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19 Genius ADHD Organizing Hacks to Make Your Family’s Life Easier

Having ADHD does not mean that you are doomed to struggle with keeping your home organized until the end of time.

Having ADHD myself, I am not only able to keep my home mostly organized, but I honestly don’t spend much time trying to keep it that way. An organized house is a realistic, achievable goal. The secret comes down to:

• • Well-thought-out strategies

  • Helpful habits

  • Low-maintenance organizing systems

  • Reducing excess clutter

Tailor it to Your Unique Brain

Many of us with ADHD are challenged by the same common executive dysfunctions—working memory, time management, short attention span, task initiation—but ADHD manifests very differently for different people.

• • My biggest struggle might be time management.

  • Your biggest struggle might be staying on task and following through without getting bored.

For this reason, some of these suggestions may work well for you, and others may not. My aim is to offer a comprehensive list of strategies that typically work for those with ADHD. Try the ones that resonate with you, and leave the others behind.

Use the following ADHD organization hacks to set your home up for success:

1. Establish a Launching Pad (As a Visual Reminder)

Create a dedicated system by your exit door for items that need to go with you each day.

• • • • Why it works: It serves as an unmissable visual reminder to grab what you need.

      • Who it helps: Great for adults rushing out the door and kids heading off to school.

      • How to set it up: Place a bin or container for each family member near the exit door.

      • What to store there: Lunches, work items, backpacks, instruments, coats, sports gear, etc.

      • When to do it: Prep it ahead of time or the night before to drastically reduce the chance of forgetting something.

My Personal Take: This is personally one of my favorite tips because I am terrible at remembering things at the last minute. I have all to do just to make sure I have my car keys in hand as I walk out the door!

2. Store Things Where You Use Them

Make clean-up as simple as possible for yourself and your family. The easier it is to put something away, the more likely it is to actually get done.

• • • • Match items to action: Think about the activities that take place in each space, and store everything needed right nearby.

      • Example — The Coffee Bar:

        • Group your coffee maker, supplies, mugs, and travel thermos all in one dedicated spot.

        • Now, morning preparation and clean-up are a cinch.

3. Establish Activity Zones

Every home functions better when spaces are separated into distinct work or play zones. Think of a kindergarten classroom with designated areas for reading, painting, and storytelling.

• • • • Identify routines: Consider what activities take place in each area of your home.

      • Group items together: Store all items needed for a specific activity right in that zone.

      • Reduce friction: Use open bins and labeled containers to make retrieval and cleanup as fast and low-effort as possible. 

11. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Sorting and Containerizing

By storing all related items together in one location, you will drastically reduce how much time you spend looking for things. Once sorted, place groups of items in a storage container so that they stay together.

• • • • One location for like items: Avoid storing similar items in multiple locations in your home. It is easier to remember where light bulbs and batteries live if they are all stored together in one place.

      • Track your inventory: Do you ever catch yourself searching in several locations just to find something? Storing all like items together keeps you from hunting around and helps you stay on top of your inventory.

      • Store vertically: I recommend storing anything sturdy enough to stand up vertically instead of laying flat. Not only does this make items easier to see, but you can grab what you need without disheveling or lifting other items.

      • Name your containers: Susan Pinsky, the author of “Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD,”  suggests that as you organize, it is helpful to name your bins, shelves, and drawers to make it really clear in your mind where things live. This will make it easier for you to return items to their homes with minimal effort and thought.

      •  Example: Store all of your beverage koozies together, standing up in a small container, and place it in the drink cabinet where you store your other beverage-related items.

12. In your pantry, use bins to keep related food items together.

• • • • Use clear, open-topped pantry bins that have been labeled. Take food out of its outer packaging so items are easy to see, grab quickly, and keep sorted.

      • Organize against impulsivity: Put healthy choices (fruit cups, nuts) at eye level, and stash cookies, chips, and candy on higher shelves so they require more work to grab.

      • Use an expandable tiered shelf to keep everything visible so nothing hides behind something else.

