ADD Organizing Q&A: Your Questions Answered!

Last week I put out the call on my blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook to send me your questions about decluttering and organizing. I don't do this very often, but I thought it would be fun in honor of the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup, which begins next week.

I picked four questions that I thought would be the most helpful for ADD Management Guide readers, and I'm answering them here.

So let's begin!

Question: Why is it that I can never get motivated to organize? Is this an ADD thing?
-k.t.

Answer: k.t., getting motivated to get organized certainly is a common problem among adults with ADD. Here’s my advice: before embarking upon any organizing project, ask yourself why you’re doing it. If you want to get organized because you’re really tired of the stress that results from being disorganized, then that’s a very good reason. If you want to get organized because you think you SHOULD be more neat and organized, then that’s NOT a good reason.

To be successful in our organizing endeavors, we’ve got to get in touch with WHY the task is important to us. Otherwise, organizing is just another boring chore…and who needs more of those?

Question: My husband really needs your clutter class, but he doesn’t think so. How can I convince him to take it?
-Linda

Answer: Linda, I greatly appreciate your recommending the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup to your husband. That said, DON’T try to convince him to take it! In my experience, adults with ADD need to find their own motivation for decluttering and getting organized. Your husband might experience some success, but without the proper motivation, it just won’t stick.

Perhaps instead of trying to convince him, you can just email him the web page. Let him make the decision about whether or not the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup is the right thing for him at this time. Otherwise he'll just find himself in the same position as k.t. in the question above!

Question: What is your secret for organizing paper? I am swimming in magazines, print outs, mail, paperwork, etc.
-Carl A.

Answer: Carl, I do have a secret for organizing paper: throw it out! Being overwhelmed with paper is one of the most common problems that we deal with in the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup. My best advice is to throw out everything you can. What are the chances that you’ll ever pick up that magazine again? What’s stopping you from getting rid of all that junk mail? Why are you printing out articles when you can so easily access them online?

The hardest thing about organizing paper is learning to let go of 90% of it, but that’s exactly what will set you free from it.

Question: I have decluttered my office more times than I can speak of and yet it always comes back. Why am I such a failure at this?
-Charles G.

Answer: Charles, you are NOT a failure! In fact, let me reframe this situation for you: You have SUCCESSFULLY decluttered your office many times. It sounds like the only thing lacking is a maintenance plan. I encourage clients in the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup to create structure for maintaining that success.

Once your office is successfully decluttered, try scheduling in a daily or weekly clean-up routine so that you can regularly address the problem before it builds.

Do You Have Questions About ADD-friendly Decluttering and Organizing?

If so, then considering joining us for the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup, which begins next week on Wednesday May 5th!

Register for the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup by this Wednesday April 28th (that's tomorrow!) and Save $20!

- OR -

Register for ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup along with the Time Management Masters Seminar (in June) by this Wednesday April 28th (that's tomorrow!) and Save a Total of $97!!

In the ADD Clutter Busters Workgroup, I'll walk you step-by-step through an ADD-friendly decluttering and organizing process.

In this Workgroup, you'll:

• Overcome the procrastination that you experience when you try to get organized


• Sort through all your stuff and get rid of the junk


• Create customized organizational systems that will work specifically for you


• Learn how to work with your ADD to ensure success


• Develop the structure you need to become organized


• Create a follow-through plan to keep the clutter from coming back

Not to mention that:

• You'll benefit from a highly structured, virtual coaching program that is designed to support you every step of the way in learning not just how to get rid of clutter, but how to keep it away for good!


• You can participate from anywhere in the world! Your workgroup includes:
  
  
  1. Three (3) Live Teleseminars. Join us live by phone from anywhere in the world.
  
  
  2. Teleseminar Recordings. Yours to download and keep. So whether or not you attend the live teleseminars, you'll always have the recordings for your continued reference.
  
  
  3. Notes and Worksheets. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself during the teleseminars because I provide you with the notes and worksheets for each lesson.
  
  
  4. Members-only Website. Everything you need for this course can be found on the members-only website. This is also where you can connect with other participants, and get your questions answered between teleseminars.
  
  
• You'll be working right alongside other adults with ADD as they complete their own clutter busting goals. This means that you'll have lessons and coaching support from me, along with community support from your peers.

So if you're feeling good and you're ready to learn how to bust through your clutter, get yourself organized, and maintain your success, AND you want some extra help and guidance as you do it, then do join us!

ADD Clutter Busters 3-week Coaching Workgroup

$197 $177*

*Register before April 28 and save $20!

More info at http://addmanagement.com/coaching/clutterbusters.html