Thriving With ADHD

Real-Life ADHD Organization Strategies

• Animo Sano Psychiatry • Season 3 • Episode 9

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Welcome to "Thriving with ADHD," the podcast dedicated to offering practical tips for adults with ADHD. Hosted by Nada Pupovac and brought to you by Animo Sano Psychiatry, we delve into strategies for living a more organized and satisfying life.

In this episode, we're joined by Ellie Gardner, founder of Marigold Organizing, who shares her expertise on creating ADHD-friendly spaces. Ellie discusses:

  • Real-Life Organization Strategies: Tailoring organizational systems to individual needs for greater ease and effectiveness.
  • Barriers and Solutions: Addressing common obstacles and finding practical adjustments like reducing barriers and having designated work-in-progress zones.
  • Tools and Techniques: Utilizing clear containers, drop zones, and visual aids to support organization.
  • Flexibility and Adaptation: Emphasizing the importance of being flexible and adjusting systems as needs change.
  • Guiding Principles: Key tips for selecting organizational products that truly support ADHD lifestyles.

Whether you're managing ADHD yourself or supporting a loved one, join us for expert insights, practical advice, and inspiration to transform your space and life.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite streaming app.

Connect with Ellie:

Thank you for listening to Thriving with ADHD. This show is produced by Animo Sano Psychiatry. For more information about our clinic, please visit animosanopsychiatry.com.

Animo Sano Psychiatry has introduced new services for enhancement of our patients' mental health - ASP Concierge and Health & Wellness Program. Please visit our website to learn more.

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Welcome to Thriving With adhd, a podcast we'll share every day practical tips to thrive in life as an adult with adhd.  This podcast is brought to you by Animo Sano Psychiatry, a behavioral health practice with a specialist ADHD clinic based in North Carolina. And this is your host Nada Pupovac.

 Welcome to Thriving with ADHD. Dear ADHD community, today we discuss real life ADHD organization strategies, and we are bringing in a guest speaker outside of Animo Sano Psychiatry. We are thrilled to welcome Ellie Gardner. A founder of Marigold Organizing, Marigold Organizing is a home organizing business based in Durham, North Carolina, and Ellie has a degree in sustainable development from Appalachian State University and the background in  management.

In 2022, Ellie decided to transition  into home organizing industry where she could work more directly with people and help them feel more at ease in their environments. At Marigold organizing, Ellie focuses on no guilt organizing services because she knows how hard it can be to ask for help when you're overwhelmed.

Since starting her business. Ellie has worked closely with the ADHD community and has developed a custom approach for neurodivergent households. Marigold organizing is founded on the principle that anyone can attain a happy and healthy home.

 Ellie, welcome to Thriving with ADHD. I'm delighted to have you on the podcast and  it's a pleasure because after a long time we have someone who is outside of Animal Sound, psychiatry, bringing in a new, fresh perspective.

And you are here today to discuss real life, ADHD or organization strategies, uh, from someone who is. Organizing spaces for folks with ADHD, and I think, uh, you also mentioned that you live with someone who, uh, has ADHD, so I suppose both professional and a personal experience. So I think it's quite important and I can't wait to. 

Hear about your take on this topic.  Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, yeah, you're very welcome. And without further ado, I'll start  with the first question. So yeah, let's talk about your personal experience. So can you share a bit about your personal journey and how you began working with individuals with ADHD, especially in designing spaces that  accommodate.

their. needs that they're a bit different. Yeah,  yeah. Yeah. So, um, when I first entered the professional organizing industry, I was, um, trying to get a better sense of how to design spaces that are more accustomed to people's needs, whether that's a busy family or, um, an elderly person that needs more accessibility in their home.

Um, and one of the major client bases that I, um. Was encountering was people with ADHD and they were telling me how they had tried organizing before they had maybe even hired other organizers before, and it just hadn't worked. Mm-hmm. Um, around the same exact time as I was learning about this and getting into this industry, um, my husband discovered that he also has SDHD, um, which makes sense for how he's kind of operated in the past.

