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Summary
147 episodes in, and Heather realises she's never actually done a full episode on one of her favourite neurodivergent-friendly storage solutions: hooks. In this episode she talks through why hooks work so well for messy brains, busy lives, and anyone who forgets things exist the second they're out of sight. Starting with the fruit-bowl-turned-doom-pile most of us have by the front door, and a client's tiny porch that had become a genuine shoe-related fire hazard. From there, Heather walks room by room through where hooks quietly solve problems that baskets and boxes don't: the entryway, the kitchen, and all the small stuff that "doesn't really have a home" : TV remotes, towels, clothes brushes, and the chair-pile of not-quite-dirty clothes.
What you'll walk away with
- Why hooks work so well for ADHD brains and anyone who struggles with "out of sight, out of mind"
- The difference between a container that helps and a container that quietly becomes a doom pile
- How a client's small porch and a big shoe problem got solved with hooks instead of baskets
- Why giving something a finite number of hooks is more useful than it sounds (especially with kids' shoes)
- A room-by-room walkthrough: entryway, kitchen, and the "floating" stuff that never has a proper home
- The one question to ask yourself about any storage solution: can I put this away easily?
Who this episode is for
Anyone with a spot in their home that keeps quietly filling up no matter how many pretty containers they buy for it — especially if you're ADHD, have a busy household, or just tend to forget things exist the moment they're out of sight.
Timestamps
00:00 - Why hooks are the storage solution Heather had not talked about yet
00:30 - Why open containers become doom piles for ADHD and messy brains
01:00 - The fruit bowl problem and why hallway catchalls fail
02:29 - When containers turn into extra dumping grounds
03:27 - Why hooks work: visible, finite, and instant
03:56 - Preparing items so they can actually hang on hooks
05:22 - How visible storage stops losing, rebuying, and tripping over items
06:46 - Why floor space and safety improve with hook systems
07:15 - A tiny porch, too many shoes, and why baskets failed
08:40 - Replacing shoe baskets with wall hooks in pairs
09:38 - Finite wall space as a built-in boundary for growing children’s shoes
10:30 - Entryway items that work well on hooks
11:58 - Hooks in the hallway and choosing styles that fit your home
12:27 - Kitchen tools, pans, and utensils on hooks and racks
13:24 - Using a bulldog clip on a hook for receipts and paper piles
14:22 - Solving the problem of items that “float” around the house
14:46 - Anchoring the TV remote near the sofa
15:15 - Towels, colour coding, and preventing damp piles
15:43 - Clothes brushes, torches, and worn clothes that need a temporary home
16:37 - The final test: can you put it away easily?
Affiliate links to great hooks:
Dog tail hooks
Pet station
Heavy duty hook
Shower glass door hooks
Over door hooks
Remote control bungee
Phone lanyard
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