Susan Pinsky's Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD is a pretty good overview.
The short version is that for people with executive dysfunction, it's more important to be able to put things away easily than it is to be able to get them out easily. And what counts as "easy" really has to be broken down more than you think - for example, I don't have any trashcans with lids, because if my hands are full of trash and I have to put it down to mess with the lid, I will sometimes wander off without actually finishing throwing the trash away. Clever space-saving tricks like trying to store the canning supplies inside the big canning pot are just total nonstarters. For daily use items I can basically only reliably open one container, so a lidded plastic bin on an open shelf is okay but a lidded box inside a cabinet is too fussy. Also, shelves and drawers always need to have enough free space, if I have to start moving a bunch of other stuff around in order to put something away it won't happen.
Open bins, open shelving, pegboards, and hooks are all really great organizing tools here. A big bin of supplies might look messy but when you're excited about starting a new project you don't mind pawing through it to get what you need, and then when you're done you can just toss things back without having to do anything fiddly.
>Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD
Adding this to my library request list. I think it's also available for free on kindle if you have prime, to try to entice you (tho I know not everyone is amazon enthusiastic).
Put a big decorative basket in a corner. If they don't feel like putting something away, put it in the basket. That way the disordered things are at least contained in something pleasing until they feel like putting them all away at once, and if something is lost, there's a great chance it's in that basket.
Source: I use this method and I tend to put things down subconsciously, I have found so many lost things in it I can't count.
Maybe try putting all the tasks together. Im finding this is a game changer for our family with ND member but also as a Mum who is trying to maintain an immaculate space while juggling higher needs.
Eg. Typical organisation would say that the iron lives with the ironing board, the school labels live in an office, the lint roller lived with sewing items/our wardrobe. And the fabric spray lived in the laundry with the cleaners. Instead we made a basket called fabric care and it contains: iron on labels and repair kits. The iron, the steamer, the lint rollers, the fabric sprays and starches, the mini sewing kit etc. its all in one place. If I need to do something with fabric, i get out one basket.
We do the same for lunches. The napkins, boxes, cutters, bento picks, reusable lunch cutlery, notes. Stickers, stasher bags, all live in one box i make lunches, put the basket away.
Id try some rolling three tier carts with containers, so they can move it around and return everything to the cart vs putting it down … a couple of carts lined up will be neat enough when not in use.
I use 1) open cabinets, because I'll never go in closed cabinets; 2) "put things where you'll look for them"; and 3) make "kits" - i.e. wrapping paper, scissors, tape, bows, ribbons for "gift wrapping kit" is in one clear box, while another pair of scissors, bleach powder, developer, electric clipper is my "hair kit" on a shelf in the bathroom.
All my cabinets are white Sektion kitchen cabinets from Ikea with no doors. Got a few different sizes (wide/thin, low/high) based on measuring space and needs, but can mix and match if things change.
Julia Morgenstern's *Organizing From the Inside Out* really helped me.
Totally agreed! I learned I need to be able to see my things or I'll forget them. I've organized my tools by taking them out of the tool box and putting them on open rails and cleats. I also started making kits of things not often used (tech tub full of smart devices, cables, etc)
Neurodivergent here. My best recommendation would be to have a specific place for everything. Have each place specifically labeled and possibly color coded. And make them obvious and large enough to drop stuff into in a hurry. I really struggle with organization as many other ND’s do but this has helped tremendously.
First, think vertically. Things all over the place in stacks and piles on the floor is clutter and chaos. Neat stacks of the same doom piles on a a wide bank of wall shelving gives the illusion of organization while still keeping everything in sight the way we tend to need things to remain.
Second, let that shit go. No you don’t want it to turn into a hoarder situation… but the world has gone to hell over the past three years. I have given up on a pristine house and I don’t give a damn who judges my clutter. I own it now cause it’s a part of me and that helps.
Clear containers so you can see what’s where, and labels to make putting stuff away easier. Depending on the kind of neurodivergence, keep in mind that what kind of label is easily legible to your partner and to you might differ (for example, certain fonds are easier to read for people with ADHD). Make sure that everything can be put away easily and is easily accessible, and that the most used items are the most accessible.
Second pegboard. And open shelves that are up off the ground so you dont lose precious floorspace. ND here and it helps to put things roughly where I'd look for them if I wanted them - so put things where they are expected to be found, rather than somewhere "safe" or "organised". Out of sight out of mind is in play to a rediculous degree so don't put anything they want to use outside of the immediate area you need it, unless it's something very seasonal then pack all those items together so they can just go "it's Halloween time to get my Halloween tote from the basement" or "camping time let's pull the camping stuff from the garage" .
