A Life In Review

cleaning a home can be overwhelming for anyone, but if you have ADHD or ADD I know that it’s especially hard for you (and me) to focus on the task at hand. I will not presume to know the cleanliness of your house. In fact if you walked into mine I don’t think you could tell that I have ADD until you talked to my husband about HOW I keep it so tidy (I tidy in a very chaotic way).

Spring cleaning is not the same as decluttering so I want you to hear that now. If you want to declutter, set aside time another day. You are cleaning on this day and refreshing your space. This post is for anyone who struggles to focus in this area. I have a fantastic decluttering post that I wrote a few years ago and I promise this won’t be the same as that one. This post will a walk through checklist of how to actually get things done when you have ADHD/ADD during spring cleaning. So let’s get to it.

** FULL CLEANING SUPPLY LIST **

You will need (or need access to):

• Trash bags
• A Basket (more on this)
• Washer & Dryer (or clothes line)
• Basic Cleaning supplies
• Vacuum
• Broom & Mop

You may want:

• Magic erasers
• a Playlist or an audiobook
• Duster

Things that will make your life easier in the long run by room:

• Living Room: under couch bumpers (to keep things from getting underneath)
• Bedroom: under bed storage bins (to at the very least, contain your junk)
• Bathroom: Toilet wand with refills (these are great for when you don’t need to deep clean but are trying to keep up with your toilet).
• Garage: Storage bins (take it from me, this is a MUST. Do not store in anything else, you can ask me why later, it’s a long story).

Things you will want to do but shouldn’t:

• Get a wet/dry vac. Trust me, they are more work than they are worth. Just get a broom and a mop (and a vacuum if you have carpets).
• Skip changing the shower curtain liner (these are well known for holding onto mold and mildew. You are supposed to change them every 6 months, but once a year is fine).
• Open social media. I promise it’s not worth it, you will get lost even if you are just meaning to post something and get off, it will suck you into the black hole.
• Try to label everything today. This needs to be done on a decluttering day. A day where you are actively trying to organizing. Do not get lost in trying to organize right now. This is a cleaning day(s).
• Go through everything you find. You don’t need to search every pocket, or tinker with every item. Find it a home and put it away (or leave it in the *basket*

THE *BASKET*

It’s time to explain the basket. I have mentioned it a few times, but this basket will go with you from room to room. It will collect all the things that don’t belong in the room you are in. If the basket gets full, you have to stop, set a timer for 5 minutes and try to clear out as much of it as you can, then go back to cleaning. The goal is not to organize today but clean and this basket will have to be organized later (or at the end of the day). It is a tool to keep you from constantly leaving the room you are working on and getting distracted.

The Printout: (use this as a guide to literally check off what you get done)!

Spring Cleaning is one of my favorite things to do because I love to clean, but I live by my lists. I hope that this genuinely helps those of you who need it. Pass it along to anyone who you think this will be beneficial to and enjoy your clean space. Take a deep breath and just get it done. Most of us feel better when our space is clean and there is no better time to do it.