Hello cauria070 The day I got married, stress increased due to being pregnant, wife responsibilities, and a negative husband. During these dark years I read every book I could on how to get out of my chaotic life. My favorite author is Pam Young and Peter Walsh (How to organize just about everything), but Susan C. Pinsky and her book, “Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder Practical, time-saving advice for those of us who struggle with procrastination, perfectionism, impulsivity, and forgetfulness” gave me new hope. I find knowledge is power, so I continue to read or re-read information. Some of the sites I found may or may not help but I listed them at the end. (43, divorced in 2005, in college finally, online “lol”) Purse switching

Have a check list in your clear work bag (index card typed then laminate with clear duck tape). Home from work on the back of your check list have a deposit list : name tag, badge, etc. On the front of your check list, “put in regular purse” and move them and use this list to put them back, or possible have a duplicate of brush, etc. in each bag so the transfer list is smaller, like : driver lic. Wallet, and etc. Traveling Have a travel list or organizer (paper like the one on www.plannerpads.com, or PDA). I suggest a travel bag on wheels and assign (label if necessary) each pocket to a specific item or items. A laminated list of what must be in the bag as well, check the whole list before you leave. Cards/Ideas In the index card section of WalMart I believe, there is a box that snaps shut which is 3x5 by about a half inch or inch which I thought might be good to file my cards in. Cards like bus card, time card, Food Lion MVP card, Car Ins. Card, Med idea cards, bank card, book store cards, and more. Also, have a sales ad that shows a card holder that hold 34 cards (http://www.dreamproductscatalog.com/details.cfm?item=10201 2 wallets for 7.97 plus…)

Also, “advise, suggestions, or thoughts” from others should be viewed like a yard sell in that some of it is “well meaning, but junk” and other pieces of information may help.

(* are sites I like a lot, I have not seen all these, some were listed on www.help4adhd.org I believe) Suggested Web sites *Planner Pads Company, www.plannerpads.com *Daytimer, www.daytimer.com *Watch Minder, www.watchminder.com Daily Planner Sheets, www.digital-women.com/daily-planner (free printable planner sheets) Time Management, www.davidco.com Time Management Tools, www.mindtools.com Timers, www.timetimer.com National Resource Center on AD/HD Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 8181 Professional Place, Suite 150 Landover, MD 20785 800-233-4050

www.help4adhd.org Please also visit the CHADD Web site at www.chadd.org.

More sites: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml http://support4hope.com/add_adhd/index.htm http://www.ncpamd.com/adultadd.htm *(not the pills, but the advice on: ) http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/adult/coping.htm http://www.additudemag.com/adhd-web/article/2105.html http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/cleanorg/pocketbrain.html * http://www.thebigpic.org/ http://www.about-goal-setting.com/goal-planning.html *(similar to ADHD is Bipolar disorder, so this site might interest you on coping skills) http://www.livingmanicdepressive.com/C_050.html

Sincerely, Miss KD

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You sure aren't alone. I think you'll appreciate these articles:

Losing It!

I Lose, Therfore I Am

I hope this helps, Dena

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I know exactly what you mean I was diagnosed at age 5 and so have been trying to manage it for almost 15 years now and although I have now been able to teach myself to recognise the exact days when I am going to have bad day cause of the ADHD. The forgetfulness i struggle with continously. I have always had trouble trying to keep myself orgnasised, my parents used to help me manage but now am on my own and as I am currently studying medicine. When I am forgetful this gets me me really stressed especially times when I can't find my notes or have forgotten something that I vitally needed. I have taken very recently since starting uni to making lists when I am stressed. For both things I need and things I have to do. It has really helped me control the stress and frustration it causes me.

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You definitely are NOT alone!! The idea of notes and lists are great idea - provided you can remember to check them, -for the grocery store, I may put it in my purse but then forget to look at it when I'm in the store. What I wound up doing where a few things: 1) I bought myself a small day planner that can fit in my purse. I mark all my appointments for my kids and myself and any other "goings-on" 2) I also keep in my purse a small notebook so that when I'm anywhere and remember something I can just jot it down. If I'm out shopping and want to go home and look up a product, I write it down. 3) I also use my cell phone alarms often. If I have to say, remember to bring home something in fridge from work, I'll set the alarm for 4:55 p.m. and when it goes off, I go, right then, and do what I need to do. I do this also for reminders to make phone calls, to go to appointments, etc.

