Organizing Tips from Women with AD/HD

[Tara]

I thought we could designate this thread for WOMEN with AD/HD to share some organizing tips and suggestions. There is also a similar thread in the MEN with AD/HD section. It may be interesting to see how similar and/or differently male and female ADDers organize.

[Lafnalot]

If you havent used it in two months, throw it out. If it's too big, too small or too ugly, give it away. If it can be scanned, put it on disk and chuck it.The less you have, the less disorganization you have.Schedule time each night to reveiw your next day and gather together what you are going to need, from lunch to tolls. I use the same bag every day for what i take to work, meetings etc. and it lives by the front door, somedays it hangs on the door handle. Paper plates, cup and bowls are the working womans friends. Plan weekly meals, or at least five of them before you go shopping. Crock pots and timers are lovely as well as alarm clocks and schedules. I like to do my ironing and laundry put away on Sunday so I can have everything ready to go for the week.

I had about seventy five bath gels and soaps along with about forty ******* bottls of shampoo. I asked everyone which shampoo and conditioner they liked the most and why. That left us with three different shampoos and conditioners along with the lil ones stuff (tearless soap and shampoo) Each person got a basket. In it I put their shampoo, conditoner, deoderant, powder, lotions etc in their basket. They all have two towels in their color (liz is pink, sammie light blue etc) and hooks in their room for them to hang up. I informed them that any time they left their bath timer, towels, or anything else in the bathroom it was in the trash.
When I leave the car I take at least one or two things in or trash to throw out.

Having AD/HD is the REASON we are disorganized, but it is not our Excuse to complain then continue the same way. If you enjoy how you live _yeaaaaaa go for it. If you want something different, yeaaaa go for it. But self honesty will tell us if we want it or if we want to complain about it.

[misclee]

Wow, very good suggestions. I will definitely try them out! Thanks

[misclee]

The only thing is...how to you actually get yourself to tackle those things?

[Lafnalot]

You dont tackle em, or at least I dont. I walk by it and say oh wow thats ugly, Im putting it in the give away box. then I go on about my life. I dont do anything full blast any more it does t work

[misclee]

Okay, but when I've done that I end up with a HUGE pile of stuff that needs to be dealt with. I really appreciate your help!

[Lafnalot]

No problem I have give away, throw away and give back boxes. The give away is obvious, the throw away a box for junk that isnt garbage like food etc and the give back is for things people left at my house ( grrrr) And I say like oh hey next week I am going to town i will drop the stuff at the goodwill box . I put it in the trunk and write a reminder on my pda with an alarm.

[jaimegerise]

One thing I am starting to learn and learn fast in regards to clutter and having happy surroundings (at home at least) is to keep only what you reallllllllly love. Once you look at it that way, you realize that there is too much junk around!

boy...this philosophy made my makeup bag shrink!

Jaime

[Barbette]

"But self honesty will tell us if we want it or if we want to complain about it."

This quote packs such a wallop ! Crissy is a true philospher !

[cobweb]

To help myself organize I use every tool available to me on the comp.

I use yahoo and works calendars to keep up with appts and special days.

My drug store has a prescription reminder service, they will send me an e-mail.

I use MS Money program to help me keep up with my bills and checking account and on line banking to download my transactions to the money program. I do the same with my credit card acct so I always know how much I owe on it.

It takes time to set up but has been worth it for me. The bank charges a fee for the online banking but it's a lot less than a bounced check

[Garry]

I had a yard sale on the weekend. If someone looked at something and seemed a little bit interested, I waited to see if they wanted to buy it, when I was sure they weren't going to buy it I walked over and talked to them for a bit then I gave it to them.

If I didn't sell it or give it away it meant I had to restore it again.

When the sale was over I had $2085.00 in my pocket and only 4 small boxes of stuff to give to the Salvation Army.

Grin I also sold my motorcycle for $1800.00 so I made 285 $ at the sale.

My wife and I estimate that it would cost about $3000.00 to replace everything that we got rid of.

But you should see my new computer room !!!!!

Its empty, Nada, nothing in it, zilch, clean and ready to remodel.

On girl came in looking at some computer stuff I had.
I asked her "What she was looking for".
She said "A video card".
I said "You seem to know your computer parts."
She said "I fix old Computers"
I said "Back your car up and open your trunk, Have I got a deal for you".

She left 10 minuets later with her trunk and back seat full of various computer parts and paraphernalia snd she thought she was in Heaven.

As she turned the corner as she drove away I smiled from ear to ear. I got rid of all that junk and I diddn't even have to pay to throw it in the dump.

It was a Good Day

PS: I also have a Kenmore built in oven and a Kenmore Built in Counter top range left over if anybody wants them Come and get them!!!

[Flyfisher]

I empty or load the dishwasher while I am on the phone with my husband or friends. It goes by quickly and easily. Otherwise, it is like pure boring torture!

Lafnalot, along the lines of your thinking, I read that if you use the phrase, "I MIGHT use this SOMEDAY", it's time to ditch it.

Gary, congrats on your successful sale and clean up!

[Cait]

lol - flyfisher - I just got rid of 5 boxes of old math worksheets, about 30 wire clothes hangers that were jumbled together in a closet, left from the previous teacher in the classroom - 3 years ago!) - all from my classroom.

Another teacher/friend of mine was helping me clean up after school on Monday and (brave soul, she) volunteered to empty out one of my boxes of "junk to sort through LATER". She sorted through, recycled lots of junk catalogs, flyers, things I don't ever need.....

Got rid of a metal shelf that was barely standing up by itself.
Took down to the custodian's office - an overhead projector that didn't work (I had an additional working one already in my room), and 2 stereos that didn't work.

Tossed lots of old school workbooks (used), notebooks, old homework from 2 & 3 years ago. I don't know WHY I've saved it. What could I ever possibly want or need it for???? I'm much better off having gotten rid of it.

so, as I've been cleaning my classroom, I've tried to think to myself....If I haven't used it in the 3 years since I moved in....toss it!

I even collected the classroom library books that were inappropriate for the age level in the class. I plan to take them to my local used book store this summer & trade them in for store credit. Then I can use the credit to buy used children's books that are more appropriate for my students.

So, with all that stuff I got rid off, I have lots more space now! It's great!

I'm really on a "cleansing/shedding" roll - I can't wait to go back & see what else I can get rid off.

[Keppig]

I'm very proud of myself, I threw away an entire 30 gallon trash bag full of "Maybe-I'll-use-it"s

[smooch]

Kassie! You totally INSPIRE me!!! That's probably at least half of the chaos in my office. If you can do it, I can do it!

You GO, girl!