Podcast Summary: I Have ADHD Podcast

Episode 371 BITESIZE | Quick Organization Tips From Real ADHDers
Host: Kristen Carder
Release Date: January 22, 2026

Episode Overview

This “bite-sized” episode, hosted by Kristen Carder, delivers practical and relatable organizational tips specifically for ADHD adults, straight from the experiences of fellow ADHDers. Kristen reads out and reacts to listener strategies for home organization, grocery shopping, and daily routines, all with her signature humor and warmth. The conversation centers on embracing realistic systems, reducing shame around messiness, and finding joy and effectiveness in ways that actually work for the ADHD brain.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Create “Homes” Where Things Actually Get Dropped

• Listener Emily’s Advice (04:28):

  • Instead of fighting natural habits, set up dedicated places (a “home”) for things where you naturally tend to drop them—like keys on the mud bench.
  • “She creates homes for things in the places where she actually drops them because she’s onto herself.” (04:39)
  • Use see-through containers for things that need to be visible as reminders.

• Hooks and Bins as ADHD Kryptonite (05:09):

  • From Liz: “Hooks, hooks, hooks, and bins, bins, bins!” is the ADHD way—use them for everything from clothes to keys.

• Key Placement Revelations:

  • Kristen admits it took “years into adulthood” to realize putting keys in the same place was a thing; now, she always keeps them in her purse on a hook.
    • “It took me years into adulthood before I realized you have to put your keys in the same place every day.” (06:05)

2. Embracing Online Grocery Shopping (06:40):

• Listener Lorna’s Strategy:
  • Skip the stress of in-person shopping—order groceries online, or go right before closing for added urgency.
  • Kristen notes most ADHDers shouldn’t feel guilty about not grocery shopping conventionally:
    • “One of my first episodes…was like, how to grocery shop with ADHD. And the whole point…was like, you don’t grocery shop with ADHD, you just place an order.” (07:19)
  • Use "past purchases" to quickly reorder the same essentials.
  • A candid side-note from Kristen about the rising cost of groceries and feeding three teenage boys (08:35).

3. Post-Its and “Done-It Walls” for Task Management (08:53):

• Listener Bill’s Tip:

  • Keep Post-its and Sharpies in every room to capture tasks before they disappear from memory.
    • “When I think of something that I have to do, I write it down fast before I forget. It’s worked pretty well.” (08:53)
  • But the quest for the missing Sharpie is real: “Where are my post-its?!”

• Kristen’s Addition:

  • Move beyond to-do lists: Create a “done-it wall” to acknowledge completed tasks, fighting feelings of inadequacy.
    • “Instead of a to-do list, now I have a wall where I can just put all of the things that I’ve actually done and I can recognize my work and I can celebrate myself.” (10:14)

4. Simple, Sensory-Friendly Organization Hacks (11:35):

• Listener Emma’s Advice:
  • Use small boxes with lids as tray organizers; never put the lid on so you can always see what’s inside.
  • “Bonus: putting fun paper in the bottom to make them look nice.”

5. Permission to Be Messy—Rejecting Shame (12:10):

• Listener Lorna:

  • It’s okay to throw clothes on your bedroom floor at night; make it a game to tidy up with music in the morning.

• Kristen’s Take:

  • Being messy is not a moral failing:
    • “Do you know that it has nothing to do with your character if you have clothes on the floor? Who cares?” (13:36)
  • Calls out the myth: “The way you do one thing is the way you do everything”—Kristen says that’s not true for ADHDers (13:41).
  • “I have more important things to do with my life, like recording this podcast, like helping people with ADHD, like writing a book. That is way more important than me picking my clothes up off of the floor or unpacking my suitcase.” (14:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Accepting Your Habits:
  • “She creates homes for things in the places where she actually drops them because she’s onto herself. She knows herself.” — Kristen Carder, 04:39
• On ADHD-friendly Storage:
  • “Let’s all gather round ADHD, and our version of Kumbaya is hooks, hooks, hooks and bins, bins, bins.” — Kristen Carder, 05:12
• On Rethinking Productivity:
  • “Move beyond the to-do list: now I have a wall where I can just put all of the things that I’ve actually done…” — Kristen Carder, 10:14
• On Rejecting Shame:
  • “Do you know that it has nothing to do with your character if you have clothes on the floor? Who cares?” — Kristen Carder, 13:36
  • “I have more important things to do with my life, like recording this podcast, like helping people with ADHD, like writing a book…” — Kristen Carder, 14:46

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:28] Home organization: Making homes for things where you drop them, using hooks and bins.
• [06:40] Online grocery shopping as a focus and energy saver.
• [08:53] Importance of Post-its and setting up “done-it walls.”
• [11:35] Box and tray organizing tip.
• [12:10] Allowing mess and making cleaning playful.
• [13:36] Removing shame from mess and debunking productivity myths.

Episode Tone & Style

• Upbeat, friendly, validating
• Conversational, with relatable personal anecdotes and humor
• Non-judgmental; celebrates the quirks of ADHD while emphasizing practical acceptance

Final Thoughts

Kristen centers both practical tips and radical self-acceptance, reminding listeners there is no shame in finding shortcuts or ditching “neurotypical” systems. The focus is on what works for real ADHD brains: external cues, reducing decision fatigue, and organizing with compassion. The episode closes with encouragement to prioritize what matters most—messy rooms and unmade beds included.

“I have more important things to do with my life… and so do you.” — Kristen Carder (14:46)