It isn't just people with ADHD who get put off doing things when the process gets too complex. Retailers have found that if you add just 20 seconds to shoppers' purchase process, then they won't do it. Extra reaching, or having to take a few extra steps to get something, or anything else that complicates the process will cause most people to skip buying it.
Have you tried Atomoxetine instead of stimulants like Methylphenidate or Amphetamines? It can affect heart rate as well but is less dangerous I think and it works well for someone I know. It inhibits the recapture or noradrenaline like some antidepressants do but it's marketed for ADHD specifically.
I echo so many of these comments - I am turning 55 and just learned that I have ADHD and listening to this video is SO ME - sooooo much perfect advice! Where have you ladies been my whole life ? 😅 I have renewed hope, FINALLY! Thank you ♥️
To all the late in life diagnosed and undiagnosed, you’re not alone ❤ We have good days and bad days, good years and bad years. Never give up searching for your solutions, hacks, habits. You. Are. Worth. It. You are worth the time, energy, attention, and love. Trying, caring means you are not a failure. Take the smallest possible step for yourself. That is a win! Small wins leads to more wins. You’ve got this! ❤️
While I don’t have ADHD I have gone through trauma and grief and just generally being tired and stressed out I can totally relate to much of what you said. It sucks when you feel like you’ve “lost your mind”. And it’s so hard to be “on top of things” when all you want to do is relax. Thank you for the video, i don’t feel so alone.
You are NOT ALONE!!! I nearly started crying because everything you said is the same for me. I'm 73 and was only diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, but I didn't take it seriously because I didn't really know much about it. It wasn't until a relatively new friend said to me one day, "Your brain is different from mine", and proceeded to tell me how much I jump around in my conversation, etc., etc. I hadn't realized that other people noticed and so I have just recently started looking for things to help me. I can't tell you how much I value your stories and the fact that you share your experiences with your community and give us tips. That mall story was me! You are so lucky to have been diagnosed this early in your life and that you are developing tools to help you. Keep up the good work, Cass! And thank you!
I’m also 73 and while not diagnosed, but does this resonate with me!!! I have to Hager my phone Remind me to take the trash to the road every Wednesday night!
Me too. There are many things I struggle to remember and many I don't. My phone alarm would go off every afternoon. I would keep hitting snooze until I actually took my pills. Now my phone isn't working and I keep forgetting them. Next week I'll see the doctor and tell her now I know why not.
I visited a friend I hadn't seen in awhile and she seriously told me she thought I was getting dementia. I told her it was my ADHD and she was skeptical. I often wonder if I'll be able to tell the difference if dementia happens. I was diagnosed in my 40's and had already been able to set up systems to help me, To other people I seem "rigid" but now that there is more awareness about ADHD (good and bad), people do get that I do things a certain way because of my ADHD.
I’m 72 yrs old. My whole life I’ve struggled with these same issues. Not until 2 yrs ago when my grand daughter who has my personality was diagnosed with severe ADHD did I realize there was a reason for my mess. I’m trying to change and your videos are giving me hope! I just am overwhelmed because I’m not young and strong anymore. But I’m trying to make changes. Does anyone else make the plan, see yourself cleaning etc and then never get up from the chair an actually put the plan in action? I swear I clean and organize daily… in my head
You're not alone Kay! I'm 51 and I know exactly what you mean!! I'm confident I can improve my house with these videos so let's encourage each other and hopefully make some progress as a result!🩷🌷✨️ Sending you positive energy✨️💫🌺🦋
It’s not just “laziness.” But adhd often overlaps or comes with co-occurring conditions like health issues or chronic pain. Sometimes it really is too much to walk across the room or bend down to pick things up. Appreciate these tips for those of us with chronic health issues
I was going to recommend this too. I pick them up at thrift stores for a few bucks. One in the trunk of my car to get stuff from way back in there and one in the kitchen to pick up squashed watter bottles and etc. “no excuses!”
I just finished watching this video. At 76 I finally realized I have some form of ADHD. I thought I was starting Alsheimer's. Doctor said no I'm fine, just getting older. My short-term memory is CRAP! I have a white board on my fridge with daily activities that I need to get done. I have difficulty sleeping because I can't shut off my brain. Now I know I need to brain dump before I go to sleep. I believe everything happens for a reason and in the time it's supposed to happen. This is going to change my life. Thank you so much.
I had to stop the video for now, because you giving us a free zoning guide has literally made me cry. I have ADHD, OCD (undiagnosed), and have been struggling with severe depression since last year. I'm so overwhelmed. My apartment is absolute chaos. I literally have mountains of clean laundry everywhere because I can't fold and put away. Books on the floor of the hallway. Craft stuff spread everywhere. I can't even find things anymore. I'm crippled by procrastination and distractions. Thank you for your help. I'm not even 4 minutes into this video, but I know this will help me to at least make some progress!
Have you made some progress? Any progress is worth celebrating with brains like ours. It's an uphill climb, I know... And if you haven't made any progress, don't beat yourself up. Consider this a friendly reminder to try again. You will get there.
Send you good vibes. I really struggle with putting away laundry. It seems daunting every time. I am now sorting my laundry by type (pants, shirts, socks/undies, towels) and bought a 4 section laundry bin - I just started but its been a week of putting away my clean laundry because I know if its pants, I just fold everything in it, shirts: hang it all, socks/undies get thrown in the drawer and towels I fold the same way so its repetitive instead of changing with each piece of clothing. This might help, maybe not but know you aren't alone and just because things around you are chaos doesn't mean you are - you matter
So you will like this... one year for Christmas, there were three little tiny boxes underneath the Christmas tree, and I got really excited thinking they had jewerly from my hubby in them. Nope no jewelry, each of the three boxes had a copy of my car keys my husband hadxmade for me. The keys have been strategically placed around the house so that I no longer have to call my husband to come home from work 45 minutes away to bring me keys for my car because I always lose them. 😂
I put my car key fob on a carabiner and hook it to my purse or my jeans as I leave the house. If by chance they get taken off of one of those then they’re lost. I also keep a backpack that has mom stuff in it, mail/magazines to go thru, charge cords and an adapter for kids, and I store my purse in it when I get home if I don’t take the backpack with me.
Cas, I need to thank you. I was so angry with my husband last week when I went to get a knife from the knife drawer and found the measuring cups in there with the knives. I remember what you said before to the effect --if the clothes get dropped in the corner, put a hamper in the corner . Realizing he used the measuring cups there in that area when he made his smoothies, I rethought some organization and switched a drawer of kitchen gadget tools with the drawer of measuring cups and spoons and such. It put it right next to the knife drawer. I then was able to tell my husband that I did that for him to make it easier for him to use. A win win situation.
In my early years of teaching (retired now), a Special Ed teacher told me that "having ADHD was like having a bad day all day, every single day". I never forgot that and it encouraged me to have an extra measure of compassion for my students. Of course, back in those days, I didn't realize that it pretty much described me too 🙄. Thanks, Cas! Very good tips!
I'm literally in tears, never felt so seen. My whole life people just calling me messy, lazy, disgusting, careless... It's so difficult to deal with so many things running in my head. Thanks for this video, it makes me feel that actually there's nothing wrong with me 😭😭😭 what a relief 😭😭😭😭
Okay seriously. First off if your whole life people called you all those things. ADHD is NOT your biggest problem. Having @$$ holes for people around you is… get good people around that support you. My brothers pulled that crap on me as a kid… I don’t frequent them, I have people who challenge me to be better and are willing to coach me if necessary. Find better people, let them speak life into your life and many problems will follow your old friends, whoosh just like that they will be gone.
@@reebertJunkman Sadly it was my own family, specially my parents. I don't have a good relationship with them anyway, for this and many many other reasons. Luckily I now do have better people around me that want to support me and that have understanding for it. The wound is just there, I am not diagnosed yet because only since this year I struggle so much that I can't go on. I feel so identified with many videos and just cry because my whole life looked like this and I would've loved to know I'm not the only one. 😔 Thanks for your words, I appreciate. 💖
Asked my mean sister to watch some of these videos so she could understand me better, had to remove her from my life for a few years because of her snide remarks. She is more respectful now and watches what she says when I see her on the rare occasion.
@@lorickena6636 I get it. I went through the same stuff. Brother abused to point where they called DFS almost 50 years ago. You had to work had to get a call back then. Best advice I ever heard was No one ever died from a snake bite. It’s the venom in your body that will kill you. Can’t be unbitten. But you can choose your venom. I started small. Forgiving people, communicating with them, never said a word about forgiveness unless the asked for it, but I forgave them inside. I did this through prayer, some don’t believe in that. If I had reoccurring issues, I took paper, wrote all my feeling down as they came hate, anger, sorrow, if what they did came to mind I wrote it too, everything. Then I burned the paper. Have a coffee can full of ashes. Don’t keep it and run risk someone finds it. Took a while but it helps. Burned a lot of paper. Reams of it. But it slowly helps. Gotta get the venom out before you can heal. Finding this channel is a big step. Many don’t believe adhd is real.
@lorickena6636 Depression is very real for us, that's why you need to see a psychiatrist. SSRI's work for me but you need to b very careful. You can't dbl up the medication if you forget it Just take it when you remember. I hv small, see-through containers with twist.on lids, which are numbered 1 to 31 (days in month), each days pills sorted once a mnth. Then you can see if you hv taken them. Take same time every day. Those I need 3 or more times a day are set on alarm. All hospitals shd hv emergency psychiatrist on duty. You will b a different person
Wow. It is *so refreshing* to know that I'm not the only one out here who didn't discover they had ADHD until they were in their 40's! My life has always been so hard and difficult, and I never understood why other people could just think of something they needed to do, and then just *do it* like it was nothing. But for me, there is always a horrible struggle that I absolutely hate. Cause all I want is to complete the task, but its like all these things come against me to make me not do it. And I've hated it for *years.* Fastforward to now and my Dr. perscribed D-amphetamine which has been an absolute Life changer! Now I'm able to think about what I need to do, and I just *do it.* And it is just absolutely *amazing* to me that I have that ability now! But suffering & not being able to just *do things* for *sooooo long* and with kids, was so horribly difficult! Still though, it's not a medicine I have to take every day, and I don't. I like the help but at the same time I don't want to be 100% dependant on it. So I only take it when I feel I really need to. :) So tips like this REALLY HELP! So tysm!!! ^_^ And ty for being so open and honest about your life and what you're going through. Knowing that I'm not alone is a comfort, and I thank you for that, truly. ♥
I spent my whole life feeling stupid and lazy because i forgot everything and was always late. I tried every home organization and cleaning routine i came across. Finally diagnosed almost 2 years ago. Wellbutrin helps some. But I have to figure out how to make things work for me. I make lists for everything. I have white boards all over. I set alarms for everything. I redid my clothes storage, no more dressers. Keys go on a hook inside the front door or they disappear into the abyss. Music energizes me. Love you Cass.
What do you use instead of dressers? I have one but it's been mostly empty except the top drawer collecting small clutter, the top collecting "important" clutter, and a TV. I'm finally getting in the habit of using it again and just throwing my clean clothes in there and only the clothes that I'm constantly washing and drying (Mt Laundry is slowly getting washed and smaller. Clothes are either going into my "when I lose weight", Sentimental, hand-me-downs, and give away bins and bags.)