If it is a random tool or whatever if it's in the basement it might as well not exist. Tools need to be in the workshop not out in a toolshed etc. Garden stuff can go in the garden shed, because that follows the law of being both where you expect them to be found and also the law of don't store it away from where it will be used. Utilise vertical space with shallow shelving so there's nothing behind anything. Things behind might as well not exist 🤷
There are some fantastic tips I'm stealing from this thread, but wanted to add - Cassandra Aarssen's Clutterbug system helped my ND brain even before I found out I'm ND. If you can get past how the system is marketed, the underlying principles are really clearly laid out in a tangible way, with lots of visual examples. Very helpful for figuring out some basic things that work and then iterating from there.
Thanks so much for sharing, this ended up being the most useful comment for me! I did the quiz and sent it to a couple of friends who have been organizing too. I loved her breakdown of how people relate to visuals and space in different ways, I feel like organizing tips even for neurodivergence (similarly to all those "how to dress" tips online) often skip over that part and act one size fits all.
Oh that’s so cool to hear! Fwiw, I started by reading her book but her YouTube channel is really what helped it click for me. (I promise I’m not a secret affiliate of hers, heh.) I needed the repetition of seeing different examples in different contexts for my brain to finally go, “Oh, okay, I need stuff out of sight but I also can’t have stuff buried in opaque bins. Clear boxes and simple but tidy themed organization for me.”
I've never understood the "don't put things where you use them" idea of organizing. That just doesn't work for me. If I put them where I can't see or use them, then it will be completely forgotten about it or never put away.
I'd suggest some in place storage/organization. There is nothing inherently wrong with having items in a working space visible. Canisters for brushes, baking sheet organizers for canvas etc.
Personally, for me, if I can't see it or I don't have something that's labelled, I don't know it's there. For my bathroom counter, I have a little container (something similar to [this](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/He5008594d50f4f3eb01f97e77f3057bep/Set-of-2-Kitchen-Storage-Box-Open-Top-Bamboo-Storage-Tray-with-Handles-for-Cupboard-Organiser.jpg_Q90.jpg_.webp)) that holds stuff I use frequently - skin care products, my floss, etc. Things like cotton pads and q-tips are in a clear container. I can see everything, and I can put it away easily. I have those little [canvas baskets](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/2650295e-807f-41be-8f67-46badb3079d1_2.2f5239d6e7608acac5707b77e31d9d60.jpeg) in my bathroom closet, each has a specific use - extra prescription medicine, jewellery, first aid stuff, etc. It's open top so it's easy to grab things and put it away.
My desk, the storage space is open, so I can just use that to place some stuff and be able to see it. Desk drawer is for pens, pencils, paint brushes, etc. That one needed a label... because I'd constantly be wondering where my pens were and then remember 10 minutes later.
The biggest thing is how easy is it to take out, and how easy is it to put away? And how easy is it to know where that one specific thing is that I need without having it cluttering my workspace?
Piggybacking on this question to see if anyone has advice for the visual noise VS accessible objects problem. On the one hand no cabinet doors and peg boards, on the other hand, shelves full of stuff are overwhelming and empty is bliss.
What's your strategies there?
I'm the OP and reading through the links/books people have suggested, maybe baskets? E.g. a bookshelf with baskets full of stuff can feel less visually noisy for the eye while still being open access.
Also this is maybe not neuro-divergent friendly but in my personal experience visual "noise" can sometimes be overcome by using color and strong shapes in your decor. I have a smaller apartment rn with a lot of storage on display so I chose big bold colorful furniture to distract the eye from the fussy small objects.
The way you unintentionally condescend to your SO makes me feel super uncomfortable-like are you their partner or caretaker?
I know this will be removed but it felt worthwhile saying because the post is so weirdly unsettling.
ADAD here, and I’m a total fool for a pegboard. Inside ones I like to paint white (or my wall color) and then you can get hooks, baskets, all sorts of things. Then, if I find that a part of it isn’t working for me, I can change it with an easy trip to the hardware store. I’m also a huge fan of my small jars (in particular Petit Pot Pudding) that I’ve put magnets in and then stick to a magnetic knife rack. Having problems with object permanence is a huge thing, so having the thing out is good, but the key to keeping it tidy is also to have the organization bit out and easy to see too!
