ADHD Cleaning Motivation: Tips That Actually Work

🧼 Why does cleaning feel so overwhelming with ADHD?
You’re not lazy—you’re juggling executive dysfunction, sensory overload, and unrealistic expectations. In this episode, we unpack why “just cleaning” isn’t so simple when you have ADHD—and how to build systems that actually work with your brain.

📌 In This Episode:
• Why spring cleaning with ADHD is never just cleaning
• How to stop chasing neurotypical standards and create your own rhythm
• Tools, tactics, and sensory tips that actually help
• What to do when guilt and shame get in the way of cleaning
• How to prioritize your energy without burning out

🎙 Meet Your Hosts
Melissa Llewellyn Snider – ADHD coach + EP of Hypercast. She offers 1-to-1 coaching and corporate education on ADHD and neurodiversity. Learn more at: https://likemindcoaching.com

Brianna Morton – ADHD coach + neuro-affirming therapist. She offers 1-to-1 coaching and therapy for ADHDers and neurodivergent individuals. Learn more at: https://understandingadhd.ca


💬 Got tips or struggles you want to share?
Let’s hear it in the comments—what helps you get through cleaning with ADHD?

Melissa's Contact:
Email: melissa@likemindcoaching.com
www.likemindcoaching.com

Brianna's Contact:
Email: info@understandingadhd.ca
www.understandingADHD.ca

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Transcript

Hypercast ADHD & Spring Cleaning

[00:00:00] Melissa: Cleaning with ADHD is never just cleaning.

[00:00:02] Melissa: It's questioning your life choices while holding onto a sponge. 

[00:00:05] Brianna: like my whole life flashed before my eyes 

[00:00:08] 

[00:00:09] Brianna: Welcome to Hyper Cast. I'm Melissa Le. I cannot say my name today.

[00:00:12] Melissa: Welcome to Hypercast. Hi, I'm Melissa Llewellyn Snider, 

[00:00:15] Brianna: Hi, I'm Brianna Morton,

[00:00:17] Melissa: Today we're gonna talk about spring cleaning. 

[00:00:20] Brianna: What does spring cleaning have to do with ADHD? Melissa,

[00:00:23] Melissa: Well, I have a hook. Do you wanna hear my hook?

[00:00:24] Brianna: give it to me.

[00:00:25] Melissa: Cleaning with ADHD is never just cleaning.

[00:00:27] Melissa: It's a weird mix of distraction, overwhelm, and suddenly questioning your life choices while holding onto a sponge. 

[00:00:34] Brianna: my whole life flashed before my eyes suddenly questioning your entire life, choices, while holding a sponge. For me, it's normally like I've decided to go through my wardrobe like it's springtime. I want a fresh wardrobe. I wanna get rid of the stuff that doesn't fit me.

[00:00:45] Brianna: I've pulled everything outta my closet and then I'm sitting there with like a hundred t-shirts. I don't actually have a hundred, I'm hyperbolizing 25 T-shirts. And I'm like, am I doing with my life? And then. You like things are everywhere and they're not a closet. You're lost. The

[00:00:58] Melissa: Yep.

[00:00:58] Brianna: to proceed [00:01:00] and

[00:01:00] Melissa: Yep.

[00:01:00] Brianna: an ah spiral.

[00:01:02] Melissa: Oh, the amount of times that I have deep cleaned our shower, and then the cleaning stuff sits in the bathroom for at least 30 days 

[00:01:11] Melissa: yeah. The laundry load that you've done five times. 

[00:01:14] Brianna: I am at the place where I get it in the laundry or washing machine. I get it in the dryer and then it

[00:01:19] Brianna: Okay. And then I hang it up and then it sits.

[00:01:22] Melissa: Well that's the clean pile. That is actually much more respectable, I have to say. It's not molding,

[00:01:27] Brianna: the thing where you wash it a bunch of times,

[00:01:29] Melissa: you ever taken the sheets off your bed, washed them, and then by the time they're done, you're too exhausted to put them back on your bed and now you don't have any sheets and you have to sleep and it's awful.I thought everyone had at least two sets of sheets

[00:01:39] Brianna: Some people only have one 

[00:01:40] Melissa: No, that's too stressful. 