Wellbutrin was a Godsend for me long before being diagnosed with adhd, taken for years for depression until it would plateau on and off. Unfortunately, I can only take the brand name because generic makes me absolutely crazy, but I can't afford it now, and contrary to popular belief not all generics work the same as the brand, and not all generics are created equal. The same goes for the adhd meds unfortunately. I realized that during the national shortage of stimulants last year when I thought I was going crazy because I felt crazy, lol, but nope it wasn't me it was the fact that for each of the 3 months prior the manufacturers were all different! It went from Teva to Abbott to Lannett and so on. My dr didn't even realize this was going on until I explained what I discovered. Even just now looking at my med bottles I see that my afternoon Adderall XR 30mg, which actually helps me is from good old trusty Teva, but my morning Adderall IR 30mg is from Lannett! I'm so done right now, because I've recently switched them around because the IR seems to do absolutely nothing, but the XR does! And this is truly unbiased and unplacebo-sized, haha, because I never thought of looking before this post and didn't consider this to be the issue. I just thought I was becoming tolerant and needed to increase the dosage. My goodness, smh, y'all please get brand name meds whenever possible, because this is ridiculous and we are not test subjects. No wonder why some insurance plans only cover brand name for adhd meds (with a normal tier 1 or 2 copay usually). Too bad most don't however, and fyi, you can find out what's covered or not in detail if you contact the insurance company's pharmacy provider(s), even before selecting the plan and they're all 24/7 with live customer service reps available. I've said a lot, but I hope it helps someone in some way. God bless!
“Putting stuff away is too far away”. I have always put hammer, screwdriver, etc in my garage on pegboard. Then I listened to Dana White “If you needed this, where would you look first?” Yes, the garage makes sense that way, but I am always upstairs when I need any of those tools, so the garage is just too far away! When hanging curtains in my bedroom I had an “ah hah” moment and realized it makes much more sense to keep those small household tools in a small basket in my dresser upstairs. Now I always know where they are, it’s close by, and I put them right back where they belong every time. 👍 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Brilliant! On a similar note, I learned to keep cleaning caddies on every single floor (2nd, first, basement) and have gotten SO much better about keeping every room cleaner now. Only took over 30 years to figure that one out thanks to Cas haha
I keep tools upstairs and downstairs for this reason. It’s finding what works for your brain. Now when I don’t put them back in the garage or my upstairs tool area…oh boy! 😂
awesome!!! Are you a Butterfly? OOOOH I have a packed dresser that i'm going to clean out today! Petrified, but I know I have all of you and you help me so much!!!!!!
Something i started doing recently that's really helpful. I made magnets i could write on, some for Daily Do (like Doggie Breakfast, Check Mail, etc) and made two columns on my fridge. I wrote Not Done and Done on them, and I move the magnets when I do things. Then I never starve or overfeed the dog, etc, and don't waste time worrying if ive done it. I used White liquid chalk markers because my fridge is black, but you could use magnets for that, too, and make it cute. It's seriously lowering my stress levels.
I do that for my kids' lunches. We had X food on Monday and it's only Thursday, so it's too soon to have it again; let's pick from the options we haven't used yet. It's so great.
Oh my God, the 50 first dates reference I have been saying my entire life. Glad somebody else can relate. When you’re intelligent and have ADHD, it can make you question how intelligent you actually are.
For many years I had a filing cabinet but I rarely filed my paperwork in it. I probably had a file cabinet because that's what I had to use at the office. One day I realized the filing cabinet just wasn't working for me so I labeled an amazon box with the year and started tossing papers in the box as they came in. In January of each year I sort through the papers which takes me about an hour. The best thinh is I actually feel GOOD about this method.
When I taught 2nd grade many years ago I remember fondly 2 of my kiddos with severe ADHD. My little Paul would learn best sitting under his desk which took me a minute to realize he was actually learning there being able to regurgitate everything in a lesson. So, OK, that's where he spent a lot of time not bothering anyone, but learning. On the other hand my other little spent a lot of time wandering around the room or trying head stands in the reading center, mumbling and disturbing all of us. He missed a lot of 2nd grade "within his own mind", but finally got medication leveled off for him. His father asked if I would keep him again for another year which I did and he was a marvelous little student catching up on so many things. I just loved them both and wonder how their lives turned out. I can also tell your mind is going a million miles an hour, but the tools you have learned to deal with it is spectacular. Thank you for everything you do for the rest of us.
I like the socks in the foyer idea. Another sock-related simplification idea: buy all the same socks so you never need to waste time sorting into pairs during laundry. All socks all the same color and style. (As much as you can, given what activity you're wearing them for.) Saves time and hassle.
Another hack I use is keeping a "reverse planner" I just write down everything I end up doing in the day periodically AFTER I've done them. Then I highlight them with different colors for each category, however you define them: Productive, Relational, Non-Negotiable (like pick up kids from school, breakfast for my kids, a doctor's appointment that day, etc), Self Care/Personal Goals, and lastly Interruptions Out of my Control/Time wasting (I use the same color for these two because I consider unexpected time wasting as something that is inevitable). I was shocked seeing the colors and how much of each I ended up spending time doing, even if it was random and sporadic. It has truly changed my perspective on the way I spend my day and has taken away a lot of shame.
Brilliant!… I’m wondering if we could use some tools from the laws of attraction to program our subconscious to get things done like using vision, boards, and affirmations and self talk?
Cas, I too have ADHD and found a method to reduce my overwhelm. When doing any task I focus on “one item at a time” which gives me small wins. Folding laundry, washing dishes, emptying the dishwasher, picking up the house, etc., makes it feel more manageable and gives me instant results and the push to keep going and finish.
@ADHD_Love is a terrific channel! They have shorts, long videos, a book, and a body doubling app called dubbii. Laundry is hard for me because I don't have washer and dryer units in my apartment. I need to outside our building. It's exhausting to go back and forth to the buildings shared laundry room. You hope that they aren't in use after you haul your stuff there. If so, then I put them in front of the washer I want to use. If a dryer has clean, dry clothes in them, I take them out and place them on top of the dryer. My building has 35 units with 3 washers and 3 dryers. I got the routine of putting away basically down. My plan has been to do my laundry on Monday when it opens. It's usually empty. People are at work. I currently have clean clothes in my basket, not from today, screaming at me to put them away.
@@lovealwaysmomI bring hangers with me when getting stuff out of the dryer. Hang the clothes up, if a rack is available. Otherwise, lay shirts on top of each other, put hanger in top shirt, flip down, put hanger in next shirt, flip, repeat for all shirts. Then just flip them upright, grab the hangers, and go. I also use a pillowcase to haul dirty laundry to the w/d, and throw that in with the dirty clothes. Clean undies and other small items go in the (now clean) pillowcase to haul back upstairs. Your clothes are already on hangers, so just put them in the closet. Dump the contents of the pillowcase on the bed; they’ll be much easier to fold undies, connect socks, and put in the drawer. Hope this helps.
Love returning the shoes story. That is so me. Get to the library and don't have the books I was returning. Drive a hour to my favorite mall and don't have my credit card.
Thanks for this video! I feel like my family should watch this so they can really understand me and what I had been putting them through. Your videos have been helping so much even though I haven’t even really started tackling it all yet. Love your energy and compassion, thank you for sharing so much. ❤
As a guy, so much of this jives with Adam Savage ("Tested" on TH-cam) and his theories for shop and makerspace organization. Your comment about "no lids!" is like his "1st order retrieval". I shouldn't have to do extra steps to get or put away the things I use most. Between your channel and his it's totally changed how I tackle projects around the house.
I feel sooo much better after watching this. You described my life exactly. I can’t take meds because of heart rhythm problems, and they would interact badly with my cardiac medication. All 3 of my kids have ADHD, and I took my then 6 year old son’s Ritalin by mistake 1 morning and gave him my tablet. I was absolutely crushing my day, I couldn’t work out why I was achieving so much: then the teacher rang and asked if my son had had his Ritalin. The penny dropped. I had not suddenly become “normal” and able to get things done efficiently, I was not suddenly Superwoman- I had taken Ritalin by mistake. That was 27 years ago and I will never forget what that morning felt like.
@@char6081fear of the symptoms or fear of addiction? I understand the hesitancy but if you start on a low dose you will get a feel for what it’s like without it being too strong at first. And even if it is to strong it’ll go away. I once had a med too strong and I just didn’t take it again. I finally found a med that I have few side effects. But it takes trial and error.
@char6081 I am 40 and diagnosed yesterday. All my struggles throughout my life make sense now. I was crying and grieving for the undiagnosed child I was. I wish it was different for me, I hope medication helps.
Me too! I have an alarm for bedtime that starts at 9:30pm and keeps going every half hour until I get into bed and then I turn the rest of them off. It's also helped me get out of staying late at friends' places when I'm really tired and want to go home 😆
I have found that if I have to set an item down to open the bin, drawer or container that I need to put it in, I am most likely NOT going to put it in there, I'm just going to set it down and walk away. It needs to be uncomplicated and easily opened with one hand. 😂❤
My youngest is high functioning Autistic and ADHD…. I’m trying to organize my house to make things easier for him…but I find it’ll make things easier for me and my eldest son. I’ve come upon so much more clutter since we lost my husband/ their Dad almost 3yrs ago and I’m so determined to get my house back in order. Your tips and videos and personal stories are so extremely helpful Cas! I will say, I do have alarms set for sooo many things through my day & week. Thank you! (Love the little dancing brain on this video)
Never diagnosed, but pretty sure I have ADD. It never fails that when I go to the movies, and watch the previews, I forget what movie I am actually there to see!
I can't go to the movies. Sitting in one spot for 2 hours KILLS me. I lose what is gping on in the movie. If I go to the concession stand I usually dont even make it back! I've gone twice in the past year and remember why I hate it. My husband's solution is to go to a theater that serves food. I can eat and watch and I don't get as squirelly
I m not diagnosed but my family one day told me about ADHD and everything matches. I decided to go minimalist and use systems for everything and definitely has helped me so much ❤ thank you so much for sharing ❤
You are NOT ALONE! I feel great after watching your video. I found out I have it at 42 years old when I took my son to be diagnosed and it turned out I have it worse! I've hit my husband's car TWICE WHILE PARKED AT OUR DRIVEWAY because I get into mine (which is right before his) and I just back up the car until I hear the bump and I realize his car is right behind mine 😥😥Not to mention the times I've taken both car keys, or lost mine, or my phone, or call the police because I've forgotten where I've parked, or go to the wrong store to pick up an order, or every other crazy thing I do. It's a constant struggle😭 🤣🤣🤣And yes, I organize but a few months later everything is back to being a mess and it's so hard to get it organised again! Thank you for your advice, I'll try to set the timer and do some organizing and labeling during the holidays since I have free time!🙂🙂
You are not alone! I was diagnosed at 43 after spending the first 25 years of adulthood struggling to adult. I am sad for the younger version of me, who just thought she was a loser who couldn't get her crap together. I'm thankful to know there is a REASON for the struggle, and it's not that I'm "lazy" or "careless" etc. Thank you for speaking up about this stuff and spreading awareness!
My sisters are the best. Everytime I leave their apt, they double ask me, "Are u sure u have everthing???" and help me check if I have forgotten anything. 😅 I also have many legendary and everyday stories of forgetting things: 1) drove 2 hrs to the beach w friends, only to have not packed my swimsuit, 2) Got off a train where my friend picked me up, but left my luggage on the train, so had to drive to the end of the line to get it (this was Japan, so no one stole it), 3) will go to a store to buy smth only to have forgotten my wallet 🤦🏻♀️😮💨🙄
We have switched to "family socks". We all wear the same size socks now. I put a dresser in my entryway closet. Now all the socks live in the closet, along with the hats, gloves and scarves. It's so much easier to get out the door in the morning. Our coats are in that closet and the shoes are also in the entryway.
I'm so glad I found this - I was already doing some of these tricks (after years and years of failure) but there are some great ideas and reinforcement here. I just got diagnosed with ADHD at 58 and it was a relief - I was sick of wondering what the heck was wrong with me.
Just got diagnosed this year, and on medication a month ago. I. Can. Finally. Adult! I still need hacks and help, but with those I can finally do the things. If you even suspect you might be ADHD, get checked. It is absolutely life-changing to finally figure out you're not broken.
