ADHD House Hacks That Are Executive Function Friendly (feat. Caroline Maguire's home!)
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Video chapters
00:00 Intro
00:42 Welcome to Caroline's house
01:12 Hack #1 - Launchpads
03:24 Skylight Calendar
04:38 Hack #2 - Easy access to things that support brain function
09:48 Hack #3 - Point of performance
13:52 Hack #4 - Labels
17:50 Hack #5 - Automation
24:36 Thanks
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Music:
"The Show Must Be Go”, “Carefree”, “Life of Riley”, “Bittersweet”, "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
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Skylight Calendar can give you peace of mind and time to enjoy the things you love by organizing your busy household! Go to skylightcal.com/HOWTOADHD and use my code HOWTOADHD for 10% off! Thanks, Skylight for sponsoring today’s video!
I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this. I’ve been dreaming up something like this for years, but didn’t think it existed, and wasn’t sure how to make something like this work. Now I can just order it. Yay!
Show us your go bag!!
I am so excited for this sponsor! I found this company a year ago and for the 8 years prior to that it was something I had considered using a mini computer to build myself for my family. I have saved this link in a place so that when I start a family of my own I can make sure to buy it 😊
@@amayasasaki2848 SAME I saved up my old tablet and thought "I can probably make something like this happen" for YEARS xD This AD is amazing ;_; exactly what I need!
Yay! I'd seen this awhile back but they were sold out! I just ordered using your link. Thank you! I've actually been doing a paper planner for my weekly personal planning, but I'm disconnecting from my family by doing that. I just liked it because it was less distracting. I've been wanting a smart calendar on my wall for YEARS. THANK YOU!!!
"I don't rely on my memory, because my memory is not going to succeed." She's so real for that
My son says he tells me that he has to do something and that helps him remember
@@suz2715there's this book my mom played on the car as a kid where the kid remembered the shopping list with a long story and I related it so much
That nailed it for me!
@@sheashells3437 It can, writing things down can also remove them from your memory.
@@sheashells3437I used to repeat a phone number seven times to remember it. It was how I was told to remember people's names.
When she said “This is my accommodation “ about the precut fruit, something clicked in my brain. YES. You wouldn’t flippantly tell a person who needs a wheelchair that crutches are cheaper because the accommodation they need to be successful IS THE WHEELCHAIR. With a disability that is not obvious, the accommodations may not be obvious but they are just as essential!
I just bought a singular spinny chair for my kitchen table rather than spend on multiple static chairs. It cost more ($150 vs 2x$50), but knowing how much it'll improve my quality of life, I think it was worth it
I personally get a lot of dopamine out of cutting fruit and veggies, but I hate peeling them unless the peel just comes off when you pull it. So I will buy pre-cut carrot sticks but fresh onions.
To expand on this, you wouldn't tell off the wheelchair user even if they were technically able to use crutches, because you don't know their circumstances and the wheelchair might suit them better. In the same way, having the technical capability to buy fresh fruit and cut it yourself isn't the same thing as it being the best solution for you. Accommodations don't have to be limited to the bare minimum to scrape by.
I feel the same way about my using Greenchef (on offshoot of HelloFresh), which I used to choose meals/recipes and help me cook. I used them in 2021 and I’m considering using them again because grocery shopping for me can be overwhelming for me
Another way to look at it as a business. When a business identifies a backlog they don’t make a moral judgment about it. They find a solution. If you look at the KZheadrs who have 10 kids they are not fooling around with ought they change the system. For example having their children go to bed in their school clothes. Having the deodorant at the entry way. Using bins instead of drawers for clothes. Washing clothes per kid rather than sorting colors and whites. Don’t feel bad about accommodations!! They are helping you
I’d love a series that was sort of like this, but with a tight/no budget, and about small spaces. Things like “I live in a one-room apartment, I’ve got a mini fridge with 1 freezer shelf, here’s how to make the most of what I’ve got”. I don’t have any money or ability to get a big house with lots of rooms, I live in a small one room apartment and the most expensive things I own is my laptop and my bed frame, both of which were birthday gifts.
I feel you. I lived on a 40’ boat for over a decade with a dorm fridge/freezer and no space. When I started to realize that it didn’t have to work for anyone but myself and my husband, and we could articulate what we each considered essential, we really started to make headway.
This is a really good idea! I think that especially for us ADHD brains, it’s a lot of extra effort to try to brainstorm how to adapt these large-scale accommodations to our own smaller spaces and smaller budgets. It would be cool if we could see how other people already made those adjustments.
I live in a single room in a shared house and here are some of the things I do: added hooks on bedroom door for mini launchpad (now I know what it’s called!). I switch bags fairly often, so I have essentials (keys, wallet, phone cord, lip gloss, mini notebook, tissue) in a small zip bag like a washbag with a loop that i can hang on a hook or the doorknob. I have laundry shelves with clear bins from the Poundland/dollar store for my clothes, because I forget what’s in a wardrobe or dresser as soon as I close it. I got one of those rolling cart things, it’s cheap online and really useful for transitioning from bedtime to desk time and back! I have an alarm for getting ready for bed, and part of that is hanging my next day outfit on a single hanger (down to underwear and socks!) and hanging that on the door. I also have small clear baskets in the fridge for organisers, they’re old containers for mushrooms or cut mango I buy at the grocery store. You can also switch to a single bed for more space, although that’s not everyone’s thing. I clean every Saturday morning using the 20/10 rule via Unf*ck Your Habitat. I also have my phone, a big family calendar on the wall divided into Work, Freelance, Household, Holidays etc, and some notebooks to help with planning and keeping the household. It took me a while to set up and I backslide sometimes but life is a lot less nerve-wracking this way even on my entry-level salary.
Put your backpack on a little TV tray (or side table with similar dimensions) next to your dorm room door and put your shoes underneath. Keep a bowl of ready to eat fruit like apples or oranges on top of the mini fridge. Open shelving instead of drawers would be helpful so you can see everything that you have stored. Keep some exercise bands, a yoga mat, or a pair of weights around so that you don’t have to leave to go to the gym. Keeping stuff in the place where you use it is just a matter of reorganizing.
My mom keeps bins under her bed for things, for extra stuff, also over the door organizers are helpful, you can use clear shoe organizer for more things besides shoes. There's also over the door coat hangers.
This is a great example of how ADHD affects women differently. She has ADHD, but has to provide executive function for others as well as herself. She doesn't mention her husband helping to set up and maintain systems, so I can't speak to his participation. The pressure on mothers with ADHD is insane.
Google: "You Should've Asked" Felt so seen regarding "the mental load"
That's something I been thinking about a lot lately and 100% the reason I don't want kids.
^ this. I dreamed of having kids when I was younger, but as I’ve grown and understood my own ADHD/Autism experience (late diagnosis), I’ve desisted from the idea 😅 I already struggle way too much to care for my unmedicated butt.
Thank you for saying it! I feel resentment when my husband expects me to be on top of things for the kids when I need help myself
She does mention at a point a time when her household didn't realize that she was the magic refill fairy in the house, and that definitely speaks to the invisible labor that people socialized as women are conditioned to pick up and people socialized as men aren't usually conditioned to notice.