[00:01:42] Brianna: Yeah. 

[00:01:42] Brianna: Yeah. two. sets of towels. 

[00:01:44] Melissa: At least Americans are like, I want one towel every single day. Some people are really like into, like, if a towel touched them once, it's now disgusting and dirty.

[00:01:52] Melissa: It will never touch them again.

[00:01:53] Melissa: I respect people's OCD, but that's strange for meThat is the primary thing in American households.

[00:01:58] Brianna: I don't wanna do laundry that [00:02:00] often.

[00:02:00] Melissa: I don't either. I'm with you. apparently the number one question about this topic that people with ADHD have is, How can I stop getting distracted while I clean? 

[00:02:10] Brianna: I'm gonna answer that question with don't. 

[00:02:12] Melissa: Don't clean, clean.

[00:02:13] Brianna: don't clean.

[00:02:14] Melissa: Don't stop.

[00:02:15] Brianna: getting distracted. 

[00:02:16] Melissa: that's interesting.

[00:02:17] Brianna: here's my issue with that. It's like, how can I be a

[00:02:19] Melissa: How can I

[00:02:20] Brianna: How can I clean like a neurotypical? You're not a neurotypical. 

[00:02:23] Melissa: stop

[00:02:23] Brianna: Stop holding yourself to standards that you shouldn't be holding yourself to. 

[00:02:29] Melissa: My only way that I've been able to not be distracted while cleaning is to make a game out of it. I'll set a timer. I try to speed clean through things because if I give myself space to do something else, it's done 

[00:02:41] Brianna: my strategy for this, I saw it on the internet. They called it June bugging. 

[00:02:45] Melissa: I have heard this. 

[00:02:46] Brianna: When I'm cleaning, I know I'm gonna get distracted, and so I no longer shame or blame myself for getting distracted. I will start in the kitchen. I find something that needs to go to the laundry.

[00:02:56] Brianna: I will pick it up. I'll take it to the laundry.

[00:02:58] Melissa: Mm-hmm.

[00:02:58] Brianna: something in the laundry room that needs to [00:03:00] be cleaned. I'll pick that up, take it to the bedroom. 

[00:03:01] Melissa: That's just efficiency of movement 

[00:03:03] Brianna: My neurotypical partner stays in the kitchen, keeps cleaning the kitchen until the kitchen is clean, and by that time I have cleaned three different areas in the house.

[00:03:11] Brianna: Maybe not to completion, 20% is better than nothing.

[00:03:14] Melissa: It doesn't have to be perfect. There is no expectation.

[00:03:18] Brianna: We're not 1950s housewives,

[00:03:19] Melissa: When I originally thought you said one of your things was to not clean. I got a little like, Hmm. But I'm thinking about it and I'm like, well, if you can avoid things piling up, 

[00:03:29] Brianna: yes,

[00:03:29] Melissa: if you can clean while you work, like I do my best to have as few dishes left by the time I'm finished cooking, so I don't have a sink full of dishes when I'm done.

[00:03:38] Melissa: That is how I was raised. My partner is working on that.It's a learned skill. 

[00:03:42] Brianna: when I think of cooking, cooking and cleaning are one task, I'm not done until it's also clean

[00:03:49] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:03:49] Brianna: my kitchen doesn't need cleaning regularly because it is getting cleaned as I'm eating, 

[00:03:54] Melissa: Cleaned as you're cooking.

[00:03:56] Brianna: Yes. Cleaned as I'm cooking. So like the biggest life [00:04:00] saver for me is that,

[00:04:01] Melissa: I mean,By the time you're done, what's probably left is like the the pan, the ladle. The things that you're using to serve. 

[00:04:06] Brianna: yeah, but everything else that I used to chop or prep that's all cleaned already. The kitchen is wiped down 

[00:04:12] Brianna: and it is so helpful.

