MY CLEANING CONFESSION: I have A.D.D… I am not super hyper or jumping off of the walls type of person! I am the confused, my brain is always running a million miles per hour type of A.D.D. person. I am constantly loosing things, forgetting what I am doing, getting distracted, I am just scattered most of the time! What does that mean for me? That I am a very poor housekeeper. I don’t WANT to be, I don’t TRY to be, I just really struggle remembering to pick up after myself, let alone keep up with my kids and their messes.
It is not uncommon in my house, to get a phone call that the in-laws are coming for the weekend (unexpectedly… which I love! Because I love my in-laws!), but seriously sometimes I get off the phone and have to calculate how long I have to get the remains of the tornado that hit the inside of my house clean. Usually I have like 4 hours! haha…. This confession is feeling pretty pathetic, but I just wanted to be honest, because I know that I can’t be the only one out there that must be like me. I seriously struggle with cleaning (not to the point of gross!), but I try and I will continue to try until I can get it down and someday have a house like my mom’s (near perfection at any time of the day, but I seriously love that about her home!).
Now to get to the whole point of this post… I think that because of my A.D.D., I do a lot better when I have a list. If I don’t have a solid list, I pretty much can bank on the fact that I will get completely lost doing something random. For example, it is not uncommon for me to start cleaning the house, with the goal of ONLY getting everything picked up ASAP, only to find my self, 3 hours later “deep cleaning” and organizing my JUNK DRAWER!!! Totally pointless when it comes to the overall goal! So in my efforts to be more efficient when it comes to cleaning my ENTIRE HOUSE in the shortest time possible, I created this worksheet/checklist. I have tried lost of systems, chore charts, etc. over the years and this is by far helping me the most thus far. It just helps me keep in check and as I clean the house and rather than getting one drawer SPARKLING… I can pretty much get the whole house in at least good enough shape for the in-laws (not that they judge me or anything! I just feel much more at ease ANYTIME that my house is orderly…). Let me know what you think and hopefully it can help you too!
If you liked this printable, check out my Free Organization Printables Board on Pinterest for more! Or just follow all my Boards so that you never miss a freebie!
I’m so glad that I came across this blog! On one hand, I’m thrilled! It’s like a one stop shop for me… I love it all! And, so it saves me from having to weed through sites… But on the other hand, I might not get any sleep tonight! I too, have problems staying focused… I was here for a Frame for a project and now I have to go and figure out why seamless designs are desirable. And digi washi tape? I had no idea.
Thanks for taking the time to blog! ( It made my life a little easier tonight!! )
:c)
You’re Welcome! Thanks for spending the time to check it out 🙂 but sorry for adding to the focusing problem, lol! It’s tough, but I am glad to know that I’m not the only one that struggles!!
my husband has add. i can see when the add has taken hold when he’s cleaning. i’m downloading a list… maybe this will help him!
I like your list, but it printed out really funny… all the headings the letters overlap each other enough that it’s unreadable. Maybe because I don’t have the right font?
Oh my goodness! Thank you for letting me know I’m not the only one. I will start to clean a room, take something to put away in another room and the next thing I know an hour has passed because I saw something else (the junk drawer for instance – I was putting the item away in it) and stopped to clean it. It’s a wonder anything ever gets done in my house! I hope this will really help me. I’m so glad I found your site! Thank you!!!
You just described me to a T!!! I’m glad I’m not the only pre-hoarder house cleaner lol! Thanks so much for the list!
You described me exactly! You’re for sure not alone!! I am printing this right now!
Thank you, Carolynn!
This page is VERY helpful!
I am going to try your list and hope it works! I have ADD and I am on medication, but I still struggle. This is the first thing I’ve read that makes me know I’m not alone. The majority of fights that my husband and I have are over housework, he doesn’t understand that I am trying to be better even though I continuously fail. Every word you said hold true to me. Thank you!
I am not diagnosed or anything, but this is me! My house is such a wreck, even I can barely stand it. My husband is always harping on it, and while he can kind of understand once I explained to him, he is just like just do this thing. But I start seventeen projects and don’t finiah any of them, and the place looks worse than when I started cleaning!