Tip for those looking to stay hydrated but are trying to avoid the plastic waste, keep a stash of resuable watter bottles in the fridge filled. I wash mine after every use in the dishwasher and it is now part of the unloading the dishwasher routine to fill them back up. When I am on the go the task of grabbing a bottle out of the cabinet is too much of a barrier and it just doesn't happen. But when the water bottle is already chilled waiting in the fridge it does!
my /r/hydrohomie
Great tip. Thank you!!
Yes! Amazon has great reusable water bottles.
this is such a good idea, thank you!!!!
i love this idea! thank you, i'm gonna fill up some water bottles right now actually!
I really relate to the fruit trays. I finally gave in and started buying pre-made salads because those are the ones I'll eat. If I buy ingredients for salad, they don't get eaten. :( The salad I'll eat is better than the salad I won't.
This is me with pre chopped vegetables
This is why years ago I started buying things like fruit cups, baby carrots, snap peas, hummus, cheese strings, snack crackers, and granola bars for my kids - takes them less than 5 min to make their own lunches, or can have after school for snacks :) Recently, I also started buying a bunch of things frozen: cauliflower rice, chicken strips, pizza, etc. The cauli-rice is especially awesome, because anything that you would add rice into, we add this instead, and it takes less time to cook than even 'instant' rice!
Yeah, my partner tried to help by buying in local fruit and veg. Unfortunately it would be a mix of anything they had available and still covered in soil so extra steps and not always what I wanted. I finally got around to getting and using a vegetable chopper to help and he cancelled the delivery because I wasn't using it enough
It was also helpful for me to grow my own lettuce in an Aerogarden. Take care of the lettuce, eat the lettuce. :) Obviously not for everyone (I have gotten overwhelmed by trying to grow too much at once), but if you manage to keep it simple, it's pretty awesome.
I bought ingrediants three times to make minestrone in the instant pot. Each time the veggies spoiled before getting prepared...smh
One of my friends used to use an apothecary chest for her son’s dresser. I asked her, “What’s the point of that, you can only fit one shirt per drawer.”, to which she replied, “Nope! Each drawer holds one entire outfit; shirt, pants, underwear, and socks.”, and it was legit the smartest thing I’ve ever heard.
We are a military family and I travel across the country 5 days every year so that we can spend the summer with our families. I use a closet organizer, the fabric accordion ones, and I fill each section with a bagged set of clothing for each of us. My younger kids set of clothing fits in a Ziploc gallon size bag. I buy a little bit bigger ones from Dollar Tree for the bigger kids and I. Makes traveling and hotel stays and being organized on a cross-country trip so much easier!
What I kept thinking while watching (and a few others have point out) is that it is great that she has such a great setup (honestly amazing ideas), but I would love to see these ideas implemented within a MUCH, MUCH smaller area (maybe a single bedroom, especially on a budget) or/and how to navigate that in a shared space that is not with ADHD-friendly persons (this is a big one). It is hard to imagine it for myself and how to adjust these great ideas into compact ways. Regardless, my big takeaways are labelling things, finding a mini relaxation/massage tool, and really trying to figure out how to integrate a mini launchpad! Thanks for the great video!!!
Definitely agree! The whole time I kept thinking how I could do what she had done but with 1/4 of the budget 😂
I rent a single room with a shared bathroom and kitchen, and I often feel limited by the lack of space, even after moving to a bigger room.
Yeeeah, i kept thinking of how I had a few mini versions of some of those set up but also that her place was huge and expensive and how much easier adhd was to manage with extra money.
@@Karoline_g It's like when I see beginners' workout videos and steps 1 and 3 are "buy expensive equipment." Next video...
Yeah, this feels like easily a million dollar home and some of us don’t have that kind of wealth
Clutterbug and Minimalist Home are two excellent KZhead channels about organizing your home run by people with ADHD.
Dana K White, also on KZhead has ideas for decluttering & keeping house in order, & I love Clutterbug as well
Thank you for sharing, I'm pretty sure you just changed my life for the better!
dana k white absatively posilutely has adhd as well (undiagnosed, but she herself concurs)
Now I have to change KZhead channels and go subscribe. 😂 Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.
Cas is fantastic!
This video is a great example of how the perspective of a childless person with ADHD is very different from a parent with ADHD. I really appreciate it. It is such a struggle to take care of the needs of others when you can barely take care of your own.
I can relate 1 million percent to what you just said. ❤
Mom of six here. Every minute of every day feels like an emergency!
I was doing great as an executive of a hi tech company - then I had kids. Womp womp. The minutia around kid’s needs and schedules is mind boggling (literally) and brought me to my knees. Got through it but barely… wish I’d had these ladies to help me then!!!!!!
@@kassandramcpherson2839 a mellow mom at the park one day remarked that "we set the tone for our home and kids"... She said sanity returned when she slowed things WAY down and stopped trying to cram soo much in and be SOo perfect. When she gets stressed she says "Hey guys, grab a snack and drink, we are going to the park", or "art time" or even just turning on a song and dancing helps reset.
THANK YOU for saying this! I'm a mom of two and have suspected for a long time that I have ADHD...to me every day is a quest. Taking care of others is definitely WAY harder than taking care of just oneself. Also very hard to teach them to be organized when you are not an organized person. 😔
I raised my kids before I knew I had ADHD and totally did so many of these systems, just, intuitively. A HUGE point of performance thing that the mom mentioned is not having to be called upon for everything. It's SO hard to remember and do just for yourself that the double benefit of helping the kids be self-sufficient is a lifesaver
So true! Plus you are teaching them/modeling organization and planning and so much more
I have a toddler and I am sooo waiting for the day he doesn’t need to interrupt me 99 times in an hour. My brain melts to jelly 🤯🫠
@binesart Omg. I remember it well. At one point I had a 5 yr old, 3 yr old, and a 2 yr old and didn't know I had ADHD. The sensory overload was....something 🙃
not just the kids, also the partner!
the partner feels worse to me lol @@evabuchberger5787
I would love an ADHD house hacks video that's in a small space and on a budget, because there's no way most of us can afford all those Alexas, or even automated payments (living paycheck to paycheck makes automatic payments impossible).
I’ve not found this to be true. Bills still need to be paid every month, right? I once set up a smallish payment on a credit card, so I at least could not get a late fee. Larger bills can often be paid in 2 installments per month, too, and after doing this for several months in a row, the tight budget often adjusts to the regular payments (hard to explain), and let’s not forget that no late fees and eventually cutting out interest payments saves money
@@nancycy9039 that's not what I mean. In my experience, automatic payments always came at inconvenient times when I didn't have the money in my account to pay it, even though the bill itself didn't have to be paid on that exact day. It was a timing issue for me.
I’m with you, there. It would help if I could self-determine my automated payment schedule, because my income doesn’t timeline with my outgo!
@@tanyawriter13 Hmmmm. I cannot think of a bill I have not been able to automate to be paid when I want to some degree. I have credit cards that ask right on the app if I want my due date to be different. And if I am paying interest on that credit card bill, by paying part of it every 2 weeks, or even every week really cuts interest over time. Rent is due on a certain date of the month, but I can pay part of it early.
@@nancycy9039 we probably just have a different experience then. Not everyone has credit card options, either. I didn't have that option during that time of my life. But I'm glad you were able to make it work.
I’m a big fan of automation. Automating my bills and going paperless probably raised my credit score 200 points. My gadget hating mom thought I had a new girlfriend Alexa once too.
lol!