But, um, we kind of were on that more personal journey together. And so as I was kind of learning more about it and also, um, I was learning different things, um, about how like a DHD Brains work. Um, one of the first steps that I took was kind of adjusting organizing systems in our own house. Um, so one of the things I learned when working with clients and reading online was kind of that people with a DHD need to like expend more energy on smaller tasks that other people may not.

And so one thing that I realized when I learned this is a lot of the systems I'd set up in our home. Were not manageable for him because they were highly detailed. They were very meticulous. 'cause that's how my brain works. Hmm. So, um, kind of, I started doing like almost little experiments, um, starting with my husband  and  Oops.

Um, one, one of the things I kind of focused on first was like laundry on the floor. So that was one thing. I was like, I just want you to put the laundry in the hamper. I don't know why you can't do this. But then I realized, oh, there's actually a lot of different barriers. Between, you know, like taking off your clothes and putting 'em in the hamper.

And I realized his hamper had a lid in it. It was in the closet that was behind a door, and that closet was across the room from where he typically gets undressed and has his pile of clothes next to the bed. So that was one of the first things I did. I was like, okay, let's pull the hamper out. Let's take the lid off, let's put it right next to the bed so it's open.

And he started using it. And so that like was able to, you know, not 100%, but generally put a very big dent in that problem. And that was kind of, um, one of the things that I realized is that it really needs to be centered around people's existing habits and that organizing systems need to work for the people and not have them try to conform to a detailed, um, organizing system or someone else's organizing system. 

That's fantastic and, uh, thanks for sharing this piece of your personal life with us and, uh,  I'm delighted for you and that, that you were able to figure out some of the things and I guess make even your life. Uh.  Easier as well and less stressful. So, uh, I ho I'm glad it worked out, , , on both sides. So, , my next question for you is, what would you say are some key factors or habits that you , consider when creating an organizational system tailored to someone with ADHD?

You touched a bit on this, but maybe you can expand.  Yeah, so kind of going off of that first example is reducing the barriers between,  you know, where you're starting from versus like where you need to put things away or where you need to get things. So, you know, removing any barrier like lids. Doors, distance, anything like that, um, is a good start for designing systems that are gonna be more maintainable.

Um, another thing is, um, storing things where you use them, um, is another big kind of tip that I give. So, you know, if you're always doing crafts in the living room, don't have your craft storage like in the top part of your master bedroom closet or something like that. Yeah. Um, so you want things to be easy to grab and then easy to put away in kind of the spaces that you're already working with.

Mm-hmm. Um, another thing that I.  Kind of consider with people with a DHD specifically is they often have a very strong, out of sight, out of mind mentality, maybe more so than other people. Mm-hmm. Um, and so with that, I definitely encourage more clear, um, containers. So instead of. Um, like things with lids or things that are opaque, I definitely do clear.

I do encourage labeling things like that can help. Um, you kind of be more visually reminded where things go, you can easily put them away. And, um, kind of having clear things makes you more accountable to avoid, like doom boxes where you're just throwing things in and then they disappear forever because you're kind of accountable for like, oh, you can see what it is and it's a label.

Um, so that kind of helps. Keep things at the forefront of your mind. Mm-hmm. And then the last thing I kind of consider with people with ADHD, and also not necessarily ADHD specific, but just kind of a preference that some people have is mm-hmm. One thing that I ask pretty much all of my clients is do they like to put things away quickly or do they need to find things quickly? 

So that's something that can kind of, um, enlighten a lot about how I'm gonna design like an organizing system. So, um, and it might sound a little weird, so I'll kind of explain, 'cause ideally you'd wanna do both, right?  Um, so the first person who wants to find things quickly is kind of someone more like me, where I like something very highly detailed.

Every specific thing has a very specific home. Um, and it's reliably there every single time. That sounds great. And, but in practice, what that means is as soon as I walk through the door, I have to run a lot of mini errands all over the house. Mm-hmm. I have to put every little thing in a very specific.

Place, and that takes a lot of energy. Mm-hmm. So what some people opt for, and their preference is to put things away quickly. So what that means is after a long day, they walk through the door, they just wanna drop things. They want it literally to just like fall right outta their hand, and they wanna be done with whatever it is. 