[00:04:13] Melissa: we're on the same page here. 

[00:04:14] Brianna: That's my mantra for other things too, like don't put it down, put it

[00:04:16] Melissa: Mm-hmm. 

[00:04:17] Brianna: I have spots for everything. I'm never overwhelmed by mess because everything has a home. If it doesn't have a home, things start to pile up and become messy and overwhelming. 

[00:04:26] Melissa: I keep a bottle of spray that spray dawn stuff and a scrubber in the shower. So when I'm in the shower, I'll take five minutes and just scrub the shower down because then I don't have to do it later.

[00:04:37] Brianna: I keep my cleaning supplies in the bathroom

[00:04:39] Melissa: Yep. 

[00:04:39] Brianna: If you have the stuff next to the toilet, you can clean it right there.

[00:04:43] Brianna: it's good to have the things you need where you need them.

[00:04:46] Brianna: Yes, exactly. And part of the decision fatigue around cleaning is where is the cleaning cloth? 

[00:04:54] Melissa: Mm-hmm.

[00:04:55] Brianna: Where is the gloves? If you have to go around the house searching for it,you're already [00:05:00] exhausted by the time and you haven't even started cleaning.

[00:05:01] Melissa: Yes, and I realize there may be an ADHD tax here where you may have to buy multiples, but it's better to buy multiples than never have the thing done and then being totally stressed out.

[00:05:11] Brianna: Yeah, I definitely bought multiples. We have two bathrooms. Tried it with one set. I was like, I can't, I

[00:05:17] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:05:18] Brianna: They come in a two pack at Costco.

[00:05:19] Melissa: I got, uh, just empty spray bottles and I filled them with half vodka, half half filtered water. And it is a great, disinfectant and it cleans like grease. And I have them located all over the house.

[00:05:31] Brianna: Nice.

[00:05:32] Brianna: Okay. Remember how you were talking about your sponge in the shower?

[00:05:34] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:05:35] Brianna: have a sponge for my sink too,

[00:05:37] Melissa: Yep. 

[00:05:38] Brianna: So if I spill water, if there's some toothpaste, gunk or whatever, as I'm washing my toothbrush, I'll just wipe the sponge around and then it's clean.

[00:05:48] Melissa: is it like a maid has been there? Maybe not, but it is cleaner than if you never tried to clean it all. 

[00:05:54] Brianna: And if you can afford it, decide if this is worth your time, your energy, your anxiety, [00:06:00] your worry, your stress, and maybe allocate some funds towards a monthly or weekly cleaner, depending on your tolerance level for how clean you need things to be.

[00:06:08] Melissa: you don't have to get a maid to clean your whole house. Maybe you get a maid to come and clean your kitchen and main bathroom, and do your vacuuming, you can piecemeal it and pay less money for the things that are hardest for you to address when it comes to cleaning your home.

[00:06:24] Brianna: if you live with someone, parents, partner, whatever, if there's a task that you just cannot seem to remember or drives you insane or causes so much energy loss, that it's just not worth your time. For me, for example, the vacuum, it's really loud.

[00:06:38] Brianna: It sends me into overstimulation. I don't like it I have to put on headphones and I just hate it. It makes me so upset. That's my partner's job. I clean bathrooms. He cleans the floor.

[00:06:47] Melissa: we've talked about hobby swapping, but maybe like

[00:06:49] Brianna: Oh my

[00:06:50] Melissa: do like a swap with if you do something someone else hates, maybe swap with them

[00:06:55] Brianna: like. Inviting someone over to your house and they clean your house, and you clean their house [00:07:00] because it's so much easier

[00:07:00] Brianna: to do tasks for other people than for yourself.

[00:07:02] Melissa: It is 'cause especially if one of your love language is acts of service, 

[00:07:06] Melissa: And sometimes, even just getting rid of things that logically makes sense to get rid of is so much harder when it's sitting in your own house.