😂 that is great. I personally hate paperless and automated things. I am very visual and my bank account likes to eat money.
i know..... i have way too much paper but haven't figured out a way to live without it. @@findingaway5512
😂
I csnt thrive without this
Loved this. One thing I would like to say about helping kids with Executive Dysfunction by creating systems for them to not forget, do stuff on their own etc, is to actually explain the systems so when they are ready to move out, they just replicate the system in their own place. My depression started when I moved out and I didn't know how to "adult" where all I needed was to build the systems my parents had made for me growing up. ❤
Yes. Or one better, encourage the kids to develop/modify their own systems for organizing their stuff. Growing up, my mom would reorganize my stuff after I had arranged it in a way that worked for me.
@@galamander_1327 yes. When I had my own place, I struggled because I didn't understand how many systems my parents had developed in order to keep their lives functional, and me somewhat oblivious 😂. They are undiagnosed ADHD.
@@galamander_1327 Oh, reorganizing stuff of kids is just a no-no! I remember vividly to this day that my mom once reorganized my "cluttered" and "unusable" desk... I was furious to say the least and it took me far too long for my liking to reorganize it to how it was before...fortunately, my screaming at her made her never touch my stuff again (neither did my father).
Aww, love this comment
My family has found a wonderful hack for fruits that don't need to be cut (berries, grapes, etc.) We open up the package as soon as we get home and soak the fruit in a solution of vinegar and water for about 15 minutes. Then we rinse them and put them in a container lined with a cloth or paper towel. The fruit can then be pulled out and eaten any time without needing to rinse. It stays fresh for weeks, though it never lasts that long because it's so easy to eat!
Brilliant ❤
You just reminded me (cuz I had completely forgotten) that my countertop dishwasher has a setting (and a basket!) for washing fruit. 😂😂
I'd love to see a budget version of this. Not everyone can afford pre cut fruit, massage chairs, and Alexas all over the house. I can't even afford cheap bins to put all my crap into right now. I'd love to see how an ADHD mom sets things up when money is tight.
You can cut the fruit yourself, get a cheap massage pad put it on your chair and use your phone as Alexa
Yeah, but naw, I'll cut the fruit myself like once and then never do it again. I've already tried that, haha 😆 but a massage pad isn't a bad idea. 😃👍
@andreabeangibson9661 I cut my fruit but it still just sits there lol so I get it
@@tianaevans5229 The entire point of the fruit tray is that you don't have to cut the fruit???? Like if you've got ADHD that can be enough to make you not eat the fruit
@angelle050801 isn't that what I said thou?
Kid hack/adhd hack that I've found makes a huge difference. When I do laundry I put full outfits on hangers so the kids don't need to figure out what to piece together and everything is in one place instead of separate drawers, which kids tend to throw clothes everywhere when they piece together an outfit. This saves my sanity because clutter is so triggering.
My "adult-ish" version of this is keeping photos of my outfits in a separate folder on my phone so I don't have to try on a bunch of stuff each time to figure out what goes with what. My goal now is to piece together a capsule wardrobe where EVERYTHING matches and you don't have to think at all, you can just pick a random top and a random bottom, and voila - you have an outfit! The same goes with shoes, purses and accessories.
Huh! Clothes are one of my biggest headaches, I'm going to have to try this for myself!
😮🤯 that is absolutely brilliant!!! I need to do this from now on! Thank you!
I love that! I do that when we pack for vacations, but haven't thought of doing that at home.
@@nittygritty4049this is amazing. Thank you
"Otherwise I don't cut them up, and they die" that gave me such a laugh. That was so nice of Caroline to share her home with us! On having things automated, I'm a big fan of auto-ship pet supplies. Without Chewy my life would be much, much more hectic. And without the auto-pay bill feature, I'd never pay a bill on time.
Another thing that has worked for me, is decluttering. Just lowering the inventory of stuff I have to manage has made a tremendous difference. And it's not just the stuff but also hobbies I let go, relationships, dreams and goals that weren't really mine...
The nice thing about smart home devices is, even though the automation can be a little wordy, you can set up routines that simplify the wording. For example. My wife and I have an routine where we just say "Alexa, goodnight" and she turns off the bedroom light, says goodnight back, and starts playing fan sounds as white noise to help us sleep.
100% Approved 👍As a smart home user myself I love the fact that even non-smart stuff can be automated thank to smart plug! Personnaly I waited for big promotion and bought some nice one for cheap and it's gamechanger 😄
Routines is my favorite thing 😍😇🤩!
I can't for the life of me figure out what kind of Alexa stuff I have to buy to run my house like y'all are taking about. I'm afraid I'll buy the wrong thing. I research everything to death before I do it or buy it and half the time I still buy the wrong damn thing
I’m excited to see these hacks as I watch this video in 2 minute intervals throughout the day
Are you me?!
Wow, I did not even realise that’s what I’m doing! Thanks for the insight 😊
@@Mikey__R always have been
haha same
i dont understand how people can reward/punish themselves like i just cannot do that. my brain knows its a fake restriction and i can just get the reward or avoid the punishment by doing or not doing something. it has to be more, like, directly tied to the thing... granted consequences have to be immediate or else im writing a 12 page essay in a week (true story) so. i cant just 'clean so you can relax later' i have to 'clean when the mess is so unbearable you cant stand it' so. its difficult lol
OMG, yes!! This is me completely. If I try to do the whole "If you clean the bathroom, you can have a bowl of ice cream" thing, I immediately follow it with "I'm an adult, I can have the ice cream whenever I want." I've often said that my brain does not recognize me as an authority figure. 😂
Same. I’ve had minor success with one-off stretch tasks, promising myself a treat, but I cannot “punish” myself. My brain says no.
I think my brain already feels punished if I don’t get my chores done because now it has to figure out how to compensate.
Yeah, I can’t trick myself that way either. Or with artificial deadlines. I can’t create a sense of urgency with a pretend deadline. I wish I could!
I LOVE labels. My favorite label trick is, if the container is made of metal, put the label on a magnet so that you can reorganize more easily and just move the label to its new place.
Oooh I just realized you can do this with plastic bins too if you put neodymium magnets on the inside and outside.
I cant say i thought this would become a series but i am STOKED!! Your ADHD home tour is one of my most rewatched videos, im soooo excited that you're doing more!! I love how well set up Caroline's home is for life as an ADHD parent! Shes slaying it and showing us it is so possible to be a functional ADHD parent, it just takes a bit of planning and preparedness Yes PLEASE do an updated version for your new house!! I wanna see it so bad
Love this video but I'm always amazed by the size of some American houses! Trying to make our tiny home ADHD friendly has always been a struggle (our kitchen, living room, and 2 person office is all 1 room!) Would love to see some discussion on dealing with ADHD when living in small spaces because I feel like I'm climbing the walls some days with how little space we have.
Yeah, we live in a two-bedroom basement suite and it's a good size for our family of three but we definitely don't have the kind of space in this video, nor do we want it, since that's more cleaning and more management of the space.
I really like sectioning in the place in area/zones for different tasks. And try to opt out of things that are not essential to reduce upkeep/clutter.
felt
Yeah this isn’t an average American home, this is a really really large, expensive home.
@@beautyandgrace7997Probably doesn't cost as much as a house that size in like the UK though. Certainly not cheap by any means, but more common in the US
I'd love to see a version of this kind of thing for people in college or who have roommates and kind of have to keep their things in their space/room. I know it's not ideal, but a lot of people still depend on shared living situations to make rent.