      • Avoid overstocking your pantry. Don’t run out of space and lose control of your inventory.

(Reread tip number 10 again—it’s the mother of all organizing tips!)

13. Have a place for everything you own so that you can find things and put them away easily.

Assigning permanent homes to everything you own ensures that clutter is kept at bay and time is not wasted looking for things. It is also important to make sure that other family members know where things are located.  Reinforce the rule that everything has a home and items need to be returned to their permanent homes when they are not being used.

14. Don’t put things off until the last minute.

• • • • Prepare ahead to create a cushion: Knowing my ADHD makes me forgetful, I prepare early so surprises or forgotten items don’t derail me.

      • Promote peace, reduce stress: Just like turning in homework early, getting predictable, scheduled activities out of the way ahead of time prevents last-minute chaos.

      • Example: Shop for Saturday night’s dinner party well in advance rather than Saturday morning to leave extra time for unexpected snags.

15. Lean into your family’s dumping habits.

See if you can find a way to store things where they tend to land rather than constantly moving things to a different location. If shoes seem to end up by the back door, put a shoe rack there. If coats or backpacks constantly land on the chair near the front door, install a hook rack on the wall near there. Install single hooks in places where towels, purses, or robes seem to land.

Does paperwork clutter your kitchen counter? Get some decorative baskets or bins to hide it in or put a hanging paperwork organizer on a nearby wall. Notice where clutter seems to gather and see if you can find a way to store those items where they are easy to grab and put away.

16. Create a daily 10-minute family tidying session.

This one trick will go a long way in keeping your home organized from day to day. Get your family in the habit of participating in a 10-minute family tidying session at the same time each day, perhaps right before or after supper. 

You’ll be surprised how quickly your home can go from messy to orderly when everyone pitches in and works together for just 10 minutes.

You can also make it fun by playing music.  When the music stops, everyone can stop tidying. Use caution not to overstep the 10-minute rule. If 10 minutes turns into 30 minutes, your family might become reluctant to participate.

17. Remove barriers to make unfun but necessary tasks easier to do.

If there are activities you want to encourage yourself or your family to do, make it easier to do them.  If your car is always a mess because trash builds up, place a trash can in your garage right next to your car to make getting rid of trash easier.

As an additional reinforcement, the trash can will act as a visual reminder not to leave your car without dumping the trash from that day’s travels.

In the same way, if trash buildup is a problem in your home, place a trash can in every single room to make for easy dumping. If laundry on the floor is a problem, place a laundry bin in every bedroom and bathroom.

18. Store Things Simply and Avoid Micro-Organizing

Focus on making items super easy to find, access, and put away quickly. If a system is too complicated, it will require way too much time and effort to maintain!

• • • Lower the friction: Leave tops off storage containers, avoid stacking, and keep items visible rather than shoved in the back.

    • Avoid overcrowding: Once a cabinet or closet is stuffed past capacity, it stops being functional.

    • Keep systems realistic: Matching labeled glass spice jars sounds great—but will you actually take the time to refill them? Stick to simple setups, like a paperwork file with a few broad categories instead of dozens of confusing subcategories.

19. What other habits can you establish to keep your home organized?

Forming habits, such as doing homework and household tasks at the same time every day, can help you and your family feel more in control. Habits give us a sense of security and predictability that make our lives feel less chaotic. 

Keep in mind that if you really want to create lasting change and create a more ADHD-friendly home for yourself long-term, you’ll need to stick with and practice these suggestions.  

Resist giving up on the tips that require new habit formation too soon – especially if you know follow-through is a struggle for you. Be patient with yourself. It takes 21 days to create a habit, but good habits are at the heart of staying organized with ADHD.

To get more help with organizing specific rooms in your home, check out my other ADHD related posts:  ADHD Bathroom Organization Tools: Create a Clutter-Free Space, and 15 ADHD Kitchen Organizing Tips That Really Work.

Still Feeling Stuck?

Schedule a coaching call, virtual organizing session, or home assessment with me and get the insight,  education, and inspiration you need to move forward