ADHD Organization: This was Unexpected (but super helpful)

Need some ADHD Organization inspiration? I had no idea that decluttering could be so enjoyable (and LASTING) when approached with this perspective and a little inspirational help from watching fellow KZbinrs declutter their own spaces (Thanks @The Carla Project !)
If you have a space that needs some work, find yourself a motivational video and tackle the project with the approach of "less is more". It can make the world of difference, especially for ADHD brains.
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[@GoADHDGo]

“Don’t confuse organization with being tidy.” That’s one of my life tips that I tell ADHDers. If an organization system looks like stuff all over the office but you know where everything is when you need it… that’s organized. If I put the stuff in a filing box or whatever and then can’t find it, that’s tidy but not organized. “Chaotic organization” is what I call my organization style. :)

[@CarenMagill]

VERY good point. Thank you!

[@artyj135]

I have been in the same journey - obessed by organisation and plastic tubs, never able to keep it up. I started getting rid of things instead - it's wonderful, but now obsessed with decluttering!

[@CarenMagill]

LOL... well, at least it's a productive obsession!

[@saramichaels3853]

Please consider watching professional organizer and youtuber "Clutterbug". She has ADHD and was literally life altering for me. She begins by decluttering just like Carla but she is also "gets it". and has designed systems so that you can get it, too. She realizes not all organizational styles work for everyone AND, most importantly, that they the same style may not work for all of the people in the household. She has simplified four different methods of organizing (after decluttering). For years I thought I was disorganized. Nope. After I decluttered (the first step) I learned from Cas the style of organizing that works for me, Started doing it and my house has "worked" ever since! PLEASE give it a shot! You have already done the hardest part! BTW The first lesson in organization Cas teaches is DON'T BUY ORGANIZING STUFF FIRST! LOL

[@CarenMagill]

I love @clutterbug and I watch her stuff all the time. I lover her ADHD-friendly perspective.

[@nikkilesley2525]

Interesting that the pantry doesn’t actually look that bad to me. I actually have little messes everywhere and I am having a tough time just getting the motivation to tidy.

[@bookclubcat]

Wow I didn’t know that what I did was “body doubling!” I can’t do anything without someone on KZbin doing it with me- cleaning, exercising, studying, etc. That makes so much sense that it’s an adhd thing! Thanks for sharing!

[@CarenMagill]

My pleasure! it's really helpful!

[@amypoole30]

The ones with her sister and decluttering her sisters home are fabulous. There is a good one with some guys garage he declutter to surprise his wife after she went out of town too!

[@PhoenixEvolution]

The clear bin system is extremely helpful esp for our adhd brains. The other thing i find is unless i have the full momentum and emotional regulation/ time to do it start to finish, i can't/ won't start. So i had a top rated cleaning business and even professional organizer license. I could clean others homes like it was nothing, but mine, everyday there's an explosion (especially in the areas we are at the most) setting up specific systems THAT ACTUALLY WORK IN THE LONG TERM are your best friend. While you're casually sitting in your space that day, just write down what you typically do in that room/ area. What are solutions to specific regular problems you face in that room? ie: you walk in the house and dump all your things. Setting an entry point mud room. Bins for specific things like shoes/ hats/ accessories, but also a doom box catch all. I have a doom box for each room, and for each person. These are imperative. If you leave bins near your stairs for example, one for everyone, those can be filled and then taken upstairs. Bin systems are my life line in every room of the house ☺️ Kids won't get up from the couch to throw something away in the kitchen? Put a trash can next to the couch. Dishes piling up at your desk? Use a dish pan top collect all the dishes until your prepared to wash them. Find the best solutions that work for you!

[@CarenMagill]

100% agree!

[@stewartg7673]

Please help with organizing email 😫

[@lorrainepannetier]

Such an interesting perspective! When I used to teach nutrition and home cooking, I'd go to people's houses and get them to show me their cupboards and fridge and what I realised is that so many people hated cooking because it was so stressful opening cluttered cupboards (like when something falls out and spills and you have to spend an extra half an hour clearing up and are finding grains of couscous or chia everywhere for weeks to come. 🤣), or having very little workspace because of items all over the counter tops. Once people decluttered, chucked away out of date items, put away gadgets they rarely use and created a clear dining table or space to eat, it changed everything! Suddenly they could relax in the kitchen and prep veggies with a positive energy; like a kind of relaxation process in itself.

[@CarenMagill]

Oh I can completely relate to that! You should see my tupperware cabinet. It's a total safety hazard!

