Did you know that ADHD-ers are three-times more likely to struggle with clutter? And the typical clutter hacks don’t work for the ADHD brain?

So what are we supposed to do to declutter our home with ADHD?

Fun story…I have a masters degree in special education. And one of the areas we covered a lot was ADHD.

All the accommodations that were taught to us, I used in my classroom. And I thought they worked great in that one setting. But what I quickly learned, they didn’t work at home.

Because my kiddos with ADHD were able to only use the strategies in a controlled environment (aka my classroom). So I recommended that the families create those controlled environments at home so the kids could be successful everywhere.

Fast forward to having kiddos with ADHD, and realizing that I too have ADHD, I have changed how to think about some of the strategies that were taught in my special education classes and things I believed to be true while teaching.

I have taken my knowledge of organizing and decluttering along with what I have learned about ADHD and created, what I feel, is the best tutorial on how to declutter your home with ADHD.

Pre-Step One:

Because I like things in steps, I am writing out the declutter process in steps. And this isn’t really a step as it is a set-up to the step.

Pre-step one of decluttering with ADHD is to make a plan. But not just any plan.

Because our minds wonder so frequently, I created a checklist to keep our minds focused. You can get that for free above.

And, because we don’t always think about the “before the task” set up, and “after the task” projects, I included those in the checklist as well.

So pre-step one is to make a plan by downloading the checklist. And setting a deadline. When we give our brains deadlines for things, we tend to make sure they are getting done.

One way to set a deadline is align it to something that is coming up. For example, maybe you are leaving for a vacation. So you set the deadline to have all your declutter projects done before the vacation. This drives the urgency in our brains to get that task done.

You can also use having people over, going out for an event, or maybe just by Friday so you can order in.

Not into checklists, no worries. I am breaking down all the steps to follow so you can create your plan that way.

Step One:

The first thing we have to do is collect supplies. This is actually the “before the task” set up.

If you are like me, you don’t always give the before and after tasks enough time…or maybe don’t anticipate them at all!

So this task of collecting supplies is the set up to actually do the declutter.

Supplies you may need include:

• Garbage bags
• Cleaning supplies
• Stickie notes
• Label maker

Personally, I like having a declutter caddy with me. Inside the declutter caddy are all the items I enjoy having while I declutter. These include specific cleaning supplies, my label maker, scissors, phone charger, and declutter questions. It keeps me focused while I am cleaning out unwanted items.

I break down how to create a Declutter Caddie.

Or you can by all the printables and checklists to set up your own caddy.

Step 2:

After you have collected all your supplies, you can decide what room you are going to declutter.

Now we aren’t going to declutter the entire room. That’s just silly…and overwhelming.

Instead, we are going to focus on one category within the room.

Hear me out…when we give ourselves a dedicated room to stay in, we can do it. We see where we can walk to without moving outside that space to get distracted.

And when we only have one category of items, our brains enjoy the hunt and search process to find everything in that designated area.

Let me put it another way. Did you love Where’s Waldo books? Or I Spy books? Could you not let it go until you found every last item you were supposed to find on that page?

The idea of decluttering one room and one category comes from this thought process about some ADHD brains. We love the ability to find things.

So let’s put this into action and use it to help us declutter.

Now you may be asking yourself, what types of categories are in each room?

Well, don’t you worry. I created some ideas for you. But I know you will have more ideas. I can see that brain thinking!

• Kitchen + cooking utensils
• Kitchen + small gadgets (hand mixer sized)
• Kitchen + baking
• Kitchen + favorite foods in pantry
• Kitchen + spices (I love doing this is my brain wants order…alphabetizing works wonders)
• Closet + underwear
• Closet + socks
• Closet + button-up tops
• Closet + sweaters
• Closet + black pants
• Bedroom + books
• Bedroom + sheets
• Bedroom + one nightstand
• Bedroom + one surface
• Office + books (if you have too many, select one color of books to organize)
• Office + sort paper for 15 minutes
• Office + notebooks
• Family room + board games
• Family room + blankets
• Bathroom + towels
• Bathroom + lipstick (or all make-up if you don’t have a lot)
• Bathroom + items in your shower

Step 3:

Once you have decided on a category inside a room, you can take action.