Yep, and for those whose partners have conflicting needs. Mine needs visually clean spaces while I need point of performance.
@@TheBaumcm maybe look into ‘pretty’ organization for your partner. Like how bullet journaling makes journaling more enticing because it looks good, but with your physical space.
I have a similar problem with my husband. We have managed to compromise in a few different ways. We keep things in drawers and cupboards at the point of performance in most cases. That helps both him and me.
@@TheBaumcmI’m both of those at once and it’s hard! My recent successful strategy has been a mix of making the point of performance as attractive and visually streamlined as possible if it needs it be visible. And using the same idea of a point of performance, but behind a cupboard or closet door for stuff that won’t get eternally forgot while out of sight because it’s hard to forget them when you need them. Like my shoes and jacket can be inside the coat closet because I’m going to know I don’t have shoes on and I’m cold when walking outside. But I keep a pair of socks with them and gloves live in my jacket pocket. That sort of thing. But my wallet has a house key attached to it, is a bright color, and has to sit in plain sight right by the door or I’ll forget to take it with me, so we got an attractive bowl for it to sit in on the side table.
I love how her ADHD hacks are teaching her kids self-sufficiency skills!! They should be able to use these skills when they are in their own homes!! Currently setting up my place to work for me and taking notes.
My mom (undiagnosed adhd) did not allow dishes in the sink before bed. Her wrath was so visceral that I now embody it despite living on my own; its a rare event to wake up to dirty dishes the sink. I originally framed it as doing things for "future you" or treating yourself like you would your best friend, but I still manage to still treat myself like hot garbage. But waking up pissed off is something I'll do anything to avoid. So, I wash the dishes before bed erry night.
Your content has always reinforced what my mom taught me. "Accommodate yourself where the issue arises." She meant my physical disability... but often the whole family was accommodating itself for the overwhelming lack of executive function. I really need to do up my pantry like Caroline has done. I'm at the point were not knowing where things are or what we have is really impacting how much we cook at home vs how much we eat out & honestly... how often we just, keep meals. It's not healthy physically or financially. I would absolutely love for this to become a series... think MTV's Cribs but 1000X better!
Welcome to my ADHD-friendly Crib. I love it.
A series of different home tours would be fantastic! I’d love to do the pantry idea, but I don’t have the space. It’s a lot of effort for us ADHD brains to rework an idea to our own design needs. For now, I have a magnetic grocery list on the fridge, with pens nearby, so that we can write things on the list as we notice it’s running out. But if an item doesn’t make it onto the list and runs out, I can “forget it exists” and be without it for months until I get hyperfocused on the pantry again! I think maybe I’ll also (hopefully, when I remember to do it!😅) make pantry lists for what’s typically kept on each shelf, and hang it on each cupboard door. Maybe then, when it’s shopping day and I look on the shelves to see what needs added to the grocery list, it’ll be easier to see what’s needed. That feels like a reasonable adaptation, for me, of what we saw here.
@@lisa_wistfulone7957 I have a rather small pantry, but I’ve found grouping like items together to be super helpful. Then before shopping I do a visual inspection for gaps. It’s easier to see what’s missing when you see say, Townhouse Crackers, Triscuits, & a gaping hole, you know some sort of crackers goes there & in my house, that’s Cheezits. I also group things in baskets on cupboard shelves. Or dedicate a whole shelf to “baking ingredients” even if it doesn’t take up the whole shelf for example. It gives room to expand if need be. But it also means I keep sugar packets by the coffee but a whole canister of sugar with the baking supplies. Keeping items at point of use just makes any household function better.
a huge breakthrough I've had is I've finally taken the morality of being able to do things without help outnof the equation. * It doesn't mean you're not a good adult if you need help and systems * I put the focus on "is this functional" rather than "is this morally good or bad" so liberating. i think i got that from struggle care she's wonderful and so are you❤
i don’t know if you’ve heard of “how to keep a house while drowning” (a book) but this comment surmises it so well
Yes for the fruit tray, thank you for the great idea! I grew up poor so I’m frugal by nature, and I feel exactly how you said; it’s so much more expensive than buying and cutting up fruit yourself, but I won’t do it! That applies to many other things too, and it’s been hard to admit to myself that the more convent option is worth it, because I just won’t do the cheaper option, and half the fruit I bought to put into a fruit tray ends up getting thrown out. The crisper drawer, where good intentions go to die. 😂
I am exactly the same. I grew up poor and raised four children on a low income so this is hard for me. However, accommodating my ADHD reduces the stress in my life. I wish I’d learned this sooner.
i keep my condiments in the bottom fridge drawer instead of the vegetables. i like to keep the things that go bad where i can see them.
@cherylbrash this makes so much sense! Out of sight produce is doomed to die...
having a new fridge with clear crisper drawers has been a gamechanger for me
I finally helped myself feel comfortable buying pre-prepped produce when I forced myself to track how much money I was wasting throwing out produce that has gone bad in the crisper. If I can’t get myself to use it that way then I’m wasting more money than the price of cut fruit.
In the Alexa app and the google home app, you can set up rooms so if you just say “turn off the lights” while in the kitchen, it will turn off the kitchen lights. Another feature with Alexa is drop-in, where the kids could start a quick conversation with mom in the kitchen, rather than announcing the location of the sock to the whole house. And the kids don’t have to yell down to mom.
I have this set up and I feel like a wizard
I love this video (what I saw of it) but I HATE when creators don't bleep or mask when they say ALEXA! It screws up everybody with Echos😩 Them continuing to say Alexa turned my bedroom lights off then turned the TV off completely TWICE💀 I just stopped watching after that because I didn't know how many times they'd say it and I didn't feel like trying to read captions 😭
I also have things set on a timer. My wax warmer is set by voice commands and to automatically shut off at 9 pm. I get the weather while I’m in bed waiting for my meds to kick in since I don’t watch the news and would wear the wrong clothes.
I had a similar problem. She kept saying I didn't have any backyard lights. We just laughed about it.
These hacks are appreciated, especially the digital wall mounted calendar, I’m definitely going to get that or something along those lines for my house. If you do a future episode like this one, may I request a theme for hacks on a tighter budget, because these are great ideas for families with a large house and lots of disposable income. I don’t know about the rest of the comment section, but buying Echoes for the entire house, having tons of storage space, or even just space for large exercise equipment isn’t universally realistic.
Was looking for this comment. A lot of the organization tips I've seen, especially for the kitchen, require far more space in the fridge, freezer, and pantry than I have.
@@axolirvin971 ...and counter space! If I leave stuff out like that (which I would LOVE to do), I wouldn't have any space to prepare meals.
YES. I would love a compilation of hacks for "I have the cheapest apartment in town and my only real storage is on top of the fridge."
This
I bought a bunch of echo’s for SUPER cheap during prime days. Like, $19 for one. Keep an eye on when the next prime day is, those are the best times to buy them ❤
When I was a kid my dad gave me a label maker. I was thrilled. Loved it. Undiagnosed until age 42.
Label makers are LIFE 😍😍😍
Looks like the first step is having a nice, big modern home or apartment with ample counterspace, closets, main floor laundry, built-ins, etc. Especially for the "point of performance" items. Would love to see someone adapt an old home (70+ years old) to be ADHD-friendly.
