371 BITESIZE | Quick Organization Tips From Real ADHDers

Summary

Podcast Summary: I Have ADHD Podcast

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

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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.

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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)

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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).

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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)

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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.”

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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)

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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

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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.

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Episode Tone & Style

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

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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)

Transcript

[Kristen Carter]

This podcast is sponsored by AG1. Okay, let's talk about routines. Or in my case, the routines I intend to have. But my ADHD brain is like, yeah, what if we didn't? For years I've tried to piece together all of these supplements, the bottles, the powders, the things that I forget to take. And it always lasts about a week. Maybe not even that. But AG1, it's the habit that has actually stuck. And honestly, it's because there's no decision fatigue. Sustainable health isn't about getting it perfect. It's about having something simple that you can do every day. And AG is just that. A multivitamin, pre and probiotics, superfoods, antioxidants, all in one scoop. It takes me about 20 seconds. One scoop, eight ounces of water. I actually like to use like 10 to 12 ounces of water. That's my preference.

[Co-host or Guest]

Then you shake it and drink it.

[Kristen Carter]

And literally I do it in 20 sips. I count them every single time. 20 sips, that's it.

[Co-host or Guest]

I drink it before I do anything.

[Kristen Carter]

Else in the morning.

[Co-host or Guest]

And it gives me this little like.

[Kristen Carter]

Okay, I did something good for myself. It's like the first habit of all.

[Co-host or Guest]

Of the things that I want to get done in the day.

[Kristen Carter]

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[Co-host or Guest]

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[Kristen Carter]

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[Co-host or Guest]

It's time for me to shout out.

[Kristen Carter]

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[Co-host or Guest]

It's perfect.

[Kristen Carter]

If you're not in the mood for a full hour long listen because let's be real, some of us, ADHD just, just don't have the patience for all of that. But if you are a die hard listener, think of this as your midweek pick me up. It's Thursday, y'. All. Friday is right around the corner. If you love this clip, check out the show notes for a link to the full episode. And remember, my friend, drink your water, take your meds, grab a snack. Now let's get rolling.

[Co-host or Guest]

Okay, let's move on to the category of your home life. All right? Emily has a great suggestion here. I love this. She said, I started making homes and I'm using air quotes like homes for. For things in places where I actually drop them instead of the places where I think they should go. Let me say it again. She creates homes for things in the places where she actually drops them because she's onto herself. She knows herself like in an aesthetic home, this should go over here. But I know me and I know that I'm going to walk in the door and I'm going to just drop it on the mud bench. So I might as well create an actual home for it right there. She goes on to say, if I need to see it, to remember where it is when I need it, it's hung up on the wall at eye level or stored in a see through container. See through container, by the way, genius. If I don't need to see it, it's stored out of sight to reduce visual clutter. I love it so much. Liz shares something very similar. She says, hooks, hooks, hooks and bins, bins, bins. Let's all gather round adhd. And our version of Kumbaya is hooks, hooks, hooks and bins, bins, bins. Okay. Like, that's where we're storing stuff. Laundry. This is her suggestion with laundry. Jeans, bras, sweatshirts, and anything I wear more than once goes on a hook so that I know that it's clean enough. All of my dog's things and my outerwear are in a bench by the front door. Shoes are in bins under it. Keys are on a hook right next to the door, plus an airtag. It took me years into adulthood before. Before I, like, realized that you have to put your keys in the same place every day. I didn't know that. I didn't know that. It took me years. Now what I do, my hack is that I just keep my keys in my purse. My keys are just always in my purse and my purse is on the hook. And that's just that, like, I don't. Maybe that's just a woman thing. And what's awesome is that I don't need the actual key to turn on the car. So I never have to go looking for my key. It's just always in my purse. Okay. Lorna says I pretty much never physically go into the supermarket or large shop I buy online. Or if I must go into a large shop, I go 10 minutes before it closes so that I have the urgency to stay focused on what I need to get. That's brilliant. I agree. I never actually go to the grocery store unless it's just like I forget something and I run in to go get it. But when I'm placing a large order, I cannot remember the last time that I actually bought a week worth of groceries by going into the store. One of my first episodes on this podcast, and I remember recording it in my basement on the floor, and I was so, like, passionate about it. And it was like, how to grocery shop with adhd. And the whole point of the episode was like, you don't grocery shop with adhd. You just place an order. Like, you don't actually go into the shop. Shout out to 2018 me who recorded.

[Kristen Carter]

That cute little podcast.

[Co-host or Guest]

She really. She really didn't even know where we would be right in six years. That's so funny. But I fully second this. Like, if you are not ordering your groceries weekly online, you need to start. And I order from my grocery store and it has like a past purchases. So I just go into past purchases and I'm. It's like the same thing every week. I'm just clicking the same things every week. Today I. I ordered groceries, as I already said, and it was so expensive. I don't know how. How are we, like, all surviving? Are you okay? Like, is everyone okay? Groceries are. It's wild. Now, to be fair, I have three boys, two of whom, like, I have a 17, 15, and 11 year old. So, like, I am feeding a lot of mouths. Growing boys, but still.