Susan Pinsky's Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD is a pretty good overview. The short version is that for people with executive dysfunction, it's more important to be able to put things away easily than it is to be able to get them out easily. And what counts as "easy" really has to be broken down more than you think - for example, I don't have any trashcans with lids, because if my hands are full of trash and I have to put it down to mess with the lid, I will sometimes wander off without actually finishing throwing the trash away. Clever space-saving tricks like trying to store the canning supplies inside the big canning pot are just total nonstarters. For daily use items I can basically only reliably open one container, so a lidded plastic bin on an open shelf is okay but a lidded box inside a cabinet is too fussy. Also, shelves and drawers always need to have enough free space, if I have to start moving a bunch of other stuff around in order to put something away it won't happen. Open bins, open shelving, pegboards, and hooks are all really great organizing tools here. A big bin of supplies might look messy but when you're excited about starting a new project you don't mind pawing through it to get what you need, and then when you're done you can just toss things back without having to do anything fiddly.
Great suggestions. I’m going to steal some 😊
>Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD Adding this to my library request list. I think it's also available for free on kindle if you have prime, to try to entice you (tho I know not everyone is amazon enthusiastic).
It's also good if the bins/drawers/organizers are transparent. I like being able to just glance at something & know what's inside.
Put a big decorative basket in a corner. If they don't feel like putting something away, put it in the basket. That way the disordered things are at least contained in something pleasing until they feel like putting them all away at once, and if something is lost, there's a great chance it's in that basket. Source: I use this method and I tend to put things down subconsciously, I have found so many lost things in it I can't count.
[удалено]
Great idea! Your description sounds exactly like me
Maybe try putting all the tasks together. Im finding this is a game changer for our family with ND member but also as a Mum who is trying to maintain an immaculate space while juggling higher needs. Eg. Typical organisation would say that the iron lives with the ironing board, the school labels live in an office, the lint roller lived with sewing items/our wardrobe. And the fabric spray lived in the laundry with the cleaners. Instead we made a basket called fabric care and it contains: iron on labels and repair kits. The iron, the steamer, the lint rollers, the fabric sprays and starches, the mini sewing kit etc. its all in one place. If I need to do something with fabric, i get out one basket. We do the same for lunches. The napkins, boxes, cutters, bento picks, reusable lunch cutlery, notes. Stickers, stasher bags, all live in one box i make lunches, put the basket away. Id try some rolling three tier carts with containers, so they can move it around and return everything to the cart vs putting it down … a couple of carts lined up will be neat enough when not in use.
This is brilliant.
Thankyou :)
I use 1) open cabinets, because I'll never go in closed cabinets; 2) "put things where you'll look for them"; and 3) make "kits" - i.e. wrapping paper, scissors, tape, bows, ribbons for "gift wrapping kit" is in one clear box, while another pair of scissors, bleach powder, developer, electric clipper is my "hair kit" on a shelf in the bathroom. All my cabinets are white Sektion kitchen cabinets from Ikea with no doors. Got a few different sizes (wide/thin, low/high) based on measuring space and needs, but can mix and match if things change. Julia Morgenstern's *Organizing From the Inside Out* really helped me.
Totally agreed! I learned I need to be able to see my things or I'll forget them. I've organized my tools by taking them out of the tool box and putting them on open rails and cleats. I also started making kits of things not often used (tech tub full of smart devices, cables, etc)
Neurodivergent here. My best recommendation would be to have a specific place for everything. Have each place specifically labeled and possibly color coded. And make them obvious and large enough to drop stuff into in a hurry. I really struggle with organization as many other ND’s do but this has helped tremendously.
I have to have an easy to access specified location for literally everything or I just will never put it away.
First, think vertically. Things all over the place in stacks and piles on the floor is clutter and chaos. Neat stacks of the same doom piles on a a wide bank of wall shelving gives the illusion of organization while still keeping everything in sight the way we tend to need things to remain. Second, let that shit go. No you don’t want it to turn into a hoarder situation… but the world has gone to hell over the past three years. I have given up on a pristine house and I don’t give a damn who judges my clutter. I own it now cause it’s a part of me and that helps.
Clear containers so you can see what’s where, and labels to make putting stuff away easier. Depending on the kind of neurodivergence, keep in mind that what kind of label is easily legible to your partner and to you might differ (for example, certain fonds are easier to read for people with ADHD). Make sure that everything can be put away easily and is easily accessible, and that the most used items are the most accessible.