[@bettyparker3317]

💯💯 once an ADHD person like me has to stop and search for a cooking tool or ingredient, it’s essentially over. I find a million distractions along the way. Just clearing out the duplicates, the too old, and the things I haven’t used in years (while telling myself someday I’ll want that, which never happened) made things incredibly easier.

[@bettyparker3317]

Another YT person (Dana White) talks about the container issue. Much as you said, her point is that if you keep buying more stuff to hold (organize) your stuff, maybe you really just have…too much stuff. Adding more is probably not going to help as much as you hope. It for sure applies to me. I just needed to get rid of a lot. Purge. De-clutter. It’s amazing when you start realizing how much you have that you don’t really use or need. My organizing became a lot easier once I cleared out the 7-8 identical/no fitting shirts, the 5-year-old paperwork, the expired spices, the boxes, and boxes, and boxes! Etc

[@MultiSignlanguage]

Thanks for sharing a decluttering process that didn’t require spending money with baskets and stuff to organize. I don’t have the money for that now. Most others show needing to buy baskets and other organizing tools. Costing money some of us can’t afford. Thanks 👍

[@CarenMagill]

Glad it was helpful!

[@OhJustEatIt]

OMG body doubling. That's why I do that! I had no idea.

[@bipolartorecovery1485]

Be nice to yourself. Your pantry has food in it and you can walk inside, the light works in it. Why put yourself down for just living?

[@Katlyn_Duncan]

this is my first video of yours, a new sub here! I found so much connection with Dana K. White's 5-step no mess decluttering that I became certified in her program. I love working with my fellow ADHD'ers because body doubling is life changing!

[@paularies3282]

Yes!!! She's very ADHD friendly!

[@ellemars2862]

Thanks for this video- the ADD struggle is REAL ! Everyone recommends storage containers,etc , but they do nothing in my pantry but confuse me more 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@kbailey3238]

I would also recommend Cass from Clutterbug (a fellow ADHDer) she is amazing and has helped me so much.

[@CarenMagill]

she's awesome!

[@mpad1716]

The first 30 seconds and I Subscribed! Love this!!!😊

[@Lynn-TheSeeker]

OMG, the more I listen to you and watch your vids, the more I think I have ADHD too. "Body Double" ... I recently thought to myself that a tool I could use to keep myself from bailing out on my Decluttering/Downsizing Project Opus was having a human voice or voices in my background ... listening to podcasts or something similar. I'm so stressed out about procrastinating on this that I've blown away six months of new retiree time avoiding it.

[@staff2thecats]

Cass from Clutterbug is amazing! She helps those with different styles, and she has ADHD! ❤ But that being said, I can't wait to finish this video and checkout the Carla Project. Because, well, ADHD.....😂

[@Missponderlit]

I can totally relate with going on Amazon to solve life’s problems! 😂 thank you for another great video!

[@CarenMagill]

You are so welcome!

[@DeborahDahms]

Caren I love your videos! You are so natural and expressive. You are so relatable and motivating.

[@CarenMagill]

thank you, Deborah!

[@natmelissahills7738]

Natalie Bennett is also a great one to follow! She’s also an ADHDer and a gentle motivation.

[@mallorymusallam9588]

lol this is like my accumulation of thrift store vacuums, thinking they’d be the antidote to my organization trifles

[@borleyboo5613]

That was so helpful. I haven’t sorted/cleaned my kitchen cupboards for at least 3 years. And oh, Amazon!!!!!! Baskets, boxes, tubs. I’ve tried them all. Anyway, I’ve subscribed. Thank you from England. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👍😃

[@christinedisneyqueen5746]

I love Carla too! Now, I’m so glad I have found your channel. ☺️

[@stewartg7673]

Omg! 😮. You call your pantry unorganized. You should see mine. But I’m inspired

[@mariacastillo3090]

You’re sooo nice to listen to. You’re funny and I’m doing just that room by room. Thank you.

[@trudymccann3671]

Good Job Caren! You inspire me, I have a 3X5" card with the Words "2023 Purge -Today"! Now I realize I was right to take this tack! Thank you, for the motivation!

[@mylena3086]

Thank you so much Caren! This is the perfect video

[@Its_JazzyJazz]

I agree, sometimes we just need to declutter and get rid of all the stuff we just don’t need/use anymore. Thanks for the video! I just subbed! 😊

[@CarenMagill]

You are so welcome!

[@Uncle_Tom]

Amazing! Especially your dog with the eyes that could have only said "mom, wheres my chicken strips?"

[@CarenMagill]

I know, right?

