From overwhelmed to organized: A mom’s ADHD success story

Meet my cherished client, Lauren, in this interview about ADHD and professional organization. We talk diagnosis to being receptive to help, to what the process looked and felt like through her unique lens, and finally the takeaways and outcomes.

Lauren, seriously thank you so much for your courage to (1) call me for help and (2) bravely share your story as a late-diagnosed ADHD busy working mama! I have many clients like you. How did you come to learn you had ADHD?

As a child, I never truly identified with the common signs of ADHD. The stereotype of hyperactive kids who struggle with school and are constantly on the go didn't apply to me. I was a "good kid," excelled academically, and performed well in sports. Although I did face challenges with test-taking, I didn't encounter many of the "typical" obstacles associated with ADHD during my younger years. In hindsight, I realize I was simply very adept at compensating for those difficulties.

My husband, Ken, who was diagnosed with ADHD in college, frequently suggested that I might also have it. While I can't pinpoint a single moment that led to my decision, I knew that after the birth of our third daughter, it was time to prioritize my well-being. I recognized that making a change was necessary, and seeking an ADHD diagnosis seemed like the essential first step.

I love that your well-being was the catalyst for pursuing a diagnosis. Knowledge is power! How did you feel being neurodivergent affected your everyday routines, home life, and organization?

Being neurodivergent has influenced nearly every aspect of my life, both positively and negatively. I've consistently struggled with maintaining routines and habits, often jumping from one new hobby to the next. This usually involves spending a significant amount of money on supplies, only to move on to the next interest shortly thereafter. I often describe myself as a "pack rat." My home was filled with photos, concert tickets, small mementos, and knick-knacks, all stored away in boxes that rarely see the light of day—out of sight, out of mind.

Another challenge has been letting go of gifts that I received, even though I knew I would never use or wear them again. Additionally, I struggled with holding on to "what if" items—things I kept because I thought, what if one day I need it? I had an entire laundry room full of such items: things I bought for a single event or party, only to keep them out of a sense of future possibility.

BEFORE

AFTER. Shopped from home for clear bins

It’s amusing for me to hear you call yourself a pack rat when (1) in your husband’s initial email he said “we want to get rid of 95% of our things” and [2] you specifically were SO steady in your decision making, from the beginning and of course improving with time. How did you learn about/decide to pursue professional organizing? And, why did you choose me, specifically? 

Years ago, my husband introduced the idea of professional organizing to me. He felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of items we (I) had accumulated and believed we needed external help to declutter and organize. He initially hired a professional organizer who conducted a walkthrough, shared her ideas, and then implemented them. However, she didn't focus on decluttering before organizing. While she did her best with organizing, we still had so much clutter that it was impossible to maintain. Additionally, she didn't always collaborate with me in the process. I often felt like a bystander—watching, or not watching, as she made changes without fully discussing them with me.

I vividly remember the day she organized my daughters’ room. When I returned that evening, the room appeared relatively tidy, but I was immediately dissatisfied with how she had organized their clothing. I ended up taking everything out of the drawers, bins, and closet and reorganizing it myself. Hours of work, undone.

That sounds so frustrating, and I’m sorry that was your experience. People already have the “I could’ve done it myself” or “I’m a grownup, I should be able to do this” kind of self-criticism or perceived judgment from others. It takes a lot to trust someone in this process. I’m surprised you were open to trying again.

After my realization that I might have ADHD, Ken was eager to revisit professional organizing. Initially, I was extremely hesitant. I felt we had already tried it, invested significant time and money, and saw no lasting results. What could another organizer possibly do differently to truly make a meaningful impact in our lives?

OK, so it sounds like Ken was a driving force to declutter. It’s tough (and also common) when one partner wants it more than the other. Tell me how he helped you move forward.

Ken shared your website with me and encouraged me to take a look. Hesitantly, I began scrolling through the page, reading through reviews. I was genuinely surprised by how much I resonated with the excerpts from your blog and how I felt like I could have written the "before" sections of the reviews myself. I spent the next few days doing a thorough deep dive into social media—reading online reviews on Facebook and browsing before-and-after photos on Instagram. Eventually, I agreed to the free, no-strings-attached phone consultation.

It was early on a Sunday morning, and I remember feeling incredibly nervous about the journey ahead, even though I already knew it would be a big one. However, during our initial conversation, I felt an immediate sense of calm. You truly took the time to understand us—not just as individuals, but as a family—and you asked insightful questions about our goals. We discussed how being a neurodivergent family was affecting our ability to live comfortably and peacefully in our space. After that first phone call, I was SOLD. I was excited—albeit still a bit nervous—to begin the process.

I remember that first call and instantly knowing in my core that I wanted to work with you, that I was confident to help, that your readiness to change was palpable. What was your relationship with clutter/organizing before the process? And now that you’ve been through it with me, what have you learned about clutter in relation to your symptoms, your behaviors/actions, your thoughts, your family dynamics, etc.?

Through working with you, I realized just how significantly visual clutter impacted both my mood and my daily life. I constantly felt overwhelmed, as if I was never "good enough." It wasn’t that I was bad at cleaning or organizing; rather, I had so much to manage that it felt impossible to make meaningful progress and maintain any sense of order. This overwhelming physical clutter also contributed to mental clutter, making it difficult to focus and get into the right frame of mind. Instead of fostering a positive environment, I was often stuck in a cycle of negativity.

I hear that a lot. People who say they feel stuck. And there are many variations of Gretchen Rubin’s quote, “Outer order contributes to inner calm.” I think what also stands out for me is your implication that we have more control than we think over our physical environment. What types of things did you learn about your ADHD or your organizational needs from our time together?

