Don’t Put It Down — Put It Away: reflections on ADHD and Organising
October is ADHD Awareness Month, and as someone who spends a lot of time thinking about how we organise our homes and lives, it feels like the perfect time to share a few reflections on ADHD and organisation — even if it’s just a small post on a big topic.
How It Started
Several years ago, I took part in a training course on ADHD for professional organisers, run by the brilliant Sarah Bickers from Free Your Space. I signed up because I realised I didn’t know enough about neurodivergence — and I wanted to better understand how different brain processing affects the way we organise our homes and lives.
Fast forward a few years, and around 80% of my clients either are diagnosed with ADHD or strongly suspect they have it. There’s growing recognition that professional organisers can be an invaluable support for ADHDers, offering practical tools and gentle accountability for something that can feel incredibly overwhelming.
And I love working with my ADHD clients — every single one of them. It’s very rewarding to literally see their overwhelm dissipate.
Understanding ADHD
There’s a lot of great information out there about ADHD and neurodivergence. If you’d like to learn more, here are a few excellent starting points:
As ADHD UK explains, ADHD is a difference…
“[…] that is defined through analysis of behaviour. People with ADHD show a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity that interferes with day-to-day functioning and/or development.”
They also point out that what sets ADHD apart from normal distractibility is the degree, consistency, and impact of those features.
Over the years, I’ve noticed clear patterns in ADHD homes — the same struggles, the same responses to organising tasks — and it’s made me even more confident that what I do genuinely helps.
“Don’t Put It Down — Put It Away”
This phrase came from one of my long-term clients, a creative woman in her 70s who suspects she’s had ADHD all her life. She contacted me after downsizing, and her new home felt chaotic and overwhelming.
When we started, her belongings were scattered everywhere — shoes with skincare products, paintbrushes with calendars — nothing grouped logically. Two years later, the transformation is incredible. Everything now has a home, and the calm in her space reflects in her wellbeing.
Her mantra, “Don’t put it down, put it away,” became our guiding principle. It’s a simple reminder to complete the task now — to resist the distractions that so often derail the process.
This happens regularly: a client sets off to do laundry, gets distracted halfway there, and ends up starting a completely different task. Without gentle guidance or someone to help them to stay focused, ADHD creeps back in quickly.
Why Organising Feels So Hard
ADHD brains are wired for interest and people find organising tireless; others find it genuinely difficult (not being able to see the wood from the trees in clutter) — and when it feels difficult, it can quickly become emotionally heavy. Critical thoughts like “Why can’t I just do this?” or “What’s wrong with me?” start to surface.
The truth is, clutter and disorganisation don’t just affect our physical spaces — they affect our mood and self-motivation. And that’s why small, compassionate steps are so powerful.
Helpful Tips for Organising with (or without) ADHD
Here are a few of my favourite practical helpers:
Set a timer — work in focused bursts.
Play music that gets you in the mood (calm or upbeat).
Tackle one small area at a time.
Make things visible. Be mindful of things getting shoved to the back of cupboards.
Use labels and vertical storage.
Don’t stay in hyperfocus too long (remember your timer).
Keep a plan for items leaving the home.
Jot down ideas that pop into your head so they don’t derail you.
Above all, be kind to yourself. Progress doesn’t have to be perfect — it just has to move forward.
Compassion and Understanding
Learning more about ADHD helps us all — it allows us to empathise, to suspend judgement, and to support friends, clients, or loved ones with greater compassion.
So this month, take a moment to learn a bit more about ADHD, or to notice how it shows up in your own life or the lives around you. And if you need help? Call me, the professional organiser!
Client Voices
Following a decluttering session spent clearing out her room after years of freelancing and travelling, my ADHD client told me:
“The actual insides of my body and brain feel cleansed and structured. I’ve learned how to create systems that actually work and are sustainable, no matter how here, there and everywhere I feel. I felt completely supported throughout the process — and I’ve already been shouting about Sophie’s praises to everyone I know.” (Seda, North London)
To find out more about how it feels to go through life with ADHD and live with mess and with a messy brain, listen to this podcast (which has a shout out to FLoT!) with Liv Nunn (The Mess We’re In) and Nat Harrison, ADHD career coach (Ayama Coaching)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hNzvsN6HA