I've adhd too and have always struggled with keeping organized. But lately I've been finally starting to figure out ways to solve that. I started with putting trash bins in every room, and even little mini buckets I gather with trash throughout the day to then empty into actual trash bins, which completely solved my issue of making trash piles on floors and tables around me. Now I'm stepping things up and have gotten into a routine of daily cleaning my dirty dishes (I don't have a dishwasher) and weekly vacuuming, decluttering and anything else that needs to be done. With this habit building, I've started to notice I'm actually putting things away after I'm done using them. Not always right away if I'm on a time crunch, but always within 24 hours. Stuff like putting my makeup back into my makeup bag after I get back home from work, for example. Or tidying up after an evening of crafting some art project. The only thing now I'm still really struggling to find a solution to is where I put used clothes that are still good to be worn again. Because I cycle between 3 outfits until one of them gets dirty, then add in a 4th outfit, and so on, and this becomes a giant pile of "half clean/half dirty" clothes that just don't belong anywhere. It's a great method for having variety in my outfits without needlessly washing things that are not yet dirty, but it's hazardous for organization. I've tried putting them in a special dedicated drawer (it was too small and too closed, caused funky smell to build up), an open box on the floor (it got very dusty and nasty), the lowest shelf in my wardrobe (it was too inconvenient)... nothing works. They just keep ending up on my computer chair next to the bed, but I don't want them there! Because then it's a hassle whenever I need that chair, and I hate how messy it looks. Do you have any advice for that?
A fun version of the timer trick that I've heard: Put a jug or an empty bottle into your sink and turn the sink on at whatever speed you want. Now you have until the container is full to clean! As a bonus feature, you can do this in the morning and then drink the water bottle empty during the day so you remember to stay hydrated :)
As a person with mobility disabilities, simple and having things where you need them is an absolute. Living in a cluttered house is very stressful. Making small changes as I can. ❤
This is so helpful!! I don’t even have ADHD-I just have a toddler and a husband and adding those two things to my life has made me have sooooo much stuff and feel constantly overwhelmed. So if there are any exhausted and overwhelmed mamas out there-these tips work for us, too!!! Thank you so much Cass!!!
That's my friend Cass, my sister from a different mother, whom I've never met. Love her personality, her talents, and her motivational videos! You have helped me so much 😊😊. I need my "Cass fix" to stay the course. Carry on Missy, we love you.
OMG! This is all coming in clear now! I am a PreK Assistant. I keep our room cleaner and more organized than I do my own home. We have everything designated to a specific area for the littles. It’s easy for me. I need to do my home this way. Lightbulb moment 💡 😂
I send greetings from Europe, and yes, there was a key word for me in your clip. Stressed and overwhelmed with everyday tasks, you can experience the same symptoms where you really have to pull yourself together to function and not lose track of things. I feel challenged to check the same thing three to five times. It costs me so much energy! The tips are very good and worth incorporating! Thank you for that!
I haven’t been diagnosed, but ADHD definitely makes sense for me. Your ideas are very helpful. Decluttering using Dana K Whites method has been amazing too. Just the simple thing of keeping things where I look for them first is amazing. And keeping things where I actually use them (like permission to not HAVE to keep things where they’re “supposed” to go) is life changing.
Hi Cass. I am a single mum of 3 adult sons with ADHD and l can understand your frustrations as I have had to have alot of patience over the years. The latest incident that you would be able to relate to happened on my 2nd son"s wedding day. my 1st son's 2 and a half year old son was to be the pageboy. I was excited to see that he had arrived just in time, not a minute to spare. We looked for my grandson"s suit in the car so we could quickly dress him for the ceremony. Needless to say, we couldn"t find it and my grandson could no longer be the pageboy. My daughter in law was quite frustrated because she remembered putting the suit on top of a pile of items in my son"s arms as he was loading up the car. He felt really bad about it but could not recall what had happened to the missing suit. When they got home that night they found the suit on their bed. He had detoured back to the bedroom because he had forgotten something and absentmindedly put the suit down on the bed. Ahhh, the joys !!!!!!
My best friend has ADHD, and has a very stressful job. And he’s raising a difficult child. I know he doesn’t have time to set any system up, so, after living with him for over ten years, and knowing him for 17, I know how he operates. I’ll study, and implement your suggestions, like laundry basket where you naturally throw your clothes (chair, near closet, any flat surface).
Over the past year I have had a realization that my 13 year old son might have some ADHD and ODD typical behaviors. It had actually really helped me stop getting angry and start interacting with him more effectively and positively. Because I can listen to books, podcast and videos and actually learn what works instead of doing all the unhelpful things. So thank you for sharing.
You're not alone. I, too, just had to stop taking my ADHD medication due to weird heart stuff. Everything is hard. I didn't realize how much the medication was helping until I stopped taking it.
Mannnn! I love you Chicadiva! God bless the squirrel-brain truth! When you said full squirrel, with the visual, I was so done and I had to laugh, because that is me (have mercy Lord). I get so depressed and discouraged when I wake up because 'I Am Squirrel' and never know what to do or where to begin, which leads me to either go back to bed or aimlessly go through my day just doing things as they happen or as I remember, hope that makes sense. The crazy thing is that I have a ton of important things that need to be done, but the disconnect is really unreal, haha! I too didn't know I have adhd til recently, when I was 39ish, and while I'm relieved to know what I'm dealing with, now the real fight is on between finding the right meds, the right tools, and actually learning how to use those tools while overwhelm is always lingering like the smell of mildew from that forgotten load of laundry in the washer! I digress.... God bless you for making this video and I am truly encouraged and motivated to get organized. I also would like to just say to anyone who is 'like us', and feels like it's all too much, it's too late, I'm too old for this crap, the world will come to an end or I'll be dead before decluttered, or any such thoughts, please challenge yourself to prayerfully put it in God's hands and start looking at this as an opportunity for a new beginning! Get excited that you have an opportunity to be the a version of yourself that you've been wanting to see for so long. I personally have felt like I'm so far down that I only have two choices, and that's to stay down and die or get moving and go the only direction I can which is up! And I actually want to enjoy the trip! The devil is a lie, I will not die under a pile of anything, but I will live a victorious life because I'm a child of the most high Lord God and that means I am more than a conqueror! So, in the name of Jesus I pray that we all get it together and have peace of mind, with homes that make sense for us! God bless y'all, much love! P. S.... Please don't be turned off if you don't believe spiritually the way I do. Get some accountability and still get busy doing all the things!
You may have ADHD, but you express yourself very well. ("... overwhelm is always lingering like the smell of mildew from that forgotten load of laundry in the washer!"😂) God bless and take you by the hand. P.S. I'm beginning to think that most of humanity is ADHD!
My husband "affectionately" calls me his Squirrel Girl. 😂 He handles my ADD better than I do. He won't let me get down on myself. He will remind me of things often to help me, but not to the point I get dependent on him. He knows it's always worse in times of stress. I think acceptance that it's in my family and acknowledging that I have it, too, was half the battle. I've learned a lot of coping skills over the years, much like she covers in this video. One thing I'm going to implement is using a timer.
Girl you are DEFINITELY not alone! I get so down on myself and then goes all the negative self-talk! The enemy is totally coming at me hard but my God is bigger than him and ADHD!🙌🏻 Thank you so much for being so open and honest! You have so many great tips and hacks in this one! Thank you!!!
I am in shock. Literally with my mouth open… I thought there was literally something wrong with me for my whole life. And in the first 10 minutes, you are describing my personality exactly. Relief does not describe what I’m feeling right now. I’m hopeful for the first time in 20 years, and I’m 68. Thank you so much for your words and your knowledge.
Girl, you are not alone! When I was tested for ADHD, my psychiatrist put me through a bunch of tests. Tests and I never even thought would matter (connecting two dots by one line as fast as you can under the stress of a timer. They turn that over and see how straight your lines are... Mine were sooooo wonky). So my psychiatrist "graded" everything and stated, "your ADHD is So pronounced that It is like a disability in and of itself." I tried to be funny, because I didn't quite understand what she meant, and I said, "yay! I win, right?" That made her laugh and she said, "Nooooo" It has been a struggle my entire life. I'm 58 years old and my entire life I have been so incredibly distracted. Not that I wish wish you to be distracted as well, but I'm glad somebody understands where I'm coming from. If it wasn't so painful to be this way, it would be funny as heck!
I have been married for 40 years. So most of your life. But you have helped me & my spouse considerably, they have ADHD and stress about things I don’t know why they do. Your organization has been key for us, and I’m so grateful for this newest video. You’re amazeballs! ❤
You are absolutely not, I repeat, not alone! I'm 60 and I never considered I may have ADHD, even after my boys (now men) were diagnosed with moderate and severe ADHD. Who knew there were varying degrees of ADHA.... Even then it did not click, because their symptoms were nothing like my "memory issues", like needing a note on my keychain reminding me to stop by the daycare before going home. Horrible feelings of guilt and shame for a long time. Times are better, changes made and less self-loathing but still many issues like those you spoke of today. The info you share in your videos is honestly "life changing". Thank you, thank you, thank you. God bless you. Best of luck finding an alternative to medication.
How to ADHD is a freaking great channel. Love her info about ADHD. I personally am legally blind. Sight impacts memory a lot, so now my memory is shot. I set everything I need to remember up in google calendar. I set up an echo dot to tell me what is on the calendar. I also have automations on my phone to remind me to do certain things at certain times throughout the day. That way I remember to do all the stuff i need to do. Otherwise, I would get distracted and forget. I also have to have everything in their own little "home". Otherwise I will lose everything and get super frustrated about it.
We use so much mental energy just trying to remember what we're supposed to do that day that we don't have any left to go on a scavenger hunt to find something every time we need it.
I'm 28, I just got diagnosed before yesterday and I'm looking for ways to work around my symptoms without medication as much as possible. So thank you so much for this video. It really helped me observe myself and see what works for me and what doesn't.
Y'all please remember to have mercy on yourselves and give yourself the same grace you'd give to others dealing with these issues. Just start where you are....again....and again as many times as you need to! God bless you! It's not over, and it's not too late (even though we might be late, lol)! Also, exercise and diet can be just as effective if not more than meds along with all the tips and tools. I've learned a lot about holistic treatment/supplements for adhd watching Dr. Legrande's channel. I've heard so many great things about the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, and I think it's worth a try and I personally lovvvvve the foods! I'm so hungry now! Ok, I hope this helps!! Take care!!
I have MS that has left me with chronic fatigue and cognitive issues. I am so thankful I have found your videos. Alot of the things you've dealt with with ADHD are so similar to the things I'm dealing with. I am in the process of moving due to a flood in my old home. I am so excited to try these new tricks in my new home. Thank you!!!
I feel this in my bones. I’m almost 60 years old and ADD has plagued me literally my entire life. It takes me 10 times longer to do stuff than it does “regular” people. I do have a launch pad for my purse and keys, toiletries, coffee and tea supplies. That’s literally the only organization I have in my home. Of course, I overcome those fixes on occasion. I have to do organizers for prescription meds and vitamins/supplements or I take none of them.
Omg!!! It IS hard!!! I have one more for you which is perimenopause and menopause 😖 SOMETIMES (more often than not, but I’m trying not to use definitive language these days. You know how us ADHDer’s love our All or nothing language). When my menopause kicked in it was as though I was starting all over again with my ADHD skills. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you sharing your story at the end! It reminded me that I’m not alone. I’m a psychotherapist that works with other neurodivergent teens and adults and your story reminded me that just because I know what to do doesn’t mean I won’t have episodes.
I initially misread your pantry bin as holding, "Bras", and I thought, "Wow, ADHD is fascinating and strange!" 😂 WARNING: AutieHD info dump in 1, 2, ..."Pomodoro" is an Italian word meaning tomato. The Pomodoro Method is based on those little tomato kitchen timers. The rest is beautifully explained in the video. I'm a spoonie (cancer survivor) so I use this method in an informal way, like cleaning a thing while I microwave lunch ~
You are not alone. I was diagnosed at 39. crazy! I don't love the way the meds make me feel, but it helps with remembering and not starting 10 things at once and never finishing any lol.