B.S.! You can do this in whatever space you have. I don’t have a large house either but I put my stuff in bowls near the door so I don’t forget my wallet, phone, keys. I make lists for grocery shopping so I don’t forget once I’m in the store. I set up appointments in my phone so I don’t for get (sometimes with advanced notifications so I’m reminded 1 or 2 days in advance. I try to make time to review my “have to do” list vs my “want to do” list. Spread sheets are great for this. A nice house has nothing to do with organizing your life.
declutter
@@bro7269 it might have a *lil* something to do with it.... 😆 Some people think they're better organized but really, they just have a lot more closets and can give them niche purposes. 🤷♀️
Having a big home isn't a solution in itself, it can make things worse. These are definitely solutions adapted to a big home though.
I think its awesome that she takes feedback from her family to improve her system such as the bins in the closet instead of bare shelves.
I love these ADHD-friendly house tours! I'm trying to make my apartment more friendly to my neurodivergence, and these give me a lot of good ideas. Making myself a launchpad has been particularly helpful in the mornings!
Using Alexa for the announcement feature is such a great idea!! Not only for larger homes, but for people who are hard of hearing or legally deaf. I lived in a smaller home and before my dad got hearing aids, I had to raise my voice and repeat myself many times. Having a device loud enough to send messages across the house would be really convenient. My therapist pointed out to me that having to unnecessarily shout on a regular basis can put your body under stress because that response is part of our built in nervous system. Even though it may seem like it's no big deal to put the responsibility on the person talking to "speak up" so others can hear, it's really nice having an accommodation that helps convey the message and takes the stress out of the situation.
I dont eat a lot of smores, and i dont think im going to start, but the *sheer concept* of the smores bin really put things in perspective for me! I have things that are equivalent to smores, and dedicating that functionlity to wants instead of shoulds is just, bravo, superb! I cant thank you enough!
16:26 while the wicker baskets and colored and labeled bins are cool, I would go clear just bc I don’t trust myself enough to pull the bin out and check. Clear bins = you can see everything = you’re forced to keep stuff organized
Same. I follow Cas The Clutterbug. Sounds like we're more visual styles of organizer, the next part is are you a macro or micro style organizer. Out of sight, out of mind.
I want you to know that in my diagnostic report for my adhd diagnosis, it gave a list a of helpful resources to learn about adhd and your channel was on that list! You're doing great work and I love your videos. They've taught me a lot about this disorder and how I can manage it
This is making me appreciate how ADHD friendly my mom did things without me even realizing it, especially like the labels and family calendar in a shared space, some of the things I’ve been struggling with since moving out I just sort of assumed were like “family household things” but like who told me that? Ahhh
I was just diagnosed today as adhd combined type. I'm 34. I'm beginning a new journey as a husband, father of 3, and professional, so I'm looking forward to seeing these tips and hacks. "Im not going to rely on my memory..." was just so good.
I've been angling for so many of these things and my husband is slowly coming around to the fact that we are not the same (and vice versa-his wonderful brain is not like mine- praise God).
My husband was really resistant to making our house more ADHD-friendly because he "just wanted us to be normal." We're both ADHD but I've been getting therapy and medicated and he hasn't, again because he just wants to be normal lol. So I just started making the changes to our environment without the therapy terms and letting him reap the benefits of a brain-friendly house. Because ADHD accommodations are brain accommodations. Even Steve Jobs wore the same kind of black shirt every day so there was one less important decision his brain had to make. I hope this helps. It was hard for me to feel like my husband was fighting me on it but what I learned is he was fighting social stigma.
This comment could have been written by me! 😊
@@GruntyHerdermy was-band refused to learn anything about my ADHD. Such a toxic stance
Tell him the IS no normal! 😂 The world is wild and colourful 🥰
She really mastered this! One thing I noticed is that a ADHD friendly lifestyle is very ressource intensive (a lot of everything). Thud I would love to hear your take on ADHD and sustainability, consumerism and minimalism. Is it possible to cope with less?
A lot of adhd people use minimalism to help, I do! For example, the less clothes I have the easier it is to organise! The less stuff I have the easier it is to tidy up! I only keep essentials and I think a lot of adhd people try that out to make things easier
I've started to 'KonMarie' my space and woo!, so freeing!
@@LyzReidis this a design concept?
@@ashleyj4159 Marie Kondos way of decluttering and organizing.
I think if you get rid of stuff you really don't need, that makes it easier to manage things that actually make your life a better place, like the stash of socks by the front door. Owning twenty pairs of socks is no less sustainable than owning five, because each of those pairs wears out 1/4 as quickly. You're wearing out one day's wear worth of your sock supply per day either way. But it allows you to keep a good supply at each of the places where you need them, which can save a lot of bother and fuss.
Point of performance is a huge one for me. Took that tip to heart after seeing your house tour. Not only does it keep me "in place" for the entire task, but it helps me declutter/organize (i.e. "Why's that thing here? Let's put it next to the machine that uses it.") Love these house tours!
I do socks by the front door as well. I got tired of my kids saying they couldn't find their socks so now all socks go into a basket in the shoe closet. It's made such a huge difference. I have adhd and so do a couple of my kids so we've had to come up with alot of visual hacks since we will forget immediately.
Why do you change socks at the front door?
Doesn't everyone have a sock drawer where their clean socks live? I honestly don't understand how this is any different from having a sock drawer, other than perhaps ye prefer to be completely barefoot when inside the house. When I lived in the tropics, my sock drawer was by the front door shoe rack.
Ah, you go barefoot inside! That makes more sense now. But where do the dirty socks go? Left outside the door 🚪? 🤣thrown outside haha
@@binesart we only put socks on as we are leaving the house. We have house slippers for in our home. But none of us are comfortable walking around in socks.
@galamander_1327 ya, we have house slippers and no one likes to wear socks unless we are putting on shoes. So we have the socks by the shoes.
Who has a launch pad by the front door and still forgets to take what they need? I literally put my coat right by the front door and walked right past it!
Yeah. I wear wigs and my head is shaved, this morning, I walked right past my wigs without putting one on. Luckily, I saw my reflection in the mirror before leaving the house. I'm a lady too, so going from shoulder length hair to a shaved head would probably confuse my coworkers... I was thinking, what lady forgets her hair and then this video reminds me a lot of people would if it wasn't attached 😂
Mistakes will always happen, the launchpad just makes it happen less often
Whenever possible, I put stuff that I need somewhere where I *can't* forget it, or make picking up something unforgettable contingent on the thing I have to remember. For for example, I was terrible about remembering my name tag for work, so I got a small container to keep it in in my work bag. That way even if I get to work and forgot to put it on, I still have it. To make sure I don't forget my bag, I keep my work shoes on it. I *have* to put on my shoes to leave, therefore I *have* to see my bag and remember to take it. Also, when in doubt, I set an alarm on my phone to go off right when I need to be walking out the door, and title it with what I need to remember. I know I'll always have my phone, and the alarm forces me to look at it and see the reminder.