Now there are a few different thoughts on timers in the ADHD community. Some people love them. Others get anxious.

This is something that was pushed back when I was getting my masters degree and am now rethinking the idea of timers for every task.

While I think they can be helpful for some people, they can cause our brains to get fixated on how much time is left instead of the task we are using the timer to complete.

So here’s how I use timers to help with motivation only.

I make it a game. When I am dragging my feet on a task, I pull out my timer and set it for 15 minutes. Then I have to race to complete the task before the timer runs out.

It is a race against the clock for me. Which means the tasks I am focusing on don’t involve a lot of mental bandwidth. Cleaning something, doing dishes, tidying up a room, decluttering easy items (aka not papers, photos, or sentimental items).

Another way to challenge yourself is to set a stopwatch and see how long a task takes you. This is a motivational strategy for one of my kiddos.

That kiddo enjoys racing themself. So when the stopwatch starts, they take action. We record the time. And the following time, they try to beat their previous time.

So on the checklist, I have set timer. But this could also be set stopwatch.

You have to pick which time option works for you.

Step 3 3/4:

Decluttering can look different for different people and different locations.

Yup, not helpful.

But the overall goal is the same no matter where you are decluttering: to remove things that don’t belong in that location.

Sometimes that means throwing things into the garbage.

Other times that means donating items you don’t need in your home but are still in good/useable condition.

It can also mean putting things back in their designated or logical location. Like keys for the car can be stored near your purse or jacket.

The 15 minutes you use to declutter can look however you want for the space you are tackling. Don’t overthink it.

But if you do want to go down some decluttering rabbit holes, I got you:

ADHD Guide To Minimizing Clutter

ADHD Guide To Decluttering Your Home : Decluttering Checklist For ADHD Brains

ADHD Declutter Questions To Ask Yourself

Step-By-Step ADHD Closet Decluttering Tips

Turning Decluttering Into A Game: ADHD Task Hack

Are You Using Checklists Wrong? Checklists For ADHD

Step 4:

When the timer goes up, it means stop. And time to tackle the aftermath. (That is what I call all the stuff left out after a declutter project.)

The aftermath may include garbage that needs to be taken out.

This could be anything from trash that needs to be taken out to notebooks that ended up in the kitchen or kitchen gadgets hiding in your closet. Whatever you uncover needs to be returned to its proper place, helping you reset and refresh the space. You might even take a moment to clean the area for a complete reset!

Clean the space if you need to. Or maybe you did it as you were decluttering. I do that sometime.

And label where all the new items go. Since you spent time removing the unwanted items, use the stickie notes to label where things belong.

This step is important so you are left with a space that you worked hard to achieve.

So take time to tackle the aftermath.

Step 5:

My favorite step…reward!

After you completed your entire declutter process, you can reward yourself!

Maybe you need to write the reward down first, before you start. Or maybe you just know once you are done you get a treat.

If I am using a deadline like a vacation or friend coming over, I use that as my reward. I don’t feel rushed or frantic. I can enjoy my time.

Other times I do need a reward like coffee, chocolate, or scrolling social media!

Whatever you need, either write it down or know you get to celebrate your hard work.

How To Declutter With ADHD

Decluttering doesn’t have to be a task we avoid.

If we have a plan that includes time for set up and clean up, we are going to tackle the decluttering head on. Maybe it’s not enjoyable. But it can be done.

Our brains love when things are organized. We do better when they are. But getting there can be tough for some of us.

So let’s use things that make sense to our advantage. Let’s use our brains favorite activities, like searching for things and beating the clock, to declutter small areas of the house.

Then we will label our newly organized space so our brains can start to go on autopilot when putting things away.

And if the labeling of the project is too much, ask for help! I am sure you have a few organized friends who would love to bust out their label makers and set you up for success!

More Posts You Will Love:

Use the KonMari Method to Declutter Your Home– the KonMari method is a way to declutter your home. These tips may help you as you declutter.

Organizing Tips For Children With ADHD At Home– these tips can help your child stay organized with ADHD.

How To Think Like A Professional Organizer While Decluttering Your Home– use the tips that professional organizers use to declutter their homes.