ADHD declutter 2023 - 1 year of decluttering

[ADDandMe]

I’m on a crusade to simplify my life and in doing so I’ve considered employing a professional declutterer and organiser. However it occurred to me that if accountability is the main thing I need to achieve this task, it might be worth uniting forces with some other ADHDers here who would also like to achieve this task. Would anyone like to join me in tackling this?

I think I need to be realistic if I’m going to do this properly. I found a list of 100 categories online - some are less applicable to me, and others may take longer, so I thought 2 per week would be realistic - and allow a 2 week break at the end of the year if I’m successful.

We could post photos of the items we have and then the ‘decluttered’ after photo for accountability and motivation?

Here’s the list. Feel free to start right away or wait until 1st January. Good luck 🍀

1) Christmas items

2) Cookbooks

3) Kitchen gadgets

4) Kitchen appliances

5) Pots / pans

6) Mixing bowls

7) Tupperware

8) Water pitchers

9) Coffee mugs

10) Glass jars

11) Magazines / Newspapers

12) BooksOver-the-counter medicine

13) Make up

14) Hair accessories

15) Personal beauty appliances

16) Toiletries

17) Photos

18) Sewing supplies

19) Scrap-booking supplies

20) Other craft supplies

21) CDsDVDs / VHS tapes

22) Wall Decorations

23) Candles and ornaments

24) Audio/visual componentsAudio/visual cables

25) Computers equipment/ Computer peripherals Old cellphones

26) Furniture

27) Video game systemsVideo game accessoriesVideo games

28) Shirts Pants

29) ShortsDresses

30) Skirts

31) Hats

32) Clothes hangers

33) Shoes

34) Ties

35) belts / accessories

36) Coats

37) Winter gear

38) Socks

39) Underwear

40) Sleepwear

41) Jewelry

42) Purses

43) Pillows

44) Linen sets

45) Duvets

46) Blankets

47) TowelsTelevisions

48) Items on your junk drawer

49) Home office supplies

50) Coins

51) Pens / pencils

52) Rubber bands / Twist ties/ fasteners

53) Cleaning supplies

54) Old batteries

55) Tools

56) Hardware

57) Coolers

58) Manuals

59) Board games

60) Puzzles

61) Decks of cards

62) Unused gifts

63) Baby clothes (in attic)

64) Baby items

65) memory boxes

66) schoolbooks/papers

67) Toys

68) Stuffed animals

69) Kid’s artwork

70) Suitcases

71) Pantry food

72) Paper goods

73) Wrapping supplies

74) Pet supplies

75) Plastic bags

76) Party supplies

77) Seasonal decorations

78) Sporting goods

79) Sports memorabilia

80) Automotive supplies

81) pet supplies

82) Scrap pieces of lumber

83) long handled Brooms, Rakes,

84) Garden tools

85) Plant containers / Pots

86) old paint/ brushes

87) spices and sauces

88) sports wear

89) party items, cards gift wrap

90) bank statements

91) qualifications and cvs

92) insurance documents

93) receipts and guarantees

94) camping equipment

95) tea and coffee

96) work papers

97) cushions

98) fancy dress items

99) Halloween items

100) Glassware items

#ADHD #Declutter #Organise #Decluttering #Challenge

[Pouinepouine]

Hello! A really good goal to declutter, it’s a step leading to a life with less stress, no need to take care of those objects that are useless. More time for you . I began to declutter last week. I love to work by section, my last week goal was 1 drawer .., but I finally finished all my bedroom!!! I honestly can’t believe how I went so fast. I like to do 1 drawer at a time . It’s make less pressure to my adhd brain. For me, it is really important to be alone , also to put some music in my ears and .. to stop being emotional about all THINGS. It has a reluctant stain ➡️ throw away . You never wear it ➡️ give . Be emotional about humans or pets. Ok, sometimes you can keep your mom’s sweater ( or wathever it could be ) but for me, my home is not a museum . It’s a place to feel free and a place to breath .., with no clutter. If you like to work with your list, do so!!! I’m with you ! 👍 💪🏋️🧽

[ADDandMe in reply to Pouinepouine]

love it! I helped my 16 year old (prob ADHD) daughter do her wardrobe yesterday. I put a label on about 10 plastic bags - PJs, tights, tops, socks etc. then filled them with each category of item. We used a similar approach - if it has a hole or stain = bin it, no longer loved = donate. Then I popped to IKEA for those Skubb organiser boxes, trouser organiser rails and voila! Her wardrobe looks amazing. 🤩

[Pouinepouine in reply to ADDandMe]

Good!! Honestly Watching « the minimalists, : less is now »on Netflix motivated me, not that I am a minimalist but the method that they are using is kind of interesting 😀

[ADDandMe in reply to Pouinepouine]

I’ll have to watch that! 😃

[Gettingittogether]

I say keep this really easy and hire the organization consultant, THEN start the work.

