. See how much you can organize in your 10 to 15-minute sprint. When you are having fun, you're more likely to stick with your organizing, creating motivation so you'll want to continue.
Remember, organizing is not about one system that fits everyone. It's about designing something that works around your habits and your behaviors. It's not about perfection; it's about progress.
Small, consistent steps will create big wins when organizing your home, and adding fun to the process will make it even easier.
At the end of the day, organizing is about making life easier, not harder. It's about finding the items when you need them easily and returning them just as quickly.
Most importantly, organizing is not the same method for everyone. Figuring out your habits and behaviors, what works best for you, and your way of functioning will be the solution to successfully organizing your home.
Regardless of whether it is setting up drop zones, simplifying categories, or working in short bursts, any small changes can add up to lasting results that work for you.
🎯 Ready to have a more ADHD-friendly home? Download the free guide
"12 Essential Hacks for an ADHD- Friendly Home” now. It's filled with practical tips to help you create an ADHD-friendly home that feels supportive and stress-free.
