Yes, this is another ADHD blog post. Yes, there will be more. Sorry, not sorry.
Writing is how I figure myself out. Some people podcast, some make TikToks – I write. It’s how I turn the chaos of my spicy brain into something semi-coherent. So if you’re still here, thanks. And if this is your first time visiting RD on the Run, buckle up.
Since my official ADHD diagnosis a few weeks ago, I’ve been deep in reflection mode (classic ADHD: hyperfocus on self-awareness for three weeks straight). Reading and listening to others’ stories has always helped, but now? It hits different. More healing. More validating. And maybe if I share mine, someone else will feel a little less like a mess. Maybe I will, too.
“Where Do I Even Start?” — AKA, The ADHD Cleaning Spiral
Every weekend, I tell myself, “I’ve got time. I’m going to clean the house.”
Sometimes it works. I use the Pomodoro technique, check things off a to-do list, and feel like the star of my own productivity montage.
Other times – like today – I walk into a room, get overwhelmed, and spiral. Instead of cleaning, I start researching cleaning. Cue my current hyperfixation: the Hacking Your ADHD podcast. Before I know it, I’m writing a blog post about cleaning… and nothing is actually clean. Oops.
But here’s the thing: it’s not laziness. It’s not me failing at adulting. It’s executive dysfunction.
Executive Dysfunction 101 (Or, Why My Brain Refuses to Start the Dishes)
Executive dysfunction means my brain struggles to start, prioritize, and follow through – not because I don’t want to, but because ADHD brains are low on dopamine, the chemical that fuels motivation and focus.
This shows up as:
- Decision paralysis – Everything feels equally urgent and overwhelming, so I freeze or start 12 things at once.
- Clutter overload – Visual mess turns into mental noise, and the more cluttered it gets, the harder it is to function.
- Time blindness – Either I think I have hours (I don’t), or I think something will take forever (it won’t). Either way, my sense of time is… questionable.
Understanding this helped me let go of a lot of shame. But the biggest “aha” moment wasn’t just about understanding my brain – it was finding my people.
Finding My People, and Finally Feeling Seen
Working with my therapist has been life-changing. We’ve talked about strategies like temptation bundling (pairing boring tasks with enjoyable ones), unlearning perfectionism, and building routines that actually work for me.
But it wasn’t until I heard “You have ADHD” and found the Hacking Your ADHD podcast that things really clicked. Hearing someone describe my exact struggles – forgetting what I was doing, reorganizing things that weren’t the priority, avoiding mess by diving into research – gave me the language and validation I needed. I’m not lazy. I’m not alone. I’m just wired differently.
So… How Do I Work With It?
There’s no magic cleaning method, but I’ve found a few tools that help:
- Checklists – Even if I don’t finish everything, crossing things off gives me momentum.
- Pomodoro technique – 25-minute focus blocks with breaks keep me from spinning out.
- Temptation bundling – Dishes + podcast = mildly tolerable chore.
- Body doubling – Having someone nearby (even virtually) helps signal “do the thing now.”
- Gamifying – Apps like Finch and (new to me) Tody make routines feel more like progress bars and less like punishment.
Cleaning Isn’t a Project – It’s a Process
My biggest takeaway? Cleaning isn’t a one-time task I can finish and forget. It’s not a project. It’s a process.
ADHD brains love panic-cleaning with a deadline, but that’s not sustainable. Life is messy. I live here. Of course it gets cluttered again.
So instead of trying to stay at “peak clean,” I’m learning that I need to build small routines into my day – wiping the bathroom counter while I brush my teeth, unloading the dishwasher while making Bella her breakfast. Things that are doable.
I’m not chasing a perfect house. I’m chasing peace.
Progress Over Perfection
Some days I check off five things. Some days I get distracted halfway through one. Some days I write about cleaning instead of actually cleaning (like today). And that’s okay.
Because this is about progress, not perfection. About creating routines that help me function with less stress, less shame, and more intention – one day, one task, one slightly cleaner corner at a time.
If you’re trying to wrangle your spicy ADHD brain and wondering why cleaning feels so hard – you’re not alone. And if you’ve found a routine that works for you? I’d love to hear about it.
We’re not failing at being adults. We’re just learning how to live in a world that wasn’t designed for our neurospicy brains.
RD on the Run 