I find that happens, when the sight of the things becomes too familiar. It does not visually stand out to me anymore. I try to rearange items and even hang coats or backpacks or notes on the door handle to make sure I notice them. Also not fool proof, of course, but helpful to me😅
My fix for this is to use the Task Tracker feature of Alexa Blueprints. I set up a “commute checklist” of items. Then when I’m heading out the door I say “Alexa open commute checklist.” Alexa then walks through each item in the list. I say yes if I have the thing or if I don’t need it, and no if I don’t have it. Alexa will go through the list as many times as I need, skipping things I’ve already checked off. That lets you do the items in any order. You can also start over if you get mixed up or make a mistake. It’s like having a butler follow you around with a checklist. For me it’s important to put everything on the list no matter how small or even if I don’t need the item every time. And also to use the list even for things that I usually find easy to remember like my phone or keys. Otherwise the list becomes one more thing to remember. I also use this feature for cleaning, because you can do the list partially and come back later to do what’s left. And also because you can check off items by voice as you are doing them. My only gripe is that you can’t update items by voice. You have to use the app. Still it’s nice to be able to add items at 3 in the morning or whatever and be able to trust that Alexa will remind you at the point of performance.
This is really useful and inspiring, but I'd love to see a version of it (if you haven't done so already... And i haven't watched the first video yet) that looks at how you could do this stuff as a single person or in small spaces. I was struggling the most as a singleton working full time and renting. I own now, but the other things are still true.
Like how do you set up point of performance stations and open storage when you have about 48" usable inches of kitchen counter space and no pantry or walk-in storage space? Please help.
@@agent57 EXACTLY. Her place is Huge!! And I caretake/ house sit, so I CANT always make any adaptions. I am moving into my van but it's not going to be easy
Yes
I lived on a boat for 12 years and after many years of trying to do things “the way boats are done” I convinced my husband that we needed to start doing things the way we could and how they would work for us. We had many trial and errors and I feel you on the small space. In apartments, it’s important to find out what you are allowed to do (modifications, hanging stuff, etc.) and go from that.
@@agent57I had less space than that on my boat and did eventually find a way. First, you need to figure out what your necessities are and be realistic. I did not need a 12 person place setting out on the regular, when 360 days of the year, it was just my husband and I😂. Didn’t need every mug we owned out either. Did however need the microwave/convection that we used almost every night. I didn’t wind up doing open space because my husband has issues with visual clutter. Instead, our drawers pull out fully and we use bins to organize them. As for the small counter, you might actually want to look at solutions for boats, campers and RVs as many are space sensitive, I.e smaller appliances, organization, etc. You can also check for inspiration on freestanding cabinetry for pantries and whatnot. There’s always the option to thrift items that will meet your needs. We turned our sink into extra counter space with an insert, took advantage of what counter space we had by only having out appliances we regularly used and stowing the rest below, and used tiered stacking for things that we wanted kept out to reduce the footprint. This was what we did after 10 years of trying to figure out how we wanted things done. When we realized that we just needed to make what we used most accessible and remove anything that wasn’t necessary, we got a lot more space.
Automating the lights makes such a difference for me in getting to (and out of) bed in time. I'm terrible at guesstimating the time. So instead, the lights downstairs dim at 21h and shut off at 22h. Then I have an hour to get showered, into pajamas and brush teeth & hair, before the lights turn off at 23h upstairs. The lights in the bedroom turn on from 6.30, like a wake up light.
What we did for lights and fans etc, is got a sticker pack of animals and placed a sticker on the switch plate and named each device a different animal. That way we could look at the switch and say the name. This really helped because I wanted to make the room names or devices for my kid's names, but Alexa kept messing up. But she 100% knows how to deal with "monkey, snake, etc". Plus it lets each kid or parent pick their animals for their own automation. If you make it simple, and associative, and have a visual queue, you start remembering them pretty easily.
Great idea! I can also imagine how fun it would be to tell Alexa "monkey on!" 😂
As an undiagnosed kid I spent soooo much time on the trampoline, I would go bounce whenever I wanted to think or imagine. Teaching kids while they bounce is a cool idea
Same!
Shoot I usually skip past ads but the amount of times I have failed to tell my husband that my family is coming to visit... or I have a concert next weekend... might actually check it out now o_o
We use google calendar, works great for us!
I have developed a system that helps me not forgetting things when I got out: I just remember the number of Items that are important. for example for work: Laptop 1 Laptop 2 Mouse Keyboard Headset If I go through the bag and count to less than 5, I *know* something is missing. I check this and close the bag, so I know it's ready. Or everytime I go out I do the fourpat: Keys, Car Keys, Wallet, Phone. If I go to sports I always put my clothes on in the same order, and throw stuff that needs to go in the bag exactly in my way out, so I have to get past them. This is my most reliable system which fails maybe once or twice a year - out of 70 to 100 sessions.
Routines are key for me! My muscle memory is much better than my working memory.
Routine/Ritual can help for sure
When you said, "If I didn't have a fitness area, I wouldn't work out." I felt that big time. Part of why I have a hard time getting a workout routine started is because I have to rearrange my living space to do it, and most of the time, I can't muster the drive to get out of my desk chair and do it.
Absolutely yes
Funny. Same about massage! All the things:) Also, I wanted to remind you that it’s not “I should be drinking more smoothies!” When you see the previous order and the new one reminding you.. that makes it a chore and feels shame like we fail! It’s like… oh ya, I love smoothies! I think our memory fills up with these ways we say things and we slip back a bit when we don’t want to. I love drinking fresh juiced juices and I love drinking water. .. until I think “ohh, I’m not doing this thing enough. “ The moment the “not enough” sneaks in time speeds up and I slow down., so to speak.
I agree. If I keep an abundance of chocolate in the house, I actually don't eat much of it, but if I don't buy it because "it's unhealthy," I feel deprived then I crave chocolate. Our brains are tricky things.
One thing I’m doing now is having a point of performance for my clothes. I saw something similar to this on tiktok. I’m still working on it, but right now, I have my underwear, socks, and bras in (uncovered!) buckets under my bed. So when I get up in the morning, I don’t even have to stand up to get halfway dressed. I always leave my pjs on my bed and my laundry basket is within reasonable tossing distance. Ideally, I want to get one of those laundry separators and label them for the stuff that’s not quite dirty but not clean either (jeans, hoodies, shirts I’ve only worn for a few hours, etc). They’re open so I can just toss the article of clothing into its correct bucket and it’ll be right by my bed so I can grab them. You can get ones that are on wheels too. Still working on where to put my t-shirts that I wear almost daily…might have to stand up for those lol Also, coasters. I always have a problem with having too many drink containers because I forget to take them to the garbage/sink for washing. So I got coasters. Now I always know where my drink goes so I don’t lose it and also, if there’s something on the coaster already, I’m reminded that I have to take care of it (throw it out, dump it out, put in the sink, whatever) before I can relax. It’s a new theory but it’s been working pretty well so far.
I want to get dressed from bed. Like, real bad. Ingenious.
Agree with many here, I’d love to see success hacks for apartment/small-space living! Especially since it forces a whole other dynamic on storage restrictions & systems (not to mention a lot of folks in small spaces are renting/in non-permanent arrangements, so our solutions need to be modular). I wonder if people have found any benefits to smaller places on their ADHD too? Less cleaning, shorter distances, more in sight maybe?
Challenging to fit belongings
This was awesome ! As a new dad myself I feel like everyday I’m always rushing out the door to work by making sure my wife, daughter and dog are fed and if I have time I try to clean to maintain my sanity. This helped a ton!! Thank you for this rad video !
The fact that you wrote a book despite having a huge hurtle to overcome, one that I share, makes me want to pick up your book and support you. I'm writing one too, and I'm really loving the process. Allow yourself to soak up the praise. You rock.