I clearly remember our very first day working together, especially when you told me that my cherished, reusable tote bags needed to go. 

Pause. I prefer “strongly encouraged” you to let go of the doom-bag-enablers.

Fair. I had used them for everything, primarily as a way to collect random items off the counters in what I considered a cleaning and organizing "method." However, these bags ended up sitting in closets or corners of rooms for days, weeks, even months. It became evident that I didn’t actually need anything inside those bags if they went untouched for such long periods.

BEFORE. Doom bags and bins lined the perimeter!

AFTER (the crib stayed in there until the baby was 1)! Now the bedroom is even MORE spacious. And, also, sometimes piles creep back in, and Lauren has the confidence to tackle them swiftly and before they become overwhelming

Another moment that stands out is when you asked insightful questions as I hesitated over whether to keep an item. One such item was a t-shirt from a cancer benefit supporting a close family friend. It had been years since the event—back before I had three children—and I couldn’t remember the last time I wore or even looked at the shirt. I knew it likely wouldn’t fit me anymore, but my heart struggled with the thought of parting with it. While my head knew it was time to let go, my emotions were tied to the shirt's sentimental value. We talked it through, and with your help, I realized that keeping the shirt wasn’t necessary to honor my friend. With that clarity, I finally let go of the shirt. And you know what? I haven’t missed it at all. I still think about my friend often, remembering the good times we shared, all without holding on to that shirt.

That’s a really incredible story to share because SO MANY PEOPLE have a hard time with the sentimental items. It’s an emotional landmine, and the goal for the entire process is to free you from being defined by your clutter, to recognize that you are NOT your stuff, that people—not things—matter. You learned (or reinforced what you already knew which is that) your loved one is in you. The memories, the grief, the joy of loving them—it’s inside of you, not wrapped up in a faded T-shirt from an event that occurred during a difficult moment in their life. Thank you for sharing that.

Next up, with ADHD and what you’ve learned, what are some organizing products that do--or definitely do not--work for you?

I’ve discovered that I actually need to see everything, which is a shift from my initial preference. I used to gravitate toward opaque boxes. What I realized through this process is that anything opaque—like the "doom bags"—became a space where I could hide miscellaneous items when I knew company was coming over. Now, I’ve found that clear, simple, and matching storage works best for me.

What organizing tips/tricks have helped you specifically as a parent? What do you notice in your kids before/after?

As challenging as it can be, I’m really trying to involve the kids in the decluttering, tidying, and organizing process. We have a few "toy rotation" bins, and we discuss with them the importance of not having every single toy they own spread out in the living room. We make a conscious effort to select toys for rotation, and when Ken and I notice that a particular item or set hasn’t been played with in a while, we talk to the older girls, seek their thoughts, and explain why donating toys we no longer use can be helpful for other children who may not be as fortunate.

BEFORE

AFTER

That’s so incredible. I can hear your confidence as you pass these invaluable lessons onto the kids. Jess and I swear by the toy rotation too, and also just talked about how we need to tighten up our system with that post-holidays. 

We’re also working to ensure they know where their belongings "live." It hasn’t been easy, and it’s hard for me to "let them" take charge of this, but having them put their own belongings away in a way that works for them has been incredibly helpful for all of us.

What were some takeaways you learned from working with a professional organizer?

I believe the biggest takeaway from working with a professional organizer (or two) is the importance of doing your own research ahead of time. It’s crucial to find someone you can connect with—someone who will support you but also offer a bit of tough love when needed. With the first organizer, I didn’t feel involved in the process. While the spaces were tidy, the organization just didn’t work for us in the long run. From our initial conversation, I knew we would work well together.

Another key takeaway is that my home won’t always resemble the perfectly curated spaces of my favorite Instagram influencers, and that’s okay. 

This is true. That resonates for me too because the story I tell myself is that my home SHOULD be in better shape because of my work, and I gently remind myself that perfection is not the goal. We live here, we play here, we love here. I can and will reset.

You taught me to give myself grace and to acknowledge how far I’ve come on my decluttering and organizing journey—and to be proud of that progress. Our home is full of neurodivergence, three young daughters, three cats, and two dogs. It’s not always going to be the cleanest or tidiest, but it’s OUR home, and that’s perfectly fine. You helped me understand that what matters is how I manage the clutter when it inevitably appears. It’s about getting our home back to a maintainable level so we can stop focusing so much on cleaning and organizing, and instead spend more time being intentional with our kids.

I do remember on our final session that you’d been busy and the home was…not quite how we’d left it, and I chose intentionally to not mention it. But then you did, and I told you that I can see it AND I know you know what to do now. I know you know you’re no longer STUCK or paralyzed by the start (or restart) of the process. And you agreed. What were some habits you picked up, or new habits you’re ingraining?

One new habit I’ve adopted is doing a "nightly reset" of our main level. It’s not always easy, but it’s much more manageable now that we have systems in place. The principle of "a place for everything and everything in its place" has been incredibly helpful. Some days—or weeks—are better than others, but I’ve found it much easier to address any clutter that arises. Overall, our home feels far more organized and manageable.

The reset is gold. If we skip it for more than a few nights, it def does become more daunting to begin. I’m happy to hear it’s working for your family. Consistency is key, for sure.

(This is the AFTER pic from the cover photo)

Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your story. I know this will resonate for so many people. It’s simply NOT true that if you are neurodivergent, you can’t be organized. Your brain is wired differently, and also you are entirely capable of learning creative, personalized, and outside-the-box organization. Help is here when you’re ready.