[00:07:14] Brianna: whenever I'm going through that clothing purge situation, I have learned my lesson. I do not do that alone. I need a buddy to help me make quick decisions. Otherwise I quickly, 

[00:07:23] Melissa: Quickly,

[00:07:24] Brianna: get

[00:07:25] Melissa: decision fatigue.

[00:07:25] Brianna: and the whole project is a bus, and I ended up crying in a pile of my own clothes.

[00:07:29] Melissa: a tip to deal with that if you don't have a buddy, is to have a maybe pile, you put it out of sight, something that easily could be rounded up and sent to charity. put something on your calendar, like if by this date, if I haven't gone through the maybe pile, send it off to charity then. 

[00:07:44] Brianna: with the caveat that winter and summer clothes, you should only do that during the season. 

[00:07:49] Melissa: True.

[00:07:49] Brianna: clothes 

[00:07:49] Brianna: the hack I've seen is turning all of the hangers the other way.

[00:07:52] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:07:53] Brianna: if you've used the item, you turn it back the right way. And if you haven't used the item, you can tell by all of your hangers.

[00:07:58] Melissa: I was able to do that for two weeks, and [00:08:00] then I never did it again.

[00:08:01] Brianna: Yeah. I haven't tried that hack either because it bothers me too much when they're not

[00:08:04] Melissa: Yes, exactly.

[00:08:06] Brianna: I'm just offering suggestions

[00:08:07] Brianna: No, you're not wrong. it may work for somebody out there and just because it doesn't work for you or I does not mean that it does not work. Bins, I forgot to mention the bin system. 

[00:08:14] Brianna: put everything that needs to 

[00:08:16] Melissa: Yes. 

[00:08:16] Brianna: in a bin and then take that bin to the next room. if you do really find yourself getting distracted and then not completing the task

[00:08:23] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:08:23] Brianna: Having bins and being like, this is an upstairs bin, this is a downstairs bin. Really helpful.

[00:08:27] 

[00:08:28] Melissa: So, how do we stay motivated to clean when we're already exhausted and burned out?

[00:08:32] Brianna: do I need to expend energy when I'm already exhausted on cleaning? Right? how do I force myself to do this? How do I keep energy? How do I keep motivated? How do you honor your body? How do you recognize that when you're tired, it's okay to stop.

[00:08:48] Melissa: for me, what this means is that I know there are certain areas of my home that need to be cleaner for me to maintain my best life. One of those is the kitchen, [00:09:00] because if dishes aren't clean, then I'm not going to eat. 

[00:09:02] Brianna: also an issue for me.

[00:09:03] Melissa: so think about your energy. if you're burnt out and you're low energy, The energy you have, where is that most effective? So if that means doing your dishes, that may mean that's the most important place to start for you.

[00:09:15] Brianna: the amount of times I've dusted my picture frames is zero,

[00:09:18] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:09:18] Brianna: I've seen people like wash their walls on those like TikTok things

[00:09:22] Brianna: 

[00:09:23] Brianna: That bears no impact on my life. What I need is a clean kitchen so I can eat. What I need is a clean bathroom so I can maintain my own cleanliness, If the spring cleaning fairy sprinkles her little spring cleaning dust on you, and you wanna go whole hog and clean your walls, no one's stopping you. 

[00:09:39] Melissa: something you just said there is, that's not impacting my life. So what is impacting your life? that is the place to put your time and energy.

[00:09:46] Brianna: start with the things that impact you most. And then if you've got energy leftover, Let that fairy help you take over and do some dusting swiff on the walls. Go for it.

[00:09:54] Brianna: If that's what brings you joy, go for it. But if that's not where your energy lies, maybe skip that

[00:09:59] Brianna: [00:10:00] So if you are preserving your energy and you can only do a few things and you're still finding that that's not enough to keep you going and complete the task, try body doubling 

[00:10:11] Melissa: there is an app for body doubling.

[00:10:12] Brianna: Yeah, there is an app. It's called Dubby.

[00:10:15] Melissa: Dubbie has been put out by the, the folks over at ADHD Love. if you've ever seen them on social media, they're lovely people.

