I know the mantra, but executing it? Yeah, okay. House cleaning tips with ADHD? I’m such a flighty bird. I’ll start in a room, then see a toy that needs to go into the kids room. I will put the toy in there and then get distracted by stuff in that room and while I’m doing lots, no actual task gets completed!
I’m medicated, but need help in the cognitive behaviors to establish new routines and habits that will help manage daily life easier.
If it matters, I’m a 30-something, 3 kids, love Jesus and coffee is in its own food group on the pyramid.
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Leigh8686
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I am the same way! I’ll be doing Landry, walk into a room for whatever reason, I see something and I remember or think I need to...forgotten about the laundry do the New thing that caught my attention, remember oh yeah I was heading in this room because I was going to put whatever was in my hand away but now what I had in my hand I set down somewhere between here and there. Yikes, if a normal person could be inside me for a half a day, they would believe I’m nuts!
There is light to this craziness, I got help from someone for a couple months we worked together on me making a list of my own routines, that I had to follow exactly every day. For one or two weeks she tried to have me track and record everything I did for one week so we could use that information to see what I’m doing with my time. If you want to hear more of the assignments she gave me I’m happy to share if you think it could help you. One of the things I’m still working on getting down is writing everything down, no auto matic thinking. I believe we do well when we have rules and structure. I think we like it because we need that. Without them, like example me trying to clean my house. No one has ever taught me how to clean a house properly and i think our ADHD selves aren’t good at planning or looking ahead and knowing what’s next to come. Not until we learn how
I would love some advice. I make a list. I prioritize each thing I want to get done. And get distracted. And start doing something else. I have several unfinished things working on the yard, my basement, my house, as well as cleaning my car. I have important paper work to take care of. I pray daily for God's help to sray focused. Concentrate, and to be abke to compmete one task at a time. And by the end of my day I am over whelmed. Nothing is complete.
I am open to any suggestions. You described my life completely. I have tried making a today a focused to do list. By them end of the day
I do not have one thing on my list touched. I have been around the world and back I side my mind and my home. Not one room is competed after moving in to my present home. I lost my home to a fire in 2017. I attempt to make a very short to do list. Because I also am my daughter's full time caregiver for 13 years without and support of any time for me. I would appreciate you sharing with me that has helped you
People just don't get it. Living with ADD is libing live with your mind spining in a vicious cycle. Trying to have and maintain self control with light at the end of a tunnel. But your mind just can't find the way out of the miserable self defeating way of thinking and living.
Hi, I am looking through so many “tools” I don’t know where to start, what will work, then I forget about it the next morning when I wake up. If you’re willing, I’d love to see what you shared. Thanks very much!
I’m so sorry idk what I was talking about then. I think it was just about the experiences and things my mentor/coach taught me. Write everything down, only aloud one notebook write a list of your daily routines
I know this is an older post, but would you be willing to send the assignments you were given as mentioned in your posts? I struggle similarly and appreciate any help!
I wish I could but what I have are my scribbled notes and homework assignments that where very exact to tasks I needed to do. What in particular are you wanting to improve on? I can try and give you any advice she has given me that may relate for you. I feel so blessed for everything she taught me and if I can pass it on I would feel very good to do that.
I found this routine off Pinterest and it worked for me. I wrote this and taped it onto my bathroom mirror the morning routine and the afternoon and evening routine I taped it on my kitchen cabinet where I would see it easily. I followed this schedule for three months first two weeks were I had to put a lot of thought and effort into doing it. By the end doing these tasks became automatic for me and required not thought.
So relatable. I start sweeping the floor, decide I need to make a snack, make more of a mess, decide I need to take some random quiz about what type of cupcake I would be if I was a cupcake, remember I was doing the floors and start walking towards the broom then remember I only ever half did the dishes, then start googling ocelots or some other important unecessary topic.
I have no advice. My house is either spotless because I went on a rampage, or a disaster because I avoid housework like the plague.
Hoping someone else will have a magical answer cos I sure don’t!
I have a tip that may get you going in the right direction. Write down a list of your now daily rituals and in the order that you are going to do them. Message me once you made your list
Do you still suck at housework?? I was organized, & had a clean home when I was single. The older I get, the worse it seems to get. Plus I have a teenage son with adhd, among other things, and I feel that it is the blind leading the blind. I feel that a huge chunk of my time is spent TRYING to direct him to be organized...so I do not get many of my own tasks done the way I would like..... And now I feel like a whiner!!
