Keeping your home clean can be difficult for anyone, but if you have ADHD, the struggle is often even worse. Trouble focusing, constant distraction, and feeling overwhelmed can make even the most straightforward cleaning task feel impossible. Finding effective strategies that work with your ADHD is so important. In this post, we’ll dive into some game-changing ADHD cleaning hacks you must try. Hopefully, these tips will help you minimize the clutter and work to maintain a cleaner home without feeling drained or defeated. Ready to transform your cleaning routine? Let’s get started.
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How do you clean when you struggle with ADHD?
Cleaning when you struggle with ADHD can be challenging due to issues with focus, motivation, and feeling overwhelmed. Finding ADHD cleaning hacks that work for you can make all the difference. One approach that works well for me is to break down tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, focusing on one room or small section at a time to prevent overwhelm. Setting timers, like the popular Pomodoro technique, helps maintain focus for short bursts with built-in breaks. Creating a to-do list or tracking your progress with an app can help with motivation. Building habits like keeping a consistent routine or using tools like music or podcasts for a dopamine boost can keep cleaning engaging. These ADHD-specific strategies make maintaining a clean, organized space more manageable and achievable.
How do you clean fast with ADHD?
Cleaning quickly with ADHD means you have to find strategies that will work with how your brain functions best. Implementing ADHD cleaning hacks can help you be more productive while minimizing frustration. Start by setting a timer for a short period, such as 15-20 minutes, and challenge yourself to clean as much as possible before the timer goes off. This creates a sense of urgency to help you maintain focus and make cleaning feel more like a game. Checklists are great for prioritizing tasks and to visually help you stay on track.
Upbeat music or an engaging podcast can help maintain energy levels. Another hack is to use baskets or containers to quickly sort items for later organization, allowing you to clear visible clutter without feeling overwhelmed. That technique does not work for me because once items go into a basket, they are out of sight and out of mind, and I can easily forget those items exist. But this technique may work well for someone else. By using these techniques, you can clean faster and more efficiently while working with, rather than against, your ADHD tendencies.
How do you make chores easier with ADHD?
Making chores easier for those with ADHD is about finding tools to help you stay focused and motivated. ADHD cleaning hacks can transform chores from overwhelming to manageable. One way to make tasks more effortless is to focus on a tiny area at a time instead of thinking of everything to be done and getting overwhelmed. Another strategy would be to focus on one chore at a time, such as vacuuming or cleaning the bathrooms. Creating a schedule can train your brain to do tasks on certain days, which can become a habit and help reduce procrastination. You can also set reminders to help you remember which tasks to do and when.
One of my favorite techniques is using a timer. Sometimes, even 15 minutes feels too overwhelming, so I’ll start with 5, and I’m always surprised at what I can get done. I also love turning on my favorite upbeat music to motivate me. You could also try a favorite show or podcast. This can make cleaning feel like much less of a burden. Checklists are a great way to give yourself a sense of accomplishment. Instead of getting overwhelmed by creating a checklist ahead of time, I will often write things down as I complete them because it makes me feel good to see what I’ve done. These practical strategies simplify chores and create a more manageable, ADHD-friendly approach to maintaining a tidy space.
How do you clean clutter with ADHD?
Clutter makes cleaning and staying organized harder for everyone, especially those with ADHD. Getting rid of clutter can be complicated due to difficulties with focus, decision-making, and feeling overwhelmed. If you are trying to get rid of clutter, it is essential to try and use strategies that align with how your ADHD brain works. Start by focusing on a tiny section, such as one drawer or shelf. What you want to avoid is pulling everything out of one closet. You make that space a bigger mess, then become overwhelmed and lose motivation. Suddenly, you’re worse off than before you started! The ADHD cleaning hacks listed below can help you to focus and find motivation. Sorting items into labeled categories like “Keep,” “Donate,” and “Trash” can simplify decision-making. Cleaning clutter becomes more achievable and less overwhelming by working in short, focused sessions and using tools to stay organized.
Focus on One Area at a Time
One of the most effective ADHD cleaning hacks is to focus on one area at a time. Trying to tackle an entire room or multiple tasks simultaneously can quickly overwhelm and distract. Instead, pick a specific location, such as a corner of a room, a single shelf, or a section of your desk, and direct all your attention to decluttering and cleaning that spot. This can simplify a task and make it seem less daunting. When you focus on a smaller area, you are more likely to complete the task, and the sense of accomplishment will boost your motivation to keep going. This method reduces the risk of hopping from task to task without finishing, a common challenge for people with ADHD. My dad always called this ‘Pinball Management’! This focused cleaning strategy can transform a seemingly impossible job into a series of straightforward, rewarding steps. Discovering the right ADHD cleaning hacks can make maintaining a tidy space less overwhelming and more manageable.
Use a Cleaning Schedule
Creating and sticking to a cleaning schedule can be an excellent ADHD cleaning hack. Especially if you are sure to create a manageable schedule for your lifestyle. If you stick to a schedule, it can provide structure and a routine. This can make staying organized and on task easier. A schedule will break down chores into manageable daily or weekly tasks, which can feel less overwhelming. Posting your cleaning calendar somewhere you can regularly see it will help you stick to the schedule. The best part about a cleaning schedule is that even if you don’t perfectly follow it, you can jump in anytime. It will guide you on what to work on instead of causing you to become overwhelmed and not know where to start.
