ADHD Support — Blog — All in Place Organizing

I'm not a therapist or ADHD clinician. I'm a professional organizer who's worked with many clients with ADHD, spent years teaching children with different learning styles, and has learned a tremendous amount from ADHD experts. Whether you have ADHD, suspect you might, or simply feel overwhelmed by clutter and constant distractions, many of these strategies can make everyday life easier.

Picture this: You walk into a room, only to forget why you went there in the first place. You know you needed to get something, but what was it?

Suddenly, you remember what you needed – a pair of scissors. You look around. There are piles of objects on tables: books piled on a shelf haphazardly, papers stacked high that need sorting, and that chair in the corner that catches all the things. You created each pile to serve as a reminder of tasks to be dealt with later – each one a project started, but not finished.

You can’t find the scissors, and now you’re resigned to just buying another pair. You’re frustrated – but it’s happened before, and you’ve just accepted that this is how it is.

A messy drawer container plastic bags, aluminum foil, papers, scissors, and more.

If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company. This is the reality for many of my clients. And please know this: you have nothing to be ashamed of, and organization is possible for you. You just need personalized advice for how your brain works.

How I’ve Seen ADHD Affect Organization

Executive Functioning

One term you'll hear often in ADHD discussions is executive function. Think of it as your brain's management system.

Executive function helps us plan, prioritize, remember, switch between tasks, estimate time, and finish what we've started. But when those skills are challenged, simple tasks can feel surprisingly difficult.

If you struggle with organizing for ADHD, it doesn't mean you're lazy or don’t care. It means you need systems that will reduce your decision fatigue and mental load.

In The Classroom

As a second grade teacher for 25 years, I learned something that has stayed with me long after I left the classroom: every child learns differently. Some needed to move while they learned. Some thrived with visual reminders. Others needed information presented in completely different ways.

The best teachers don't expect every child to fit the same mold; they adapt their teaching to fit the learner. I’ve come to realize organization works the same way.

With Clients

Over the years, I've worked with many clients who have ADHD, and I've spent a lot of time learning from respected ADHD experts and organizers. Most recently, I listened to The ADHD Field Guide for Adults, which reinforced many ideas I've seen firsthand in clients' homes.

While I've never been formally diagnosed with ADHD, I do recognize several ADHD tendencies in myself. I often have lots of ideas competing for attention, can jump between projects, and sometimes rely a little too much on visual reminders. Learning more about how ADHD brains work has helped me become a better organizer, not only for my clients, but for myself as well.

Before we dive in, I want to be clear that I'm not an ADHD clinician or therapist. I'm sharing what I've learned through years as an educator, a professional organizer, and someone who genuinely enjoys learning from experts in this field. If you'd like additional support, I've recently added an ADHD Support page to my website that shares more about how I help clients create organizing systems that fit the way they think.

Why Traditional Organizational Advice Doesn’t Work for ADHD

Most organization tips and tricks out there assume that once you create a system, it will just stick. They don’t account for how hard it might be to start a task, or how mentally exhausting everyday tasks feel.

But if you have ADHD or ADHD tendencies, that’s exactly the type of advice you need – advice tailored to how your brain works. If you feel disorganized, it’s likely not because you’re lazy or lacking motivation. It might be how your brain processes information.

If your brain struggles with prioritizing what to do next, estimating how long something will take, or finishing what you've started, traditional organizing advice can leave you feeling frustrated instead of successful. The key to good organizing is that it should reduce the amount of thinking your brain has to do.

4 Tips for Organizing with ADHD

1. Reduce The Steps to Organization

Every extra step makes a task a little harder to complete. If you can reduce the number of steps it takes to stay organized, you’ll set yourself up for success.

Here are some ideas:

Instead of hanging up jackets (which takes several steps), use a hook by the door for your coats.
If putting away snacks takes opening up several doors and containers, try using a clear bin without a lid so you can just toss them in.
Create a landing zone for items when you enter the house. For example, if you always drop your keys on the counter instead of the keyhook, get a bin for the counter to contain the keys and anything else you need to get out the door.
Move items closer to where they’ll be used, like a bin of shoes and socks that stays by the front door.

A jacket, umbrella, and hat on hooks next to cube organizers with a vase of purple flowers sitting on top.

2. Use Visual Reminders

You don’t have to rely on memory to complete daily tasks. Instead, use visual reminders to keep yourself on track and reduce your mental load.

Here are some ideas to incorporate visual reminders in your home:

Label your shelves
Use clear containers (so you can see what’s inside without having to open them up)
Store like items together
Keep a running to-do list somewhere you will see it, like your fridge or bathroom mirror
Put important items where you’ll naturally see them

Brown woven baskets with labels like "everyday"

3. Target One Organizational System That Isn’t Working

Many of us spend a lot of time and money searching for the perfect organizational product, container, or planner to help us “finally get organized.” When it doesn’t work, it can leave us feeling like we’re the problem.

I promise: You are not the problem. Instead of trying a new system or product, try targeting one system that isn’t working. Change one thing about it (and one thing only). Give the new version seven days. Keep what is working for that system and let go of what doesn’t.

Let’s say you pinpoint laundry, because you never finish folding and putting away your clothes and cannot find what you’re looking for in the morning. Maybe instead of folding the clothes no one sees – like your pajamas and socks – you throw those into your drawers, unfolded. That one small change can make a big difference in your decision fatigue (and therefore, your ability to complete the task of folding laundry).

4. Split Organizational Projects Into Small Tasks

It can be overwhelming to look at a cluttered room and decide where to start. Allow yourself to only focus on one thing to organize at a time – one drawer, one countertop, or one donation bag – and then celebrate that as progress.

Try this:

Set a timer for just 15 minutes.
Choose one small area instead of an entire room.
Stop when the timer ends, even if you're on a roll.
Take a quick before-and-after photo.
Pause to notice how the space feels now.
Celebrate! Let this motivate you on your next project.

Remember, you don’t have to clean an entire room to make progress. Cheer yourself on with the small wins.

A clear bin filled with clothes labeled "donation" with a stack of folded clothes sitting behind it.

Give Yourself Permission to Let Go of Perfection

As a professional organizer, I love beautiful containers and neatly labeled drawers. But a gorgeous organizational system that doesn’t get used isn’t doing you any good.

When you’re organizing for ADHD, it’s key to reduce the number of decisions you have to make. That might mean your space doesn’t look Pinterest-perfect… but if it makes your everyday life easier and keeps you on track, that’s worth its weight in gold.

That could look like having an open basket of shoes by the front door instead of neatly stacked shoe shelves and cubbies. Or maybe throwing backpacks and purses on hooks instead of tucked away in the closet.

When your home works with your brain instead of against it, everyday life becomes a little calmer, a little easier, and a whole lot less stressful. And that’s what good organization is all about.

Resources on Organizing for ADHD

The following work has helped shape how I think about organizing, executive function, and creating homes that truly support the people who live in them. And be sure to check out my support page on organizing for ADHD!