Just speaking for myself, when I have this many categories of anything, my ADHD brain gets overwhelmed ... my perfectionism kicks in ... and then there's the pushback of feeling like I'm failing.

I would see if you can simplify things and not list every category. Why not start with the organizer? The goal is to make this easy!

[ADDandMe in reply to Gettingittogether]

Thanks … you’re probably right. I’ve been trying to get feedback about people’s experiences with organisers but haven’t been successful. Hence the DIY attempt - though I get it’s probably another thing that may be abandoned by my unmedicated ADHD brain 🧠

[ADDandMe in reply to ADDandMe]

ps. I appreciate the (brutal) honesty 😉 😆

[Gettingittogether]

I'm about to hire an organizer. Just google "organizer" and your area--it seems to be a growing field with lots of folks freelancing. You can read the google reviews online. They also have testimonials on their websites. As you read the testimonials, even though ADHD isn't always mentioned (though it sometimes is), you'll recognize some of the situations the customers describe getting help with as ADHD.

I'm not sure you can really mess up with an organizer. Lots of them offer free consultations so you know what you are getting into and if you like their style.

No need to ADHD-agonize and procrastinate over this one. (I'm speaking to myself here as much as to you!)

BTW: this is on ongoing process. So really the organizer is helping you get started and create a really neat place AND the real deal is that they can help you develop systems for maintaining things, REALISTIC systems that don't require us to become totally new people.

[ADDandMe in reply to Gettingittogether]

After diagnosis I was added to a local group of women with ADHD and thought that was a good place to start asking about experiences. Instead I got someone signposting me to someone else in the group who then messaged me asking what I wanted. It turns out they’re not really up and running and don’t have a website or Facebook page etc. just made me want to run a mile. I live in quite an isolated area but there is one such service (£35 an hour - twice my own hourly rate, but worth it perhaps 🤔).

Yes - totally agree, it’s the maintenance afterwards that’s the real challenge. I read a tip online which was to have a basket in each room for random untidied items and when it becomes full, you empty it straight away into the right place. Thought that was a good one.

[SurpriseADHD]

I'm not sure if any of this will help you, but I am slightly obsessed with tidying, so please forgive me for the wall of text. I've also struggled a lot with it, so I have spent a lot of mental energy evaluating it.

I really liked The Magical Art of Tidying Up by Mari Kondo, honestly, it's my go-to book. I use an audiobook, obvs. It helps with that mindset feeling, I feel, I like that it works on the emotional feelings behind cleaning. She also addressed the idea of these slow-moving progress ideas, and I really liked her take on it, that she tried them and would frequently end up forgetting or it would be taking so long she would just add more clutter. She says if the change is all at once, you're more likely to try and maintain it because you can feel it right away.

The other thing that really helped me was having a friend help me, physically in person, just holding up something and holding me accountable. The key is they need to be someone sympathetic but firm, who can figure out when to question and when to let it go. Maybe an organizer would be good with that? Or maybe someone who had to do the same thing? I had a friend who used to work at Got Junk, so he was really good at it lol.

The final thing that helped me personally, is knowing about Transfer Stations, where you can spend like...25 bucks or something to drop off a carload of things to get rid of. I know perfectionism can make it hard to just toss these kinds of things, but if you need a guns-blazing, impulsive and quick fix, it's fantastic.

Good luck!

[ADDandMe in reply to SurpriseADHD]

Very many thanks for your response! I loved reading your take on things and for pointing out the benefit of a quicker solution. I’ve watched Mari Kondo’s programmes but hadn’t thought about trying her audiobook. Thanks again

[queen_of_cups]

Hi ADDandMe,I know others have felt overwhelmed by the long list but it makes my list-loving ADHD brain sing! Now... I probably won't make it past #3 before I lose interest, but you are inspiring me for now so thank you! The idea of hiring an organizer to witness my mess and disorganization is just a no for me right now too so this is something I can get behind 😊