What if getting organized isn't something you finally achieve, but something you keep deciding, one small step at a time?
On this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, ADHD coach Megs revisits one of her earliest organizing episodes with fresh eyes, more ADHD knowledge, and a lot more compassion for how hard it actually is to start. Whether you're looking for ADHD coaching, a supportive ADHD community, or practical ways to get organized, this episode meets you where you are.
By the end, you'll have a realistic, shame-free framework for decluttering and building routines that actually work with your ADHD brain, not against it.
Megs opens by reflecting on how her thinking has shifted since recording this episode two years ago, particularly around not prescribing one-size-fits-all habits (she's officially retiring the 5 a.m. wake-up recommendation) and understanding organizing as a collaborative, regulated process rather than a checklist to complete. She shares her own history of growing up surrounded by generational clutter, her Facebook Marketplace decluttering phase, and what she learned from the book Decluttering at the Speed of Life, that not everything needs to be sold, and donating is often the more regulated, sustainable choice.
The episode covers why executive function challenges make starting and stopping so hard, why having less stuff means fewer decisions, and how tiny time-boxed steps, paired with reminders, habit stacking, a dedicated donation box, and focused "blinders", are what actually move the needle over time. She also talks through teaching kids organizing systems, what happens when everything feels equally important, and why action will always beat knowledge when it comes to getting your space under control.
The good news? You don't have to overhaul your whole home. You just have to start somewhere small, and then praise yourself for doing it, without shame.
Mentioned in this episode:
Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White: https://amzn.to/43XyQAh
Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:
What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/what-are-adhd-executive-functions/
How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-improve-executive-function-adhd/
Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-management-skills-organization-help-adhd/
This episode is for anyone with ADHD who has tried to get organized, given up, and is ready to try again, this time with a plan that actually fits their brain.
00:00:39 — Revisiting Old Advice with Fresh Eyes and More ADHD Knowledge
00:13:03 — 2026 Megs: Selling Versus Donating perspective
00:15:19 — 2026 Megs: Lessons Learned from Her Parents' Decluttering Journey
00:20:57 — The Craft Closet Reality Check
00:22:46 — 2026 Megs: Teaching Kids How to Use Organizing Systems
00:25:54 — 2026 Megs: When Everything Feels Equally Important
00:35:01 — Starting Small with Time-Boxed Organizing Sessions
00:37:59 — 2026 Megs: Using Reminders and Habit Stacking to Build Consistency
00:45:40 — Why Having Less Stuff Creates More Ease
00:48:41 — Praising Your Progress Without Shame
00:50:59 — 2026 Megs: The Messy Middle and Closing Thoughts
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