Just got diagnosed with ADHD yesterday. Ive been watching your videos for a couple months now and I’m excited to see what hacks you got in this video:)
Congratulations on the diagnosis. A lot of us are out in the world undiagnosed. ❤ That takes a lot. I love Cas. She is a great resource and someone who gets it.
I was having déjà vu watching your video today. I’m 63 years old and have wondered if I do have ADHD just because of the things I’ve learned from watching you. Thank you Cas for that. There’s a few things I’d like to share with you. 1. Years ago I took out the insides of my metal filing cabinet and put it inside a small closet in my entryway and I store various cleaning supplies and tools inside it. I originally bought filing cabinet because my parents had one and I thought it was supposed to have one too. 2. You had made the comment about Alexa, and that all of ours are probably going off right now, well years ago in a different video you had suggested setting it to remind us to do something in the evening. You said, “set a reminder for 8 PM” that said, “tidy my kitchen,” and still to this day, mine still goes off and anyone anyone who visits me smiles when they hear it because they know the story of how the reminder came about. 3. I tend to see everything in colors and shapes to help me remember. When I was a dancer and had to write down choreography to learn, I would draw stick people and arrows instead of words, saying which direction to go or how many counts it was, etc. Didn’t think anything of it at the time. I used to be in the classroom as an early childhood educator and now, after 32 years, I have a desk job where I train and teach teachers in the early childhood field. Since I was no longer really hands-on, I had to come up with a system that helped my brain focus. The system ended up being a whole color coded system with sticky notes in various colors and it’s taped on my desk, under my keyboard. My colleagues look at it and shrug, and shake their heads; some have even questioned it. Although, they know that I created the system and it works for me 4. When you were talking about making a list for the brain dump, and choosing 3 to 5 things that you want to do and circle them, it was like an “aha” moment for me, because I do the same thing; it was like you were inside my brain and it made me so happy inside to know that someone else was like me. It actually got me a little emotional, because I’ve been watching it for years and I learn something new every time. Thank you so much for that. 5. A few years back when you said you did not have lids on your containers, I ended up getting rid of my whole bedroom set and had a five shelf bookshelf. I put cubbies on the bookshelf, and in each cubby I have my clothes like socks, hats, etc. When I do laundry, I just toss the items into the correct container. It is so freeing! Also, I watch, How to ADHD” too! Definitely a great channel! Thanks again for what you do! ❤
THANK YOU. Today I am applying your tip "label the crap out of everything". I keep tidying up and forgetting what is in which drawer, so I am labelling drawers and bins that I have already tidied. Maybe this will inspire me as to how to organise the piles of mess that remain.
I'm really struggling with all of this right now. Being an ADHD parent with ADHD kids, I just want to lay down and cry looking at how overwhelming my house is. Came to watch your video because i knew I'd find something to relate to & find small action steps I could take to improve. Thanks Cas ❤
Cas, you were describing me. ADHD brain at its best. I'm currently struggling with establishing the zones. OK, my kitchen is the best zoned place in my condo (not my fridge, though). Then comes the bathroom and my tiny entrance way. The top 3 of my disaster zones are at number three: my sleeping room, at number two: my "library" (formerly my home office), my alltime number one: my living room, where I eat and craft, or just relax. There are loads of things on my "dining table". It is landscape of clutter. Actually the stuff there is of the "I'm keeping it" kind. I have choices of where to put all of my art supplies, my paper crafting and card making, my embroidery and knitting. And I don't know for sure where to put what. And the procrastination goes on. Of course I've heard of putting your things at the point of performance (I think I heard it from "How to ADHD"). In the meantime I bought a small table, placed it in a corner of my living room. I wanted it to free the dining table. While I'm writing this, all of a sudden, it all falls into place in my brain. Now I KNOW where to put paper crafting and card making, my art supplies. Wow, what a revelation. Tears are running down my face with relief.
I'm an expert when it comes to procrastination, getting distracted and forgetfulness!!! I'm also ADHD and I have zones/reminders all over my home.❤Take care and cheers from Ottawa. ❤
Relisted to this one today and I realized you have done one thing many people can't. You Cass have found a way to work with a Nero divergent brain without the schooling for it. You are amazing
I feel you! 35 years, I was sooooo lost. And especially the lack of motivation and procrastination were haunting me. I actually watched this video to finally get motivated to clean up my messy kitchen. Thanks a lot! 😘
If anything, we are the energizer bunny! It takes SOOOO much more time, energy, strength, bandwidth, self-control, and attempts to focus than those without ADHD. It's exhausting!
@@nancymeister4803yep, my kids and I are a fun spectrum of squirrel moments! We’re even moderately productive, but don’t ask us what we did because we don’t know because we did something in every single room!
Oh my goodness! I get this. I don't know if I have adhd or not but in the details section of your calendar you can put stuff you have to remember or bring to the appointment you made with yourself (or in the details section of the task). Sometimes I have too much tho, and then the alarms and reminders just overwhelm me and I don't do anything at all. Maybe some days I just need to rest. I have strategies I use with emails too.. snoozing to the day I will deal with them. I am actually finding bullet journalling to be the best and it's helping a tonne, even if I don't get everything done at least I don't completely drop the ball. I have been doing it for a year now. Ironically, I am finding it really helpful to try to take as much offline as possible and just keep my notebook beside me and my notifications on my phone silent (except starred contacts). I always set timers on the stove when cooking even if I am in the room! I set timers for everything as well and I love that one you have so I could stop carrying my phone around for that. Thanks for your tips. I will put socks in the front hall with the mittens. I hope my tips can help you too.
I suspect that I may have ADHD, and I recently went through a major cleaning/decluttering/organizing campaign in my apartment because I struggled to keep it even remotely clean. Funny enough, I happened to implement almost all your suggestions before I ever even watched your video. Some I saw online other places and others I arrived at more intuitively... But I really have to laugh when you talk about zoning. In my professional life I'm an urban planner who has to deal with a municipal zoning code all the time. And during my apartment overhaul, I realized I'd kind of zoned my own apartment like a municipal zoning code. So of course I had to sit down and write a satirical zoning code for my newly organized apartment But the good news is that my apartment has been mostly cleaned and organized for a few weeks now and it's still sticking, which is a personal record!
I discovered that having multiples of items I use in multiple places solved the problem of putting things away. For example, I use scissors in the kitchen, office, and my bedroom/bathroom. By buying 3 pair, I was able to put them back in their home after using, rather than just setting them down where I last used them and then spend time looking for them the next time I needed them. I consistently waited until the last minute to complete a project in high school, college, and work life. I never understood why until you shared it’s the dopamine rush.
Same, point of use combined with easy to put away solves so many problems! I have multiple desk supply mugs with tape, scissors, pens and scribble pads wherever I use that stuff.
First off THANK YOU!!!! I have been following for so many years (ladybug🙋🏻♀️) Fast forward to today.. I now have a preteen who may be living with ADHD (her dad lives with ADHD). We are in the process of following your tips to organize and set up her room and bathroom.. she is static!!! What prompted this? She told me she washes her laundry and loves keeping clean clothes in her hamper cause it is easier for her.. yep.. my kid came to the basket conclusion you showed us in your videos.. so light bulb went off and I ran to find any and all of your adhd organizing videos So again.. thank you!!!
You're definitely not alone - you described my life perfectly, including being diagnosed later in life and then after a while on meds having to go off meds for a heart problem. ADHD is such a struggle, and learning how to navigate it better while unlearning all the unhelpful coping mechanisms that I picked up along the way is a constant juggling act then adding in being off and on meds makes it a real rollercoaster. Thank you so much for taking the time to try to share with us other ways to do things, and what has helped (and at times not helped) you. Even if we each only learn one thing from you (which let's face it, most of us are learning way more than that) you're impacting a lot of lives with what you do.
Thank you so much! I Tried to do a Swedish Death Cleaning on my house but the Squirrels had a hey day. I'm going to have my husband watch this video too so he can help me reset our home in a way that benefits us both. Thank you again and again for your compassionate advice. 😊
I was diagnosed at 42, and it made all the difference to know that I have ADHD with inattention, or old school ADD. Everybody finally understood that my brain was scrambled in a way that was not scrambled to everybody else's frequency. My wife stopped thinking that I was just lazy or procrastinating or not caring, and realized I really couldn't help being an airhead sometimes. The medication doesn't do a whole lot for me, we might need a stronger dose. But I do managed to get my squirrel brain on the treadmill and running reasonably straight when I take my meds
You are sooooo not alone I am 70 years young I had adhdbefore they knew what to call it I was a “hand full” every thing you describe is me I count down from 5 and then do the next item on my list I love your pointers they are incredibly helpful I feel validated by your sharing Thank you
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Is there a UK code? x
The timer name
It isn't just people with ADHD who get put off doing things when the process gets too complex. Retailers have found that if you add just 20 seconds to shoppers' purchase process, then they won't do it. Extra reaching, or having to take a few extra steps to get something, or anything else that complicates the process will cause most people to skip buying it.
Have you tried Atomoxetine instead of stimulants like Methylphenidate or Amphetamines? It can affect heart rate as well but is less dangerous I think and it works well for someone I know. It inhibits the recapture or noradrenaline like some antidepressants do but it's marketed for ADHD specifically.
Where did you get your shirt? Sooooo cute!
I echo so many of these comments - I am turning 55 and just learned that I have ADHD and listening to this video is SO ME - sooooo much perfect advice! Where have you ladies been my whole life ? 😅 I have renewed hope, FINALLY! Thank you ♥️
I have to make crazy amounts of lists just to function. Totally get it.
Hi @clutterbug I am a therapist who works with people who have ADHD - I refer them to your videos frequently thanks for being awesome!
This is great to help me
You are too awesome
To all the late in life diagnosed and undiagnosed, you’re not alone ❤ We have good days and bad days, good years and bad years. Never give up searching for your solutions, hacks, habits. You. Are. Worth. It. You are worth the time, energy, attention, and love. Trying, caring means you are not a failure. Take the smallest possible step for yourself. That is a win! Small wins leads to more wins. You’ve got this! ❤️
While I don’t have ADHD I have gone through trauma and grief and just generally being tired and stressed out I can totally relate to much of what you said. It sucks when you feel like you’ve “lost your mind”. And it’s so hard to be “on top of things” when all you want to do is relax. Thank you for the video, i don’t feel so alone.
You are NOT ALONE!!! I nearly started crying because everything you said is the same for me. I'm 73 and was only diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, but I didn't take it seriously because I didn't really know much about it. It wasn't until a relatively new friend said to me one day, "Your brain is different from mine", and proceeded to tell me how much I jump around in my conversation, etc., etc. I hadn't realized that other people noticed and so I have just recently started looking for things to help me. I can't tell you how much I value your stories and the fact that you share your experiences with your community and give us tips. That mall story was me! You are so lucky to have been diagnosed this early in your life and that you are developing tools to help you. Keep up the good work, Cass! And thank you!
I’m also 73 and while not diagnosed, but does this resonate with me!!! I have to Hager my phone Remind me to take the trash to the road every Wednesday night!
Me too. There are many things I struggle to remember and many I don't. My phone alarm would go off every afternoon. I would keep hitting snooze until I actually took my pills. Now my phone isn't working and I keep forgetting them. Next week I'll see the doctor and tell her now I know why not.
@@robinking3255 🤗🤗🤗
I visited a friend I hadn't seen in awhile and she seriously told me she thought I was getting dementia. I told her it was my ADHD and she was skeptical. I often wonder if I'll be able to tell the difference if dementia happens. I was diagnosed in my 40's and had already been able to set up systems to help me, To other people I seem "rigid" but now that there is more awareness about ADHD (good and bad), people do get that I do things a certain way because of my ADHD.
Hugs! No you are not alone.
