How to Exorcise the Clutter-Ghosts of Hobbies Past (for the ADHD Brain) 👻

Happy (almost) Halloween, everyone! This week we are talking about the relationship between ADHDers and their hobby-based clutter. If you’ve ever wondered why hobbies tend to leave behind clutter more in ADHD lives, look no further because we’ve gathered up a bunch of research on how it all starts, plus we’re going to provide some ways to prevent future hobby-related clutter. 

Hint: you’ve got to work with how your brain is wired instead of fighting it ;)

Understanding the ADHD brainscape:

If you don’t have ADHD or are unfamiliar with the disorder, hang out here for a second while we break it down. 

The Advanced Psychiatry Association defines ADHD as “a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects various aspects of cognition and executive functioning.” In other words, someone with ADHD functions differently on a neurological level. The way ADHD manifests person-to-person is unique, but often there is some kind of overall trend or combination of the following signs:

1. Inattention, or difficulty paying attention to a task especially if the task is mundane (think a chore you have to do every day)

2. Hyperfocus on tasks that provide a reward or other stimulation such as a hobby or activity that the person is deeply interested in

3. Impulsivity with regards to various aspects of life that require small to large scale decision-making.

4. Executive dysfunctions that can impact perception of time, task management, and memory.

Manifested, these traits and behaviors often lead to accumulated clutter, which as we already know can lead to increased stress levels and other negative feelings such as guilt or shame (we’ve got another blog about these feelings here) 

On the flip side, these traits and behaviors are also the perfect combination for exploration and going ham on trying something new. Learning painting, baking, photography, gaming, or knitting can be electrifying when you first get into it. 

For many people with ADHD, though, the joyful spark of a hobby often leads to gear, supplies, and half-finished projects that linger inside the home for years.

Here are some research-backed brain tendencies (check out our research links, all of which helped us make this compilation, at the end) that help explain:

Why the hobby cycle (bright start → fade → clutter) is pretty common in ADHD:

1. Novelty Seeking & Reward Sensitivity

• ADHD brains are more responsive to novel stimuli: new things give a rush of interest and dopamine. That can make starting a hobby feel amazing.

• Once novelty wears off, when things settle into routine or require sustained effort, the brain may respond less strongly, making follow-through harder.
  

2. Executive Function Challenges

• Starting something new (planning what to buy, estimating what you need, scheduling time) is one thing; continuing it is another. ADHD often involves trouble with planning, organizing, and sustaining effort. 

• Decision fatigue and procrastination also play big roles—once the initial excitement fades, making choices (“Do I keep this last set of unused paints or throw them out?”) becomes overwhelming.
  

3. Impulse & Attraction to “Shiny Object Syndrome”

• Impulsivity is an ADHD hallmark: buying supplies or gear expecting you’ll use them later. Sometimes that happens; often it doesn’t.

• The idea of “collecting hobbies” (jumping from one interest to another, accumulating tools/gear for many hobbies) is common in ADHD communities. It’s not just an anecdote: people report investing in many hobby-kits, and letting many of them sit.
  

4. Hyperfocus + Fade

• Hyperfocus can lead to bursts of intense creativity or productivity: you dive in, you buy supplies, you research furiously. But hyperfocus isn’t always sustainable. When the hyperfocus shifts elsewhere, so might interest. 

• What’s left behind is the gear, the supplies, maybe half-finished work.
  

5. Clutter, Emotional Attachment, and Avoidance

• Even unused hobby supplies can carry emotional meaning: promise, possibility, identity (“someday I’ll get good at this”). Letting those items go can feel like giving up on a version of yourself. That emotional pull complicates discarding.

• Also, visual clutter itself causes overwhelm, which then leads to avoidance: it’s easier to ignore the mess than face the decisions it requires. Over time, that escalates.
  

Now that we’ve gone over how the ADHD brainscape creates the perfect storm for attracting hobby-related clutter, it’s time to talk management.

Here are some strategies that are evidence-inspired or recommended by other ADHD experts. These are about working with your wiring rather than trying to force a neurotypical standard.

1. Trial Before Investment

What to Do: Borrow, rent, borrow tools, try classes or kits before buying full gear. Or get a minimal version first.

Why It Helps: Reduces risk of buying expensive gear that sits unused. Allows you to test interest while novelty is high.

