Neurodiversity and Home Organization

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While I work with all clients, I feel a particular affinity for those who are neurodivergent. In my experience neurodivergent people are frequently on the receiving end of negative feedback about our ability to organize ourselves and our possessions. Systems and habits that others seem to develop and follow easily are difficult for us. This can significantly effect both our productivity and our self esteem. It can also result in us spending extra time and money just trying to have what we need, where we need it and when we need it. Have you ever heard of the ADHD tax? Its a lighthearted name for the very real costs that people who struggle with executive functioning often incur. I'm sure you can think of many examples; fines because you didn't return library books on time, paying for groceries you don't end up using before they spoil, repurchasing items that you already own because either you've forgotten you have them or because you cant find them when you need them.

 

Neurodiversity is just an umbrella term for  brains that operate in an atypical way. While it’s often associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Spectrum Disorders there are a large number of different ways that brains work that don't always function well in todays world.  These variations can play havoc with our executive functioning and ability to be effective. To truly thrive, we need strategies that are as innovative and unique as we are—because let’s face it, complicated multi-step plans are just not realistic. 

 

For neurodivergent people, processing information can feel like deciphering a menu in a foreign language, leading to some serious executive dysfunction. Planning, focusing, and managing tasks can be a wild challenge, and traditional organization tips often miss the mark. This whirlwind can stir up anxiety and overwhelm, especially with societal expectations to live in a magazine worthy home. There is a place for beautiful, color coordinated organizing solutions but it must always come after function.

 

Being disorganized is costly. It costs you time every day when you go from room to room looking for your phone. It costs you money when you can't locate that gift for a friend you know you just bought! It costs you peace when you spend time in a cluttered space that makes you feel overwhelmed or anxious. Operating in a cluttered home as a person with ADHD is like living in your own person pinball machine. You can end up bouncing from half finished task to half finished task as you notice each one again and again.

 

Coming from a neurospicy (I know some people really don't like this term but as someone who feels their neurodiversity is one of the keys to their success; I love it) family myself I am very familiar with the unique challenges that , time blindness, sensory overwhelm, task initiation and distractibility present. Each of my family members needs different types of storage. One needs lots of open highly visible storage because if she can't see her possessions they cease to exist. I need lots of closed solutions because I find visual clutter in my own space makes me anxious and distracts me from important tasks. Another family member chooses to limit her possessions ruthlessly in order to free up emotional bandwidth.

 

I do not offer a one size fits all approach to home organizing. I will get to know you as an individual and, focusing on your strengths, create solutions tailored to your needs. I take all your sensory needs into account. Does smell have a big impact on you? Lets work on that. Do you need help with your lighting and color schemes? All these elements impact how your space feels and how you operate within it. If your needs include pretty boxes and shelf styling out of a home interiors magazine we can do that too! 

 

I know the idea of trying to be more organized is stressful for many people. But try to imagine how freeing it will be to live in a space that nudges you towards remembering important things. Or that gives you a sense of calm and allows you to relax when you are overstimulated. Or even just being able to put your hands on what you need when you need it without having to hunt through every closet in your house.

 

The key to achieving this is take your space chunk by chunk. Focusing on the areas that will have the biggest impact on your every day life first. You deserve to have a calm, peaceful home that helps you be your best self. Give me a call, send me a text and lets chat. We can get you Pretty Organized!