[00:10:21] Brianna: if you don't wanna pay for that service, call a friend. I've seen people like put cardboard cutouts or like stuffed animals and like, that's how they body double.

[00:10:30] 

[00:10:30] Brianna: they can kind of imagine themselves being perceived. And that's enough.

[00:10:34] Melissa: putting on hoarders or something, it gives me the willies and I start cleaning. That's maybe a bit masochistic and maybe not good for my mental health, 

[00:10:41] Melissa: but it does inspire me to pick up my vacuum or my broom. 

[00:10:44] Brianna: I would say that it's More helpful to put on something like hoarders than it is to put on those organization videos where the ladies are reorganizing the applesauce in their fridge.

[00:10:54] Melissa: True.

[00:10:55] Brianna: I wish my fridge looked like that.

[00:10:56] Brianna: It would make my life so much easier, but I'm never gonna achieve that level thing. And it's kind of [00:11:00] de-motivating to see

[00:11:01] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:11:01] Brianna: else

[00:11:02] Melissa: Being so perfect when you can't maintain that level of perfection.

[00:11:05] Brianna: exactly. here's the crazy thing. Some people out there like cleaning. They like it. It brings them joy.

[00:11:12] Melissa: I like folding, even though I forget that it's a thing that I enjoy. I actually really like folding. There's something peaceful about it.

[00:11:18] Brianna: there are people out there who actually really like this, and if you're not one of those people, it's okay to hate cleaning. don't compare yourselves to people who it's their job or they like doing it, or they're making content about it.

[00:11:30] Melissa: And don't make things harder for yourself put the tools where you need them. use tools that work for you. Like, 

[00:11:37] Melissa: if you need gloves because things are wet, have gloves available for you.

[00:11:40] Brianna: Yes. The sensory issues thing, like I was talking about with a vacuum cleaner, it's too loud for me, so when I have to vacuum, I put headphones on. I don't like touching wet, gross things with my

[00:11:50] Melissa: Mm-hmm.

[00:11:51] Brianna: I don't leave. Dishes in the sink because then I'd have to touch that.

[00:11:54] Brianna: that's why I'm motivated to clean them sooner, because I don't wanna touch the weird gunk.

[00:11:59] Melissa: that makes total [00:12:00] sense.

[00:12:00] Brianna: reach your hand into a sink with mystery items is a sensory nightmare for me. So if you need some kind of sensory thing, put it with the cleaning

[00:12:07] Melissa: Mm-hmm.

[00:12:07] Brianna: whatever makes you feel confident in getting the thing done, then do it. 

[00:12:12] Brianna: Scent is another big one, like everything is scented and some of the scents are

[00:12:16] Melissa: Oh, yeah.

[00:12:16] Brianna: You can get organic non-scented cleaning products. You can also open a window, turn on a fan, wear a mask 

[00:12:23] Melissa: Yeah,

[00:12:23] Brianna: you don't have to clean with bleach, 

[00:12:26] Melissa: listen to your body. Know what it needs. Listen to your brain. Know what it needs. I forever could not freaking mop my floors. Like it just was not happening. So I got a floor cleaner that like self cleans itself and it is a godsend.

[00:12:39] Melissa: And it's actually fun to use, so I enjoy using it. 

[00:12:41] Brianna: here's another thing for the hypermobile chronic illness, people of our community, sometimes things are heavy,

[00:12:48] Melissa: Yes.

[00:12:49] Brianna: a full mop bucket full of waters, like too heavy for me to carry. Some of the vacuum cleaners are really heavy as well, and so if you need something lighter or you need to accommodate yourself, this is another opportunity to do [00:13:00] that.

[00:13:00] Melissa: Yeah. And I know before we've talked about gifts on one of the episodes, but maybe ask for gift cards and then you can, get yourself a new light vacuum.

[00:13:09] Brianna: I would love a gift card for a new vacuum cleaner.

[00:13:11] Melissa: My excitement over having to buy a new dishwasher recently, 

[00:13:14] Brianna: It has a really cool

[00:13:15] Brianna: top shelf.