2. To Prevent Unnecessary Hobby Plunges: Use HOBBY Check-In

What to Do: Eric Kaufmann from Upskill specialists devised a clever check-in using the acronym “H. O. B. B. Y.” which prompts you to ask yourself what you Hope to get out of a new hobby; whether or not you have a cheap or free Opportunity to try it out; reflect on what the Budget of the new hobby will look like (as in cost AND how much time a week to spend on it); the potential for Burnout; and the Y is for Yes or no: does it align with your current life values? (Check out Eric’s article by scrolling to the bottom of this blog page)

Why It Helps: Helps with planning, reduces impulsivity, makes you more aware of commitment before buying gear.

3. Set “Use It or Pass” Deadlines

What to Do: For supplies or gear you haven't used in 3-6 months: commit to donate, sell, or gift. (To keep track, make an excel, a note with checkblocks, or use a planner that stays with you day in and day out)

Why It Helps: Encourages letting go and frees-up space, reduces emotional attachment when there is a time boundary.

4. Small, Regular Decluttering Sessions

What to Do: Rather than big clean-ups that feel overwhelming, work 10−15 min a few times a week. Use timers. Tackle one category (paintbrushes, paper, tools).

Why It Helps: Lowers activation energy; less emotional strain; easier for executive function.

5. Visual Clues and Organization Systems

What to Do: Clear containers, visible storage, labels, designated hobby zones. Use a rule that your hobby can only take up so much space; if things are overflowing, it’s time to pare-down.

Why It Helps: Reduces decision fatigue; easier to see what you have so you don’t duplicate.

6. Rotate Hobbies/Interests

What to Do: Accept that you may cycle through many hobbies. Have space for several but limit active ones. E.g., choose 2–3 currently. Store or box the rest.

Why It Helps: Honors novelty-seeking while limiting potential clutter.

7. Practice Self-Compassion and Reframing

What to Do: When a hobby fades, it’s not a failure—consider what you did gain (skills, knowledge, joy).

Why It Helps: Reduces shame, helps with letting go without guilt.

There’s an upside: ADHD can make hobbies and learning extremely fulfilling.

It’s not all struggle. Many traits of ADHD, properly channeled, offer real strengths for how we engage with hobbies and managing our space.

Because of your divergent thinking and creativity, you may come up with unique hobby ideas, mashups, or DIY solutions. 

When directed, your hyperfocus can allow you to deeply learn or produce when interest aligns. 

When things don’t go to plan, you’re able to switch gears and adapt, which helps you learn faster what styles/settings suit you best.

These can be powerful once you build systems that account for the challenges.

Not sure if your hobby gear is haunting you?

Here are some warning signs that hobby clutter is more than just “normal leftover stuff”:

• You avoid using spaces because they’re too messy.

• You feel constant anxiety, shame, or guilt around your hobby gear.

• The clutter is interfering with daily life: you can’t find things you need; it’s a safety hazard; relationships are impacted.

• Attempts to declutter result in emotional distress or conflict.

If this feels familiar, you don’t have to navigate it alone. At Organized For Good, we know how ADHD clients experience hobby clutter differently, and we build strategies that work with your tendencies:

• We help set up systems so you can track what you really use.

• We assist with visual, minimal-friction organization systems: so if you're in a hyperfocus or overwhelmed moment, things stay manageable.

• We coach around letting go: reframing and asserting what is “useful,” what is “joyful,” and what is simply taking space.

If you’re ready to streamline your space, reclaim your time, and feel more ease around your hobbies (without shame), let’s talk. 

Schedule a free consultation here and see what a custom plan might look like for you.

Sources:

• A neurocomputational account of reward and novelty in ADHD — Sethi et al., 2018. Novelty seeking and reward processing. PMC

• Decision-making and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — Chachar, 2024. On how decision making differs in ADHD. PMC

• How to Stick With a Hobby When You Have ADHD — Upskill Specialists, Jun 2025. Many of the tips above are drawn from their advice. UpSkill Specialists

• The correlation between hoarding and ADHD — Rula, 2024. Discusses overlap, risk factors. Rula

• When Hobbies for Adults with ADHD Turn Into Obsessions — ADDitude Magazine, 2025. On hyperfocus and obsession dynamics. Additude

• The ADHD Mind and Its Battles with Clutter — Advanced Psychiatry Associates. On how clutter builds and what it does emotionally.Advanced Psychiatry Associates