I also used to work in retail and had to do the clear purse thing. What I found worked for me, although it can be a little costly at first depending upon what you keep in your purse, is get duplicates of everything I could - one for each purse: make up, pens, and whatever else. When I switched purses, the only thing I had to grab was my wallet and my planner and note book (and the planner and notebook were always rubber banded together) and whichever purse I needed. I even had two sets of keys, one for each purse. I also had extra car keys made and gave them to a couple of friends to that when I either locked my keys in the car (which I used to do often not remembering to take them out of the ignition) or when I couldn't find my keys, there was a spare available. I also used to keep a set of spare keys at my desk.

I also keep other spare things at my desk, lipstick, chap stick, hair ties, etc.

It takes a little time and a lot of effort to remember to remember...and it can be frustrating, but don't give up. Most importantly, slow down. Women these days are often running 100 miles per hour to begin with, those with ADHD are doing double time. Take a moment before you leave to go somewhere or leave work or switch purses, to take a deep breath, take a mental or written inventory of what you're doing and what you have.

Good luck!!

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I was first diagnosed almost 10 years ago, and you develop coping strategies to keep you from losing your mind (along with everything else). FIRST... don't go off your meds. Not taking your meds is just going to make everything much more difficult. If it's a memory thing try using your phone (esp if it's a smart phone) to set alarms and reminders.

The losing things thing becomes much more manageable if you give things a home and develop a routine. In my apartment in college i had a hook for the keys next to the door and developed a habit (it took a bit) of putting the keys on the hook everytime i came in. I lost them a lot less frequently. With the purse thing, consider getting some of the clear makeup style pouches to organize your stuff into... like things together... and then you aren't moving individual items from purse to purse, you're moving a few little bags. You can find the clear makeup bags at a discount store, dollarstore or drug store. If you get the Clear Ones, they'll work with the "job" purse.

This seems silly, but it works for me. Take as little with you to work as possible. Do you need fifteen hair ties? No, one, maybe two if one breaks. Do you need for shades of lipstick in your purse? No, just the one you're wearing that day. etc... Basically, only take to work what you need at work. This also minimizes the amount of stuff you have to switch back and forth.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. SERIOUSLY. Ask a friend, family member or an ADHD coach to help you formulate an organizational plan.

this isn't so purse related-- but seriously, a smartphone can become your best friend when it comes to organizing and time management. If you have one, use it. it means you don't have to carry an extra address book, daytimer, watch, timer-device, calender... blah blah blah. And you can download aps to further help you manage.

The thing is learning to cope with the weaknesses and not taking it too personally. There are a lot of upsides to this thing, and you'll find them. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself some time to get the hang of things. And don't be afraid to ask for help.

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I have four complete sets of keys. I also have three sets of calendars, 3 sets of address books, three stethoscopes, and more pens, staplers, pencil sharpeners, tape, scissors, nail clippers, tweezers, and erasers than you could possible imagine.

I decide several years ago that I was spending entirely too much time searching for lost items and decided to just replicate all the objects that I frequently lost. So now when I realize that my keys are missing. I go to my junk drawer, pull out one of my many extra set of keys and I do not give the lost keys any more thought. This, I have to admit, is amazingly liberating. My keys always turn up. I find them inside the front door key hole, attached to the trunk of my car, or carefully placed in the spice cabinet.

One time I lost my address book for four months. It did finally turn up under the Sam's Club mega pack of D batteries in the freezer. I still use this address book. The Z entries are completely missing but I only have one 'Z' friend whose name is Zuckerman. I have not heard from her in about 18 years. She never writes me and now, however much I may wish to, I can never write her.

When my son loses something, I feel deeply for him. Those of us with ADHD spend so much time in the hunt for lost things that it is amazing that any of us has time for anything else. We have copied his notebooks and have purchased extra copies of his books so that he has a home copy and a school copy but still, things get forgotten.

The underwear drawer is not an ideal place for your bacon. The smoky fragrance will solicit comments that you will be incapable of explaining. This kind of misplacing, we will just have to live with but I suggest that if you have something you are losing frequently, replicate it. It will save you time, energy, and frustration.

Good luck! Tess http://primarilyinattentiveadd.blogspot.com

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I'm with ya... although I must say, my memory was at it's peak in my 20's....after I hit 30 and had my first baby my memory started to go. I happened upon the subject of ADHD and realized that I had nearly all of the symptoms, except hyperactivity. The meds really help me focus. I like the idea of the little checklist of things you need for your purse. Wow, didn't know you had to have clear bags for work. So much for trust, huh. Maybe set everything up the night before so you don't have to rush in the morning as hectic doesn't help the organization. ;-)

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My thoughts are always going in ten different directions. If I start one thing and walk to the kitchen, I forget about the first thing and start with something needed in the kitchen. and it just goes from there. I have about ten projects going at one time. I used to be a very organized, everything in its place, person. Now, it's neat, but there are piles everywhere.

Any suggestions????

