We've reached the end of our 28th season of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, and the final part of our 3-part series on organizing and ADHD. In this episode, we discuss the important but often challenging topic of maintaining organization.

As Nikki points out, staying perfectly organized is unrealistic if you actually live in and use your space. Things will inevitably get messier over time. However, she emphasizes that re-organizing a space gets easier each time you do it, because you've already made key decisions about what to keep and where things belong. The frustration of seeing a space get cluttered again is normal, but it's important to reframe negative self-talk that makes you want to just give up on organizing altogether.

We discuss some red flags that indicate when it's time to dedicate a block of time to tidying up a space again - like when you can no longer find important items, have to re-purchase things you already own, or flat surfaces become covered in clutter.

I reflect on the importance of evaluating and revising the "rules" and behaviors around your spaces when you organize. For the system to work long-term, everyone in the household needs a shared understanding of where things belong. We commiserate over the apparently-universal experience of using stairs as a dumping ground for items that need to go to other levels.

Finally, we go over some general guidelines for keeping spaces maintained:

• Doing a quick 10-minute tidy-up whenever you can
• Purging unused items on a semi-regular basis, like every season
• Having dedicated spots for items you frequently set down, like a bowl for your wallet and keys
• Considering storage space before making new purchases

While we may not always follow our own great advice, reflecting on these principles can help you feel more in control of your space and your stuff. Here's to progress, not perfection, as we continue to navigate life with ADHD.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
• (02:44) - The Road So Far...
• (04:31) - The Secret to Staying Organized

This week on the show we dive into the key principles for getting and staying organized when you have ADHD, following up on our conversation last week about decluttering spaces.

We really want to drive home that organization is more about function than perfection. The whole point is being able to find what you need when you need it. We advise against buying organizing products without a clear purpose, because let's face it, they can just become more clutter.

Making things easy to access and see is super important. We recommend using shelves, racks, and step stools to make the most of your vertical space. Try not to overstuff your bins, so they stay easy to pull out. Creative solutions like hooks and open bins can work wonders for those of us with ADHD.

Remember, organizing is an ongoing process. Start small, focus on function over form, and create systems that work with your natural habits and tendencies – that's how you make them stick. As we like to say, for everything, there is a place … and for every place, there is a purpose.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
• (01:49) - Organizing Principles

This week on the show, we tackle the daunting task of decluttering for those with ADHD. With our upcoming Declutter Challenge in July, we invite you to join a supportive community and gamify your decluttering process alongside us.

As we dive into the episode, we share the importance of starting small and focusing on one space at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. We guide you through our four-step process of organizing any space: planning, sorting, organizing, and maintaining. We help you choose a space that would have the biggest impact on your daily life and offer practical tips on how to sort through your belongings efficiently.

We also explore the emotional aspects of decluttering, recognizing when it's time to take a break and how to deal with feelings of guilt or obligation when letting go of items. We provide a list of questions for you to ask yourself during the sorting process to help you make those tough decisions.

Remember: perfection is not the goal and that progress should be celebrated!

If you're struggling with ADHD and the challenges of decluttering, this episode of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast offers valuable insights and practical strategies to make the process more manageable and rewarding. Join us as we explore the upcoming Declutter Challenge and learn how to take the first steps towards a more organized life together.

Links & Notes

• The 2024 ADHD De-Clutter Challenge! — Take Control ADHD
• Conquering Chronic Disorganization by Judith Kolberg
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
• Unapologetically ADHD: A Step-by-Step Framework For Everyday Planning On Your Terms by Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright
• Dig into the podcast Shownotes Database

• (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
• (02:30) - Support This Podcast: Become a Patron at https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast
• (04:14) - The 2024 Declutter Challenge
• (09:14) - The Steps of Organizing