[Kristen Carter]

Still, gosh.

[Co-host or Guest]

Okay, let's move on. Bill says I keep post its and Sharpies in almost every room in my house. So when I think of something that I have to do, I write it down fast before I forget. It's worked pretty well. Sometimes I lose the sharpies or someone moves the post it pads, and then I have a hard time staying emotionally regulated. Like, God damn it, where are my post its? Right? Like, I can just imagine Bill being like, I know that I had Sharpies and post its here and someone stole them. So solidarity. But I think this is a great idea. I love the use of post Its and In focus. Last week we were talking about how to celebrate your wins. And if you are the type of person that writes a to do list, that writes a. That writes, you know, things on post its that you need to get done. I encourage you to have a place where you actually put the things that you've done and you can see them and celebrate them. We coined it a done it wall. So, like, instead of a to do list, now I have a wall where I can just like, put all of the things that I've actually done and I can recognize my work and I can celebrate myself and I can stop telling myself that I never do anything that I say I'm going to do, because that's not actually true. So making a visual representation of the things that you've actually done I think could be so amazing. So anyway, I just had this thought because we were talking about post its and I love a good post it. Like, who doesn't love a post it? But if you could create a space in your home where you can pop the post its of the things that you have done. Because, like, crossing it off the list is nice. Like, who doesn't love a good cross off the list? But then it's kind of over. Like, I wonder if if you struggle to celebrate yourself, if you struggle to acknowledge what you've done, if you struggle to feel good about yourself, if you could create a wall, even if it's just like the inside of a cabinet or the inside of a, of a closet door where you just like post all of the things that you've done. I'm imagining it. Can you, can you imagine it with me? It's like covered in all different color post its. Then at the end of the week you can see like, oh, here are the things that I've actually done. I'm not a loser. I'm not someone who's lazy. I'm not not doing things. I actually do get things done. Just a little pro tip there. I hope that's helpful. All right, next. Emma says, when I was organizing a new space, I saved good small to medium sized boxes with lids. I used the bottom of the boxes like trays to keep them in the same category together. Never put the lid on so that I can see everything. Bonus, putting fun paper in the bottom to make them look nice. Love it. Lorna says I allow myself permission to throw clothes on the floor in my bedroom before bed. Hell yeah, Lorna. I don't even bother trying to put them away. But in the morning I have to pick them up. Usually I make it a game. She's so cute. Usually I make it a game to a favorite song playing, like, go do it before the song ends. I will just say, circling back to me being hungover, if you could see my closet area with like my dresser. It is a hot mess express. And last night I was getting ready for bed and Greg was stretching because we're in our 40s now, so we have to stretch before bed. Anyone else? So Greg is stretching. I'm getting ready for bed and I just look at him. I'm like, I'm pointing to like the suitcase on the floor and the clothes everywhere and like the toiletries and all of it. And I was just like, listen, I don't have it in me. I do not have it in me to do anything about this. I have to record to, like I had just finished a chapter of my book. Cause I had a book deadline last night, of course. And then I was like, I have to record two podcasts tomorrow. I can't care about this. I can't. I didn't say these words, but essentially what I was saying to him is, I can't spend my spoons on this mess right now. I can't care about it. I don't want to give my energy to this. I don't want to give my capacity to this. And he literally said, babe, it's been 20 years. I think I can handle it. I was like, okay, it's been 20 long years. He knows. And so I love this. Lorna says, allow myself permission to throw the clothes on my floor. Yeah, who cares if there's clothes on your floor?

[Kristen Carter]

Do you know that it's not moral.

[Co-host or Guest]

Do you know that it has nothing to do with your character if you have clothes on the floor? Who cares? The people who say, like, the way that you do one thing is the way that you do everything. No bs. Not true. Absolutely not true. Those are the people who say, like, it matters if you make your bed. Come on, Are you kidding me? It like, yeah, like really serious people make their bed. And that's what's going to lead you to success if you make your freaking bed. I'm sorry, but no. Again, going back to capacity, going back to how costly it is to do the simple things in life. I am not going to use my energy to make my bed. I am sorry. No, I will use leftovers to do things like that. So every once in a while I feel like making my bed. In that case, I will. But it is not a thing that I'm like, oh, I have to make my bed. I have to keep my room tidy. I have to make sure my dresser. No, I'm gonna be messy. If I wanna be messy, it's fine. I have more important things to do with my life, like recording this podcast, like helping people with adhd, like writing a book like that is way more important than me picking my clothes up off of the floor or unpacking my suitcase within 48 hours of returning. It's gonna be way more than 48 hours. We're going. We're going at least 72. And listen, I don't care. I have more important things to do with my life and so do you.

[Kristen Carter]

Thanks for listening to this bite sized episode of the I have ADHD podcast. If you enjoyed this clip, you'll find a link to the full episode in the show. Notes. And don't Forget to visit ihaveadhd.com for tons of adults ADHD support. All right, my friends, I had a great time with you today, and I cannot wait to talk to you again next week.

[Co-host or Guest]

Bye.

[Kristen Carter]

Bye.