| If you are like many people with Attention Deficit | | | | Rules like these are great but the most important |
| Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD) you find | | | | thing is to honor yourself. I was working with a |
| getting organized a constant struggle. You push | | | | client who was just beginning to get her home |
| yourself to spend time and energy "cleaning up", | | | | organized. As we talked about these basic rules |
| then, within days or hours, it looks like nothing | | | | she asked me about her fever thermometer. Her |
| was done and worse it is impossible to find | | | | thermometer ended up in a drawer in her living |
| anything. You are right back where you started | | | | room 10-years ago when she was hurriedly |
| from. | | | | clearing a surface. Now she was concerned |
| How do you put something away so that you are | | | | because, based on the rules, it "should" be stored |
| able to find it again? How do you put something | | | | in the bathroom. We talked about the rules. |
| away so that when you take it out to use it you | | | | Was the thermometer being stored with other |
| can put it back where it belongs? | | | | things like it? No. Was it kept more conveniently |
| The key to getting organized is to make | | | | then it needed to be? Probably. Was it with other |
| conscious decisions about where to put things. | | | | medical things? No. Was it with things she was |
| There are some basic rules to follow: | | | | likely to use at the same time? No, but keeping it |
| 1. Keep like things with like i.e.: keep all office | | | | in the living room drawer made sense to her. She |
| supplies in one place. | | | | knew where it was. It was in the right place for |
| 2. Store things you use often close by. Don't | | | | her and we agreed that she needed to listen to |
| store vitamins that you take everyday in the | | | | her gut and keep it exactly where it was. |
| back of a cabinet. How often do you use the | | | | So as you go through your things consider the |
| dictionary on your desk? Does it need to be so | | | | basic rules, especially for things that don't have |
| accessible? Do you want to use something more | | | | homes, but understand yourself too. If you know |
| often? Make sure it is stored conveniently. | | | | that regardless of what system you create for |
| 3. Keep things that are used together in one place | | | | mail it is still going to end up on the kitchen |
| i.e.: shin guards with the soccer balls, calculator | | | | counter then respect that habit and work with it. |
| near the checkbook. | | | | Designate a spot on your counter for mail and |
| 4. Store things where you use them i.e.: keep | | | | always put it there. Maybe get a basket and label |
| reference books where your children do their | | | | it "MAIL ONLY". |
| homework. Keep a deck of cards where you will | | | | As you assign homes for your things that make |
| most likely use them. | | | | sense for how you use them and for who you |
| 5. Store things where you think they belong. Pay | | | | are you will find it much easier to find things and |
| attention to what is working today. Trust your | | | | to put them away. |
| instinct. | | | | |