🧹📦 Decluttering vs. organizing — they sound similar, but they are actually very different things.
For many adults with ADHD, clutter and disorganization can feel like an ongoing struggle. You try to get organized. You buy planners, storage bins, folders, or containers. You set up systems and promise yourself that this time things will stay organized.
But somehow the clutter keeps creeping back.
Sound familiar?
In this episode of ADHD Support Talk Radio, Tara McGillicuddy and co-host Lynne Edris explore a challenge many adults with ADHD face: understanding the difference between decluttering and organizing, and why confusing the two often leads to frustration.
Recognizing how these two processes work — and the order they need to happen in — can completely change how you approach clutter and organization.
🌍 Podcasthon Special Episode
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During Podcasthon, thousands of podcasts around the world release special episodes highlighting nonprofit organizations and the meaningful work they do.
ADHD Support Talk Radio is proud to participate in this global event and help bring attention to issues that impact adults with ADHD.
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🧠 Why This Topic Matters for Adults with ADHD
Many people assume that the solution to clutter is simply to get organized.
But organizing systems often fail when clutter hasn’t been reduced first.
You can buy the best containers, planners, and organizing tools available, but if there are simply too many items to manage, those systems quickly break down.
For adults with ADHD, this can create a frustrating pattern:
📦 Buy organizing tools
📂 Set up a system
😩 Watch it stop working
🔁 Try a new system
Over time, this cycle can make people feel like they are bad at organizing, when the real issue may simply be that too much clutter is overwhelming the system.
🧹 Decluttering vs. Organizing: What’s the Difference?
Although the words are often used interchangeably, decluttering and organizing are two very different processes.
Decluttering is about deciding:
✔ What stays
✔ What goes
✔ What you no longer need
Decluttering reduces the number of items you have to manage.
Organizing, on the other hand, focuses on creating systems for the items that remain. It involves deciding:
✔ Where things belong
✔ How they should be stored
✔ How they can be easily found again
In simple terms:
✨ Decluttering reduces volume.
📦 Organizing creates systems.
When people try to organize before decluttering, they often end up rearranging clutter rather than reducing it.
📦 Why Organizing Is So Appealing
Organizing often feels easier and more exciting than decluttering.
When someone decides to get organized, they may start browsing for:
• planners and notebooks
• color-coded folders
• drawer organizers
• storage containers
• label makers
Buying organizing tools can feel productive and hopeful.
For ADHD brains, organizing activities can also provide a quick dopamine boost. Setting up a new system creates the feeling that things are improving.
But when clutter hasn’t been reduced first, even the best organizing system can quickly become overwhelmed.
The containers fill up.
The papers pile up again.
The system becomes difficult to maintain.
And the cycle begins again.
💸 The Hidden Costs of Clutter
Clutter affects more than just how a space looks.
It can also impact time, money, and mental energy.
Many adults with ADHD experience what is often called the ADHD tax. This happens when clutter or disorganization leads to situations like:
💰 Buying duplicates because something can’t be found
⏳ Spending extra time searching for items
🧠 Feeling overwhelmed by visual distractions
⚡ Experiencing mental fatigue in cluttered environments
A cluttered space can constantly compete for attention, making it harder for ADHD brains to focus or relax.
Reducing clutter can help create a calmer environment and free up mental energy.
😩 Why Decluttering Can Be Difficult
Decluttering sounds simple in theory.
Just get rid of things.
But for many people — especially adults with ADHD — decluttering involves making a large number of small decisions, and decision-making can be exhausting.
Many items also carry emotional meaning.
People may hold onto things because they represent:
📚 projects they once planned to complete
👕 clothes they might wear again someday
🎁 gifts from people they care about
🗂 paperwork they are unsure about
Letting go of these items can bring up feelings like guilt, regret, or uncertainty.
Because of these emotional connections, decluttering often feels more difficult than organizing.
🚀 Start Small to Build Momentum
One helpful strategy discussed in this episode is starting small.
When people look at a cluttered room or home, the size of the task can feel overwhelming. That overwhelm can lead to procrastination or avoidance.
Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, it can be more effective to focus on a very small area.