I'm very eager for it to come out!
Not gonna lie. I started watching this channel because 2 close friends have ADHD...I stayed for the tips and tricks to make my life easier. Now that I'm about to start living on my own, I'm taking lots of notes!
I love how empowered her kids are. My mom did everything for us but tbh i wish she hadn't! She was always so stressed and it ended up with us feeling like a burden having to ask for food and whatever else. I would have felt much more secure knowing i could handle more of my basic needs myself
And what's the dad doing? It's like he's another child
@@melusine826Where do you get that the dad was like anything? The video wasn't about him (if she even has a male spouse). The video was an interview between the two women.
I did notice the coffee station was set up so that no one would be asking her for anything, and it's not like the kids drink coffee 🤭 I also noticed them both slyly avoid mentioning who the other coffee drinker might be lol
at 6:04 and 21:33, they mention her husband (apparently named Craig...at least according to the transcript 🙃)...
This is awesome. It's validating to see others living a pragmatic life rather than an ideal one. It's clear that she has learned these things through trial and error, and she deserves mad respect for recognizing the problems and making improvements. I'd like to point out one common pitfall in this video: Voice commands are not automation. This isn't to be pedantic, but practically, using a voice command is just as much (if not more) executive function as a light switch. Home automation should be...automatic. Lights and thermostat sync to your schedule. Motion sensors turn things on when you enter a room, etc. The best automation is one you don't have to think about and never notice.
More like this, please! Tips that help me appear to function normally without constantly justifying or explaining (esp to ppl who dont get ADHD) are always welcome. I'm going to go grab a handful of socks for my kids' launch pad right now!
Caroline's labeled pantry reminds me of a different video where someone said it's easier to remember a grocery list of you group the items by meal. I love that method of organization. So handy and it feels less memory-heavy
Group the items by meal!! Why didn't I think of that!
Also, I make the list on a different day than I do the shopping which helps break the task up and feel manageable for me
Interesting concept. I, however, get easily overwhelmed and frustrated, so I always put my list in order of the grocery store layout, so I don't have to retrace my steps throughout the store.
I adore this video so much. I've intuitively stumbled upon a few of these optimizations in my own living space, and it's so hard for me to shake the inner voice of my parents calling me "lazy" etc. for trying to find an unconventional solution to a problem they didn't think was real. (For me, one thing is keeping my toothbrush/toothpaste at the kitchen sink instead of the bathroom sink, so I actually remember to brush my teeth after I eat breakfast.) Seeing an entire household organized around these principles (it's not about toothbrushes, it's about solving problems before they happen) is more than just a list of cool hacks. It's cathartic and healing.
I keep my toothbrush and paste at my bedside so that I can brush & read my book at the same time. I get bored just brushing my teeth! Also, I don't misplace my book that way either.
@@LyzReid I love this :) Keeping it at your bedside sounds absolutely weird and wacky to me, and nonetheless I'm delighted to know you've got something that works for you. We just gotta do what works!
I love the fruit tray! It's one of those things that fall under the "ADHD Tax" but are worth it if you're getting the fruit and veggies you need :)
Every time you said "Alexa" our Alexa woke up! In fact she made the announcement you gave to come down for dinner was made to our whole house. That was confusing since it's early morning now! But I learned something new. And the point about buying pre cut fruit and salads, I've always felt that was so expensive. But when I consider all the unprepared foods I've had to throw out because it rotted before I got around to preparing it, I'm sure buying it all pre prepared saves more money than I would have wasted. Thank you!
Please address adhd hacks for different dietary needs, eco friendly options,budget/low income friendly and ideas for adhd hacks for apartment living, we don’t have an area for a launchpad area or lots of storage space for refill overflow items in our one bedroom apartment
The trampoline is actually fantastic cardio & it’s immediately mood enhancing because it’s hilarious 🤣
Bill automation is huge. All of my bills send emails, but one bill can't be automated, and I can never remember which one (it's water), so I end up checking each one when an email comes in. It's so much more stressful for *each* bill, all because just one isn't ADHD friendly. Another huge thing is that I really love when the bill email mentions that I have autopay enabled, like "Here's your electric bill, autopay will charge you on the 17th". I can immediately archive the email and not worry.
Same, unfortunately I too have one bill without auto pay. Since it's the water bill it fluctuates so even free bank bill pay where they automatically send the check for me so I don't forget isn't always the same so i would be either over or under paying depending on the time of year. If possible look to see if they do "budget billing" but that too is only available with our gas & power companies, but not water. Still a struggle. ;)
Auto pay has been one of the few modern things that has actually been a godsend.
I LOVE this series. As the partner of someone with ADHD, I also get stressed by how disorganized things get, and I get stressed if my partner is stressed. We don't have a big budget, but we have implemented a lost & found crate and I literally just got up to make a meds crate. I am also thinking of making go bags with extra toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste. Keep doing these! These are amazing inspo!
I feel this as a mom WITH ADHD. Btw, I'd LOVE to see a video on parents parenting with ADHD (as opposed to just parenting kids with ADHD).
YEEEEESSSSS, THIS! I’m childless at the moment but do want kids sometime in the near-ish future, and trying to be a mother while having ADHD is a big source of anxiety for me. I’d especially love tips on how to communicate to a kid that you could use the me-time to be alone and decompress without the overstimulation that kids can cause sometimes. I know I’ll probably really need those mental health breaks to be the best mom possible. My husband and I were both really easy kids, but there’s still a chance we may not get that lucky. 😅
I've had a declutterer working with me recently. Amazed at how many of the things you mentioned are things that she has put in place for me to help me be able to keep my house organised going forward.
I can't express enough how much I love seeing a home where everything is self-service as an AuDHDer who's greatest barrier is communicating what I need. It's easier for me to do it than to ask for it 99.9% of the time
A massive thing that I have found helps a lot is breakfast prepping for the week for my kid. We're both ADHD, and the mornings are by far the hardest for us to get going to get him to school on time, and me to work. I make up egg, spinach, cheese, aioli, and fake bacon/sausage (he's vegetarian) sandwiches or wraps for the week so when we get up, we're not scrambling to decide what he should have for breakfast, wasting valuable time, while I'm also trying to get ready. It's been a life saver. Also any prepping you can do the night before, DO IT. Laying out clothes, having lunch packed, etc.
Thank you. I’m not ADHD but stress messes with my executive function for sure and I get scrambled. I’ve found your channel some time after reading Essentialism by Greg McKeown. This book is fantastic and says that you make a system to achieve a goal so if the system doesn’t meet the goal, then you change the system that you’ve created, rather than constantly trying to meet a goal the hard way. I appreciate your channel, thank you ❤
I don’t have ADHD and so many of these would help me! Keep doing these home tours if you can, I can guarantee they will be SO helpful for people.
So.. I noticed so many of these are only possible because she's VERY well off financially. She has an amazing roomy home and extra income to install equipment in dedicated spaces and automate things... it's easier to live when you have that kind of money in general. The things like grab and go stations are more practical for everyone. How to structure time and errands and cleaning would be more beneficial to the rest of us.
Yeah some of them are very resource intensive and suited for a massive home but we can take away some of the ideas or adapt them.
