6 Best Adult ADHD Books to get your home organized for good

A review of 6 adult ADHD books on decluttering, organizing, and cleaning.  These books are specifically written to help with the executive function challenges that adults with ADHD face when it comes to organizing physical stuff, information, time, and projects.

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You need the right Adult ADHD books to organize your home

Have you ever been lured into buying a home organizing book by a cover that seemed to promise rainbow-colored organizing magic?

Me, too.

“Read me and your pantry will be magically transformed into a perfectly matched and beautifully labeled work of art.”

Fat chance. 

As an adult with ADHD, I am more likely to create a half-finished, Frankenstein monster of a pantry.

Telling me to take everything out of a cabinet will result in a bigger mess that will get shoved right back into the cabinet when I am panic-cleaning a few days later.

And who can find the label maker?

Let’s face it: if you have ADHD, you need books written specifically for you (and preferably by people who really get your unique needs).  So, let me introduce you to a few of my favorite authors on organizing for adults with ADHD.

Decluttering for ADHD Adults

Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White

I love Dana White.  She gets it when it comes to distraction, busy brains, and overly-abundant stuff. 

This book is great when you simply have too much stuff and can’t seem to figure out how to reduce it.  Her ideas are solid and helpful for people who are easily distracted or can think of a million reasons to keep something “just in case.” 

The book starts by getting you into the right mindset and teaching you tools for making real progress.  Then it switches over to specific advice for different rooms, helping others, and special circumstances.

You can also check out her other books: How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind (for beginners who are overwhelmed) and Organizing for the Rest of Us (with great advice for those who have started making headway).

Organizing for ADHD Adults

The Clutter Connection by Cassandra Aarssen

This book explains the concept of 4 different organizing strategies based on your need for visual clues and preference for level of sorting.  This system makes so much sense! It explains why certain organizing systems will work for you and others won’t. 

I am awed by the rainbow-colored, micro-sorted masterpieces that are often featured in high-end organizing shows, but I absolutely could not keep such a system running in my own home.  This book explains why this is so and has plenty of pictures to show the different systems in action.

Cleaning for ADHD Adults

How to Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis

For those who struggle to keep the house clean, this is a gentle and practical guide.  It is especially useful for those with any kind of disability (mental or physical) that makes housekeeping difficult. 

This author takes the stance that chores and self-care tasks are morally neutral.  Your ability to do them is not a reflection of your personal worth.

Very short chapters, practical how-tos, and a non-judgmental tone make this a good choice when guilt and shame are overwhelming. 

More Organizing Books for ADHD Adults

ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen G. Nadeau

This book focuses on finding ways to work with your ADHD and using strategies that take advantage of your unique brain.  Every chapter sorts the strategies into three categories: ways you can help yourself, ways family and friends can help, and ways you can use professionals to help.  

The key to using this book is to find a chapter that speaks to you and jump in there. You can choose your own adventure with sections on taking charge of ADD, organizing things, organizing time, organizing information, organizing finances, and dealing with the digital world. I appreciate that it offers multiple solutions for dealing with organizing dilemmas because everyone struggles with ADHD in different ways.

Order From Chaos by Jaclyn Paul

This book has sections to help you deal with the reality of ADHD, understand containers, and create systems that work with you instead of against you. 

This book goes beyond organizing your stuff and helps with creating routines and doing projects.  It also helps you understand the obstacles you face with ADHD and how best to deal with them. 

This book really shines when it talks about containers for everything including thoughts, projects, tasks, and physical stuff.

Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD by Susan C. Pinsky

This book starts with a short section outlining efficient organizing for people with ADHD. 

The rest of the book is a reference source arranged by room with storage ideas particular to that area.  Each problem is listed along with solutions, many of which have pictures to illustrate before and after. 

This is an excellent reference book to consult when you have difficult storage issues.

Final Word on Adult ADHD books for organizing

The next time you’re tempted by the organized perfection featured on the cover of an organizing book…resist!

Buying home organizing books for neurotypical folks is like trying to wear your shoes on the wrong feet:  they will not fit.

Instead, get hold of one of these books that will fit your ADHD brain:

• Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
• The Clutter Connection by Cassandra Aarssen
• How to Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis
• ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen G. Nadeau
• Order From Chaos by Jaclyn Paul
• Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD by Susan C. Pinsky