So with, um, people who have that preference, one thing I incorporate a lot of is drop zones. So that could be like a big basket by the front door for shoes. It could be a bowl by the kitchen counter for keys, whatever that is, kind of helps you put things away quickly, but still have them organized so that you still, you don't have like a mess on your whole counter.

You don't have shoes all over the floor. They're kind of like, it's like an organized chaos a little bit. So it's easy to put things away and still fairly organized.  Excellent and makes sense. So can you provide maybe even more examples of tools and strategies that you have found particularly helpful for organizing spaces for people with ADHD? 

Yeah.  Yeah. So, um, a few different things. The first one kind of goes along with the concept and philosophy of drop zones is building in the need for like a work in progress space. So a lot of people who have lots of ideas, lots of things coming and going into office spaces or kitchens, um, sometimes their kind of main workspace can get overwhelmed with kind of the in progress.

Um, things to do, ongoing type tasks. So one thing I recommend is just designating a specific area for those kind of in progress or incoming things so that when you actually do have the time to sit down and get through the task, your actual workspace is clear and you can kind of pull things one by one and you're not overwhelmed because you can't even get to your desk.

Mm-hmm.  So I think that's kind of a helpful tip. Another thing I've noticed is, um, people with a DHD are a little more visual, so kind of having, um, bigger kind of wall calendars, um, whiteboards, things like that for creativity and brainstorming that isn't going to be kind of. Piles that are physically in your way is kind of another help for task management and organization.

Um, and then lastly, kind of a smaller tip that I found really fascinating when I learned about, um, A DHD is that people with a DH ADHD have like an interest based nervous system, which, um mm-hmm is kind of more, you want things to be more eye catching and more new and things like that. So sometimes when I'm working with clients, I kind of.

Try to get to the bottom of what's really captivating for them. Maybe it's a color or an aesthetic or a style or something that would get them to be more excited and more engaged in their organizing systems too.  , thanks for sharing those tips, and I'm sure besides, even, besides those wonderful tips and tricks that you have, there are still challenges that you're facing when organizing spaces for people with A DHD.

So how do you typically  address these issues that you encounter  with your clients?  Yeah, so, um, like some of the common challenges that I find is a lot of people kinda like I mentioned at the beginning, they have tried organizing systems before and they maybe have tried a new planner or a new set of bins or this and that.

And so I often come across like. Organizing graveyards in people's houses where  they have a lot of different systems that they've tried and they've abandoned because they're not able to maintain it. Mm-hmm. So, um, kind of the core issue of a lot of them is that they're not kind of developing an organizing system that works for them.

They're kind of trying to buy like an off the rack kind of organizing system, but. True, like functional organizing is gonna come from being self-reflective with your habits and your actual things and your, you know, day-to-day life. Um, and so I kind of work with people to figure out kind of what I. They need for their, their lifestyle.

Um, and when we, like I do product recommendations, we'll kind of shop together and I'll kind of provide guidelines like, you know, like again, the clear container is a game changer instead of like opaque boxes. Um, sometimes people get things that are not the right size and they feel constrained to it, so maybe they find one really cute cr like crate for organizing crafts or something like that, but then their crafts don't fit in there.

So they've got some there, some over here, some there. So you know, your things need to. Fit the, the products that you use. Um, and then I've also encountered a lot of organizing systems that aren't particularly successful for people with ADHD are ones that are highly detailed or they're abstract in a way.

Um, like I've seen filing systems that are num, it's like a folder numbered one through 25, and then you have to go on an app to figure out what folder 14 is to like put  it. And so things like that, they're just not designed, um, for people that kind of need more like simple organizations. Simple. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.  So how important it is to actually stay flexible in these multitude of organizational systems? I, I suppose it's, uh, head wracking. Yeah. And how can people with A DHD just, um, tailor and modify their systems over time as. Their needs change and grow. Um, so yeah, let's import, uh, talk about this, the importance of staying flexible. 

Yeah, so it's very important to be flexible and to kind of just tweak your systems as you go. Mm. Because in the previous example of just finding systems and abandoning them when they don't work, it can be more confusing later if you have of a lot of different things. So you definitely want to like.

