Articles. News. Information.

Category of Information, News & Articles


Six ADD Tips for Organizing Everyday Things


Life with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) can be a constant hassle. Little things like lost car keys, tools that stick or don't cut well, papers that go missing all add to the general level of tension. These tips will help you come to grips with the nitty-gritty of everyday things.

1. Things have a place close to where they are used.

Putting things close to where they are used means that you do not have to move away from your work space to find them. Put them away when you have finished using them. Car keys are a good example of things that go missing; have a place, a basket or a hook, near the door where you come in and go out. Train yourself to put them there every time you come in.

I have two pairs of scissors in the kitchen. One is short and works well to open packages of food; it lives in a drawer by the stove where I cook. The second pair, longer, lives on the kitchen table where I read the newspaper and often cut out articles. I used to have only the long pair for everything, but it was never where I wanted it. Now which ever pair I need is right at my finger tips.

2. The place for a thing should be logical to you.

Give some thought to when and where you use an object and store it near by. Don't worry about what other people might think. You are the one who is using it. If someone else also uses the object you may have to negotiate or better yet buy two.

I keep paper clips over the bread board. Why? I use paper clips to close up bags of cereal and nuts which live in the same cupboard; I rarely use them for attaching papers together, and when I do, I know where they are.

3. Have tools which are efficient to use and feel good.

A letter open that is long enough to open an envelope with one or two strokes. A paper punch which will take a wadge of papers in one go. Scissors which are sharp and feel good in your hand. Good tools make a job easier and quicker to do and provide kinesthetic pleasure.

I had two letter openers. One, short, stubby, and now gone, was difficult to insert into the envelope, took two or three hacks to get the envelope open and the handle was too short to grasp comfortably. The other has a longer blade which slips easily into the open space in the envelope and the handle fits comfortably into the palm of my hand. Opening the mail is quickly done.

4. Use containers that are adequate and pleasing to you.

Containers should be large enough to hold whatever they are designated for and should hold only one category of thing. A colored envelope on a convenient shelf for bills to be paid this month, an attractive basket by the front door for your keys.

I needed something to hold pencils, scissors etc on my desk. I looked in several stores; they all had versions of a stack of chimneys. I reasoned that they weren't adequate and kept looking. I found an organizer in the shape of a dog in my favorite color; I didn't even stop to think if it was "adequate". He does his job admirably, and I use him because he's cute.

5. Put things away when you are finished using them.

When things live close to your work space it is easy to put them away immediately. Putting them away becomes part of the task in which they were used instead of a separate activity called "putting away". As people with ADD have difficulty coping with multiple tasks, eliminating even one makes every day living a little bit easier.

6. Now to organize everyday tasks - create a routine: the 5 minute SWOOP.

Routines? Sound boring? Yes routines help you get the boring things done without thinking about how boring they are. The 5-minute swoop is designed to do the basic everyday tasks in each room. Make one list for each room of the things that need to be tidied up everyday. Spend no more than 5 minutes in each room; set a timer if necessary. You will know how much time you are going to spend before starting therefore you can get out the door in time to get the kids to school or to your meeting. Be strict about the 5 minutes so that you don't get captured by the ADD impulse to organize an entire cupboard.

Sarah Jane Keyser worked for many years with computers as programmer, analyst, and user trainer, but her struggle with inattentive ADD kept getting in the way of her plans and dreams. Once ADD was identified and the great need that coaching filled, she added ADD Coach training (ADDCoach Academy) to complete her preparation for a new career as ADD Coach.

Learn more about ADHD at http://www.CoachingKeytoADD.com or sign up for Zebra Stripes, a free E-zine for ADHD at http://www.coachingkeytoadd.com/newsletter/newsarchive.html


MORE RESOURCES:

Arkansas Indymedia

Opinion: Workers seeking to organize need more protection
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 23 hours ago
Employers currently can dictate that an election be held if workers wish to organize. Conservatives such as columnist George Will frame the free choice act ...
UCSB Conference Examines Conflicts Between Conservatives and ... UC Santa Barbara
Union-card check bill sharply splits businesses, labor The Virginian-Pilot
Employee Free Choice Act NOW! Arkansas Indymedia
AFL-CIO - Progress Illinois
all 18 news articles


BBC News

SEIU President Met With Blagojevich
Wall Street Journal - 23 hours ago
The SEIU has often built close ties to elected officials to push its organizing agenda, especially of public-sector workers. Some allege that while not ...
Video: Burris Reflects on His Trip to Washington AssociatedPress
Senate Committee Ratios Depend on Two Undecided Midwestern Seats CQPolitics.com
Senate Rejects Burris, Now What? NPR
The Public Record - Atlantic Online
all 10,860 news articles


The Canadian Press

Professional Help Free
Seattle Post Intelligencer - 12 hours ago
The Seattle National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is providing a great opportunity to win an organizing package for two rooms in the ...
NAPO-NC has the Solution for New Years Resolutions: GET ORGANIZED! dBusinessNews Triangle (press release)
Appropriate organization full of clutter Kingston Daily Freeman
Orderly Manor to Participate in National Get Organized Month ... PR.com (press release)
The Canadian Press
all 15 news articles


The Organizing DNC; The Future Of Obama's Campaign
Atlantic Online - Jan 5, 2009
But it will significantly expand its campaign organizing capacity and probably its staff; think of it as current DNC chairman Howard Dean's 50 state ...


Nine ways to organize the garage in '09
Muncie Star Press, IN - 19 hours ago
If you can park at least one car in your garage, you can probably organize the entire space in a day. You'll need a staging area where you can put items as ...


NY City Hall to host inauguration party
Newsday, NY - 8 hours ago
The City Council, which is organizing the event, has already had more than 2000 responses to its invitations sent weeks ago. The inauguration is Jan. 20. ...


Artful organizing
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - Jan 6, 2009
By MARY CAROL GARRITY, Scripps Howard News Service I love to pore over magazine articles that tell you how to make your home an organized marvel. ...


CNN

10 tips for organizing your closets
CNN - Jan 5, 2009
You can do this by the golden rule of closet organizing: If you haven't worn it in a year, toss it. Also, if it doesn't fit you well, it is time to get rid ...


Lisa Abraham: Organizing kitchen on resolution list
Akron Beacon Journal, OH - Jan 6, 2009
I resolve to organize and clean out my kitchen cupboards and refrigerator. In my home, 2008 was referred to as the year of organization. ...


NY1

Home Organizing Can Lead To Economizing
NY1, NY - Jan 6, 2009
Professional organizer Julie Morgenstern, author of "Organizing from the Inside Out," says organizing your home is not only about being tidy, ...

Organizing - Google News

Home | Sitemap
© 2006 eInfoJunction.com Homepage | Web Directory | Article Directory| Bid Directory