Do you or someone you love have ADD / ADHD and struggle with getting or staying organized?
It is a big challenge for sure, and often overwhelming.
Here are some ideas and strategies for getting organized with ADD / ADHD diagnosis that are in the form of sort of a round up with my fantastic commentary on each source!
And here we go!
Value experiences over stuff
This resource has 33 specific strategies for getting organized.
One of my favorite suggestions is to buy experiences, not objects.
You won’t have the same issue with memories as you will with physical objects turning into clutter.
Make it not even an issue by looking for opportunities to avoid buying items you don’t really need and replace them with experiences that will yield fantastic memories!
Vacations and trips certainly fit the bill!
Set a timer
Setting time limits for decision making is a great strategy to keep a person with ADD / ADHD from getting stuck as suggested in this article.
Not having a set time to make a decision can lead to paralysis.
You can also avoid getting sucked into different things (Facebook, Pinterest, and other black holes of time-suckage are prime examples) and have hours whizz by unbeknownst to you by using this timer tactic as well.
And once you set the timer, abide by it!
When the timer dings, you are done with the task and need to move onto the next thing on your schedule.
Change is possible
This article addresses some common myths about getting organized with ADD.
One myth that especially struck me is that “ADD/ADHD is a life sentence – I’ll always suffer from its symptoms.”
Not true, of course.
A person with ADD or ADHD will have to learn how to implement strategies to overcome the barriers the disorder brings.
Schedules are your friend
I found a good and brief slideshow with many ideas, including setting a schedule and collecting your thoughts in one place.
A calendar or planner system will help you get organized.
If you’re a fan of paper planners, I’ve designed a few different planners that will fit the bill.
I’ve also designed a daily organizing calendar that gives you just one task to do each day.
A single task that’ll make a meaningful difference in your home.
Not overwhelming and totally do-able!
Keep in mind, not all calendars will work for every person.
Find the system you prefer, electronic or paper, and stick with it!
See what you need to deal with
Five reasons you can’t stay organized are listed here, including a lack of awareness, or simply stated, not seeing the clutter.
You can’t fix what you don’t even realize is there.
You’ll be able to see more when you have less to see, so start clearing the clutter.
If you’re still having trouble, book a session with me.
Labels are also your friend
This article on WebMd echoes the calendar suggestion and adds the idea of labeling your life.
I love labels!
It’s important to label things correctly- put them where you’ll actually see them (on at least 3 sides of a box or container) and use a dark lettering to make sure the label can be seen!
Here are some of my favorite labels, for pretty much every area in your home:
Over to you!
Many of these tips and strategies are great for everyone, not just for those with ADD / ADHD. What is your favorite strategy?
What other resources have you found?
