ADHD Decluttering Strategies Made Simple & Effective
Sometimes when you look at the clutter it can feel… impossible, overwhelming, chaotic. For a lot of people, a quick tidy is no big deal, but when you have ADHD it’s not the same. That’s why this guide focuses on educating you on how to declutter with ADHD.
That’s when you can feel overwhelmed, you freeze up, and before you know it, those little piles of stuff become big mountains.
There’s are ways that can really help people with ADHD, and the answer doesn’t have to be perfectionism or minimalism.
It’s about creating a space that genuinely works for you — taking small, achievable steps and making small, manageable, practical changes.
To give you some info:
ADDitude magazine did a survey: among 1,885 readers with ADHD, 30% said clutter/home disorganisation causes them the most stress in life; 60% said they were dissatisfied with their home organisation / decluttering skills; only about 1% said they didn’t experience trouble in this area.
Understanding Your Brain, Not Fighting It
We’ve all heard the common decluttering advice, but it just doesn’t always work when you’re facing the challenges of living with ADHD.
- That heavy feeling when a job seems too big to even begin? That’s task paralysis.
- Thinking a job will take five minutes, only to lose hours (or give up after ten minutes)? That’s time blindness.
- And the endless “keep, donate, or bin” decisions that wear you down? That’s decision overload.
Working with and for your brain is the key. Little wins and creating simple systems that are easy to stick to. Sometimes even totally ignoring what you see on social media – or at least making your own version of it. Perfectionism is not the goal!
Getting Stuck In, One Room at a Time
When you’re figuring out how to declutter your home with ADHD, lessen your initial expectations if that was getting your whole home completed in a day. Even a room. I’m a Professional Organsier and believe me it takes longer than you think to do a proper job.
Start small: one drawer, one cupboard, one corner. That’s where progress begins and you will still get a huge buzz when it’s complete. If you pull too much out it can overwhelm you (whether you have adhd or not!)
Always try to work on that small area, when you pull things out keep them lined up and neat and lastly complete before you stop.
Kitchen: Start Small
There are some vital guidelines if you want your kitchen to be less chaotic and less hard to keep tidy.
Really try and ditch anything you just don’t use. The gadgets that are gathering dust, the excess bowls and glassware you never use.
Is there anything you only use occasionally that’s taking up space? Get it out of the kitchen and store it somewhere marking it ‘dinner party ware’ or ‘spare’ then when you do need it, it’s there. It doesn’t need to be taking up that space you need for your day to day life.
Do not fill your cupboard with endless jars unless you actually love that process and extra work and upkeep. It often causes extra work and in a large number of food cupboards and pantries I see in my work, it simply doesn’t last.
It causes negative feelings of failure. Not the aim! Just a few for most people is enough – for items most used would be my advice.
Remember: this isn’t about a showroom kitchen; it’s about one that feels calm and easy to use. The kitchen that is easy to tidy. One where you don’t have to cram things away awkwardly.
Living Room: Create Calm with Homes for Things
Your lounge should by night be a relaxing space, no distractions. Start with one simple tool: a bits & bobs basket. At the end of the day, when you’ve put everything away collect those last bits and put them in. They can be delivered around your home as you go – a go to box whenever you walk past it.
Next, think about “homes” for everyday items: Once things have been given a designated place to live it’s so much easier and faster to tidy.
A ten-minute reset at the end of the day will make the space feel welcoming and calm again. Try and make this a firm habit you never avoid.
Bedroom: Simplify for Rest
Your bedroom should be your sanctuary. The wardrobe is often the worst offender.
A basic sort by category really helps with organisation.
Depending on your mind and how it works this could look like a catagorisation by colour, by type and sleeve length or by purpose – loungewear, work wear, casuals etc. Whichever works for you that helps you get things away in an order that also helps you visually feel more in control.
Have a go through and see what you no longer like, has had it’s day or you know you simple won’t wear again. Go with your gut feeling on these things and remember if you did buy something in error then the guilt will come and then pass but also help us realise to buy less impulsively and pause before we click!
