Tidy House Workbook
Tidy House Workbook
tidy mind
Workbook
Table of contents
Welcome 3
Standard chore 20
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Welcome!
This workbook was designed to guide your ADHD mind through the
process of decluttering, tidying up, and creating lasting and easy-to-
maintain routines. By embarking on this journey you are taking a step
towards creating an environment that supports your mental health and
enhances your focus and productivity.
Every single person with ADHD is unique. Mental health is very personal.
This workbook was designed with that in mind. It can be as flexible as
you need it to be. This workbook has everything you need to build a
routine that will last you a lifetime: theoretical knowledge about chores
and mental health, plenty of tips for cleaning with ADHD to choose from,
and some ready-made chore schedules to help you get started. The
workbook also includes a special ADHD-friendly 30-day decluttering
challenge!
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Influence of Environment on
Mental Health
A clean and organized room provides more than just a visually pleasing
environment (although it definitely does that, too). A tidy room has been
proven to have a profound impact on ADHD symptoms and general
mental health. Clutter-free space provides a sense of calm and order. A
tidy room minimizes the distractions that can lead to sensory overload
for people with ADHD. By organizing your room and creating designated
spaces for all of your belongings, you will establish a clear structure that
will also improve other areas of your life.
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The Impact of a Single
Broken Window
Have you ever seen a house with just one broken window? If yes, you
probably got to see it just after someone broke the first one. If one
window of a building is broken, the other windows are doomed to be
broken as well. This theory has a fitting name - The Broken Window
theory. In short, it states that chaos invites further chaos. A broken
window invites more vandals to break other windows. A misplaced item
in your room makes it more probable that you will misplace other items.
In the case of ADHD individuals, who are already susceptible to
distractions, a slightly messy room can turn into a huge mess really
quickly. By understanding the principles of the Broken Window theory,
you can appreciate the importance of maintaining an organized living
space. It’s important to take proactive steps and stop that figurative first
window from being broken: don’t create the initial chaos, because it will
create more chaos. Maintaining order is easier than creating order.
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Just Make the Bed
Have you ever seen a tidy room with the bed undone? Neither have we.
Just as chaos invites chaos, order invites order. The seemingly small yet
impactful task of making the bed in the morning can be the most
important thing you will do all day. Some may dismiss it as an
insignificant chore, that can be skipped if the situation requires it.
However, this simple act sets the tone for the whole day and also
promotes order in your bedroom. Making the bed provides a visual
anchor - instantly transforming the emotion of the room and creating a
sense of order. It also establishes a clear starting point for the day. It’s
great to start a day knowing that you just did an important task. By
engaging in this simple ritual you cultivate a habit of taking charge of the
environment. This helps reduce the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm,
especially for people with ADHD. There is no shame in starting small -
and your journey to decluttering your room should start with making your
bed every day.
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You Are Not “Just Lazy”.
1.
Cleaning requires you to stay focused on a particular task for
a prolonged period of time. Difficulty maintaining a focused
state is one of the hallmark symptoms of ADHD. Staying
present and engaged in the process can be difficult or nearly
impossible.
2.
Cleaning usually involves a lot of different sensory inputs:
visual clutter, various textures, and different smells. All of this
can cause sensory stimuli overwhelm, causing ADHD
individuals to have greatly reduced productivity.
3.
Some individuals with ADHD have diminished executive
functioning skills, like planning or task prioritization. This
might lead to hyper focusing on one specific detail while
forgetting the big picture. This also makes it much harder to
plan your chores.
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You Are Not “Just Lazy”. The Unique Challenges of Cleaning with ADHD
5.
Decluttering forces you to make a lot of decisions. You
have to think about each item you own and decide whether
you want to keep it or get rid of it. If you decide to keep it,
you have to decide where to place it. All of this can lead to
decision fatigue, particularly quickly for people with ADHD.
9.
Studies have shown that individuals with ADHD often
struggle with delayed gratification due to impaired impulse
control. Immediate rewardscan easily distract from delayed
long-term results
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Strategies for Tackling
Chores with ADHD
This chapter contains practical tips and strategies tailored for people
with ADHD. These tips can help you navigate the unique challenges of
creating and maintaining order. From harnessing focus to managing
overwhelm, we will cover techniques that promote efficiency, reduce
anxiety, and enhance productivity.
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Strategies for Tackling Chores with ADHD
Change isn’t always bad. If you feel like the task that
you are currently doing is pure torment and you want
to give up - just switch to a different chore. Instead
of simply giving up, you will be achieving progress in
a different task.
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Strategies for Tackling Chores with ADHD
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Strategies for Tackling Chores with ADHD
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30-day decluttering
challenge
Here’s a challenge we have created to help you transform yourself and
take your organizing and tidying-up skills to the next level. Decluttering
helps you get rid of unnecessary things. This optimizes the time you
spend tidying up because you don’t have to worry about those items
anymore. To declutter a space - go through each item in a specific room/
space and ask yourself these questions:
If all of your answers are “NO” - you should think about donating, gifting,
or throwing away this item.
Completing this challenge will help you reclaim your space, have more
confidence in yourself, and bring a sense of calm and order into your life.
Each day you will be responsible for doing a simple task explained in the
worksheet. Track your progress in the worksheet provided below - if you
have completed the task, mark it with a big X. Good luck!
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30-day decluttering challenge
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30-day decluttering challenge
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30-day decluttering challenge
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30-day decluttering challenge
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30-day decluttering challenge
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30-day decluttering challenge
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Standard Chores
It’s much easier to plan your cleaning routine when you know exactly
what needs to be done. To help you with that we have provided you with
a list of cleaning tasks, grouped by the frequency they should be done at.
Use this list when planning your routine. Also, feel free to add your own
tasks to the list.
Daily chores: M T W T F S S
Do the dishes
Clean bathroom surfaces
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Weekly chores:
MONDAY TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
FRIDAY SATURDAY
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Monthly chores: J F M A M J J A S O N D
Yearly chores:
Deep clean carpets and rugs
Deep clean your freezer
Clean and inspect gutter
Declutter and organize storage areas
Clean out your closet
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Example of ADHD-friendly
Chore Schedule
We have created a structured cleaning schedule, designed to add
structure to your everyday life. It will help you maintain a clean and
organized living space, promoting mental health and focus. The whole
strategy is to do something every day. This prevents the overwhelming
build-up of chores in the long run. You can use this schedule as an
inspiration to create your own schedule in the following chapter.
Daily chores: M T W T F S S
MONDAY TUESDAY
Vacuum Clean kitchen appliance
Wipe down kitchen Wipe down bathroom
countertops surfaces
Clean bathroom sink Organize your bedroom
Dust bedroom surfaces
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WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Clean kitchen sink Clean the refrigerator
Do the laundry Clean the pet area
Fold the laundry Organize your bedroom
Clean the toilet
FRIDAY SATURDAY
Sweep the floor Clean shower
Clean kitchen surfaces Organize pantry
Clean mirrors Empty trash cans
Dust bedroom surfaces
SUNDAY
Meal prep
Organize your wardrobe
Sweep and mop the floor
Change bed sheets
Plan next week’s chores
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Plan Your Own Chores
This is the place where you can plan your weekly personal chore schedule.
Daily chores: M T W T F S S
SUNDAY
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