How ADHD fuels disorganization

Disorganization is a recognized symptom of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If you live with ADHD, you may have experienced disorganization as a messy space, difficulty managing time and prioritizing tasks, or disorganized files and documents. When left unaddressed, disorganization can have significant impacts on your home, work life, and relationships.

Many people with ADHD feel judged for their disorganization, which can affect their self-esteem. But ADHD disorganization isn’t a moral issue, and it doesn’t mean you’re lazy or inconsiderate. With the right support and strategies, you can learn to improve or work around disorganization and continue to pursue your personal and professional goals.

Why are people with ADHD disorganized?

People with ADHD are often disorganized, but it’s not because they’re “sloppy” or inconsiderate of others. The different ways that ADHD affects the brain can lead to disorganization — both externally (like having a messy and disorganized physical environment) and internally (like having a disorganized thought process). 

For example, someone with ADHD may move from one task to the next without completing each one (internal disorganization). This could result in cleaning supplies left on the counter and clothes scattered on the floor (external disorganization) as they move to the next thing. 

ADHD primarily affects an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. This area is responsible for more complex cognitive functions (called executive functions), which include things like impulse control, intrinsic motivation, time management, and problem solving. Because of this, it can be difficult for people with ADHD to maintain organization and structure.

Research has found that the organizational difficulties in ADHD are due to a difficulty with persistence, not a lack of strategies. In other words, people with ADHD know “how” to stay organized. For example, they may have been taught how to keep a calendar or make lists. But when you have ADHD, it can feel almost impossible to actually use these strategies consistently.

If you live with ADHD, you may tend to be disorganized because:

• You experience effects on your working memory. This can make it difficult to remember where you put things or even to remember to put things away to begin with.
• You start but don’t finish projects. This could mean, for example, that you pull everything out of your closet to deep clean, only to leave it like that for days or even months.
• You leave things out in piles to act as visual cues, but the piles just end up growing.
• You have difficulty managing your time. This means you may be chronically late or that your calendar is disorganized.
• ADHD paralysis causes you to procrastinate on important organizational and cleaning chores.
• You have racing thoughts. This could lead to an overall impression of being disorganized or “scatterbrained.”

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What messiness looks like in people with ADHD

Like everyone else, people with ADHD are unique individuals — so disorganization may look different from one person to the next. Some people with ADHD may compensate with excessive organization skills (like endless to-do lists and categorized piles), which can help them appear more organized. But outsiders typically can’t see the extensive level of internal work and effort it takes to maintain this level of organization.

Messiness in people with ADHD can show up differently in different areas of life. At home, ADHD-related disorganization can look like:

• Not putting things away where they belong and leaving clutter around
• Putting off cleaning tasks, like leaving piles of dishes in the sink
• Having hoarding tendencies
• Leaving things in visible piles rather than putting them away
• Frequently forgetting where you’ve placed important items
• Having trouble maintaining cleaning routines
• Occasionally going on intense cleaning sprees only for the mess to return

At work, disorganization can look like:

• Having a messy or cluttered workspace/desk
• Having disorganized email inbox with numerous unread emails
• Being late to meetings or forgetting deadlines due to calendar organization
• Completing work last minute, which can lead to chaos and burnout
• Frequently misplacing important items and files
• Having trouble keeping paperwork organized

Ways to get organized and stay organized

Studies have shown that ADHD organization is more about a lack of consistency — not a lack of strategies. So it’s possible that you’ve already tried many different organizational tricks and techniques.

This can feel discouraging, but the important thing is to remain persistent and find the strategies and routines that work for you. The techniques that work for neurotypical people — like keeping a planner — may not work for you, and that’s OK. 

It may be helpful to make a small change and turn it into a habit before trying to make another change. Incremental movement toward your goals can make a difference and allow you to stay organized long term as you build new routines.

Here are some strategies that may help you if you live with ADHD and are having trouble staying organized.

Put everything on the calendar

You may have already tried using a planner for important deadlines and dates. But it may be helpful to put even minor details of your day into your calendar to ensure that you don’t double-book yourself. For example, include things like getting coffee with a friend, calling a parent, and taking time to complete chores around the house. Disorganization can make it more difficult to keep track of small tasks you need to complete. 

Get practical assistance

If you have the ability and resources to do so, outsource any organizational tasks that you can. Even hiring a virtual assistant for one hour per week to organize your email inbox, for example, may make a big difference. Other examples of practical organizational assistance include hiring someone to help clean your space once a month or asking your partner — if it’s within their wheelhouse and they are willing — to be in charge of keeping important documents or helping you prioritize tasks.

It’s undeniably a privilege to be able to access these forms of support, but, if it’s within your means, it can make a big difference.

Make “doom boxes”

“Doom boxes” are boxes, bags, or drawers where you put miscellaneous things, sometimes called a “junk drawer.” They can feel chaotic to neurotypical people because the items in these boxes aren’t organized or categorized. But there’s nothing wrong with using doom boxes if using them helps you maintain a more organized home or workspace. 

Reduce stress

Being under high stress can make your ADHD symptoms more difficult to manage. Finding healthy ways to manage your stress levels can make a difference. Be as proactive as possible about stress — don’t wait until you’re in a crisis to start managing stress. Stay aware of where your stress levels are, and practice stress-management techniques every day, even if you don’t feel intense pressure. 

Also, try to avoid coping with stress using alcohol and drugs, as these substances can make disorganization feel worse. 

Practice self-compassion

Lastly, remember to prioritize fostering self-compassion. If you live with ADHD, disorganization happens due to physical differences in your brain. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy or inconsiderate. It can be easy to blame or judge yourself when ADHD disorganization leads to things like a messy home or chronic lateness. But it’s not your fault, and judging yourself will only make you feel worse.

Addressing disorganization and ADHD in therapy

If disorganization or other ADHD symptoms are seriously impacting your day-to-day life or making it difficult to meet your goals, a therapist can help. Disorganization in ADHD is, essentially, a reflection of differences in executive functioning. By working with a therapist, you can learn new strategies to improve executive functioning and implement skills to stay organized. 

A therapist can also help you deal with any self-criticism or judgment that you may be experiencing as a result of disorganization and the impacts it has on your life. This can be an important component of protecting your mental health and self-esteem as you navigate life with ADHD.

Medication can also help reduce overall symptoms of ADHD, which could potentially lessen the impact of disorganization.

Find care with Rula

Disorganization is a very common symptom of ADHD. It can lead to impacts on your daily life, like having a messy home, being late most of the time, misplacing items, and difficulty organizing paperwork and calendars. But a therapist can help you implement tailored strategies that work for you to manage ADHD disorganization and stop judging yourself for it.

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best. 

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.

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