[00:13:16] Melissa: does have a really cool stop shelf. I can put like mugs up there. I can put small glasses. I'm such a nerd. 

[00:13:22] 

[00:13:23] Melissa: third question here is how do I deal with shame or guilt about my messy space?

[00:13:28] Brianna: shame and guilt is a big, big thing that people struggle with, especially 'cause it can start to limit activity. like being embarrassed to invite people over to your home

[00:13:38] Melissa: Yeah,

[00:13:38] Brianna: so you're lacking social connection 

[00:13:41] Melissa: that's shame and guilt can put you in a dysregulated state as well.

[00:13:43] Brianna: Absolutely it can. that's why there's all those cleanings on the internet where it's like we're not shaming people for their mental health, like they got into this state, not because they wanna be living like this, like they're here because. Their mental health deteriorated to such a state that they couldn't clean

[00:13:59] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:13:59] Brianna: keep on [00:14:00] top of it, and things got to be this bad. if you're in a situation like that where like, you know, we're talking about like, oh, keep your bathroom clean, but like, we're still living in livable spaces. 

[00:14:09] Melissa: Mm-hmm.

[00:14:09] Brianna: in a livable space, for help. Your mental health, you're not gonna be able to keep up with things, which is our number one pro

[00:14:17] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:14:17] Brianna: don't let it get messy. keep it clean. if you're in a space where you can't keep it clean, get help.

[00:14:23] Brianna: are free services. If you're really struggling with mental health, you can also pay for services if you're able to give yourself a clean slate and try again.

[00:14:32] Melissa: There's nothing more exciting than a clean slate when you've been overwhelmed.

[00:14:36] Brianna: Yeah, it's such a relief for your mental health to have someone step in, help you out, set you up, get all the supplies that you would need, and then you're more able to keep on top of it even if your mental health is still struggling.

[00:14:49] Melissa: And I think that guilt and shame piece, a lot of it comes because we feel like we're the only ones. You're not the only one. This is something we all struggle with, like this executive functioning, this is a cleaning, [00:15:00] is executive functioning, and we all struggle with this very thing.

[00:15:03] Brianna: Yeah, and if you're in a place where you didn't have this knowledge or you're later diagnosed and you're just understanding now that shame and guilt is absolutely gonna hit you like a truck, because all of your life you've been struggling and then all of a sudden you're diagnosed and things get a little bit worse, and you're like, why is it getting worse?

[00:15:21] Brianna: I was able to keep up it's this weird mentality in your brain that makes everything harder You're shaming yourself and of course, you're not gonna be able to do as well.

[00:15:31] Melissa: masking. Masking can be part of this. 

[00:15:33] Brianna: Like if you're later

[00:15:34] Brianna: diagnosed, keeping up

[00:15:35] Brianna: the facade, you managed to have a full-time job. Kids keep the house clean, cook dinner every night, whatever it is that you're doing, and then all of a sudden you get a diagnosis and that mask drops and you're like, well, why can't I keep my house clean?

[00:15:45] Brianna: Why can't I do this? 

[00:15:45] Melissa AI: I was reading something on red, I can't remember which board it was on, uh, but someone was saying like, I always wondered how people have these pristinely clean houses, and then I realized that every person I know that has these types of houses, has one [00:16:00] room, has one room where they can put all the stuff and hide it behind a door.

[00:16:04] Melissa AI: So it's really just this curated facade.

[00:16:06] Brianna: It's what you see on social media,

[00:16:08] Melissa: Yeah.

[00:16:08] Brianna: seeing people at their worst. And also the same way that you panic clean before someone comes over. They're panic cleaning before someone comes over, right? So you're only seeing it when it's clean. You're not seeing it at its worst.

[00:16:19] Melissa AI: Yeah, so I don't know if the moral of the story here is that we just need a room to close off to the world.

[00:16:23] Brianna: the moral of the story is systems.

[00:16:25] Melissa: Yes.

