Executive Summary

This book presents a radically practical approach to organizing for people with ADHD, grounded in the principle that efficiency must override beauty, perfectionism, and even frugality. The core philosophy: traditional organizing systems fail because they create barriers that ADHD brains cannot sustain. The solution isn’t better systems—it’s simpler ones that prioritize ease of storage over retrieval, accept imperfection, and dramatically reduce inventory. Rather than trying to force ADHD brains to work like neurotypical ones, this approach creates accommodations that work with ADHD cognitive differences.

What sets this work apart is its rejection of conventional wisdom at every turn: it argues against beautiful organizing systems, advocates for owning less rather than organizing better, embraces doing things “badly” over perfectly, and explicitly frames support services as therapeutic necessities rather than luxuries. The controversial-but-practical stance that ease of storage matters more than ease of retrieval upends traditional organizing advice entirely.

Core Philosophy and Principles

Efficiency Over All Other Values

For people with ADHD, efficiency must be the primary organizing principle, taking precedence over beauty, perfectionism, preparedness, and even frugality. Traditional organizing systems fail because they create too many barriers and require ongoing maintenance that ADHD brains cannot sustain.

The fundamental principle: “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing badly, because at least it is done.” This means accepting imperfect systems that actually work over beautiful systems that get abandoned.

ADHD brains struggle with executive function, making task initiation and completion difficult. A task taking a neurotypical person 5 minutes may require someone with ADHD to “motivate themselves four, five, or six times” due to distractions. Every additional step in an organizing system compounds this struggle exponentially.

Radical Inventory Reduction

The most effective path to an organized ADHD home is owning fewer things. As the book states: “Inventory must conform to storage. In an ADHD home, inventory shouldn’t just fit in storage, inventory should be less than storage.”

Organizing systems cannot compensate for excessive possessions. The Brutal Purge approach involves:

Schedule generous time for the project
Research donation and disposal options
Weed items ruthlessly
Sort keepers by category
Remove items belonging to other areas immediately
Clean the space thoroughly
Return items to designated, named homes
If items don’t fit comfortably, purge again

Example: Instead of sorting and rolling socks by color, reduce to a dozen socks in two colors and dump them in one drawer unwashed. This takes seconds versus hours for color-sorting.

The Golden Rules of ADHD Organizing

Inventory conforms to (and preferably is less than) storage — Never overcrowd; make putting things away effortless
Ease of storage takes precedence over ease of retrieval — Everyone wants to find things; fewer want to put them away
Touch it once — Sort mail as you open it; don’t create “to be sorted” piles
Duplicate where necessary — Multiple cleaning supply sets, toilet brushes in every bathroom
Eliminate unnecessary function duplication — Keep either hand-powered or electric can opener, not both
Name each storage area — “Sock drawer,” “dish cabinet” guides everyone
Keep rough storage well-lit and accessible — Never completely full
Schedule projects with generous time — One project at a time on the calendar
Embrace routine — Named days eliminate decision fatigue
Get help and work as a team — body doubling provides borrowed focus

Understanding ADHD Challenges in Organization

Executive Dysfunction and Task Completion

People with ADHD excel at starting tasks but struggle with finishing—especially the maintenance and putting-away phase. “For someone with ADHD, putting away comes at the end of every chore when we are most tired, distracted, or otherwise just out of gas.”

This is why ease of storage takes precedence over ease of retrieval. Everyone has motivation to find what they need; fewer people have motivation to put things away.

Impulsivity and Overacquisition

ADHD individuals often struggle with impulse buying and overshopping. The combination of creativity and impulsivity leads to acquiring items that aren’t actually needed. This creates the acquisition cycle that traditional organizing tries to solve after the fact.

Decision Fatigue

Every decision point creates friction that can derail task completion. Complex organizing systems with many decisions (where does this go? How should it be sorted? What category is this?) are particularly challenging for ADHD brains.

Core Organizing Strategies

Strategy 1: The Shopping List as Primary Defense

The shopping list is “the most effective weapon” against impulsive purchases and clutter. Always shop with a list and practice strict adherence.

Create a permanent running grocery list in the kitchen
Everyone adds items when staples run low
Never purchase items that haven’t spent time on the list first
For non-essentials, put items on the list and wait several days before purchasing
This waiting period eliminates many impulse buys
Unsubscribe from mailing lists immediately

Strategy 2: Routines and Named Days

Establish predictable routines with designated names:

Bill Paying Monday: Complete financial tasks weekly
Laundry Wednesday: Manage clothing systematically
Garbage Day Tuesday: Coordinate fridge maintenance and disposal
Kitchen Cleanup: Every night without fail

These named days eliminate decision fatigue and create natural urgency that aids ADHD focus.