Examples might include:
• one drawer
• one shelf
• a small stack of papers
• part of a countertop
Completing small areas creates visible progress. That progress can build momentum and make it easier to continue.
📊 Tracking Progress Helps Motivation
Another strategy that can make decluttering more motivating is tracking progress in concrete ways.
Instead of simply saying “I decluttered today,” it can help to identify specific results such as:
✔ throwing away a stack of papers
✔ filling a donation bag
✔ clearing part of a desk
✔ removing duplicate items
Recognizing these small accomplishments helps reinforce progress and builds confidence.
For ADHD brains, celebrating small wins can provide the motivation needed to keep going.
❤️ Curiosity Instead of Shame
Clutter is often surrounded by feelings of shame.
Many adults with ADHD believe clutter means they are lazy, messy, or incapable of staying organized.
But clutter is rarely a character flaw.
More often, clutter reflects:
• unfinished decisions
• past intentions
• projects that never got completed
• systems that didn’t work
When clutter is approached with curiosity instead of judgment, it becomes easier to understand what is happening and move forward.
🎯 Why Decluttering Makes Organizing Work
Once clutter has been reduced, organizing becomes much easier.
At that point, systems can be created for a manageable number of items.
Organizing systems that work well for ADHD brains are often:
✔ simple
✔ visible
✔ easy to maintain
✔ flexible
When organizing is built on top of reduced clutter, those systems are far more likely to last.
🌟 The Big Takeaway
Decluttering and organizing are both important, but they serve different purposes.
For many adults with ADHD, focusing on decluttering first can make organizing far more effective and sustainable.
Every small step toward reducing clutter can lead to:
✨ greater clarity
✨ less overwhelm
✨ improved focus
✨ more ease in daily life
🎙️ About ADHD Support Talk Radio
ADHD Support Talk Radio is one of the longest-running podcasts for adults with ADHD. Hosted by Tara McGillicuddy and co-hosted by Lynne Edris, the show focuses on practical strategies, real-life conversations, and support that helps adults with ADHD reduce overwhelm and take action.
Additional ADHD resources, programs, and events are available through ADDClasses.com.
This episode is ideal for adults with ADHD who want to approach the New Year with clarity, compassion, and practical strategies — without falling into the cycle of unrealistic expectations and burnout.
Podcast Co-Host Lynne Edris helps overwhelmed professionals take control of their time and tackle their to-dos with ease so they have more time, more energy, and more money for what they love most! As a woman with ADHD herself, she has been where her clients are and come out the other side, so to speak. She’s gone from living in a constant state of chaos and under-performance to a life full of success and fulfillment, and wants to help you achieve your version of success as well! Take Lynne’s quick quiz to get your personalized productivity profile with customized results and recommendations at www.ProductivityBreakthroughQuiz.com. You can learn more about Lynne and contact her through her website at www.CoachingADDvantages.com.
Tara McGillicuddy is described by those who know her – clients, fellow leaders, and community – as dedicated to the deep, soulful
energetic-level shifts required by life. Whether she’s helping to SEE your life more clearly, identify where you’re stuck, tuning into sacred energies OR she’s helping to build a practical life with tools, structure, physical help and precise action steps, she is committed to giving everything she knows to help you live your best life and to feel fulfilled by it.
Tara has been known and celebrated in the ADHD community for decades of practical and long-lasting shifts in tens of thousands in her communities. The creator of ADDClasses.com, The ADHD Awareness Expo and ADHD Support Talk Radio Tara is one of the longest-standing leaders in the field. Over the years she has also honed her natural skills as an empath.
ADHD Support Talk Radio is an award winning Podcast for Adults with ADD / ADHD. Co-hosts Tara McGillicuddy and Lynne Edris are joined by Adult ADHD experts and they cover important topics related to Adult ADD / ADHD. Podcast guests include Dr. Edward Hallowell, Dr. Stephanie Sarkis, Dr. Ari Tuckman, Laurie Dupar, Terry Matlen and many more.
Tara McGillicuddy is the Producer, Owner and Co-host of the ADHD Support Talk Radio Podcast. You may contact Tara with general questions or feedback about the podcast.
Lynne Edris is the Co-host of the ADHD Support Talk Radio Podcast. You may contact Lynne with feedback about her episodes.