[@gurkamalkaur3207]

I do that body doubling stuff with my friend in India. He wanted me to do deep breathing every day. Yes, there are 24 hours in a day and it doesn't seem like such a tall order. Yet, if you are here, you get it. My solution, I had to send a message daily, to confirm I had completed the deep breathing. It worked. I completed the deep breathing, daily as instructed. But as soon as the time period was up and I stopped reporting, I stopped doing the deep breathing. I have just started explaining to him how ADHD impacts my ability to sit still, meditate and why he feels like he is explaining the same thing over and over. This man has amazing concentration and recall. He is able to study which subject he has interest in, to the last detail. This is a growth process for both of us.

[@ember1713]

Inspiring, thank you.

[@junipertoby1812]

My sewing room is my catch all..my husband is the same way

[@elviragomez5703]

I’d be like, but first a glass of wine 🍷 😅

[@CarenMagill]

Ha!! Whatever works!

[@bonecrusher9745]

You are absolutely fabulous. What stores do you do your grocery shopping at? Do you stock up on anything like soda or water? Can you possibly do some in store videos? It would be awesome if you could show how you do your full shopping trip

[@CarenMagill]

Thanks, Bone Crusher! I'd be happy to do that. I actually do my grocery shopping online. It's WAY easier that way.

[@KM-rt5jj]

Your pantry is my goal 😅 think maybe i need a different level of organizational inspo

[@stewartg7673]

Please help with organizing emails. More specifically creating a ADHD friendly email filing system

[@Lifeisgood1883]

Great video!

[@NoxCattus]

Thank you! :)

[@CarenMagill]

You're welcome!

[@JessTalkTV]

I don't bother organizing my pantry because it messes back up within a few days. It doesn't help that my children have ADHD also so stuff is randomly everywhere

[@gaiapalmas3451]

I love u adhd sis

[@work_in_progress161]

Me coming in for the content, and also me for the rest of the video: your skin looks lovely, look there are plants I wonder if they are authentic - who waters them, what does it say on that shirt, there is a sculpture on the wall, I wonder if I will look good blond, BRACELETS, different shirt in the second part of the video and brows look different 😁...

[@CarenMagill]

LOL... that's my brain too!

[@anngiemba]

Love your shirt #message

[@katherinesmith2365]

My biggest issue is my family. I do try but I feel like I'm constantly getting frustrated with my high schoolers and college kid when he's home.

[@CarenMagill]

That's gotta be a challenge.

[@rileywiebe3512]

But your pantry looks good compared to me 😂

[@ds2348]

There is a difference between organizing and keeping a clean house Wiping down surfaces taking out the trash, picking up after yourself has nothing to do with being organized

[@user-ez7pq9eu8e]

### CHATGPT Detailed Summary: In this video, Karen McGill, an ADHD coach, shares her experience with organizing her pantry and how she discovered the importance of decluttering. Here are the key points: 1. **Introduction**: - Karen describes herself as the queen of organization but struggles with maintaining organization. - Her pantry, a reflection of her inner chaos, frequently becomes disorganized despite her efforts. 2. **Realization**: - Karen realized that adding more organizational tools wasn't solving her problem. - She needed to reduce the amount of stuff rather than trying to organize more items. 3. **Action Plan**: - Decided to declutter her pantry instead of buying new organizational systems. - Looked for relatable inspiration on KZbin and found the Carla Project, which motivated her to start the decluttering process. 4. **Body Doubling**: - Used the concept of body doubling, a technique where having someone else present (virtually or in person) helps maintain focus on a task. - Carla's videos provided the virtual presence needed to stay engaged in the decluttering process. 5. **Decluttering Process**: - Karen shared her pantry decluttering experience, which took about two hours. - She got rid of many unnecessary items and found the process enlightening and therapeutic. 6. **Outcome**: - Three weeks later, the pantry remained organized, and Karen felt a significant reduction in anxiety. - Clutter-free spaces contribute to her sense of calm and control over her environment. 7. **Conclusion**: - Encourages viewers to start their own decluttering projects for a calmer and more organized space. - Invites viewers to suggest other areas for her to declutter in future videos and asks for their feedback. ### Bullet Point Summary: - **Introduction**: Struggles with maintaining organization, especially in the pantry. - **Realization**: More items were not the solution; needed to reduce clutter. - **Action Plan**: Decided to declutter and found inspiration from the Carla Project on KZbin. - **Body Doubling**: Used Carla's videos to stay focused during the decluttering process. - **Decluttering Process**: Took two hours to declutter the pantry, resulting in a significant reduction in unnecessary items. - **Outcome**: Pantry remained organized for weeks, reducing anxiety and creating a sense of control. - **Conclusion**: Encourages viewers to declutter their spaces and invites feedback for future decluttering projects.

[@lllecia]

i also love The Carla Project 🫶🏽