The aim is a calmer space where you can actually rest.
Remember ideally under your bed would be clear – is this something you can work on a piece at a time or if you’re feeling it pull it all out (depending on the amount)
If you do store things under your bed because you need the space then make it categories – seasonal clothes to clear space in your wardrobe or even holiday ones.
Keep them safe and in containers to stop dust and moths getting at them. Give it a label so you can find it easily. Under bed drawers can be great but they must have a cover and measure up first!
Bathroom: Quick Wins in a Small Space
Follow some simple guidelines here and you’re bathroom can be transformed.
Worry about buying storage last it’s an extra complication the brain doesn’t need initially.
Go straight for the expired products, toiletries and medicines – these are guilt-free 100% go’s!
Put any spares/ doubles aside perhaps in a basket of separate area/ storage bin – your mind will have less to contend with each morning. It’s amazing how much the visuals can impact the brain increasing the amount of choices, decisions and sometimes overwhelm.
When it does come to buying the storage, think about simple baskets or clear containers for categories like “daily use,” “first aid,” and “spares/extras” This just makes things easy to find and easy to put away again. Keep this simple and only get what is going to enhance the space for you.
Measure up before you start researching!
Hooks get items off the ground and nowadays putting them up doesn’t often involve a drill! Towels, robes, even toiletry bags, off the floor and out of the way.
Keep wipes handy so when you spot toothpaste splatters or watermarks, you can clean as you go – again creating this habit means less work on bigger cleans.
Navigating the Hurdles
You’ll hit moments where decision overload strikes. Here are the simple questions to ask yourself when you’re trying to make decisions.
- Would I buy this again today? If not, it might be time to let it go.
- Memory storing: if something’s sentimental, snap a photo. You’ll keep the memory without the clutter.
- Shop in your stuff: You may like the method where instead of picking out of piles what is going to go you pick out what is going to stay. Go shopping in your own stuff and pick out the items you would buy again today!
And don’t forget the power of body doubling, working alongside someone else (in person or virtually) gives you accountability and momentum. Sometimes just having another person in the room makes all the difference.
Contact Us if you need help
If you’d like some friendly, hands-on help in your home, that’s exactly what we do. We work alongside you at your pace, helping to take the overwhelm out of the process and making sure the systems we set up are realistic for your life.
Take the first step to decluttering your home today. Send a message using the contact form below or call us on 07487792096 – we can’t wait to get started.
FAQs About Decluttering with ADHD
What’s the easiest room to start decluttering with ADHD?
The kitchen or bathroom, they’re practical spaces with fewer emotional items, which can make decisions easier.
An alternative to this is to start small with something like a sock drawer and keep choosing other small areas after that.
How long should I declutter for at a time?
Try short bursts – set a timer for 10–15 minutes. It’s amazing how much you can get through when the timer is on and the adrenalin is flying!
How do I stop doom piles from building up again?
Give items a “home” I mean absolutely every little thing. Label areas, shelves, containers and it will give you that visual assistance. Make sure things are easy to put away and don’t have too many steps i.e for me using a lever arch file is a no-go. The steps are too long – get it out, hole punch or put in a clear file then shut and away. Nope for me a paperwork drawer simply labelled is the way.
Do I need to buy storage first?
No, infact the way we work with clients is to always declutter, see what is left and how the space stores it without and then and only then if you think it can enhance your space and visuals then measure up. The exceptions to this can be lofts and paperwork where you may need some items in advance.
Can professional organisers help with ADHD?
Absolutely, we often find people working with us find simplifying and decluttering their homes makes you feel and see so much more clearly and helps you gain better organisational habits to continue the good work. As a business we aim for simplistic systems which can be kept up.
How do I start if I don’t know where to begin?
If you’re searching for how to declutter your home and you have ADHD, don’t think about the entire house it will just overwhelm you. Focus on one small area and then it becomes a manageable task.
There is no race and no time constraint. Without that pressure on yourself you are more likely to keep going with the good work. Start, work on a small area, finish and you will have that wonderful feeling of completion. Then you’re more likely to get going again.
