ADHD & Organizing
An interview with Lorinda Dishington Ortiz, Organizing with Lorinda

Organizing, cleaning, and decluttering with ADHD can feel like a never-ending cycle of good intentions, overwhelm, and… doom piles. In this episode of ADHD FM, I’m digging into why organization is so hard for ADHD brains and why so many traditional organizing rules just don’t work for us.

I share some of my own struggles (and a few hard-earned wins), like why deadlines help me get started, why I’ve stopped believing that “less stuff is always better,” and how things like open shelving, clear containers, and having multiples of everyday items actually make my life easier and not harder.

Then I’m joined by organizing expert Lorinda Dishington Ortiz, a registered nurse, ADHD organizing specialist, and fellow neurodivergent woman who truly gets it.

We talk about:

• What doom piles really are (and why they’re not a personal failure)
• Clutter blindness, perfectionism, and why “I’ll do it later” rarely works
• Why organizing is an executive function nightmare and how to work with your brain instead of against it.
• Gamifying boring tasks, using timers, rewards, and even alter egos

This episode isn’t about becoming a minimalist or having a Pinterest-perfect home. It’s about finding systems that reduce friction, letting go of shame, and remembering that clutter is morally neutral and it does not define your worth.

If organizing has always felt overwhelming, paralyzing, or just plain impossible, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone and a lot more hopeful.

Contributors

Guest Interview: Lorinda Ortiz

Producer & Editor: Marion Cunningham

Logo Art: Jennifer Cooper

Resources Mentioned

Institute for Challenging Disorganization — Classes and certifications for becoming an organization coach

Full episode transcript available at adhdfm.com

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