Clutter

In one of our previous sessions, group discussed difficulty with dealing with clutter - a common struggle for adults with LD/ADD/ADHD. Some of the "favorites" that group members have difficulty discarding include:

• papers
• clothes
• electronics
• office supplies
• empty boxes
• books
• cookware
• food
• information
• cleaning supplies
• media (magazines, newspapers, VHS, CDs)
• used paint
• baby stuff

Members shared that there is thrill when they get something, even if they might never use it. The thrill can be especially strong if they get something for free. At the same time, there is pain associated with discarding an object, even if they do not use it.


Members point out that accumulating clutter often happens at the expense of something else - you might have so many empty boxes you do not want to throw out, that there is no space for more useful things in your house. This type of accumulation happens compulsively and impulsively and often associated with lack of control. People who tend to accumulate clutter have difficulty deciding what they would need where and when and usually have a "just in case" mentality.

Some suggestions for getting rid of things:

• donating
• using Freecycle - http://www.freecycle.org/ (a website where you can find someone in your area you can potentially exchange stuff that YOU don't need with the stuff that THEY don't need for free).