Episode #59: 4 ADHD Cleaning Tips & Hacks That Actually Help

Let’s have a real conversation about cleaning with ADHD — what it’s actually like trying to stay on top of things.

One of the reasons cleaning feels hellish when you have ADHD isn’t just because it’s boring or physically exhausting. It’s because cleaning itself isn’t organized. 

Most of us aren’t treating it like something that’s scheduled or structured — we’re doing it impulsively.

Maybe you put it off for days (or weeks) until one morning you look around and it’s just too much — too many dishes in the sink, too many coffee stains on the floor, too many things out of place. 

You end up going into a full-blown deep clean. It takes all day, all your energy, and by the end, you’re completely wiped.

In episode 59, I’m chatting to you all about:

• How to clean your home in a way that hopefully works for you without having to “binge deep clean”
• How to think of cleaning as functional and make it fun
• My new laundry system that helps with our impulsivity
• My new obsession: the House Purse.

Listen below, stream it on your favorite podcasting app, or scroll to access the full blog post.

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My Go-To Cleaning Tips for ADHD Brains

1. Schedule In Cleaning Once a Week

To avoid getting stuck with cleaning, when you’ve let things get way too out of control, you can schedule in a little mild cleaning. 

This way, you won’t be stuck thinking you missed out on something better because your messy house needed taking care of.

Now, you may hate scheduling. I get it, I’m terrible at scheduling as well, and it’s not always easy for me to get started. It’s a lot of effort.

However, I know when I could find time to schedule in some mild cleaning. 

So, I follow this mini cleaning schedule to stay on top of things without it feeling like too much…

1. Once every week: Plan to do some cleaning and tidying up
2. Book a 2 to 3 hour block in your calendar: 3 hours max – or if you prefer, 2 different days at 1 hour each
3. Prioritize your cleaning by the main areas that impact your life the most:
   • First areas to clean: bathroom sink, toilet, tub/shower, sheets
   • Second areas of focus: Floors (mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, rugs), kitchen sink (dishes, cleaning out the sink, emptying the dishwasher.
   • Third areas of focus: Countertops (cleaning them of clutter, wiping them), laundry, dusting main rooms (living room, bedroom, etc). 
4. Do something you enjoy or want to get off your plate: It must be a passive activity – for example:
   • Listen to an audiobook or music
   • Have your favorite TV show on in the background
   • Make some phone calls
   • Make voice notes on your phone
   • Listen to a podcast for research
5. Take a couple of 10-minute breaks: Drink water, have a snack, stretch

Think of this as your main clean for the week.

✨ Tip: If you don’t already, make sure you have 2 sets of sheets you love – this way it’s so much easier to get your bed ready without waiting for the dirty sheets to wash and dry.

2. Use Cleaning Products You Love

To make cleaning easier, make sure you have cleaning products on hand that you love using.

It’s okay to invest in a few things to make the process easier and more enjoyable.

For example, I love using…

• A battery-powered scrub brush, which makes my life so much easier!
• The Bissell steamer: I’m a huge fan
• Microfiber cloths: Work better than paper towels and are environmentally friendly
• Shark Mop Vacuum: Perfect to quickly clean small spills 
• Hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda: To clean wood cutting boards.
  • Mix it into a paste on the cutting board, let it sit on the stain, and then, after 5 or 10 minutes, scrub and rinse it off. 
• Clorox wipes for quick daily bathroom cleanups

3. My Laundry Hack

People with ADHD hate doing laundry. 

• We keep washing the same things.
• We forget that they’re in the washing machine.
• They get wrinkled.
• We need to rinse them again to remove the wrinkles.
• Then we put them in the dryer.
• But we forget to put them away, and now they’re wrinkled.
• Finally, we put them in the laundry basket, and we never put them away. 

? This can happen due to a lack of organization, but what I’ve realized is more of an issue – I get impulsive.

I’m working from home. I see the washing machine and think,

“Jen, would it really be a big deal to just throw in a load of clothes right now?” Technically, no, it wouldn’t. But do I stop there? No. I throw one load in, then it goes in the dryer, and then I see.

Would it be a big deal to throw a second load in? No, but that’s where the trouble starts. 

Now the second load is in, so the first load stops, the dryer stops, and now I’ve gotta put that in a laundry basket. 

The second load’s wet, so I’m gonna put that in the dryer. 

Now I’ve got two loads of laundry to put away, and that was not part of my day.

It’s impulsive, and it does me no good.

So, here’s what I’ve started doing: 

You know those underwear/bra bags to wash things in, so they don’t wear out? I now use these to organize. 

What I do: I use one dedicated bag for different types of clothing. One bag for…

• Things I wear often – certain t-shirts, a hooded sweatshirt, leggings, etc. These items go in that bag, so if I only have time for one wash, it’s going to be the things I wear on repeat.
• Socks
• Underwear
• Workout clothes
• Tops
• Sweatshirts

For the 10 seconds it takes to put your dirty clothes away – in the dedicated bags, you will save much more time later. 

Instead of just throwing it in the laundry hamper or throwing it in the basket, pick up one of your bags and put it in there.

When it’s time to wash, grab a bag (start with your frequently worn clothes) and once dried, you can put them away quickly – as it’s not a lot of stuff, or you can put them away later.

When it comes to the sock or underwear bags, you can just put the clean bags in the corresponding drawers until you feel like organizing (or not).

4. Get Yourself a House Bag

Every ADHD brain needs a house bag. Think of it like a portable caddy or purse for your home — filled with all the random things you’re constantly looking for but never have nearby.

The idea is to have all your stuff in the bag, caddy, or basket so you don’t need to go looking for it when you need it. 

In my house purse, I keep the essentials I reach for daily:

• Pens, sticky notes, chargers, reading glasses, notebooks, hand lotion, lip balm, wipes, and even my little filming light and microphone. 
• Basically, all the stuff that used to be scattered around the apartment now lives in one spot.

The best part? I can move it wherever I’m working — from my kitchen table to the bedroom to the rooftop lounge (yep, that’s a thing in my building).

When I’m done, I just hang it up or tuck it away neatly.

I found mine for $21 on Amazon. It’s technically a crafting bag with lots of pockets — and honestly, it’s one of the best ADHD-friendly “organization tools” I use.

It keeps me from wasting energy searching for things, and it makes everyday tasks feel easier (and a little more fun).

Don’t Forget:

Cleaning with ADHD doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. 

By scheduling short cleaning sessions, using products you actually like, and creating small organization systems like laundry bags or a house bag, you can make life easier and keep things manageable. 

PIN To Read Later!

Resources & Sources from Episode 59:

• How To Keep House While Drowning – 20% off this book
• Order From Chaos – 20% off this book
• Dirty Laundry – 20% off this book
• ADHD Organizing & Cleaning Solutions – 20% off this book 
• ADHD & Chores – The Mini ADHD Coach