Strategy 3: Body Doubling and Support Systems

Body doubling—doing chores alongside someone else—provides borrowed focus and dramatically increases task completion. Even silent accountability (friend on phone speaker) helps.

For those living alone, call friends and do chores “together” silently on speakerphone. This single accommodation dramatically improves task completion.

Support services are therapeutic necessities, not luxuries:

Housekeeping services
Laundry drop-off services
Professional organizers
Lawn care services

These represent wise resource allocation given limited ADHD attention and energy.

Strategy 4: Garbage Management (40% of Improvement)

40% of ADHD home improvement comes from streamlined garbage removal. This means efficiently handling items already identified as garbage.

Create streamlined systems:

Large waste cans in every room (not small cute ones)
Store plastic bag liners near each can
Large, lidless indoor recycle bins holding a week’s worth
Place outdoor bins near the most-used exit
Keep one large oversized trash bin in the garage for car cleanups
Make trash day routine and non-negotiable
Create a recycling area with cardboard protection and box cutter
Designate a permanent bin for hazardous waste

Room-by-Room Implementation

Kitchen Organization

The kitchen is critical because it combines meal prep, eating, and numerous maintenance tasks.

Key principles:

Clean the kitchen every night, regardless of dishwasher fullness
Limit dishes to a volume that fills the dishwasher
Place a large dish pan in the sink to catch dirty dishes
Store frequently used dishes in the cabinet nearest the sink/dishwasher
Store cookware next to sink/dishwasher for easy finishing
Sort flatware in the dishwasher basket by type
Reduce Tupperware to 5-10 pieces maximum
Reduce spices ruthlessly with annual purges

Meal planning:

Establish weekly menus with 3-5 simple dinners (15-30 minute prep time)
Use only 2-3 cooking vessels per meal
Consider precut vegetables, bagged salad, and pre-cooked meats
Use recipe apps that auto-generate shopping lists
Shop weekly on garbage day when fridge is empty

Bedroom and Clothing Management

Bed optimization:

Eliminate decorative pillows
Replace multiple blankets with one thick comforter
Position bed away from walls for easy access
Use zippered bottom sheets
Place large wastebaskets next to the bed

Clothing reduction:

Discard old, stained, and ill-fitting clothing
Don’t own more than fits comfortably in your closet (all seasons)
Never fold underwear, briefs, bras, undershirts, or socks
Store these items in category-labeled drawers in a jumble
Reduce socks to one style in two most-worn colors

Closet optimization:

Remove sliding closet doors (use accordion doors or curtains)
Improve lighting—poor visibility perpetuates disorganization
Install hooks for bathrobes and wet towels
Arrange hanging clothes by length
Use matching plastic or flocked hangers
Eliminate tiered and swivel-neck hangers

Storage Spaces (Basement/Garage)

Principles:

Never fill storage to bursting
Use clear tubs on shelves (no stacking)
Install bright LED lighting
Label bins quickly with marker and clear tape
Give each storage category its own area
Maintain one or two empty shelves for staging

Implementation:

Install modular plastic utility shelves
Use clear, shallow bins—avoid deep opaque containers
Hang items from nails or hooks
Store items near where they’ll be used
Avoid stacking bins on floors

Paper and File Management

Mail system:

Create mail-sorting center near where mail lands
Use 2-3 stacking trays with colored folders (Bills, Statements, Charity)
Include upright basket for invitations and events
Drop junk mail in outside bin before entering house

File organization:

Reduce files dramatically from typical 200+ down to 12 maximum
Use bright colors with large black letters
Place one tabbed folder in matching colored hanging folder
Alphabetize except most-frequently-used files at front
Use specific labels, never dating (“Taxes 2024” not “Tax Docs”)

Specialized Systems and Techniques

Staging Areas: Preventing Chaos Invasion

Way Stations: Items actively in transit, located in their direct path (front seat of car, top of stairs, home exits). During daily tidy-ups, items going to another floor go to stairway staging area, then brought up together.

Interim Storage: Items needing temporary storage until specific date (fertilizer waiting for rain, camping equipment). Empty shelves in basements/garages serve this function.

Project Staging Areas: For involved projects lasting several days, set up dedicated folding table out of foot traffic rather than using valuable kitchen counters.

