ADHD Organization Tips
ADHD Organization Tips | How I Developed Them
If you are new here, I have ADHD. I was diagnosed when I was 16 and I’ve been on medication for most of the time since then. I was diagnosed by a really great psychiatrist who did some talk therapy with me along with medication management. We worked on ways I could manage my ADHD outside of my meds, because meds are not a magic fix. They help, a lot for me, but they don’t make everything suddenly better. I worked with this doctor until I was 20, when she retired. In those 4 years, we worked through a lot. Not everything, but it gave me the tools to figure out how to tackle new problems in ways that worked for me.
One of the things we worked on a lot was organization. One of the ways I cope with my ADHD is by staying organized. It helps keep my brain calm and I have a much easier time of getting things done if I am organized and I know where to find the things I need. Over time, I’ve developed even more ways to keep myself organized that works really well with my ADHD.
The things I am going to share with you today aren’t necessarily going to work for everyone, but they will be helpful to someone, and that’s what matters! Everything I talk about in this post is linked at the bottom so you can easily shop them.
ADHD Organization Tips | Bags
I learned a long time ago that bags really helped me stay organized. I like the clear ones from Truffle so I can see what is in side them. But I also like these floral ones from Moon & June Co on Etsy. I keep snacks, meds, hand sanitizer, fidgets and receipts in these bags.
I do have a system for what goes in a clear bag and what goes in a floral bag. If it is something I want to be able to see right away, like snacks, they go in a clear bag. If it is something I want to keep hidden so I can pull things out one at a time as needed, like fidgets, I put them in a floral bag!
Since I have to rotate between a work bag and a diaper/Jackie stuff bag, I have duplicates of most things in my bags so I don’t have to move things between bags every time I need to switch. This makes my life easier but it also gives Jackie some variety on what activities and snacks are in each bag.
Every few weeks, I dump out my purse and put everything back in the place it's supposed to be. I found this system works really well for me, and I'm not constantly digging through my purse, looking for something that has ended up on the bottom. I am not the best about doing it every few weeks but when I can’t find the things I am looking for, all of my bags end up getting dumped out on the floor and get reorganized.
I also like to keep an extra change of clothes for Jackie in these bags, for just in case. I usually keep a stash in a larger floral bag in the car so we always have it with us, no matter what bag I am carrying!
ADHD Organization Tips | Bedroom Organization
As a kid, my room was always a disaster. I could never find anything. I remember being maybe 8 or 9 and my mom made me clean up my room one day. One of my friends came over and said “there is a floor in here!” She was at our house regularly so you know my room was bad if even she was surprised!
After starting my ADHD meds and learning coping mechanisms, it became very important to me to keep my room clean and organized. I can find the things I am looking for and it helps to keep my mind clear. Since Alex and I got married, I have tried really hard to just have our clothes in our bedroom. Dressers and night stands are pretty much the only furniture aside from our bed.
When we moved into this house two years ago, my friend was helping us move in and suggested that we put our dressers in our closet. Our closet was huge and our room had a lot of windows and doors, making it awkward to find a spot for our dressers. I have LOVED this set up! Even less clutter than before because there isn’t that flat surface that stuff can pile up on!
Not everyone is going to be able to keep their room very organized or put their dressers in their closet. Like I said, I have tried really hard to have only our clothes in our bedroom since we got married. This went out the window when we moved into this house because Alex needed a place to work where he could shut the door and take calls. Our room was the best option. So his computer and desk are in the corner of our room. I made him a desk a few months ago so it fits better with the aesthetic if the room and doesn’t have a bunch of unnecessary flat surfaces for junk to pile up on. I will do a post on that room makeover soon!
ADHD Organization Tips | Closet Organization
When it comes to our closet, I have tried really hard to keep things organized in a way that makes sense. When we first moved into this house, that meant having our dressers in here and using a lot of baskets to keep things together. I am currently mid-closet upgrade and I am changing how I organized this space so it makes more sense for my ADHD.
People with ADHD struggle with remembering they have things that they can’t see. So I am switching out the baskets for clear containers so we can see what we have and actually use it!
Of course, I am labeling everything too!
Anything that doesn’t go in a clear container, I am trying to provide open space for so we can see it.
ADHD Organization | Under the Sink
Under the sink spaces and cabinets are probably the thing I struggle with the most. There is no structure to it and it is hard to find things that will actually fit in those spaces. My goal is to add pull out shelves in all of our under the sink and cabinet spaces in this house. I have measured for all of that and am hoping to do that in the next month or so!
In the mean time, I have found a few products that have helped me a lot when it comes to organizing these spots. I like these plastic drawers, mostly because they fit perfectly and they aren’t expensive! I can also put a label on each drawer so we know what is in there!
I have, like many people, fallen in love with The Home Edit organization line that Walmart carries. The Container Store has a line as well, but Walmart’s is much less expensive! These containers are clear and stackable, making them great for under the sink and cabinet spaces!
ADHD Organization Tips | Shop
