For many people, organizing is a challenge—but for those with ADHD, it can feel nearly impossible. ADHD impacts executive function, making it harder to plan, prioritize, and follow through on tasks.

We understand, because we help clients with ADHD and clients with signs or symptoms of ADHD all the time. So, if you’re feeling stuck with organizing and can’t seem to make any progress, this blog is for you!

We bring up some common factors that make organizing a challenge for many ADHD brains, but there is good news: even if you’ve already tried the solutions presented in this blog, the best solution is the one that hasn’t been thought of yet. The magic of ADHD brains is their ingenuity, creativity, and ability to think outside the box (but maybe let’s get some clear boxes to store your physical things in…)

Here’s why organizing is uniquely difficult with ADHD (and how you can set yourself up for success):

*“It is clear that executive function impairments have an adverse effect on an individual’s ability to begin, work on and complete tasks.” -chadd.org*

1. Executive Function Challenges

Executive function is like the brain’s manager, so imagine if you had a manager working on your house for you. If you had a very seasoned, well-trained manager, likely your house would be organized and maintained. But imagine your manager had never managed a house before and they didn’t even like the job–they always wanted to be a microgreens farmer. The manager who doesn’t have the skills and doesn’t have the desire to be there means a totally different outcome for your home.

Professional Organizer: We would also not be that great at organizing if we hadn’t been doing it for YEARS. Luckily, we have. We practice it every day, too, because even when we don’t have clients, we’re still keeping our own homes organized. Another big difference: organizing is our passion.

Solution: Use outer tools as your executive function. We use all of these strategies:

set a timer
write down one very specific task and put it somewhere easy to see
when things can’t get done in time, leave a post-it to “bookmark” your progress
while completing tasks, keep a bottle of water and a snack handy in case you get fatigued
if you start getting overwhelmed, turn away from the task, close your eyes, and breathe slowly

2. Issues With Object Permanence and “Items As Reminders”

Many people with ADHD struggle with object permanence. If something is stored away, it might as well not exist! This leads to piles of items left out as visual reminders, creating clutter.

Professional Organizer: Our professional organizer, Abbie, definitely uses the “item-as-reminder” tactic. It can be effective, but her tactic goes a little more in depth: she keeps an ultimate to-do list on her phone. Items that are left out to be reminders are actually only left out until she has her phone and can make the new note. (For Abbie, this means things are out or out of place until she tidies the house, which can be anywhere between 5-7 days–she’s very honest about her schedule!)

Solution: If you leave out empty food items or “last” items as a reminder to buy something, try keeping a “living grocery list” on your phone or somewhere central that you will not duplicate or lose. When something is emptied, immediately add it to your buy-list so you can recycle/toss/compost the item itself.

If the item is out BECAUSE you intend to toss it, decide on a space that can act as an anchor for other items you need to take out. Once there are three or more items, go ahead and set a timer for 5-10 mins to get it done. If you struggle with clearing space of trash, recycling, and donations, check out our blog on donation habits.

*“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you will never get it done” -Bruce Lee*

3. Overwhelm and Decision Paralysis

Organizing requires making countless decisions: What should I keep? Where should it go? When faced with too many choices, ADHD brains can freeze up and avoid the task altogether.

Professional Organizer: We encounter this on the daily when working at a client’s. However, the difference is that we KNOW when we’re getting decision fatigue. When it happens, we usually take a snack break. Look away from the chaos. Talk out loud to each other or ourselves. And since we have plenty of past experience, we often find the answer from a past experience or through a mini brainstorm.

Solution: There are different types of decisions to be made while organizing. Usually these types fall into three categories:

Decisions about how to begin and momentum
Decisions about keeping or discarding
Decisions about storage

If you’re getting overwhelmed by decisions, then you’re probably trying to think about all of the above categories at once. Don’t do this. Think about it in terms of your goals, first. If your goal is to declutter, you should be more concerned about making decisions from category 2. If you’re trying to put things away, then category 3. Category 1 is often going to cloud your mind before and after the process.

No matter what, the best way to combat analysis paralysis is to keep a task as small and simple as possible.

*“Objects steeped in memories [...] and objects that bring us joy have even greater capacity to soak up our memories” -Marie Kondo*

4. Impulsivity and Emotional Attachments

Impulsive shopping or sentimental attachments can lead to excess clutter. Letting go of items can feel overwhelming or even painful. This area can be the most difficult to address, because it is often so individual and even private. We may carry and hold on to things because they came from a loved one, they were inherited, or simply because we are really into retail therapy.

Professional Organizer: At Organized For Good, we are lucky to have TWO master-level Marie Kondo Certified Consultants. We know very well the intricacies of emotional attachments and the chaos that a seemingly innocent shopping addiction can harbor. Here, we will only say that Marie Kondo (along with many other philosophically-steeped organizing methods) has a good idea here. In the above quote, she claims that she only keeps items that spark joy AND soak up her favorite memories. When processing items to keep and discard, make sure to evaluate them from every angle. If they’re carrying more bad than good, it’s time for them to go (you can discard ceremoniously!)

Solution: The only way to truly evaluate your belongings and keep what matters, in our mind, is to use the Marie Kondo method (or a similar method if you don’t like the look of Kondo’s bandwagon). If your problem is more about what comes IN than what is already haunting you, congratulations, because the first step is recognizing it. What comes next is up to you–do you want to completely change your lifestyle, or do you want to continue as you are?

How to Make Organizing Easier

Check out this blog on professional organizer must-haves.

Use Simple, Visual Storage: Clear bins, open shelving, and labels help keep things visible and accessible.
Break Tasks Into Small Steps: Instead of “organize the closet,” try “sort shirts” or “declutter one shelf.”
Set a Timer: Short, focused bursts of organizing (like 15-minute sessions) can prevent burnout.
Work with an Organizer Who Gets It: A professional organizer who understands ADHD can create personalized systems that actually work for your brain.

Struggling with organization doesn’t mean you’re lazy—it just means you need different strategies. And that’s okay! With the right approach, you can create a home that supports you, not stresses you.

If you’re looking for support and accountability to get organized, book a call with us today to see how we can help you!