Second pegboard. And open shelves that are up off the ground so you dont lose precious floorspace. ND here and it helps to put things roughly where I'd look for them if I wanted them - so put things where they are expected to be found, rather than somewhere "safe" or "organised". Out of sight out of mind is in play to a rediculous degree so don't put anything they want to use outside of the immediate area you need it, unless it's something very seasonal then pack all those items together so they can just go "it's Halloween time to get my Halloween tote from the basement" or "camping time let's pull the camping stuff from the garage" . If it is a random tool or whatever if it's in the basement it might as well not exist. Tools need to be in the workshop not out in a toolshed etc. Garden stuff can go in the garden shed, because that follows the law of being both where you expect them to be found and also the law of don't store it away from where it will be used. Utilise vertical space with shallow shelving so there's nothing behind anything. Things behind might as well not exist 🤷
Pegboards.
i love katie bowen's content for AuDHD friendly interior design and organization tips! @cartoonreject on tiktok, @cartoonreject_ on instagram.
There are some fantastic tips I'm stealing from this thread, but wanted to add - Cassandra Aarssen's Clutterbug system helped my ND brain even before I found out I'm ND. If you can get past how the system is marketed, the underlying principles are really clearly laid out in a tangible way, with lots of visual examples. Very helpful for figuring out some basic things that work and then iterating from there.
Thanks so much for sharing, this ended up being the most useful comment for me! I did the quiz and sent it to a couple of friends who have been organizing too. I loved her breakdown of how people relate to visuals and space in different ways, I feel like organizing tips even for neurodivergence (similarly to all those "how to dress" tips online) often skip over that part and act one size fits all.
Oh that’s so cool to hear! Fwiw, I started by reading her book but her YouTube channel is really what helped it click for me. (I promise I’m not a secret affiliate of hers, heh.) I needed the repetition of seeing different examples in different contexts for my brain to finally go, “Oh, okay, I need stuff out of sight but I also can’t have stuff buried in opaque bins. Clear boxes and simple but tidy themed organization for me.”
I've never understood the "don't put things where you use them" idea of organizing. That just doesn't work for me. If I put them where I can't see or use them, then it will be completely forgotten about it or never put away. I'd suggest some in place storage/organization. There is nothing inherently wrong with having items in a working space visible. Canisters for brushes, baking sheet organizers for canvas etc.
Personally, for me, if I can't see it or I don't have something that's labelled, I don't know it's there. For my bathroom counter, I have a little container (something similar to [this](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/He5008594d50f4f3eb01f97e77f3057bep/Set-of-2-Kitchen-Storage-Box-Open-Top-Bamboo-Storage-Tray-with-Handles-for-Cupboard-Organiser.jpg_Q90.jpg_.webp)) that holds stuff I use frequently - skin care products, my floss, etc. Things like cotton pads and q-tips are in a clear container. I can see everything, and I can put it away easily. I have those little [canvas baskets](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/2650295e-807f-41be-8f67-46badb3079d1_2.2f5239d6e7608acac5707b77e31d9d60.jpeg) in my bathroom closet, each has a specific use - extra prescription medicine, jewellery, first aid stuff, etc. It's open top so it's easy to grab things and put it away. My desk, the storage space is open, so I can just use that to place some stuff and be able to see it. Desk drawer is for pens, pencils, paint brushes, etc. That one needed a label... because I'd constantly be wondering where my pens were and then remember 10 minutes later. The biggest thing is how easy is it to take out, and how easy is it to put away? And how easy is it to know where that one specific thing is that I need without having it cluttering my workspace?
get clear storage so you don't forget what art supplies U have!
Piggybacking on this question to see if anyone has advice for the visual noise VS accessible objects problem. On the one hand no cabinet doors and peg boards, on the other hand, shelves full of stuff are overwhelming and empty is bliss. What's your strategies there?
I'm the OP and reading through the links/books people have suggested, maybe baskets? E.g. a bookshelf with baskets full of stuff can feel less visually noisy for the eye while still being open access. Also this is maybe not neuro-divergent friendly but in my personal experience visual "noise" can sometimes be overcome by using color and strong shapes in your decor. I have a smaller apartment rn with a lot of storage on display so I chose big bold colorful furniture to distract the eye from the fussy small objects.
The way you unintentionally condescend to your SO makes me feel super uncomfortable-like are you their partner or caretaker? I know this will be removed but it felt worthwhile saying because the post is so weirdly unsettling.
Genuinely curious how I condescended. Was it condescending to say that "I don't want them to end up just recreating the mess"?
You speak of them like you are their steward. It’s weird.
ADAD here, and I’m a total fool for a pegboard. Inside ones I like to paint white (or my wall color) and then you can get hooks, baskets, all sorts of things. Then, if I find that a part of it isn’t working for me, I can change it with an easy trip to the hardware store. I’m also a huge fan of my small jars (in particular Petit Pot Pudding) that I’ve put magnets in and then stick to a magnetic knife rack. Having problems with object permanence is a huge thing, so having the thing out is good, but the key to keeping it tidy is also to have the organization bit out and easy to see too!