I’m 72 yrs old. My whole life I’ve struggled with these same issues. Not until 2 yrs ago when my grand daughter who has my personality was diagnosed with severe ADHD did I realize there was a reason for my mess. I’m trying to change and your videos are giving me hope! I just am overwhelmed because I’m not young and strong anymore. But I’m trying to make changes. Does anyone else make the plan, see yourself cleaning etc and then never get up from the chair an actually put the plan in action? I swear I clean and organize daily… in my head
As a 31 year old trying to get diagnosed, Y E S. Mentally I've done the task. Physically I haven't moved and don't want to 😂😅
Yes Frozen and overwhelmed and exhausted.
I'm a 45yo diagnosed, as well as my daughter, and we know that m'y 80yo mother is exactly the same !!! 😊
Meeee!!! I just need to move😂
You're not alone Kay! I'm 51 and I know exactly what you mean!! I'm confident I can improve my house with these videos so let's encourage each other and hopefully make some progress as a result!🩷🌷✨️
Sending you positive energy✨️💫🌺🦋
It’s not just “laziness.” But adhd often overlaps or comes with co-occurring conditions like health issues or chronic pain. Sometimes it really is too much to walk across the room or bend down to pick things up. Appreciate these tips for those of us with chronic health issues
Lots of co-morbidities like depression, too, and that really depletes energy.
Purchase a" Hand Grabber" A nice long handle with a pincher on the end. Helps pic up anything on the floor, or things up high. 😊
I was going to recommend this too. I pick them up at thrift stores for a few bucks. One in the trunk of my car to get stuff from way back in there and one in the kitchen to pick up squashed watter bottles and etc. “no excuses!”
I set alarms and appointments for myself... then ignore them.😢
I just finished watching this video. At 76 I finally realized I have some form of ADHD. I thought I was starting Alsheimer's. Doctor said no I'm fine, just getting older. My short-term memory is CRAP! I have a white board on my fridge with daily activities that I need to get done. I have difficulty sleeping because I can't shut off my brain. Now I know I need to brain dump before I go to sleep. I believe everything happens for a reason and in the time it's supposed to happen. This is going to change my life. Thank you so much.
I had to stop the video for now, because you giving us a free zoning guide has literally made me cry. I have ADHD, OCD (undiagnosed), and have been struggling with severe depression since last year. I'm so overwhelmed. My apartment is absolute chaos. I literally have mountains of clean laundry everywhere because I can't fold and put away. Books on the floor of the hallway. Craft stuff spread everywhere. I can't even find things anymore. I'm crippled by procrastination and distractions.
Thank you for your help. I'm not even 4 minutes into this video, but I know this will help me to at least make some progress!
I can relate! Hang in there, you can do this.
Have you made some progress? Any progress is worth celebrating with brains like ours. It's an uphill climb, I know...
And if you haven't made any progress, don't beat yourself up. Consider this a friendly reminder to try again.
You will get there.
Send you good vibes. I really struggle with putting away laundry. It seems daunting every time. I am now sorting my laundry by type (pants, shirts, socks/undies, towels) and bought a 4 section laundry bin - I just started but its been a week of putting away my clean laundry because I know if its pants, I just fold everything in it, shirts: hang it all, socks/undies get thrown in the drawer and towels I fold the same way so its repetitive instead of changing with each piece of clothing. This might help, maybe not but know you aren't alone and just because things around you are chaos doesn't mean you are - you matter
Throw out 12 things and put away 12 things. Appreciate 12 things about your life. It’s where I start … hugs
If you have ZERO EMPTY SPACE than you have no space for clothes to be at.
If drawers are full then you can't shove more in to put laundry away.
So you will like this... one year for Christmas, there were three little tiny boxes underneath the Christmas tree, and I got really excited thinking they had jewerly from my hubby in them. Nope no jewelry, each of the three boxes had a copy of my car keys my husband hadxmade for me. The keys have been strategically placed around the house so that I no longer have to call my husband to come home from work 45 minutes away to bring me keys for my car because I always lose them. 😂
I put my car key fob on a carabiner and hook it to my purse or my jeans as I leave the house. If by chance they get taken off of one of those then they’re lost. I also keep a backpack that has mom stuff in it, mail/magazines to go thru, charge cords and an adapter for kids, and I store my purse in it when I get home if I don’t take the backpack with me.
Sanity is better than jewelry, but add some bling to those keys 😅
🤣
Brilliant!! Your comment gave me some ideas to help make things easier for Hubby. ❤❤❤❤
Oh my ~ love does fit in a box... or three 😊
Cas, I need to thank you. I was so angry with my husband last week when I went to get a knife from the knife drawer and found the measuring cups in there with the knives. I remember what you said before to the effect --if the clothes get dropped in the corner, put a hamper in the corner . Realizing he used the measuring cups there in that area when he made his smoothies, I rethought some organization and switched a drawer of kitchen gadget tools with the drawer of measuring cups and spoons and such. It put it right next to the knife drawer. I then was able to tell my husband that I did that for him to make it easier for him to use. A win win situation.
Thank you for accommodating and not being mean to your husband.❤
Oh my goodness that was so special!!!! God bless you!!! 😇
Great wife❤️❤️❤️❤️
Totally thought this was going another way by the start «mad at my husband, got a knife» 💀💀
@@mirjamilstad3902 LMAO 😭
In my early years of teaching (retired now), a Special Ed teacher told me that "having ADHD was like having a bad day all day, every single day". I never forgot that and it encouraged me to have an extra measure of compassion for my students. Of course, back in those days, I didn't realize that it pretty much described me too 🙄. Thanks, Cas! Very good tips!
I'm literally in tears, never felt so seen. My whole life people just calling me messy, lazy, disgusting, careless... It's so difficult to deal with so many things running in my head. Thanks for this video, it makes me feel that actually there's nothing wrong with me 😭😭😭 what a relief 😭😭😭😭
Okay seriously. First off if your whole life people called you all those things. ADHD is NOT your biggest problem.
Having @$$ holes for people around you is… get good people around that support you. My brothers pulled that crap on me as a kid… I don’t frequent them, I have people who challenge me to be better and are willing to coach me if necessary. Find better people, let them speak life into your life and many problems will follow your old friends, whoosh just like that they will be gone.
@@reebertJunkman Sadly it was my own family, specially my parents. I don't have a good relationship with them anyway, for this and many many other reasons. Luckily I now do have better people around me that want to support me and that have understanding for it. The wound is just there, I am not diagnosed yet because only since this year I struggle so much that I can't go on. I feel so identified with many videos and just cry because my whole life looked like this and I would've loved to know I'm not the only one. 😔 Thanks for your words, I appreciate. 💖
Asked my mean sister to watch some of these videos so she could understand me better, had to remove her from my life for a few years because of her snide remarks. She is more respectful now and watches what she says when I see her on the rare occasion.
@@lorickena6636 I get it. I went through the same stuff. Brother abused to point where they called DFS almost 50 years ago. You had to work had to get a call back then.
Best advice I ever heard was No one ever died from a snake bite. It’s the venom in your body that will kill you. Can’t be unbitten. But you can choose your venom.
I started small. Forgiving people, communicating with them, never said a word about forgiveness unless the asked for it, but I forgave them inside. I did this through prayer, some don’t believe in that. If I had reoccurring issues, I took paper, wrote all my feeling down as they came hate, anger, sorrow, if what they did came to mind I wrote it too, everything. Then I burned the paper. Have a coffee can full of ashes. Don’t keep it and run risk someone finds it. Took a while but it helps. Burned a lot of paper. Reams of it. But it slowly helps. Gotta get the venom out before you can heal. Finding this channel is a big step. Many don’t believe adhd is real.
@lorickena6636
Depression is very real for us, that's why you need to see a psychiatrist. SSRI's work for me but you need to b very careful. You can't dbl up the medication if you forget it
Just take it when you remember.
I hv small, see-through containers with twist.on lids, which are numbered 1 to 31 (days in month), each days pills sorted once a mnth. Then you can see if you hv taken them. Take same time every day. Those I need 3 or more times a day are set on alarm.
All hospitals shd hv emergency psychiatrist on duty. You will b a different person
Wow. It is *so refreshing* to know that I'm not the only one out here who didn't discover they had ADHD until they were in their 40's!
My life has always been so hard and difficult, and I never understood why other people could just think of something they needed to do, and then just *do it* like it was nothing. But for me, there is always a horrible struggle that I absolutely hate. Cause all I want is to complete the task, but its like all these things come against me to make me not do it. And I've hated it for *years.*
Fastforward to now and my Dr. perscribed D-amphetamine which has been an absolute Life changer!
Now I'm able to think about what I need to do, and I just *do it.* And it is just absolutely *amazing* to me that I have that ability now!
But suffering & not being able to just *do things* for *sooooo long* and with kids, was so horribly difficult!
Still though, it's not a medicine I have to take every day, and I don't. I like the help but at the same time I don't want to be 100% dependant on it. So I only take it when I feel I really need to. :) So tips like this REALLY HELP! So tysm!!! ^_^
And ty for being so open and honest about your life and what you're going through. Knowing that I'm not alone is a comfort, and I thank you for that, truly. ♥
I spent my whole life feeling stupid and lazy because i forgot everything and was always late. I tried every home organization and cleaning routine i came across. Finally diagnosed almost 2 years ago. Wellbutrin helps some. But I have to figure out how to make things work for me. I make lists for everything. I have white boards all over. I set alarms for everything. I redid my clothes storage, no more dressers. Keys go on a hook inside the front door or they disappear into the abyss. Music energizes me.
Love you Cass.
Same. Stupid and lazy was my mantra. 😔
What do you use instead of dressers?
I have one but it's been mostly empty except the top drawer collecting small clutter, the top collecting "important" clutter, and a TV.
I'm finally getting in the habit of using it again and just throwing my clean clothes in there and only the clothes that I'm constantly washing and drying (Mt Laundry is slowly getting washed and smaller. Clothes are either going into my "when I lose weight", Sentimental, hand-me-downs, and give away bins and bags.)
Wellbutrin was a Godsend for me long before being diagnosed with adhd, taken for years for depression until it would plateau on and off. Unfortunately, I can only take the brand name because generic makes me absolutely crazy, but I can't afford it now, and contrary to popular belief not all generics work the same as the brand, and not all generics are created equal. The same goes for the adhd meds unfortunately. I realized that during the national shortage of stimulants last year when I thought I was going crazy because I felt crazy, lol, but nope it wasn't me it was the fact that for each of the 3 months prior the manufacturers were all different! It went from Teva to Abbott to Lannett and so on. My dr didn't even realize this was going on until I explained what I discovered. Even just now looking at my med bottles I see that my afternoon Adderall XR 30mg, which actually helps me is from good old trusty Teva, but my morning Adderall IR 30mg is from Lannett! I'm so done right now, because I've recently switched them around because the IR seems to do absolutely nothing, but the XR does! And this is truly unbiased and unplacebo-sized, haha, because I never thought of looking before this post and didn't consider this to be the issue. I just thought I was becoming tolerant and needed to increase the dosage. My goodness, smh, y'all please get brand name meds whenever possible, because this is ridiculous and we are not test subjects. No wonder why some insurance plans only cover brand name for adhd meds
(with a normal tier 1 or 2 copay usually). Too bad most don't however, and fyi, you can find out what's covered or not in detail if you contact the insurance company's pharmacy provider(s), even before selecting the plan and they're all 24/7 with live customer service reps available. I've said a lot, but I hope it helps someone in some way. God bless!
Thank you and I'm glad I'm not the only one who writes (and talks) a lot. 😜@@craftedeyecandies
I think I put that in the wrong place. 😏
“Putting stuff away is too far away”. I have always put hammer, screwdriver, etc in my garage on pegboard. Then I listened to Dana White “If you needed this, where would you look first?” Yes, the garage makes sense that way, but I am always upstairs when I need any of those tools, so the garage is just too far away!
