Mindful Minimalism and ADHD. Why Is It Important?

Minimalism equals peace. 

Now, a year or so ago I probably would not have said that. Minimalism is HARD. I loved my things and was very particular about getting rid of stuff. It was my kids’ first *insert whatever,* I paid x amount of dollars for this, I may need it down the road…. You get the picture. 

Over this last year, I started to shift that perspective some. Did I REALLY need to keep the shirt my great-grandmother bought me when I was 14? Was the torn-up baby blanket from my daughter worth keeping when I had 2 other blankets that were in perfect shape? No. The answer is, and always was, no. 

I had been hoarding all of this stuff for YEARS because I couldn’t let go. Don’t be me. Get rid of the damn blanket. 

Now, you might be wondering WHY you should just get rid of the damn blanket. It’s just one blanket, right? It doesn’t take up that much space. 

Well, it does. Once you have that mindset that one blanket turns into lots of “blankets.” You start looking for excuses to keep things. Then you’re looking for places to store things. It becomes a never-ending cycle.

Before you know it, you are overrun with stuff. Stuff you will probably leave in a tote, or drawer to never be seen again. Or, if you’re like me, bouncing it from room to room with no real place and always in the way. 

Today, we’re going to talk about mindful minimalism. Mindful minimalism is the practice of keeping ONLY what you really need and what brings value into your life.

How Does Minimalism Relate to ADHD? 

A lot of ways.

People who are ADHD tend to be more sentimental about items they have because they are highly emotional people. We struggle especially with items that are given to us by other people but it can also be for other reasons. Now, these feelings are COMPLETELY VALID. Don’t ever let someone invalidate you or your feelings. 

Then why should we work on changing this? Well, another problem that arises with ADHD is a cluttered mind. We have thoughts swirling, racing, cluttering up our mind on a daily basis. Though it may not seem like it, this is very overwhelming even if you don’t notice it. 

By limiting the “clutter” in our environment, we can help better manage the clutter in our mind. When we look around and see our “stuff” it’s like a mental checklist of what we have to do. 

For example, if you walk into your kitchen and have 10 miles of dirty dishes, an unswept floor, a pile of unopened mail from the last 2 weeks, and food from lunch still sitting out, you get overwhelmed. Our brain starts trying to figure out which task to finish first. The dishes because you freaking hate dishes and want to get them out of the way? The floor because it’ll be the fastest task? The mail because it requires you to sit down and open everything first so it won’t seem like cleaning?

When you keep clutter in your home, your brain will continuously do this. Even if it isn’t always at the forefront. Your brain can’t rest. There is no decompressing and relaxing. 

Our brains, just like everything else, require time to take a break. If you aren’t getting this rest, things like anxiety and stress build up. This impacts our working memory, productivity, and even self-esteem. Minimalism in the home equals minimalism in the mind.

How Do I Start on This Minimalism Journey?

Ultimately, where you start is up to you. It’s not the easiest journey and it will be very uncomfortable at first. THAT’S OKAY. 

You will struggle, you will get upset, you will get through your list of what you can think of, and still be disappointed in where you are. That’s also okay. 

I have gone through this cycle a dozen times since I started this journey and I have had many ups and downs and been disappointed numerous times. But let me tell you, IT GETS EASIER. 

Getting rid of things gets easier. It doesn’t always feel as bad as when you first start letting go. As you get rid of more and more things and you start seeing the little differences, you’re ready to jump in and do it all again. 

I started with clothing. My kids and mine. I had dropped a lot of weight so it made it easier to let go of a lot of my stuff. However, stuff like the shirt my great-grandma got me when I was 14 was hard. I have had that thing for 13 years! Guess what? It hadn’t fit me in probably 10. There was no reason to keep it. 

My kids had also all just gone through growth spurts so it was time to get rid of their old clothes too. Now, I did keep things from my oldest daughter to pass down to my younger daughter. I’m not saying not to do that. That’s okay. BUT, if it’s stained, torn, or just dingy, toss it. It’s okay if your mom got it for her for her birthday. It is JUST clothes. The real sentiment is in the relationship with that person. Not the material item. 

Try starting with something simple like clothes, extra dishes, or pots and pans. You can thank me later because let’s face it, everyone hates doing dishes and laundry. 

What Brings Value to Your Life?

Deciding what brings value to your life is probably the hardest part of this whole process. How do you decide that? What makes something valuable? This may be different for each person BUT there are some questions you can ask yourself. 

• Is this my favorite item? 
• Do I use this regularly or semi-regularly?
• Would I choose to purchase this item again if I didn’t already own it?
• Am I keeping it just in case?
• Is it broken or stained?
• Can I replace this item easily?
• What value does this item give me?
• Why do I feel the need to keep it?

If your answer to these questions is no or you are unsure, most likely, you should just toss it. The last question is probably the hardest. You may know exactly why you feel the need to keep it but are unsure of how to let go of those feelings. That is normal.

There are some things I kept through multiple cycles of the decluttering process before I was finally able to part with them and some things I still haven’t let go of! It takes a lot of work both physically and mentally to declutter. 

Earlier, when I said it gets easier, this is what I’m talking about. As you let go of the less important things, you really start to think about what IS important. You’ll find the more you go through things, the less important they really are. Then the next time you cycle back, you’ll find another trash bag or two to take off to donate. Before you know it, you’ll look around and think “Wow. I really did this.” 

It will feel SO GOOD that you will just keep going. You will start to notice that your brain is less cluttered, your house is cleaner, and the best part…. YOU’LL STOP LOSING EVERYTHING. 

In all seriousness though, you will notice a huge change in your overall well-being and mental health once you start living a more mindful, minimalist lifestyle.