I don’t know if I have ADD, but I certainly have a hard time staying on task while cleaning. I feel like I spend hours doing a little bit here and a little bit there. Today I used your checklist to stay focused, and the results were so gratifying! Thanks for a wonderful, simple tool! I even posted about it on LaurelsCottage.com, and I linked back to your site!
This is really good. I could have written this myself and I suspect there are a lot of us who live behind this “secret”. I hate inviting people to my home because on top of not being able to stay ahead of the mess (or getting overly focused on the details no one else sees), I am also a perfectionist too which means I go into hyper focus overdrive when someone is coming over. I don’t allow anyone to talk to me or mess with me when I’m on task (I get a little grouchy in this hyper focus, high adrenalin mode, lol). I find that there are three areas that create most of our mess and if I’m sort on time if these things are done, my house is mostly in order… laundry, trash and dishes. My kids also have ADD and I always have them start in their rooms by just focusing on clothes and trash; once they get those done, their rooms look mostly clean.
I am just the same, especially with the perfectionism, I drive myself crazy!! Lol It is good to know that I am not alone though!
So I was off work last week, but instead of a clean house I have organized closets and drawers. So frustrating. Definitely going to use this on Saturday.
Have just discovered your site. I have enjoyed it, copied some of the plans for myself!!!!! Hoping they will help me!
So glad I came across this. You are describing me! Can’t wait to use your list.
Oh my goodness! You just described me to a t! Which is also why I saw this on facebook instead of laundry, moping, re sweeping the floor after I forgot to pick up my pile and the kids went through it or ya resting because oh ya I’m sick lol.
I also have a.d.d. And none of the other “work sheets” out there ever helped me but when I read this it was like a light bulb went off!!! You are a genius I can’t wait to try it… But I will probably check out the rest of your blog first (a.d.d. Remember) haha
If I didn’t know better I would have thought I was reading my own blog! Thank you for your honesty! This helps me a lot!
i know how it is to become distracted while cleaning. I love lists and they help a lot but for the quick clean ups I have another, funny solution. Sing “head shoulders knees and toes”. But change the words “trash laundry toys and books” over and over really loud! It helps me keep focused. I know if I have stopped singing that I have gotten distracted. And yes I might not realize that I have stopped but that is where the second tip comes in, set a 5 minute timer. Every time it goes off it will be a reminder to get back to what you are supposed to be doing. I hope that helps some of you! It’s the only way I accomplish anything!
Carolynn thankyou so much first for being so honest
2nd thankyou im not the only one with this type of ADD most folk think all ADDer’s climb off wall nope I go to clean the kitchen and a couple of hours late im vacuuming the car and the kitchen is still waiting to be clean just cause I get so distracted
Hayley I love the timer thing mmmmmmmm may be it will work sorry but tying to sing and clean is to much for my brain to handle!!
love the tips from every one and sorry for the typos
It is so funny to read this, I never knew that it was my ADD effecting my cleaning. The other day I was cleaning my bathroom and went to get the paper towels out of the kitchen drawer and ended up with a sparkling clean microwave, I don’t even know how that happened!! I will definitely be downloading and printing off this list! Thanks!
I am so glad I have came across this. I thought I honestly was the only person who struggled like this. Most I talked to about this difficulty would always look at me strange. They just don’t understand. Thank you for this and I can’t wait to apply these tactics and see if I can stay on track. I honestly thought I was reading about me.
While I was reading this I kind of felt like I was in the twilight zone! How did someone get into my head and write down everything I feel and exactly how I would explain my A.D.D. I loved reading this and feeling like I’m not alone! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Sometimes it is hard to explain to people and have them understand! I am going to use all your great ideas!
I often feel like no one knows what i go through on a daily basis and how hard it is for me to do things like keep my house clean. I also have a.d.d and feel like I’m the only one a lot. I am so glad i found this site because i have tried many different lists and cleaning schedules but nothing has stuck so far.
Hello.
My name is Aline, I’m from Brazil.
Can I translate that list and put it on my blog?
