October is ADHD Awareness Month – a time to educate, reduce stigma, and deepen understanding of ADHD and how it uniquely affects each individual.

ADHD isn’t just about focus or hyperactivity. It impacts how a person plans, prioritises, and follows through on everyday tasks. These executive function challenges can make staying organised and managing clutter feel like climbing a mountain.

Why ADHD and Clutter Often Go Hand in Hand

For many people with ADHD, clutter isn’t about carelessness or a lack of motivation. It’s about how the brain processes tasks, attention, and decisions.

• Executive function challenges can make it harder to focus, plan, stay organised, and follow through on tasks. Starting a project might feel manageable, but finishing it can be much more difficult.
• Distractibility can pull attention away mid-task, leaving chores half-finished or piles scattered around.
• Difficulty prioritising can make it hard to decide what to put away first or where things belong, often resulting in “clutter piles” instead of clear spaces. For people with ADHD, even small choices – where does this go?, what matters most?, what should I tackle next?, adds up. That constant stream of decisions can lead to decision fatigue, making it even harder to keep up and causing more clutter to accumulate.
• Poor working memory makes it challenging to hold information in mind while juggling other tasks. To cope, items such as bills, paperwork, or laundry are often left in visible spots as reminders. Over time, these visual cues can build up, turning helpful reminders into overwhelming clutter.
• Impulse control challenges, combined with easy access to online shopping, can lead to acquiring more items than there is space for, further contributing to clutter.

You might start tidying one room, get distracted by another task, and end up with two unfinished areas. This isn’t about not caring – it’s about how your ADHD brain handles task initiation, focus, and follow-through.

Procrastination and Perfectionism

It’s common to feel overwhelmed by the size of the mess and put it off – not out of laziness, but because decision-making and task initiation can feel exhausting. Even when you do start, staying on track can be difficult.

Perfectionism can also play a powerful role in how we approach tasks. When it feels like things have to be done perfectly, or not at all – it’s easy to lose momentum or avoid starting altogether. Over time, that pressure can make it harder to start or finish, and clutter naturally begins to build up.

The Emotional Impact of Clutter

Clutter isn’t just physical, it affects emotions too. A messy space can heighten anxiety and stress, mirroring the internal overwhelm you may already feel. Seeing piles of unfinished tasks can trigger shame or the feeling that you’re failing.

It can also strain relationships. Loved ones may misinterpret clutter as carelessness, not understanding it’s linked to ADHD, leading to frustration and guilt.

The truth is: this isn’t about ability or laziness. It’s about how your brain works. Recognising that is the first step toward self-compassion and meaningful change.

Practical Strategies for Managing Clutter with ADHD

While it may feel impossible, there are ADHD-friendly systems that make organisation more manageable and forgiving. Some of these strategies include:

• Drop zones: Use baskets or bins in key areas to contain clutter and give yourself a “holding space” until you’re ready to sort it.
• Designated spots: Trays for keys, mail, or documents reduce decision fatigue and keep essentials easy to find. 
• Label everything: Labels give your brain a visual cue for where things belong and help items find their way home.
• Keep it simple: Choose organising systems that are easy to use and maintain. Simpler setups are more sustainable and less overwhelming.
• Break tasks down: Focus on one small section at a time. Even just five minutes of progress matters, those small wins add up and help build momentum.
• Use timers: A visual timer set for 5–15 minutes helps time-blind brains see progress and stay focused. It also builds awareness of how much you can realistically accomplish.
• Create routines: Set consistent times for cleaning or tidying. Over time, these tasks become automatic, feeling less overwhelming and more manageable.
• Be mindful before buying: Ask, “Will this add value or just become another item to manage?”

Make It Rewarding

Pair care tasks with things that boost dopamine:

• Play music, a podcast, or a favourite upbeat song only when you clean or tidy. Over time, your brain will link that positive feeling to the task itself.
• Set small challenges or gamify your routines to make them more engaging.

You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

Having someone nearby, even virtually – can make decluttering easier.

Invite a friend to body double while you sort and declutter, or join live sessions or accountability groups. Support turns overwhelm into momentum and replaces judgment with encouragement, helping you tackle even the toughest clutter.

Lead with Compassion

Your mess is not a reflection of laziness – it reflects how your brain processes the world. By recognising this, you can shift from shame to self-compassion. Celebrate progress, no matter how small. Relapses happen, but once you’ve decluttered, it’s always easier to get back on track. You don’t have to tackle everything at once; every small step counts. And never feel ashamed to ask for help – support can make all the difference.

Challenge that inner voice saying, “I’m just messy” or “I’m not good at this.” Those aren’t your identity – they’re beliefs. You are capable of learning, growing, and developing new rhythms that work for your brain.

ADHD Isn’t Just a Challenge – It’s a Strength 

Many people with ADHD are creative, curious, and full of energy. The same traits that can make organisation challenging also fuel problem-solving, resilience, and originality – along with empathy, vitality, and spontaneity.

Discovering that I’m Autistic and have ADHD in adulthood brought clarity, challenges, and a sense of grief for the understanding I didn’t have sooner. It hasn’t always been easy, but learning to meet myself with self-compassion has changed how I move through the world.

Embracing your unique brain means acknowledging your challenges, celebrating progress, and finding strategies that help you thrive in your own way.

If you’ve found yourself on a similar path, please know you’re not alone. There’s no right way to navigate this kind of discovery – only your way, at your own pace, with as much kindness for yourself as you can manage along the way.

This ADHD Awareness Month, let’s celebrate progress over perfection, compassion over criticism, and the beautifully different ways ADHD brains work.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by clutter or struggling to find systems that work for your ADHD brain, you don’t have to face it alone. I offer personalised support and guidance to help you create spaces that feel manageable, functional, and stress-free. Together, we can develop strategies tailored to your unique needs and celebrate progress along the way.

Get in touch to see how I can help you reclaim your space with compassion and confidence.