For many, the biggest season of holidays, stress, and exhaustion has come to an end, and it’s time to start the new year with a fresh slate! If you’re in this camp and are hoping to begin 2026 feeling refreshed and revitalized, it likely means you have some decluttering in your near future! Decluttering can absolutely feel like a David vs. Goliath-level task for someone with ADHD, but here we’re sharing our expert advice on how to stay focused and ensure YOU come out on top when decluttering.

You want to begin the decluttering process by creating micro zones and using the “Four Box Hack” method. Establishing and sticking to “micro zones” will immensely help someone with ADHD because it keeps the focus on a very small area. Large spaces create overwhelm, so you want to begin by picking a small area to start with. (We’re talking… one single drawer, shelf, or cabinet “small”!) Choose a micro zone space that would fit on a placemat and start by focusing only on that area. Go from one micro space to another only after fully completing the first area. This prevents someone with ADHD from losing focus and allows for more productivity and progress.

The “Four Box Hack” is another beneficial tool for someone with ADHD to use when decluttering their space. This method requires you to acquire and label four small bins for your decluttering project. Label the bins: keep, trash, donate, and TBDL (“To Be Determined Later” for items you get stuck on.) These four categories cover every item you come across, and the TBDL box helps prevent decision fatigue, which is usually the cause of focus derailment. We’ve seen incredible success using both concepts with our clients who have ADHD!

This is a big one! A timer is extremely helpful (especially for someone with ADHD) when decluttering because it will help keep you on track. Timers are a great way to keep you focused for small bursts of time. Only give yourself 5-10 minutes (or 15 minutes as the absolute max) per micro space to prevent getting sidetracked. When the timer goes off, stop and go do something else! Taking even only a minute to grab a drink of water, go for a brisk walk, love on a pet, etc., will “reset” your brain and allow you to come back for the next 5–10-minute session ready to focus again. One seemingly harmless minute of lost focus will often snowball into countless “side quests” and other distractive tasks, so a physical timer is your best line of defense against distraction!

Proper motivation is important to anyone with ADHD hoping to accomplish something, and decluttering is no different! ADHD focus improves with dopamine stimulation in the environment. This means building stimulation is key to increasing your motivation. While you work, play upbeat music or a podcast that’s interesting (but not too immersive)! You’ll also be better motivated if you treat the task like a game – “How far can I get before the song ends?”

An ADHD brain responds well to seeing progress, so I also suggest taking before/after images of your micro zones! A quick picture provides a small dopamine reward, which in turn equals more focus.

“Body doubling” is something that assists with focus and productivity while working and is especially impactful for someone with ADHD. It is the simple act of having another (physical or virtual!) presence with you when working on a task. Research shows that body doubling with someone makes your goals feel easier to achieve.

Create a clear, simple, 3-step plan before you begin your decluttering project. Making your plan in a checklist format is suggested because checking items off the list will help you feel accomplished, and that feeling leads to another dopamine bump after each
step! ie:

• Clear kitchen junk drawer
• Clear the floor in the closet
• Hang up clothes

Have a body-double, either in person or on a video call using FaceTime, when you begin work on those three steps. You don’t even have to talk to this person! Simply having another body there keeps your brain on track and helps with accountability and motivation.

You don’t want to overwhelm your brain with an overabundance of “rules”, but you also want to have some in place so that you make progress. Create no more than a few rules, keep them simple, and stick to them! You’ll find yourself more focused and productive if you limit your choices by implementing rules such as:

• If you haven’t used something in 6 months, it must go!
• Only keep what fits inside the space (drawer, cabinet, etc.) you’re working on
• If it takes longer than 10-15 seconds to decide, it goes into the TBDL box

Like with anything else, you deserve rewards for your hard work and progress! Small rewards also help maintain momentum. We believe the size of the accomplishment will best determine the size of the reward. For example, if you set a timer and successfully follow your rules while sorting items into the four boxes for ten minutes? Grab a small snack; you earned it! Once you’ve completed each “micro zone” within a room and have decluttered the entire space? Well done!! Give yourself a bigger reward! The rewards release dopamine, help with motivation to continue, and provide tangible evidence of your ability to complete the task; ALL things that will help you improve.

ADHD focus fluctuates; that’s normal! It’s important that you reward, forgive, and reset yourself when it feels necessary. When you notice yourself beginning to drift off or find your focus wandering, use a simple reset phrase by asking yourself, “What was I doing again?” Return to the micro-zone you chose and “start over” by looking at your checklist and getting back to the rules for sorting.

We understand that tips such as these seem easy enough, but know that they’re often “easier said than done” once you find yourself mid-task, distracted, and overwhelmed. Decluttering is a tough hurdle for many people to get over, not just those who already struggle to focus! If you read this and find yourself thinking, “I REALLY could use some help decluttering,” or if you simply want a professional body double to be in the space with you, our inbox is always open! Decluttering season is one of our favorites because, for our ADHD organization specialists? Nothing is better than helping an overworked, overstimulated brain tackle a task with newfound ease!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Tonia