I can’t believe how many of these I do… right down to the go bag! 😮 All of the “weird” things I do apparently are helping my ADHD. Recently, I decided to move all of my daughters toys down to our finished basement, where our den is, completely resolving the mess throughout our entire house. In doing just that- it cleaned up her room which now takes 5 minutes total, cleaned out my whole first floor and left me the space to really focus my organization to the real challenge. Organizing crafts and toys into a cohesive zone where creativity is successful and it’s all the things required in that space- no more having to run all over the house looking for miscellaneous art supplies that got moved, etc. It feels great to come home to a space that clutter free and functional and to enjoy a space that’s presentable at a moments notice for guests. I don’t feel like I need to apologize to friends when they come over and am able to put hands on things in a moment- no more shifting of my piles (my filing system)…. I’m so glad I figured out how to use our space effectively without having to buy a new house! 😂
Love these videos! It would be fantastic to have a video about how to make a small unit/flat/apartment ADHD friendly.
I'm in the process of finishing my cottage that I built specifically for my neurodivergent brain. It's pretty but mostly functional for how my brain works. Tasks are completed where the supplies live. I need to see the things to use the things so I have all the open storage. Plus lots of sensory friendly environments. And of course smart home features so I can delegate to the computer to take care of routine life things. So this series is awesome! I totally relate to this right now. Your home should be your safe place!
I'm really love the statement that if the been is empty you have a marker to know what was missing. I will often buy the wrong thing because I thought I knew what was there.
Transition into the labels! I LOVE the fact I’m not the only one who uses “gremlin voice” with a big smile when excited! I sometimes even do the “hand-thing”! Lol❤
The point of service thing means a lot of duplicate items, but it also probably means your ADHD tax bill isn't as high. It's like paying a one-time fee instead of a subscription.
Yes! I love this. I had a hard time letting myself buy extras or “luxuries” (e.g. the pre-cut fruit) until I realized that it would make me function better, instead of berating myself for *if* my brain functioned better, I wouldn’t be misplacing things. Do not waste time with “shoulda coulda woulda”!
‘And other lies we tell ourselves’ 😅😂🎉 making my home more adhd friendly has been a game changer. Inspired to get more labels going, we have a ‘go box’ and hooks each but needs a shuffle with winter clothes with scarves and gloves etc being featured now!!
I am so buying at least two copies of that book. Also, I didn't know about "point if performance" but I realize I was doing it subconsciously, somewhat: leaving my meds by my breakfast place, for example.
My house / life hack was to somehow end up with the perfect partner who is organised as hell and doesn't mind reminding me. Also she can do that amazing thing where I say "hey bub, have you seen my keys". The she comes and just magically manifests them on my desk and picks them up. Still pretty sure she's an amzing magician. 😂😂 The the things she's weaker in, allign nicely with my strengths. That's nice because I don't want a partner who is my mum.
This is how we deal with food and cooking in my house: 1) once a month we decide what we'll eat each week and write down what ingredients those meals need. We have a spreadsheet for that to make it easier. We used to do it weekly but found that we always remembered right before shopping and then never had time to properly think about it, which resulted in eating the same things all the time and less healthy options. Doing it monthly gives us room to put in new recipes we still need to research and helps us balance our diet better. 2) once a week we decide when exactly we're cooking what. That allows us to be smart about it and plan for stuff like office lunches being leftovers that transport and microwave well, cooking bigger meals when we're both home and have time, etc. 3) we only buy what we need for the week (or two) according to the meal plan. No aspirational veggies or fruits that rot in the fridge. And no impulsive buying decisions. 4) we're realistic about how much cooking we can handle. We only plan one or two meals a week that require a lot of effort or are new recipes. Most meals are quick, easy, and we've done them many times. 5) we cook some labourous things in batches and freeze them. Like my autism friendly veggie tomato sauce or soup or curry. That allows us to have veggies even in the simplest meals.
I've been finding using clear bins really helps, similar to the ones used by The Home Edit but I've been lucky enough to find them in online auctions for way cheaper! I also love using labels! ~Chris
I live in a tiny apt. The last few years have been like living in yard sale after a wind storm, but choosing what I WILL use & putting it near where I will use it when I do use it has made a tremendous difference. Also, bins. Now - labels!
It's reassuring to see her achieve this impressive house layout. It's a reminder that 15 minutes of work every day, makes a system less stressful.
How is this in any way helpful to people with ADHD? We work in exactly the opposite way (massive flurry of action irregularly instead of 15 minutes regularly)
Implementing lots of ADHD house hacks has been a lifesaver for our home with 4 kids (ages 3-8), along with reducing how much stuff we need to keep track of. Watching this video makes me feel overwhelmed at how much extra stuff is being managed in the house (such as in the super organized pantry room). I feel much better in our home when I store less food and other consumables and shop more often. That way the stores take care of storing the stuff until I'm at the point of needing it.
I had an idea that's sort of related to the launch pad idea. I have started to keep the little things that I need all the time in my backpack and then I always know where they are. Like my glasses, my inhailer, my notepad, etc. Generally this lives near my computer because that's where it's needed when I'm doing work. There is alot of useful information in here. I need to start working on putting everything where there are needed and making things a bit more organised. I need to set up a tea area because stuff for that is all spread out. Thanks for making this. 🙂
My favorite thing about college was always having my “mary poppins” backpack with everything I could possibly need in it
I love that she gives the punching bag a hug. That kind of thing tells you a lot about a person. 9:14
I paused this part way through because talking about automating bills reminded me I had a overdue payment to take care of, so thank you! And it's nice knowing I'm not the only one sleeping with the lights on sometimes because I can't get up. I can't automate it anytime soon, but I did invest in a sleep mask, which helps a lot! I really want to get more bins, I have them for my bathroom supplies and I've never been this organised. Plus they help me with my back issues - if I'm looking for something I can just grab the relevant bin from under the sink and put it on the counter, rather than stay crouched over (ow) or sit on the floor (way too much effort).
I used to always throw my keys wherever when I got inside the door, because I have a sensory need to quickly unload and take off coats and shoes etc. So I put up a designated key hook right next to the door (literally just a little plastic picture hanger) and I don't think I have scrambled for my keys since. I have also gotten used to them always hanging there, so when it is empty I actually notice it! Then I can look for them when I'm not in a huge rush to leave. The thing about setting your home up to accommodate your habits instead of changing your habits to fit your home has saved me sooo much energy, stress and shame. Thanks for sharing your wisdom 🧠❣️
People will tell you that leaving your car keys right by the door makes it easier for thieves to steal your car. What they won't tell you is that if someone has broken in to your house to find your car keys and steal your car, the sooner they get the keys and leave, the sooner you don't have a dangerous criminal in your house. Making the keys easy to find makes your home safer for you.
I put mine in a cup. The cup is only there for the keys. Weird but it works.
I only have some mild symptoms of adhd, but with my cerebral palsy my mom did many of the same things - left things set up for accessibility, bowls, straws, tea etc
Loving this channel. Once again, commenting during the show,(one of my ADHD downfalls), the launchpad reminded me of when my children were little. I had two diaper bags both with a pack list is laminated and put inside. The first diaper bag was a large diaper bag that I would pull from and kept in the car. Filled the small one nightly. This insured I was always prepared when I headed out the door even if I forgot the small diaper bag.
I really like the fact that you left your house "lived in" rather than it be showroom perfect. Likely picked up some but, shoes in the hall, post its on the door, leaves on the trampoline, things that weren't mentioned in the video. It makes it real. Great video and house.