Its really boring but I have learned that I just need to do the same things at the same times of day in the same order over and over and over again and despite the short term tediom it long term gets all the things done I need to do and gives me more headspace time. My daughter needs same, and Ive just written her step by step lists of routines for everything 1) before school list 2) after school list 3) going out list 4) going to party list 5) going swimming list etc. I also put times on it and we are working on her doing lists in the time in the knowledge if she can get it done in less time she has more time to daydream. Its such hard work for her and I remember it well but I am a success story ... it just took me about thrity years 😂. Id actually describe myself as tidy amd organaised now but totally reliant on lists and routine!
Write down a simple list of 5-10 things you promise to do every day. Or start with writing do your daily morning routine and write it in the order you will do it. Yes, even I hate routines boring and I was scared to death to commit to anything but once you do realize of course you should tweak things if something doesn’t work. But the idea is if you at least for me by committing to something and working on it every day made me become better faster and eventually the tasks became automatic. After 3 months. I changed me daily routines to better fit me. Basically I do the same things just less often. I live alone. But the best thing that happened to me is now keeping my house maintained and clean enough to were it stays nice and I’m so happy. I stuggled my whole life with it and finally I don’t anymore
I have literally flooded my kitchen for this very reason. I put some frozen meat in the sink and turned the water on to defrost it. Started loading the dishwasher while I was standing there, went into the living room to check for glasses on the end tables, found some kids toys, take the toys to the kids' room, organize a little, gather up some clothes, take the clothes to the washer, which is in the kitchen, which is now a lake because I left the water on at the sink.
The best thing I have found for myself is making a big list every single day, and making a habit of "go back to the list" throughout the day. I also keep it on a clipboard in a spot in our home that I walk past often, so that I'm seeing it all day long.
oh yes this is my life. Three hours later I’m in a closet looking at old photographs and nothing has been cleaned.
What helps me most is having a checklist of what I need to clean and keep it on the table, then I put on music to have a side stimulation going, and set a timer. For whatever reason, competing against myself is kinda fun, so I see how fast I can clean.
My advice is to do it your own way, NOT how other people expect you to do it. That's half the problem, because we organise in the way we've been taught, how we've seen others do it and how we're expected to do it. To organise, is to keep all things related together and in one place. Cutlery drawer for example, all cutlery, all utensils, all related kitchen tools go in that drawer. All plates, bowls and tubs go in the same place. So, to organise, you gather everything you have, put it all in piles, and find a home for it. I use shoe boxes with labels on now, but, organising isnt having them in shoe boxes, organising is doing it. Shoe boxes are now 'organised', but 'organising' is the 'putting it into the shoe boxes'. Now of course, I have to keep the shoe boxes organised, but, you find a place for it to go, and it stays there. That's it's home. Staying organised is a big problem for me, and has taken 6-7 times to think of putting labels on every box. Still a work in progress, but, it's better because it's the way 'I' did it, and NOT the way Mum taught me as a kid and I just stuck everything under the bed 👍😀
Great post and great replys! - i do it my way, forget orldely boxes in the kids room, huge bins! I have the hoover brrom hung on the wall for quick access, basically i either have minimal or functional rooms, anything else isnt going to work , i need speed,
my tips are
Always see cleaning as a replacemnt for a sesssion at the gym, put on the shorts and go for it fast!
Another is put on an audiobook, as this is the distarction while your doing the boredom,
this also works for dishes from hell and ironing from the pit!!!
Stop being so hard on yourself. It's 100% okay to be like that and even those without ADHD have these issues. Who is making you believe that you need help in the cognitive behavior area? You are fine who you are and accepting who you are is the key to happiness. That's really how you get started down the path of re-training the ADHD brain.
What medications are you currently on? Have you had any trauma growing up that might contribute to some of your responses to stress and anxiety? FYI, I'm 57 and for years thought I needed to make changes to my behavior and routines because some therapist told me I did. I finally got to the right doctor an ADHD Specialized Psychiatrist and have learned to embrace who I am play on my strengths. With that acceptance and proper medication, I have been able to work hard at retraining my brain and my family and I have seen dramatic improvements through the years. It's not an overnight fix and I think that personal acceptance has been the hardest part of the journey.
Would love to know more because there are lots of medications that can help you take some big steps towards where you want to be.
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