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My solution is to have a plastic bag that fits inside a purse. I do this with my airline carry-on items. They are in the required 1 qt. plastic bag, but I have a pretty bag that fits over the plastic bag that I can carry them in. You could make or have made a bag that fits over your plastic bag.

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I am right there with all of you. I have been losing things for the majority of my 54 years. I was only diagnosed ADHD a couple of years ago and now take meds. I lose fewer things but stuff goes missing everyday anyway. In my work I go to different locations everyday, sometimes three or four places. I am in and out of my car all the time. One trick I have used is to count the number of 'things' I am taking out of the car with me. Then when I leave I count again. If the number matches great. This is not foolproof however. If someone happens to give me something, a piece of equipment, a folder or whatever, this throws my count off. Once I walked in with a $1000 laptop computer and walked out with bag full of art supplies. The computer was on loan to me from my employer and I had to tell them it was stolen. technically it was, but it would not have been if I had not left it who knows where in that building. Ok maybe this system needs some tweaking. OK here is my real point. we know we have trouble with this stuff, so TELL people about it. Ask for help if you need to and make sure your name is plastered all over anything of value and then you just gotta trust that everyone who knows you will help by getting it back to you. On the other hand if you are looking for that other sock or that recipe you just had or the laundry soap you know you bought, maybe just think about all the other things you will find as you are looking for your sock, and the little thrill you always feel when you find a 5 dollar bill in the drawer you did not remember. Don't forget to laugh.

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Hi,

I am the same way. What I do is to keep attached to my body as many things as I can. No, I don't look like a Christmas tree. That's why I use a purse. I keep the main things that have to move around with me attached to my purse. Things tend to get lost within the purse, so I hooked some of them up to one side of my purse, and now I don't have to dig into my purse. I also have a station where I go every time I arrive home. Everything has to be deposited in there before I say I'm home.

For the stores and those kinds of places, well, I think I've been blessed with nice people who keep things for me because I've recovered my cellphone at least 10 times, my PDA at least four times, and my wallet a couple times. Also, I kind of go to the same stores, so people get to know me, and they know what my stuff and habits are.

Large stuff can be very challenging. Once I went on a trip just to show a design to a client. It was a 5-hour trip on a bus (what a waste of time, but things were like that back then). I held on to my art work for the whole 5 hours. When I stood up to leave the bus, I had to take my other stuff, and I walked away without the art work. I had to chase the bus to the next place it went in order to recover my art work. Luckily, it was making a scale before heading out to another city, and it was at the other end of the same station. That could have ruined the whole business and the purpose of the trip. God bless Internet and e-mail. It often spares me of walking around with important stuff.

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Losing things was a BIG problem - mostly keys, pocket, cellphone (had to replace one), credit cards. I had to make it a policy to pay a bill on the day I physically received it because to put it aside would mean it was lost.

Strattera helped a lot with keeping track of things. And my sister set up a cabinet with drawers with individual labels, so the losing things situation has gotten a lot better. Not perfect.

I'm better off if I keep things tied to me, but it has improved with the drawers and medicine. Venus

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How do you all out there stay on top of bill paying and keeping daily track of spending? I was relieved when diagnosed with ADD three years ago (I knew I struggled with the symptoms for as long as I can remember) that I am not stupid or completely nuts, but meds and therapy have helped every area but this and time. I need advice on what has worked for you all.....and thank you!

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I am 72 with ADD. What is considered by some to be a senior moment has been part of my life for years. My favorite saying: "I'm so glad I can laugh at myself. But I wish I did not give myself so many opportunities to laugh" My bosses all knew about my ADD & knew that they could not give me an assignment unless I had pen and paper to write it down. I developed lots of compensatory systems that worked for me and for others --and actually followed most of them. The hard thing is to NOT change the system every week, to NOT spend hours improving and tweeking it. I still lose things and forget that I'm looking for them. My favorite time is going into the home of a friend apologizing for her mess while I say "I wish my home looked like this"

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As for the clear bag, etc. I would get a large, fashionable purse/tote bag, and just shove the clear bag into it on non-work days. On work days, you pull it out and go. Multiple bags=multiple things to lose. When I started my new job--which requires me to carry more things to and from work--I lost all sorts of stuff. I finally realized that I just need one huge bag to shove everything in. Otherwise something is lost/at home/at work when I need it.

Also another thing that I do (learned from my non-ADHD husband) is to tie bright colored lanyards on stuff that I must have (like my keys). That way when I look in a big bag of junk, I know for sure if something is there or not--you could do that on the makeup case zippers. I also use lots of small Vera Bradley bags for stuff that has to move around. I like the bright colors and for some reason I know they are important that way.

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