When hanging curtains in my bedroom I had an “ah hah” moment and realized it makes much more sense to keep those small household tools in a small basket in my dresser upstairs.
Now I always know where they are, it’s close by, and I put them right back where they belong every time. 👍 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Great idea!!!!
I have a duplicate flat head and Phillips head screwdriver in my kitchen miscellaneous drawer.
Brilliant! On a similar note, I learned to keep cleaning caddies on every single floor (2nd, first, basement) and have gotten SO much better about keeping every room cleaner now. Only took over 30 years to figure that one out thanks to Cas haha
I keep tools upstairs and downstairs for this reason. It’s finding what works for your brain. Now when I don’t put them back in the garage or my upstairs tool area…oh boy! 😂
awesome!!! Are you a Butterfly? OOOOH I have a packed dresser that i'm going to clean out today! Petrified, but I know I have all of you and you help me so much!!!!!!
Something i started doing recently that's really helpful. I made magnets i could write on, some for Daily Do (like Doggie Breakfast, Check Mail, etc) and made two columns on my fridge. I wrote Not Done and Done on them, and I move the magnets when I do things. Then I never starve or overfeed the dog, etc, and don't waste time worrying if ive done it. I used White liquid chalk markers because my fridge is black, but you could use magnets for that, too, and make it cute. It's seriously lowering my stress levels.
That is genius! 😃👏⭐️
Awesome, thanks!
What a great idea!!
I do that for my kids' lunches. We had X food on Monday and it's only Thursday, so it's too soon to have it again; let's pick from the options we haven't used yet. It's so great.
That's awesome! You basically create a kind of Kanban board for yourself. So many "productivity tools" help us ADHDers.
Oh my God, the 50 first dates reference I have been saying my entire life. Glad somebody else can relate.
When you’re intelligent and have ADHD, it can make you question how intelligent you actually are.
I was laughing out loud listening to you because no one but someone with ADHD understands. Thank you Sharon
"Full squirrel" I so relate to this.
How to ADHD is great.
same!
Omg yes
For many years I had a filing cabinet but I rarely filed my paperwork in it. I probably had a file cabinet because that's what I had to use at the office. One day I realized the filing cabinet just wasn't working for me so I labeled an amazon box with the year and started tossing papers in the box as they came in. In January of each year I sort through the papers which takes me about an hour. The best thinh is I actually feel GOOD about this method.
When I taught 2nd grade many years ago I remember fondly 2 of my kiddos with severe ADHD. My little Paul would learn best sitting under his desk which took me a minute to realize he was actually learning there being able to regurgitate everything in a lesson. So, OK, that's where he spent a lot of time not bothering anyone, but learning. On the other hand my other little spent a lot of time wandering around the room or trying head stands in the reading center, mumbling and disturbing all of us. He missed a lot of 2nd grade "within his own mind", but finally got medication leveled off for him. His father asked if I would keep him again for another year which I did and he was a marvelous little student catching up on so many things. I just loved them both and wonder how their lives turned out. I can also tell your mind is going a million miles an hour, but the tools you have learned to deal with it is spectacular. Thank you for everything you do for the rest of us.
I like the socks in the foyer idea. Another sock-related simplification idea: buy all the same socks so you never need to waste time sorting into pairs during laundry. All socks all the same color and style. (As much as you can, given what activity you're wearing them for.) Saves time and hassle.
Another hack I use is keeping a "reverse planner" I just write down everything I end up doing in the day periodically AFTER I've done them. Then I highlight them with different colors for each category, however you define them: Productive, Relational, Non-Negotiable (like pick up kids from school, breakfast for my kids, a doctor's appointment that day, etc), Self Care/Personal Goals, and lastly Interruptions Out of my Control/Time wasting (I use the same color for these two because I consider unexpected time wasting as something that is inevitable). I was shocked seeing the colors and how much of each I ended up spending time doing, even if it was random and sporadic. It has truly changed my perspective on the way I spend my day and has taken away a lot of shame.
This might work for me because when i make a list of things I need to do, I end up doing everything but those things
Brilliant!
Never say lazy. Say fuel-efficient.
😂 yessss
😂❤love it...I'm so fuel efficient
Brilliant!… I’m wondering if we could use some tools from the laws of attraction to program our subconscious to get things done like using vision, boards, and affirmations and self talk?
Cas, I too have ADHD and found a method to reduce my overwhelm. When doing any task I focus on “one item at a time” which gives me small wins. Folding laundry, washing dishes, emptying the dishwasher, picking up the house, etc., makes it feel more manageable and gives me instant results and the push to keep going and finish.
so not alone with the crazy adhd, Cass. listening to your similar life struggles is such therapy for my soul.
@ADHD_Love is a terrific channel! They have shorts, long videos, a book, and a body doubling app called dubbii.
Laundry is hard for me because I don't have washer and dryer units in my apartment. I need to outside our building. It's exhausting to go back and forth to the buildings shared laundry room. You hope that they aren't in use after you haul your stuff there. If so, then I put them in front of the washer I want to use. If a dryer has clean, dry clothes in them, I take them out and place them on top of the dryer. My building has 35 units with 3 washers and 3 dryers. I got the routine of putting away basically down. My plan has been to do my laundry on Monday when it opens. It's usually empty. People are at work. I currently have clean clothes in my basket, not from today, screaming at me to put them away.
I second that emotion!!
@@lovealwaysmomThank you for this info!
@@lovealwaysmomI bring hangers with me when getting stuff out of the dryer. Hang the clothes up, if a rack is available. Otherwise, lay shirts on top of each other, put hanger in top shirt, flip down, put hanger in next shirt, flip, repeat for all shirts. Then just flip them upright, grab the hangers, and go. I also use a pillowcase to haul dirty laundry to the w/d, and throw that in with the dirty clothes. Clean undies and other small items go in the (now clean) pillowcase to haul back upstairs. Your clothes are already on hangers, so just put them in the closet. Dump the contents of the pillowcase on the bed; they’ll be much easier to fold undies, connect socks, and put in the drawer. Hope this helps.
Agree completely
Love returning the shoes story. That is so me. Get to the library and don't have the books I was returning. Drive a hour to my favorite mall and don't have my credit card.
Thanks for this video! I feel like my family should watch this so they can really understand me and what I had been putting them through. Your videos have been helping so much even though I haven’t even really started tackling it all yet. Love your energy and compassion, thank you for sharing so much. ❤
I'm glad I can help! Thank you for your support!
As a guy, so much of this jives with Adam Savage ("Tested" on TH-cam) and his theories for shop and makerspace organization. Your comment about "no lids!" is like his "1st order retrieval". I shouldn't have to do extra steps to get or put away the things I use most. Between your channel and his it's totally changed how I tackle projects around the house.
Thnx I am going there.
@@SoundofSilence492me too!!!
I feel sooo much better after watching this. You described my life exactly. I can’t take meds because of heart rhythm problems, and they would interact badly with my cardiac medication. All 3 of my kids have ADHD, and I took my then 6 year old son’s Ritalin by mistake 1 morning and gave him my tablet. I was absolutely crushing my day, I couldn’t work out why I was achieving so much: then the teacher rang and asked if my son had had his Ritalin. The penny dropped. I had not suddenly become “normal” and able to get things done efficiently, I was not suddenly Superwoman- I had taken Ritalin by mistake. That was 27 years ago and I will never forget what that morning felt like.
There are non stimulant meds for ADHD. You can see a psychiatrist or psychiatric APRN. Ask them for other options that will work with your meds.
I don’t take meds out of fear (I’m 17) but I was diagnosed last year. My sister is diagnosed and my mom shows all the symptoms
@@char6081fear of the symptoms or fear of addiction? I understand the hesitancy but if you start on a low dose you will get a feel for what it’s like without it being too strong at first. And even if it is to strong it’ll go away. I once had a med too strong and I just didn’t take it again. I finally found a med that I have few side effects. But it takes trial and error.
@char6081 I am 40 and diagnosed yesterday. All my struggles throughout my life make sense now. I was crying and grieving for the undiagnosed child I was. I wish it was different for me, I hope medication helps.
I keep an alarm with piano music to actually STOP what I'm doing and get READY for bed... I'm a night owl who has to be at work at 7:30 am.
Me too! I have an alarm for bedtime that starts at 9:30pm and keeps going every half hour until I get into bed and then I turn the rest of them off.
It's also helped me get out of staying late at friends' places when I'm really tired and want to go home 😆
SAME I have been struggling to get to bed at "normal" hour and it's (mildly) helped
What a good idea!
I set an alarm with crickets chirping to start my shut down routine for sleep. Helps a lot!
During this last segment confession, I was like"...girllll..Girl....Girllll...... GURLLLLLLLLLLllll!!!!! (
Oh my im 76 yes that old and now i know what ive been struggling with all my life im so happy and yet i can cry thank you
I have found that if I have to set an item down to open the bin, drawer or container that I need to put it in, I am most likely NOT going to put it in there, I'm just going to set it down and walk away. It needs to be uncomplicated and easily opened with one hand. 😂❤
My youngest is high functioning Autistic and ADHD…. I’m trying to organize my house to make things easier for him…but I find it’ll make things easier for me and my eldest son. I’ve come upon so much more clutter since we lost my husband/ their Dad almost 3yrs ago and I’m so determined to get my house back in order. Your tips and videos and personal stories are so extremely helpful Cas!
I will say, I do have alarms set for sooo many things through my day & week.
Thank you!
(Love the little dancing brain on this video)
DJ what a story you have, you help others with your life!!!! Sending Amazeball thoughts, you can slay this!!!!!
@@skybabe1959 Thank you! The support and positivity is much appreciated.💜
Never diagnosed, but pretty sure I have ADD. It never fails that when I go to the movies, and watch the previews, I forget what movie I am actually there to see!
I can't go to the movies. Sitting in one spot for 2 hours KILLS me. I lose what is gping on in the movie. If I go to the concession stand I usually dont even make it back! I've gone twice in the past year and remember why I hate it. My husband's solution is to go to a theater that serves food. I can eat and watch and I don't get as squirelly
That happens to me too and I don’t have ADD
I m not diagnosed but my family one day told me about ADHD and everything matches. I decided to go minimalist and use systems for everything and definitely has helped me so much ❤ thank you so much for sharing ❤
You are NOT ALONE! I feel great after watching your video. I found out I have it at 42 years old when I took my son to be diagnosed and it turned out I have it worse! I've hit my husband's car TWICE WHILE PARKED AT OUR DRIVEWAY because I get into mine (which is right before his) and I just back up the car until I hear the bump and I realize his car is right behind mine 😥😥Not to mention the times I've taken both car keys, or lost mine, or my phone, or call the police because I've forgotten where I've parked, or go to the wrong store to pick up an order, or every other crazy thing I do. It's a constant struggle😭 🤣🤣🤣And yes, I organize but a few months later everything is back to being a mess and it's so hard to get it organised again! Thank you for your advice, I'll try to set the timer and do some organizing and labeling during the holidays since I have free time!🙂🙂
Did anyone else see the dancing brain! 😂
Yes, but it distracted me and I had to rewind in a few spots 😂
@@joanwettlaufer3769I also got distracted 😂
😂😂😂I was just wondering about this ...
What’s the dancing brain ? A video ?
Go to the 10:18 mark in this video and look in the bottom left corner. The author inserted a cute little dancing image.
You are not alone! I was diagnosed at 43 after spending the first 25 years of adulthood struggling to adult. I am sad for the younger version of me, who just thought she was a loser who couldn't get her crap together. I'm thankful to know there is a REASON for the struggle, and it's not that I'm "lazy" or "careless" etc. Thank you for speaking up about this stuff and spreading awareness!
