The new year always brings about an organizing fever to many homes, mine included. Over the past few years, we have tackled small organizing projects, which often included buying new storage units for all of our stuff. This year I read the book, Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD. It was life changing and maybe it can be for you too.
Letting Go of Stuff
First off, I don’t have ADHD. However, I do suffer from owning too much stuff and blessed with three kids 5 and under who also have a lot of stuff. We try to take good care of our belongings (and toys) so everything is always in “good” shape. Reading this book taught me that being in good, or even perfect, condition doesn’t give an item permission to stay in our home. If it doesn’t have a purpose, it’s just more stuff.
As I keep my Word of the Year in mind, clearing out the clutter allows me to focus on the task at hand. Instead of struggling to put clean dishes away in an overstuffed cabinet, I took some time to pare down our collection of pots and pans. Some were donated and others that are used infrequently were moved to an accessible area in the basement.
The Organizing Solutions book addresses the challenge of dealing with sentimental items, like gifts. Some may not be your style, or the gifts are no longer IN style. Somehow after reading about how to reevaluate gifts made it okay for me to say goodbye to certain items. I’ll always appreciate the sentiment, but now my home can really show our favorite items and those that mean something to each of us.
The book is not just for people with ADHD, the author notes early on how distracted busy mothers can benefit from her methodology. In any give day (hour) a mother has to wear many hats. Following the same approach to make clean up easy, clearing the clutter in every room is the first step.
Chapter by chapter I got a few new ideas to bring order and calmness to my space. My office desk has a space for a couple of beautiful things and my new 2015 Emily Ley planner (yes, I am a paper and pencil girl!) Papers have a home and I’ve learned a few tricks on how to be a bit more ruthless with all the paper that does come into the house on a daily basis.
In the playroom, I finally realized why my very pretty Ikea storage unit still didn’t help with clean up time. The book explains the difference between “pretty” storage and “efficient” storage. I think there is a happy medium but I would much rather make clean up as easy as possible for me AND the kids.
I created a downloadable printable of the SIMPLE RULES FOR TOY STORAGE that I hope can help you bring some peace and calmness to your toy mismanagement. Sign up in the box below to have it sent to you. Print it out and keep it handy to refer back to when the toy room starts to overflow again.
If you get on an organizing kick, my other favorite reads are One Bite at a Time and The Nesting Place. It’s easier to keep reading about organizing, but the reality is you have to start taking action. Good luck and happy sorting.
photo credit: Wendy Copley via photopin cc
I love this book, too! I agree that her tips are not just for people with ADHD, but for anyone who feels too busy and overwhelmed by the thought of getting organized. Thank you!
I’ll have to check it out to see if I can learn something new. I’m such an organization fanatic. When my daughter was little we had a play kitchen and I always had to have the fruit in the fruit drawer, the “cold” food in the fridge, the cupcakes in the oven, etc. I just can’t function well unless things are in their place.
I hear you. I’m getting rid of all the play kitchen food that is “cuttable” with the velcro. Kids never put them together, only me, so I’m letting them go so they can really use the nicer wooden food we also have for them.
You totally sold me on this book! I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and I’ve been trying to get a handle on our house for YEARS. Thanks!
The book will be eye-opening for you. The change in thought process in making things easier to tidy up in the first place makes so much sense, yet never really connected with me before. Good luck!
We need some serious help! Our “stuff” isn’t even always in the best shape, but my girls love tinkering and taking things apart and using pieces of one thing for another.
But, we need to take a couple days and go through and clear stuff out!
My husband and I used the holiday break to really clean out some of the dark corners of our storage. Now we have some breathing room to store things that we still need handy but don’t need to be readily accessible.
Color me intrigued by this book suggestion! Though I’m very neat, the rest of the family has trouble letting go of certain items, and I’d love strategies and tips on how to help them let go in a way that feels respectful of their feelings and sentiments.
i’d love to see your rules for toys
Hi!
I’d love a copy of your simple rules for toy storage 🙂
Thanks!
I’d love the printable copy of Organizational Rules! Thanks!
Would love simple rules list!
I would like a copy of the rules for toy storage!
I would like a copy of the rules for toy storage!
Thanks for the book recommendation! I feel like this can be very helpful to mothers & people with ADHD. Is it stressful to have to multitask and take care of 3 kids?