[00:16:26] Brianna: systems so it never gets to that state. And if you need help building those systems because it's already in that state, reach out. Ask for help. You'll find that your friends and loved ones are more than willing to help you. if you can overcome the shame and the guilt, they're gonna be so happy to just be there and help you feel better.

[00:16:46] Melissa: And if you are worried about somebody coming over to your house. focus on the, areas that matter. close your bedroom door, clean the kitchen, clean the living room, and then you don't have to worry about the entire house. the times when I know that we're like having an event or a [00:17:00] party and then I'm like, oh, well the backyard needs to be completely clean.

[00:17:03] Melissa: Like, it doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

[00:17:06] Brianna: prioritization. Yeah. People are coming over. We're gonna hang out in the kitchen. I better clean the entire garage.

[00:17:11] Melissa: Exactly.

[00:17:12] Brianna: Yeah.

[00:17:12] Melissa: Yeah. that's not a reality. ground yourself a little bit here. Ask yourself what is the priority and focus on that

[00:17:19] Brianna: We were talking a little bit about energy, and I want to validate and normalize that energy is different on different days, week to week, day to day, hour to hour, your energy levels are going to be different.

[00:17:31] Brianna: If you have a high pressure job, you come home, you're already out of like decision

[00:17:35] Melissa: If you're a parent,

[00:17:36] Brianna: If you're a parent, obviously priorities change.

[00:17:38] Melissa: why does society give grace to parents when their houses are messy, but no one else.

[00:17:42] Melissa: because they can blame it on their children.

[00:17:44] Brianna: I digress. So there's a reason it's called spring cleaning, seasonally, right? Like this is the time of renewal. This is the time a lot of us have more energy. We've gone out of seasonal affective disorder, winter

[00:17:59] Melissa: [00:18:00] Yes.

[00:18:00] Brianna: sadness. New Year's resolutions. Were always supposed to be in the spring.

[00:18:03] Melissa: It makes so much more sense for it to be in the spring 

[00:18:05] Brianna: setting all these goals, keeping up with the cleaning, now is a great time to start setting up those systems because you naturally are going to have more energy

[00:18:13] Melissa: There's more daylight for heaven's sakes. 

[00:18:16] Brianna: More daylight, more time to get things outta the house clean and set those systems up in place.

[00:18:20] Brianna: So when you have a low energy

[00:18:21] Melissa: Mm-hmm. 

[00:18:22] Brianna: when you've had a tough day at work, when something. needs to be cleaned and you just don't have the energy for it. There's already a system in place, so it's easier for you to keep things clean rather than having to clean up after the fact.

[00:18:32] Melissa: Yes.

[00:18:33] Brianna: where is your energy at today? Honor that.

[00:18:36] Melissa: Honor that. if you have more energy, go to your list of to-dos and see if you can do just one more thing.

[00:18:41] Brianna: Exactly. if you have a high energy day, do high energy cleaning. If you have a low energy day, bare minimum.

[00:18:47] Melissa: clean, the spaces that impact your daily life, that's what you need to do. 

[00:18:52] Brianna: So today we talked about spring cleaning and how it relates to ADHD. We talked about how different strategies, [00:19:00] to implement

[00:19:01] Melissa: We talked about various systems to put in place to help you keep your house clean. We talked about the shame and the guilt and the emotions around not having a clean house, hopefully from this you gained a little bit of knowledge about how to be kind to yourself.

[00:19:17] Melissa: Be kind to yourself.

[00:19:20] Brianna: It's not always about being perfect and being clean. Society puts on this front and we don't have to. Match that we can live in reality, not in fiction.

[00:19:30] Melissa: There's something calming. Grounding about being honest about who you are, what you can do. And do what you can do to take care of yourself. on the daily. 

[00:19:40] Brianna: Honor your energy.

[00:19:41] Melissa: if you 

[00:19:41] Brianna: need more support with either cleaning or anything ADHD related, you can find me @ understandingadhd.ca. 

[00:19:50] Melissa: And you could find me @ likemindcoaching.com. Until next time, bye Bye-bye.