Set a Timer
Setting a timer is one of the most effective ADHD cleaning hacks. It can create a sense of urgency that many people with ADHD thrive under. This simple method turns cleaning into a game by challenging yourself to focus and work within a set timeframe, such as 15 or 20 minutes. Short, focused cleaning sessions can accomplish a lot since they are more accessible for maintaining focus and energy. The key is choosing a manageable amount of time so you don’t overextend yourself. Sometimes, I start with as little as 5 minutes when feeling unmotivated. It works to get me started and often motivates me to continue, as I am always surprised at what I get done, even with such a short amount of time. When you set a timer, you give yourself a clear ending point, which can help you feel less overwhelmed. This hack can transform your cleaning routine, allowing you to accomplish more in less time while working with your ADHD tendencies.
Create a Timelapse Video
One trick that has worked great for me but I don’t see talked about is creating a timelapse video to see your progress. Whenever I’ve been feeling particularly overwhelmed by a particular area of my home that needs to be cleaned (such as the kitchen!) I will set up my phone and record a timelapse video. It makes me feel super motivated to clean as much as I can as quickly as I can, and then it is so fun to watch the video and see the before and after progress. This could also work with a before and after photo!
Keep Cleaning Products Around the House – ADHD Cleaning Hacks
Keeping cleaning products in a few different spots around the house is a game-changing hack for those with ADHD. I like to keep a basket of cleaning supplies in each bathroom stocked with rags, glass cleaner, multipurpose cleaner, and toilet bowl cleaner. Then, I also keep what I need to clean the kitchen under the sink. This proactive approach supports spontaneous bursts of cleaning motivation. It reduces the mental barrier of gathering supplies, often leading to procrastination. By making cleaning tools accessible, you create an environment that encourages immediate action and helps maintain a more organized space effortlessly.
Easiest Way to Clean Your Microwave
My mom taught me my favorite way to clean the microwave: to fill a glass measuring cup (or a glass bowl) with water and microwave it for 5-15 minutes. Depending on how dirty your microwave is, you should do a longer or shorter time. The water will boil, creating steam that loosens hardened food, which you can easily wipe off. You can also add vinegar or lemon to the water. The best part is that it is entirely chemical-free in the area where you are preparing food.
Easiest Way to Clean Your Shower
It’s taken me until my 40’s to figure out how to clean my shower the easiest way. Even if you are using a non-toxic cleaner, it feels like you have to spray so much to get the whole shower clean. I finally learned to wet the whole shower first, either with your detachable shower head or you could fill a bucket with water to splash around. Then, when you spray your cleaner of choice, you will not have to spray as much. After that, I like to use an electric spin scrub brush but you could use any kind of scrubber. Then use your shower head or a bucket to rinse, and then let it dry!
Let Things Soak – ADHD Cleaning Hacks
Letting things soak can be an effective cleaning hack as long as you remember to go back! If you let certain things go for too long, like dishes or cleaning the shower or toilet, it will be much more productive to let those things soak while you work on the next task on your list. Fill your sink with warm, soapy water and soak your dishes. Use a cleaner around the toilet bowl or wet down the shower, spray it with cleaner, and set a timer. Move on to the next task and return when the timer is up to finish the job. This will keep you moving and maintain motivation on a task that may seem harder if you let things build up for a little while.
Focus on One Task at a Time
Focusing on one task at a time can be a beneficial cleaning strategy for ADHD. Multitasking can lead to feeling overwhelmed distracted, and leaving projects half-done, which only adds to the clutter and frustration. Like I stated above, ‘Pinball management’! You can stay more focused by committing to just one task at a time—vacuuming the living room, organizing a drawer, or wiping down counters. If I know I’m only vacuuming, I can move more quickly from one room to the next instead of getting pulled off into a random side quest of organizing my closet. This method can also give you a greater sense of feeling like you’ve completed a more significant task than just cleaning one shelf. It should also typically make your whole house feel cleaner more quickly! If you struggle to keep up with chores, incorporating ADHD cleaning hacks into your routine can make all the difference.
Clean as You Go
Cleaning as you go can be difficult for ADHDers, but it effectively reduces being overwhelmed. When you’re making dinner, if you can put things back in the cupboard as you use them or put dishes in the dishwasher or in the sink to soak, you take away the overwhelming feeling of having a kitchen disaster to clean after the meal. When you are getting ready for bed, if you can take an extra minute or two to fold or hang up any clothes you plan to wear again or put dirty clothes in the hamper, you prevent yourself from creating a messy room that takes a long time to clean up later. I will be honest: I used to hate this advice because I was starting from a place of having such a mess that ‘just tidying up’ was utterly unrealistic. Thankfully, now I am at a place where cleaning as I go is manageable, but I’m still not perfect at it! If you are still decluttering the overwhelm, do your best to clean up after yourself in the areas you have already gotten clean.
Make a Playlist
Listening to music has always been one of my top ways to motivate myself. I created a ‘Dopamine’ playlist with upbeat songs that make me want to move. Put on some headphones and get into the zone. I can get so much more accomplished that way. Sometimes, I will also turn on a show I’ve seen many times so I don’t get distracted by needing to watch it, but just the background noise keeps me moving. I have zero motivation in complete silence. It could also be an audiobook or a podcast that keeps you moving. You could also tell yourself you will keep cleaning until that podcast is over or a chapter of an audiobook. Make a playlist that is a certain length and stop when the playlist ends. This approach helps break the monotony of cleaning, turning it into an engaging activity rather than a chore.
Incorporating these game-changing ADHD cleaning hacks into your routine can transform how you approach household chores. From focusing on one task at a time to cleaning as you go and setting a timer, these strategies are designed to work with your executive dysfunction, not against it. Breaking tasks into smaller steps, listening to good music, and keeping your supplies handy can minimize overwhelm and increase productivity. Cleaning doesn’t have to feel impossible—with the right hacks, it can become a more streamlined and even rewarding part of your daily life. Try these tips and discover how a few simple adjustments can lead to a cleaner, more organized space and a greater sense of control. For more ADHD support and other tips connect with me on Instagram or join my private Facebook group!