Adapt and change your existing system as much as possible. Um, another important thing with flexibility, like I mentioned earlier, with kind of designating like work in progress zones or designating kind of that mess, like giving your,  um, your brain and your space, the ability to, you know, not be perfect and kind of just like.

Build that into your system. And so if you're not, you know, you maybe have a busy week, you haven't like, kept up to your system to a perfect tee, that's okay. You can still salvage your system. Um, and I think it's,  it important to always kind of, um, do kind of like an audit of your space and your organizing system, um, to make sure that you are like, you know, you don't need to be organizing things that you don't use like. 

I think some people sometimes get caught up in something. They're like, how do I organize this? How do I do this? I'm like, well, hold on. Do you use this? Do you ha do you have too much of this? And so kind of making sure that you, um, have kind of the appropriate.  The appropriate things that you're then organizing.

Yeah. , that's, uh, really good. Thank you. So what would you say, and I think you mentioned so many good things throughout our conversation, but maybe, uh, to emphasize some of the guiding principles. Uh, so what are the, some key.  Principles or guidelines that you would recommend when selecting organizational products or setting up a space that actually supports people with A DHD and not takes away and the energy and a mind space to  get things organized.

Yeah.  Yeah. So yeah, you mentioned I was, I definitely like have mentioned several throughout, but kind of yes. Just going through a list is storing things where you use them. Mm-hmm. Um, selecting products that are usually clear, usually open and encouraging labels as much as possible, um, including a work in progress zone, like we mentioned, to kind of give yourself a designated messy space.

Mm-hmm. Um, incorporating drop zones either in the entryway. Maybe one per room, depending on how you kind of flow through your space. Um, don't organize things you don't use. Um, it's an important part of it. Mm-hmm. Making sure that your inventory kind of matches your space and your system. Um, make sure your items, um, fit the storage that you have.

So categories shouldn't be split up. So all of your, you know,  scrapbooking supplies should be in one place. It shouldn't be kind of. Uh, disjointed, I guess. Mm-hmm. So kind of making sure that you've got the appropriate size of storage per category, and if you don't either, you know, reducing the amount of things in that category or getting a larger storage thing.

So one of those two, you kind of have to pick which way you wanna go. Um, and then just lastly, simplicity and making sure it works for you. It is just don't overcomplicate it. Don't have a over idealized version of it. Just whatever works for you and your lifestyle.  Mm-hmm. Mm. Wonderful. So, uh, if there is, we always like to ask this question, uh, to our guests.

So here's for you, if there is one thing that you would like our listeners to take away, remember from everything you, uh, talked about, what that would be?  So I would just say to remember that your organizing system should work for you. You should not work for an organizing system. It's your house, it's your life.

Things should be made easier for you with organization. If you find organization being like a chore or hassle or like something that's in your way. Um, I would say to reevaluate. So I think just remembering that it should work for you. Hmm. Wonderful. Thank you. I think it applies to everyone, not just with, uh, yeah.

To folks with a DHD. So thank you. Um, okay, Ellie, so how can our listeners, uh, learn more about your work, where they can connect with you, website, social media, um,  where, where is your office? So go ahead.  Yeah. Yeah. So the best way to learn all about me and to get in contact with me is through my website.

It's marigold organizing.com. You can see all the pictures of my things, learn about me, fill out an intake questionnaire. Um, you can also see, um, more,  upToDate pictures and things on my Facebook and my Instagram. That's Marigold Organizing, LLC, and I'm based in Durham, North Carolina, so I serve the entire triangle area, but I'm always happy to hop on a consultation call if you have any questions.

If you don't know where to get started, feel free.  Wonderful. Thank you so much Ellie. I loved having you. I learned a lot , from you and I'm sure everyone who listens to this podcast will, , take away so much. So thanks for being our guest and hopefully we'll get to, , host you again soon.  Okay.

Thank you so much.



Thank you for listening to Thriving with adhd. This show is produced by Animo Sano Psychiatry. Please follow, rate or share our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or any other streaming app of your choice. Music is by Daddy's Music music from Pixabay. For more information about Animo Sano Psychiatry, please visit animosanopsychiatry.com