I will put credits.
hugs
Love your honesty!! I can definitely relate to not being able to focus which is why I took a break and
hopped on to your blog via Pinterest. You have a new subscriber 🙂 Thank you for sharing the
printables and look forward to reading more on here. There is hope for the hopeless!!!
Love & Blessings <3
Oh my gosh! I read this and thought you were talking about me. That’s so crazy! We sound so much alike. I, too, start with the intention of cleaning the living room and get distracted with something so trivial like shredding papers or something. My husband cleans faster than I can. He can clean the living room in like 5 minutes. However, I am more thorough because I worry about the details. He puts stuff anywhere but I think it should go in a certain spot. Anyway, thanks for the post. Very helpful. Good to know I am not alone. I thrive on lists!
Thank you for this! I have inattentive add as well and I’m the exact same way when it comes to cleaning. I’ll run around the house doing some of everything and I feel like nothing ever gets completely done. I will definitely try these lists. My husband has suggested lists to me but I’ve never gotten around to making it myself, haha!
Thank you for these cute lists. I love to check things off and it keeps me on track! I really appreciate these! Blessings!
I don’t have ADD, but low energy and this list is nice because it breaks it all down and keeps me focused on the important things. I too find myself overwhelmed and start on non-neccessary jobs. The font and colors are pretty so I want to use the page! Thanks!
Thank You!! You just explained my whole life!! I feel much better. Thanks!
thanks so much for this, I NEEDED it!! Can’t wait to check out the rest of this blog. Thank you!!
I think you may be my long lost twin. Lol. Im the exact same way and find im defending myself constantly. I really do care if its clean but just cant seem to manage it. I look forward to trying your list.
I have come across many helpful tips for cleaning ,but yours is by far the one that my a.d.d mind could relate to the most. So thank you for making this part of my life easier. I make lists but your list is amazing!
so it turns out u are far from alone! You hit the nail on the head with me and I look forward to using your sheet and hoping it helps me with my little family 5, 7 & 30yr old kids haha will let you know how it goes for me too! I have recently been diagnosed with A.D.D and thank u xxxx
Oh my gosh – i am in tears, literally. It’s like you were in my head – seeing what happens to me all the time! Thank you for the printables! I may be able to have a clean house soon!
I’m a bit late getting to this post but I’m thrilled. Thank you so much for making this checklist and for sharing your experiences with ADD. I can totally identify. Bless you.
OMG Girl,
You just read my life script. I am out of control A.D.D ( actually diagnosed and taking meds and everything) AND O.C.D behaviors ontop of that!!! So it is EXTREMELY HARD to focus. I make a list of lets say 6 things. I can’t do one,finish it and then move on to 2. I will “dabble” because I get bored with the first chore or see ice cream commercial on the TV and be mezmerized and drop the chore, haha. I seriously will snap out of my trance doing something totally unrelated before I remember that I was in the middle of a task. I will warm up some soup and I will lose track again ,off doing something…then I say “Oh Yeah MY soup!” and the soup is cold by this time. So I heat it again and depending how bad it is that day (my mind) I could go back and forth heating it up 5 -6 times. LOL. not joking! Also when I watch Tv and I miss what someone said I will rewind to watch again. in those seconds, I’m already looking on the internet or paying attention to something else to where I miss it again! And like the soup it depends on the day on how many times I will have to rewind it…i CANT stay focused for the life of me. My mind races like yours too and I have been in such grief trying to find a housecleaning system that works and this looks like it s up my alley. printed one out already. Bless you for doing all of this and it being free. You are a sweetheart!!! See you get projects done…. this website is great. Give yourself some credit!! 🙂 Thank you.
Holy cow! I so appreciate this! You described me to a tee. It happened this weekend. My husband’s parents were coming for her birthday. The house was a wreck……..I got distracted cleaning baseboards and then doors. This is awesome! Thank you!
I’m so glad I found this! I have ADD as well and know how difficult it can be! Actually, my parents are arriving for a visit in a few hours which is why I was frantically searching for a list! Lol! Thank you!
I cant seem to download the free printable could you help it looks like something i want to try
Fixed it. Sorry!