My sisters are the best. Everytime I leave their apt, they double ask me, "Are u sure u have everthing???" and help me check if I have forgotten anything. 😅
I also have many legendary and everyday stories of forgetting things: 1) drove 2 hrs to the beach w friends, only to have not packed my swimsuit, 2) Got off a train where my friend picked me up, but left my luggage on the train, so had to drive to the end of the line to get it (this was Japan, so no one stole it), 3) will go to a store to buy smth only to have forgotten my wallet 🤦🏻♀️😮💨🙄
We have switched to "family socks". We all wear the same size socks now. I put a dresser in my entryway closet. Now all the socks live in the closet, along with the hats, gloves and scarves. It's so much easier to get out the door in the morning. Our coats are in that closet and the shoes are also in the entryway.
I'm so glad I found this - I was already doing some of these tricks (after years and years of failure) but there are some great ideas and reinforcement here. I just got diagnosed with ADHD at 58 and it was a relief - I was sick of wondering what the heck was wrong with me.
I thought today was Wednesday. Wednesday is laundry day and I’m almost done. Hooray for me!! I’m ahead this week.
Just got diagnosed this year, and on medication a month ago. I. Can. Finally. Adult! I still need hacks and help, but with those I can finally do the things. If you even suspect you might be ADHD, get checked. It is absolutely life-changing to finally figure out you're not broken.
Thanks for sharing!
Laundry hamper next to the “laundry chair” (or laundry treadmill, or laundry door knob)…brilliant!
Also hooks! In stead of cluttering a chair with not-completely-dirty clothes put a hook near where the current receptacle is.
I've adhd too and have always struggled with keeping organized. But lately I've been finally starting to figure out ways to solve that. I started with putting trash bins in every room, and even little mini buckets I gather with trash throughout the day to then empty into actual trash bins, which completely solved my issue of making trash piles on floors and tables around me.
Now I'm stepping things up and have gotten into a routine of daily cleaning my dirty dishes (I don't have a dishwasher) and weekly vacuuming, decluttering and anything else that needs to be done. With this habit building, I've started to notice I'm actually putting things away after I'm done using them. Not always right away if I'm on a time crunch, but always within 24 hours. Stuff like putting my makeup back into my makeup bag after I get back home from work, for example. Or tidying up after an evening of crafting some art project.
The only thing now I'm still really struggling to find a solution to is where I put used clothes that are still good to be worn again. Because I cycle between 3 outfits until one of them gets dirty, then add in a 4th outfit, and so on, and this becomes a giant pile of "half clean/half dirty" clothes that just don't belong anywhere. It's a great method for having variety in my outfits without needlessly washing things that are not yet dirty, but it's hazardous for organization. I've tried putting them in a special dedicated drawer (it was too small and too closed, caused funky smell to build up), an open box on the floor (it got very dusty and nasty), the lowest shelf in my wardrobe (it was too inconvenient)... nothing works. They just keep ending up on my computer chair next to the bed, but I don't want them there! Because then it's a hassle whenever I need that chair, and I hate how messy it looks. Do you have any advice for that?
A fun version of the timer trick that I've heard: Put a jug or an empty bottle into your sink and turn the sink on at whatever speed you want. Now you have until the container is full to clean! As a bonus feature, you can do this in the morning and then drink the water bottle empty during the day so you remember to stay hydrated :)
As a person with mobility disabilities, simple and having things where you need them is an absolute. Living in a cluttered house is very stressful. Making small changes as I can. ❤
This is so helpful!! I don’t even have ADHD-I just have a toddler and a husband and adding those two things to my life has made me have sooooo much stuff and feel constantly overwhelmed. So if there are any exhausted and overwhelmed mamas out there-these tips work for us, too!!! Thank you so much Cass!!!
That's my friend Cass, my sister from a different mother, whom I've never met. Love her personality, her talents, and her motivational videos! You have helped me so much 😊😊. I need my "Cass fix" to stay the course. Carry on Missy, we love you.
Yes! Sister from another Mister, I love it!!!! She's changed my life!!! now I just need a timer hahahahhahaahaa Oh I'm new here...
OMG! This is all coming in clear now! I am a PreK Assistant. I keep our room cleaner and more organized than I do my own home. We have everything designated to a specific area for the littles. It’s easy for me. I need to do my home this way. Lightbulb moment 💡 😂
I send greetings from Europe, and yes, there was a key word for me in your clip. Stressed and overwhelmed with everyday tasks, you can experience the same symptoms where you really have to pull yourself together to function and not lose track of things. I feel challenged to check the same thing three to five times. It costs me so much energy! The tips are very good and worth incorporating! Thank you for that!
I haven’t been diagnosed, but ADHD definitely makes sense for me. Your ideas are very helpful. Decluttering using Dana K Whites method has been amazing too. Just the simple thing of keeping things where I look for them first is amazing. And keeping things where I actually use them (like permission to not HAVE to keep things where they’re “supposed” to go) is life changing.
Hi Cass. I am a single mum of 3 adult sons with ADHD and l can understand your frustrations as I have had to have alot of patience over the years. The latest incident that you would be able to relate to happened on my 2nd son"s wedding day. my 1st son's 2 and a half year old son was to be the pageboy. I was excited to see that he had arrived just in time, not a minute to spare. We looked for my grandson"s suit in the car so we could quickly dress him for the ceremony. Needless to say, we couldn"t find it and my grandson could no longer be the pageboy. My daughter in law was quite frustrated because she remembered putting the suit on top of a pile of items in my son"s arms as he was loading up the car. He felt really bad about it but could not recall what had happened to the missing suit. When they got home that night they found the suit on their bed. He had detoured back to the bedroom because he had forgotten something and absentmindedly put the suit down on the bed. Ahhh, the joys !!!!!!
This was so helpful for me in understanding my children.
My best friend has ADHD, and has a very stressful job. And he’s raising a difficult child. I know he doesn’t have time to set any system up, so, after living with him for over ten years, and knowing him for 17, I know how he operates. I’ll study, and implement your suggestions, like laundry basket where you naturally throw your clothes (chair, near closet, any flat surface).
Over the past year I have had a realization that my 13 year old son might have some ADHD and ODD typical behaviors. It had actually really helped me stop getting angry and start interacting with him more effectively and positively. Because I can listen to books, podcast and videos and actually learn what works instead of doing all the unhelpful things. So thank you for sharing.
You're not alone. I, too, just had to stop taking my ADHD medication due to weird heart stuff. Everything is hard. I didn't realize how much the medication was helping until I stopped taking it.
Mannnn! I love you Chicadiva! God bless the squirrel-brain truth! When you said full squirrel, with the visual, I was so done and I had to laugh, because that is me (have mercy Lord). I get so depressed and discouraged when I wake up because 'I Am Squirrel' and never know what to do or where to begin, which leads me to either go back to bed or aimlessly go through my day just doing things as they happen or as I remember, hope that makes sense. The crazy thing is that I have a ton of important things that need to be done, but the disconnect is really unreal, haha! I too didn't know I have adhd til recently, when I was 39ish, and while I'm relieved to know what I'm dealing with, now the real fight is on between finding the right meds, the right tools, and actually learning how to use those tools while overwhelm is always lingering like the smell of mildew from that forgotten load of laundry in the washer! I digress.... God bless you for making this video and I am truly encouraged and motivated to get organized. I also would like to just say to anyone who is 'like us', and feels like it's all too much, it's too late, I'm too old for this crap, the world will come to an end or I'll be dead before decluttered, or any such thoughts, please challenge yourself to prayerfully put it in God's hands and start looking at this as an opportunity for a new beginning! Get excited that you have an opportunity to be the a version of yourself that you've been wanting to see for so long. I personally have felt like I'm so far down that I only have two choices, and that's to stay down and die or get moving and go the only direction I can which is up! And I actually want to enjoy the trip! The devil is a lie, I will not die under a pile of anything, but I will live a victorious life because I'm a child of the most high Lord God and that means I am more than a conqueror! So, in the name of Jesus I pray that we all get it together and have peace of mind, with homes that make sense for us! God bless y'all, much love! P. S.... Please don't be turned off if you don't believe spiritually the way I do. Get some accountability and still get busy doing all the things!
I love this attitude!🎉
I am with you and I love that you call her Chicadiva! So cute!!!
You may have ADHD, but you express yourself very well. ("... overwhelm is always lingering like the smell of mildew from that forgotten load of laundry in the washer!"😂) God bless and take you by the hand. P.S. I'm beginning to think that most of humanity is ADHD!
@@marilynndesilva7620 I appreciate the compliment, and you gave me my first laugh, and smile of the day! God bless you as well!!
My husband "affectionately" calls me his Squirrel Girl. 😂 He handles my ADD better than I do. He won't let me get down on myself. He will remind me of things often to help me, but not to the point I get dependent on him. He knows it's always worse in times of stress. I think acceptance that it's in my family and acknowledging that I have it, too, was half the battle. I've learned a lot of coping skills over the years, much like she covers in this video. One thing I'm going to implement is using a timer.
Girl you are DEFINITELY not alone! I get so down on myself and then goes all the negative self-talk! The enemy is totally coming at me hard but my God is bigger than him and ADHD!🙌🏻 Thank you so much for being so open and honest! You have so many great tips and hacks in this one! Thank you!!!
I am in shock. Literally with my mouth open… I thought there was literally something wrong with me for my whole life. And in the first 10 minutes, you are describing my personality exactly. Relief does not describe what I’m feeling right now. I’m hopeful for the first time in 20 years, and I’m 68. Thank you so much for your words and your knowledge.
Girl, you are not alone!
When I was tested for ADHD, my psychiatrist put me through a bunch of tests. Tests and I never even thought would matter (connecting two dots by one line as fast as you can under the stress of a timer. They turn that over and see how straight your lines are... Mine were sooooo wonky). So my psychiatrist "graded" everything and stated, "your ADHD is So pronounced that It is like a disability in and of itself."
I tried to be funny, because I didn't quite understand what she meant, and I said, "yay! I win, right?" That made her laugh and she said, "Nooooo"
It has been a struggle my entire life. I'm 58 years old and my entire life I have been so incredibly distracted.
Not that I wish wish you to be distracted as well, but I'm glad somebody understands where I'm coming from. If it wasn't so painful to be this way, it would be funny as heck!
I have been married for 40 years. So most of your life. But you have helped me & my spouse considerably, they have ADHD and stress about things I don’t know why they do. Your organization has been key for us, and I’m so grateful for this newest video. You’re amazeballs! ❤
You are absolutely not, I repeat, not alone! I'm 60 and I never considered I may have ADHD, even after my boys (now men) were diagnosed with moderate and severe ADHD. Who knew there were varying degrees of ADHA.... Even then it did not click, because their symptoms were nothing like my "memory issues", like needing a note on my keychain reminding me to stop by the daycare before going home. Horrible feelings of guilt and shame for a long time. Times are better, changes made and less self-loathing but still many issues like those you spoke of today. The info you share in your videos is honestly "life changing". Thank you, thank you, thank you. God bless you.
Best of luck finding an alternative to medication.
How to ADHD is a freaking great channel. Love her info about ADHD. I personally am legally blind. Sight impacts memory a lot, so now my memory is shot. I set everything I need to remember up in google calendar. I set up an echo dot to tell me what is on the calendar. I also have automations on my phone to remind me to do certain things at certain times throughout the day. That way I remember to do all the stuff i need to do. Otherwise, I would get distracted and forget. I also have to have everything in their own little "home". Otherwise I will lose everything and get super frustrated about it.
I relate to you!!!
This is an amazing and uplifting comment!!!!
Jessica was the first channel that helped me with my issues
@@brianaschmidt910 same! Her tops are so freaking helpful.
We use so much mental energy just trying to remember what we're supposed to do that day that we don't have any left to go on a scavenger hunt to find something every time we need it.
I'm 28, I just got diagnosed before yesterday and I'm looking for ways to work around my symptoms without medication as much as possible. So thank you so much for this video. It really helped me observe myself and see what works for me and what doesn't.