Sentimental Items and Gift Protocols

Gift protocol: Once you’ve thanked the giver, your obligation is complete. Use items you like; discreetly donate items you don’t. Don’t tell gift-givers where gifts ended up—“you gave it away, so you are not allowed to control its fate anymore.”

Sentimental storage: Limit to one Paper Memorabilia box and one Object Memorabilia box per family member, each no larger than a milk crate. For objects, keep items smaller than a deck of cards. Limit to three small items maximum from a departed family member.

For children’s artwork, keep only “autobiographical” pieces (drawings of “My Family,” essays about growing up). The goal should be to document each year in only fifty photos.

Time Management and Calendar Systems

Use one digital calendar system with reminders, alarms, and color coding. For families with young children, maintain physical posted calendar showing weekly recurring patterns.

Daily practices:

Review calendar first thing each morning
Set alarm 10 minutes before leaving for appointments
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early and use extra time as reward
Learn to say no to overcommitment

To-do lists:

Check calendar first thing each morning
Write day’s to-do list on designated pad
Review previous day’s list for carry-forward items
Keep list visible throughout day
Use sticky note pads in every room

Tactical ADHD Hacks

Music, timers, and alarms:

Music provides manageable timeframe (tidy during three songs)
Two-minute phone timers create urgency
Set recurring alarms for medication and trash day

Bright colors and digital trackers:

Use neon/glow-in-the-dark stickers on phone cases, keys, glasses
Purchase brightest-colored hats, gloves, wallets you can tolerate
Digital tracker tags on phones, keys, wallets eliminate lost-item problems

Play to strengths:

Divide tasks by family members’ abilities
Short, mildly repulsive jobs (toilet cleaning, litter box) worthwhile for ADHD individuals
Tasks holding natural attention work better (oil changes, dog walking, childcare)

Important Perspectives and Mindset Shifts

Rejecting Perfectionism

“The most efficient sock system is one that’s quick, streamlined, and practical—even if it looks like a wild jumble.”

A Tupperware drawer that looks chaotic but functions is superior to color-coordinated compartments you’ll never maintain. Open shelving beats hidden organized cabinets if hidden storage creates retrieval friction.

Resourcefulness Over Preparedness

Reject the scarcity mindset of “preparing for every possibility.” Running out of bread until next shopping trip means cereal will do. Out of toilet paper? Grab from another bathroom or use Kleenex.

“Running out proves you didn’t tie up money in overstock—it’s a triumph of organization.”

Creativity and ingenuity matter more than extensive inventories. The ADHD mind excels at finding resourceful solutions in the moment.

Accommodation As Normal, Not Failure

“Safety bars and ramps also detract from décor—heck, the toilet itself isn’t particularly attractive—but these are accommodations and compromises we all accept as a net benefit.”

ADHD-specific organizing is equally valid accommodations. Reject shame around needing different systems. The ADHD brain brings “enthusiasm, intelligence, ingenuity, and creativity”—these are strengths to leverage, not deficits to overcome.

Environmental Consciousness Without Perfectionism

The greatest environmental impact comes from reducing consumption, not perfectionist recycling. For ADHD individuals, one imperfect sustainable practice maintained is better than multiple perfectionist practices abandoned.

Pick eco-friendly options available at regular shopping locations without requiring special effort. Don’t burden yourself with unsustainable practices that ADD mental load.

Implementation and Maintenance

Starting the Organizing Journey

Start with garbage removal - This provides immediate visual improvement and momentum
Purge ruthlessly - Own less rather than organizing excess
Create staging areas - Prevent chaos from invading living spaces
Establish routines - Named days reduce decision fatigue
Invest in support systems - Body doubling, professional help where affordable

Maintaining Systems

Nightly kitchen cleanup - Non-negotiable for starting each day fresh
Weekly routines - Predictable patterns reduce mental load
Regular purging - Schedule seasonal weeding sessions
Shopping list discipline - Primary defense against new clutter
Body doubling - Make it a regular part of challenging tasks

Family Considerations

Pick your battles - Focus on one or two issues that genuinely matter
Use humor - Call family members by superhero names when misplacing things
Work as a team - Create 5-minute end-of-day tidy sessions
Teach children early - Age-appropriate systems they can maintain
Honor ADHD differences - Different organizing needs are valid, not failures

This approach transforms organizing from shameful failure into joyful accommodation, creating systems that work with ADHD brains rather than against them.

Divergent Tabletop Wiki

Explorer

Organizing Solutions For People With Adhd