Y'all please remember to have mercy on yourselves and give yourself the same grace you'd give to others dealing with these issues. Just start where you are....again....and again as many times as you need to! God bless you! It's not over, and it's not too late (even though we might be late, lol)! Also, exercise and diet can be just as effective if not more than meds along with all the tips and tools. I've learned a lot about holistic treatment/supplements for adhd watching Dr. Legrande's channel. I've heard so many great things about the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, and I think it's worth a try and I personally lovvvvve the foods! I'm so hungry now! Ok, I hope this helps!! Take care!!
I have MS that has left me with chronic fatigue and cognitive issues. I am so thankful I have found your videos. Alot of the things you've dealt with with ADHD are so similar to the things I'm dealing with. I am in the process of moving due to a flood in my old home. I am so excited to try these new tricks in my new home. Thank you!!!
I feel this in my bones. I’m almost 60 years old and ADD has plagued me literally my entire life. It takes me 10 times longer to do stuff than it does “regular” people. I do have a launch pad for my purse and keys, toiletries, coffee and tea supplies. That’s literally the only organization I have in my home. Of course, I overcome those fixes on occasion. I have to do organizers for prescription meds and vitamins/supplements or I take none of them.
Omg!!! It IS hard!!! I have one more for you which is perimenopause and menopause 😖
SOMETIMES (more often than not, but I’m trying not to use definitive language these days. You know how us ADHDer’s love our All or nothing language). When my menopause kicked in it was as though I was starting all over again with my ADHD skills. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you sharing your story at the end! It reminded me that I’m not alone. I’m a psychotherapist that works with other neurodivergent teens and adults and your story reminded me that just because I know what to do doesn’t mean I won’t have episodes.
I initially misread your pantry bin as holding, "Bras", and I thought, "Wow, ADHD is fascinating and strange!" 😂 WARNING: AutieHD info dump in 1, 2, ..."Pomodoro" is an Italian word meaning tomato. The Pomodoro Method is based on those little tomato kitchen timers. The rest is beautifully explained in the video. I'm a spoonie (cancer survivor) so I use this method in an informal way, like cleaning a thing while I microwave lunch ~
You are not alone. I was diagnosed at 39. crazy! I don't love the way the meds make me feel, but it helps with remembering and not starting 10 things at once and never finishing any lol.
Just got diagnosed with ADHD yesterday. Ive been watching your videos for a couple months now and I’m excited to see what hacks you got in this video:)
Congratulations on being different, not lazy!
Congratulations on the diagnosis. A lot of us are out in the world undiagnosed. ❤ That takes a lot. I love Cas. She is a great resource and someone who gets it.
I was having déjà vu watching your video today. I’m 63 years old and have wondered if I do have ADHD just because of the things I’ve learned from watching you. Thank you Cas for that.
There’s a few things I’d like to share with you.
1. Years ago I took out the insides of my metal filing cabinet and put it inside a small closet in my entryway and I store various cleaning supplies and tools inside it. I originally bought filing cabinet because my parents had one and I thought it was supposed to have one too.
2. You had made the comment about Alexa, and that all of ours are probably going off right now, well years ago in a different video you had suggested setting it to remind us to do something in the evening. You said, “set a reminder for 8 PM” that said, “tidy my kitchen,” and still to this day, mine still goes off and anyone anyone who visits me smiles when they hear it because they know the story of how the reminder came about.
3. I tend to see everything in colors and shapes to help me remember. When I was a dancer and had to write down choreography to learn, I would draw stick people and arrows instead of words, saying which direction to go or how many counts it was, etc. Didn’t think anything of it at the time. I used to be in the classroom as an early childhood educator and now, after 32 years, I have a desk job where I train and teach teachers in the early childhood field. Since I was no longer really hands-on, I had to come up with a system that helped my brain focus. The system ended up being a whole color coded system with sticky notes in various colors and it’s taped on my desk, under my keyboard. My colleagues look at it and shrug, and shake their heads; some have even questioned it. Although, they know that I created the system and it works for me
4. When you were talking about making a list for the brain dump, and choosing 3 to 5 things that you want to do and circle them, it was like an “aha” moment for me, because I do the same thing; it was like you were inside my brain and it made me so happy inside to know that someone else was like me. It actually got me a little emotional, because I’ve been watching it for years and I learn something new every time. Thank you so much for that.
5. A few years back when you said you did not have lids on your containers, I ended up getting rid of my whole bedroom set and had a five shelf bookshelf. I put cubbies on the bookshelf, and in each cubby I have my clothes like socks, hats, etc. When I do laundry, I just toss the items into the correct container. It is so freeing!
Also, I watch, How to ADHD” too! Definitely a great channel!
Thanks again for what you do! ❤
THANK YOU. Today I am applying your tip "label the crap out of everything". I keep tidying up and forgetting what is in which drawer, so I am labelling drawers and bins that I have already tidied. Maybe this will inspire me as to how to organise the piles of mess that remain.
I'm really struggling with all of this right now. Being an ADHD parent with ADHD kids, I just want to lay down and cry looking at how overwhelming my house is. Came to watch your video because i knew I'd find something to relate to & find small action steps I could take to improve. Thanks Cas ❤
Cas, you were describing me. ADHD brain at its best. I'm currently struggling with establishing the zones. OK, my kitchen is the best zoned place in my condo (not my fridge, though). Then comes the bathroom and my tiny entrance way. The top 3 of my disaster zones are at number three: my sleeping room, at number two: my "library" (formerly my home office), my alltime number one: my living room, where I eat and craft, or just relax. There are loads of things on my "dining table". It is landscape of clutter. Actually the stuff there is of the "I'm keeping it" kind. I have choices of where to put all of my art supplies, my paper crafting and card making, my embroidery and knitting. And I don't know for sure where to put what. And the procrastination goes on.
Of course I've heard of putting your things at the point of performance (I think I heard it from "How to ADHD"). In the meantime I bought a small table, placed it in a corner of my living room. I wanted it to free the dining table.
While I'm writing this, all of a sudden, it all falls into place in my brain. Now I KNOW where to put paper crafting and card making, my art supplies. Wow, what a revelation. Tears are running down my face with relief.
I sooooo agree!!!! NO LIDS in my constant storage stuff!!! Only longer term stuff for dust purposes and even then they are easy lids!
I'm starting to realize that my toiletries are CRICKET, but still NO LIDS!!!!! 😊😊😊😊
Awesome!
I'm an expert when it comes to procrastination, getting distracted and forgetfulness!!! I'm also ADHD and I have zones/reminders all over my home.❤Take care and cheers from Ottawa. ❤
Relisted to this one today and I realized you have done one thing many people can't. You Cass have found a way to work with a Nero divergent brain without the schooling for it. You are amazing
I feel you! 35 years, I was sooooo lost. And especially the lack of motivation and procrastination were haunting me. I actually watched this video to finally get motivated to clean up my messy kitchen. Thanks a lot! 😘
Late diagnosed ADHDer here too! I figured it out myself as well.
OMG … thank you.
I’m so tired of “tips” from organizers who don’t have it.
This is so densely packed with great tips.
“We’re lazy. We’re not lazy but”… soo accurate 😂🥰
If anything, we are the energizer bunny! It takes SOOOO much more time, energy, strength, bandwidth, self-control, and attempts to focus than those without ADHD. It's exhausting!
@@nancymeister4803yep, my kids and I are a fun spectrum of squirrel moments! We’re even moderately productive, but don’t ask us what we did because we don’t know because we did something
in every single room!
Oh my goodness! I get this. I don't know if I have adhd or not but in the details section of your calendar you can put stuff you have to remember or bring to the appointment you made with yourself (or in the details section of the task). Sometimes I have too much tho, and then the alarms and reminders just overwhelm me and I don't do anything at all. Maybe some days I just need to rest.
I have strategies I use with emails too.. snoozing to the day I will deal with them.
I am actually finding bullet journalling to be the best and it's helping a tonne, even if I don't get everything done at least I don't completely drop the ball. I have been doing it for a year now. Ironically, I am finding it really helpful to try to take as much offline as possible and just keep my notebook beside me and my notifications on my phone silent (except starred contacts).
I always set timers on the stove when cooking even if I am in the room! I set timers for everything as well and I love that one you have so I could stop carrying my phone around for that.
Thanks for your tips. I will put socks in the front hall with the mittens. I hope my tips can help you too.
I suspect that I may have ADHD, and I recently went through a major cleaning/decluttering/organizing campaign in my apartment because I struggled to keep it even remotely clean. Funny enough, I happened to implement almost all your suggestions before I ever even watched your video. Some I saw online other places and others I arrived at more intuitively...
But I really have to laugh when you talk about zoning. In my professional life I'm an urban planner who has to deal with a municipal zoning code all the time. And during my apartment overhaul, I realized I'd kind of zoned my own apartment like a municipal zoning code. So of course I had to sit down and write a satirical zoning code for my newly organized apartment
But the good news is that my apartment has been mostly cleaned and organized for a few weeks now and it's still sticking, which is a personal record!
STRESS! Absolutely a real thing. Writing a list and checking it off does help.
I have found that you have to 1)find the list and 2)read it! LOL!!!
You are not alone with the adhd! I have those “ return the shoes to the mall“ moments TOO often myself!
Don’t feel bad.
L O L😂
I discovered that having multiples of items I use in multiple places solved the problem of putting things away. For example, I use scissors in the kitchen, office, and my bedroom/bathroom. By buying 3 pair, I was able to put them back in their home after using, rather than just setting them down where I last used them and then spend time looking for them the next time I needed them. I consistently waited until the last minute to complete a project in high school, college, and work life. I never understood why until you shared it’s the dopamine rush.
Same, point of use combined with easy to put away solves so many problems! I have multiple desk supply mugs with tape, scissors, pens and scribble pads wherever I use that stuff.
First off THANK YOU!!!!
I have been following for so many years (ladybug🙋🏻♀️)
Fast forward to today.. I now have a preteen who may be living with ADHD (her dad lives with ADHD). We are in the process of following your tips to organize and set up her room and bathroom.. she is static!!!
What prompted this? She told me she washes her laundry and loves keeping clean clothes in her hamper cause it is easier for her.. yep.. my kid came to the basket conclusion you showed us in your videos.. so light bulb went off and I ran to find any and all of your adhd organizing videos
So again.. thank you!!!
You're definitely not alone - you described my life perfectly, including being diagnosed later in life and then after a while on meds having to go off meds for a heart problem. ADHD is such a struggle, and learning how to navigate it better while unlearning all the unhelpful coping mechanisms that I picked up along the way is a constant juggling act then adding in being off and on meds makes it a real rollercoaster. Thank you so much for taking the time to try to share with us other ways to do things, and what has helped (and at times not helped) you. Even if we each only learn one thing from you (which let's face it, most of us are learning way more than that) you're impacting a lot of lives with what you do.
Thank you so much! I Tried to do a Swedish Death Cleaning on my house but the Squirrels had a hey day. I'm going to have my husband watch this video too so he can help me reset our home in a way that benefits us both. Thank you again and again for your compassionate advice. 😊
I started SDC over the summer. I am not perfect at it, but I was able to let a lot of items go.. and learning to let go without guilt. Don't give up.
The brain pictures are so funny. 😊
My son have adhd and in his wardrobe I have big bins ( no lids) with labels. It's easy to see where the clothes belong. 😊
I was diagnosed at 42, and it made all the difference to know that I have ADHD with inattention, or old school ADD. Everybody finally understood that my brain was scrambled in a way that was not scrambled to everybody else's frequency. My wife stopped thinking that I was just lazy or procrastinating or not caring, and realized I really couldn't help being an airhead sometimes.
The medication doesn't do a whole lot for me, we might need a stronger dose. But I do managed to get my squirrel brain on the treadmill and running reasonably straight when I take my meds
You are sooooo not alone I am 70 years young I had adhdbefore they knew what to call it
I was a “hand full” every thing you describe is me I count down from 5 and then do the next item on my list I love your pointers they are incredibly helpful
I feel validated by your sharing
Thank you