I have tried Flylady and failed like a lot of you, but one useful thing I learned from her is use of the Timer. It helps me focus. Set if for 15 minutes and see how much you can get done. When the timer goes off, take a look at where you are at. Go sit down for 15 minutes and visualize what you need to do next. Then go work for another 15, rinse and repeat. It takes me way longer because of so many breaks, but I am more likely to get it done or close to done that way.

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What seems to work best for me is to have someone sitting at my house monitoring me. My best friend is super type-A, accountant with a spotless house. A few times a year, when it gets really bad, I have her come over and just sit on the couch and monitor me while I clean. If I get off track, start doing something else like flipping through magazines instead of putting them away she just asks me "what are you supposed to be doing right now?" Then I stop and get back to it. This somehow seems to work for me because she doesn't sound like she is judging me--she already knows what my house looks like most of the time--and I don't feel guilty because she isn't actually doing any of the work that I am "supposed to" do.

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I have never been diagnosed, but after marrying my (hyperactive) ADD husband and learning more about it, I've definitely seen many of the inattentive traits in myself. One of the largest manifestations is in my inability to keep my house and car clean.

I tried FlyLady, and while her ideas were sound, even getting the emails once daily in digest form was WAY overwhelming for me. So I took the parts of her system that worked for me (little bits at a time, clean being catching, and "routines") and then unsubscribed.

Around that same time, I found homesanctuary.com which gives a single daily task to do which will help make your home a "sanctuary." This doesn't get into the "deep" cleaning, but it _does_ get you into the mindset of just doing a little bit every day and thereby keeping order. Rachel's also a proponent of "Minimum Maintenance" where you spend 5 min (or so) in each room every day. Just for fun, each daily task earns you points which you tally up every month to win prizes. This is mostly geared toward women and definitely has a "Christian" worldview, but it is never exclusive.

Also a good resource is home-ec101.com. I read it through a feed reader, but if you go to her site, every day she lists like three things to do that day. If you keep up with the things throughout the week, you will have cleaned every room at least once. Additionally, the site is chock full of recipes, ideas for meal plans, and instructions on how to get (and keep) things clean.

As several others have mentioned, accountability works wonders as well. We have our small group over once a week, so I am forced to have a "company ready" house at least weekly. We've also got a babysitter that comes so that I can go to work two afternoons a week, so I have to have a "babysitter ready" house several times a week as well! Knowing that those folks are coming keeps me a) motivated keep it clean so that there's less last-minute scrambling, and b) aware that the "last minute scrambling" isn't nearly as overwhelming as I think it is in advance.

I LOVE the idea of cleaning the car every time we gas up. Will have to start doing that as one of my husband's biggest complaints is the messy car.

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I go to flynet .com occasionally but do not subscribe. I did find one of their tips of getting up and getting dressed down to shoes on helps. Going outside for a few minutes to just get me out of house helps. I know that sounds silly but it takes you out away from clutter etc and when you come in with fresh air in you, it gives you a different prospective. You see things that need to be done more clearly, what needs to be done first. I do the living room first and foremost so if anyone comes in, they see something fairly clean and straight. Then the "smelly" places next such as kitchen and bathroom. I do the "SITE AND SMELL" AREAS, THAT WAY IF I DON'T GET ANYTHING ELSE COMPLETED, I'M PROUD OF THOSE. I also live my lists and cross of every little thing i accomplish. Anything to make me proud of what I've done. One more thing I'll add, I keep a trash container of some kind in every room. No more distraction just from going to the next room to throw something away. Wow, that was a big help to me. Taking pictures of my mess helped to. I found this hint somewhere....it made me see what a hoarder i was and then when clean, take another pic. Those 2 pics posted inside a kitchen cabinet is very motivating. The last tip i have is music. The tv off keeps me from getting distracted from getting involved with tv shows. The music is a mood lifter and motivator. Choose up beat music, it's amazing how these tips have helped me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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bettingonme said:

I do the "SITE AND SMELL" AREAS, THAT WAY IF I DON'T GET ANYTHING ELSE COMPLETED, I'M PROUD OF THOSE. .....Taking pictures of my mess helped to. I found this hint somewhere....it made me see what a hoarder i was and then when clean, take another pic. Those 2 pics posted inside a kitchen cabinet is very motivating. The last tip i have is music. The tv off keeps me from getting distracted from getting involved with tv shows. The music is a mood lifter and motivator. Choose up beat music, it's amazing how these tips have helped me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so sensitive to smells, so the cleaning of the bathroom or kitchen area is harder sometimes because I gag, lol. But as often as I can I WILL clean them and my hubby & son do their part too which helps tremendously. I took a few pictures of one of the 2 messiest places in the house (a spare room I use OFTEN for everything ME!). I couldn't believe how different it looked in a picture than just from my own eyes, like it was REALLY messy, lol. I would watch alot of episodes of 'Hoarder' and I definately don't EVER want to get to that extreme point in my life. So that in itself was enough for me to really try harder & be pro-active in keeping things clean but mostly organized. As to the music, I LOVE IT! I don't know why I can do SO MUCH more with music playing in the background. I even get a better night's sleep with it on. I LOVE to dance & that is a GREAT motivator for me as well. Thanx for you WONDERFUL ADDers for all the other ideas n tips, Angel

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How good are you at using your calendar? My hubby insisted on the new smart phone so he could better manage his ADD challenges. It really is helping him to have the calendar in the palm of his hand. He checks it frequently and moves what he needs. Still a work in progress.

My suggestion would be for your non-routine items - you mentioned the car - can be added to your calendar for once a month or bi-weekly or once week or even once a year -- whenever you need the reminder - then forget about it! Don't fill your head with un-needed clutter. When your reminder pops up, just take a few grocery bags out to the car - 1-2 for trash, one for stuff that has to be washed or filed or put away in the house, one for recycling. I have to do this once every few months for my hubby - it looks like a moving homeless shelter in his car. YECH!

Remember you have a delete key. I know that FLY lady emails come a few times a day - I delete almost all of them - usually w/o reading as I do not have a lot of time. She also sends a daily digest or weekly digest and there is an online only - where you can just log in and read when you have time! FLY lady saved my life and my marriage nine years ago. Hubby was only diagnosed last year as ADD - but ten years ago we had our first baby and I was fed up of living like a slob. I realized just before the babies first birthday that someone could call family services and we may lose our child! Through FLY lady I realized that if I LOVED MYSELF and felt that I deserved a clean house - then do it for me and stop whining. So, I did. Hubby has tried so many times to get on board. I just keep my mouth shut as much as possible when he makes messes and encourage him when I can.

Good luck & Gd Bless!

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My mantra is from flylady.com: "Even housework done wrong blesses your family." Then I don't feel like I can't do the housework because I don't have time, tools, or supplies to do it "right."

I set my timer for 15 minutes (also a flylady.com tip), and focus on one area (the kitchen table). I can do anything for 15 minutes, right?? It's really amazing how much can get done in 15 minutes.

Those are my 2 pearls of wisdom.

The third idea is more involved. It struck me last spring that NO ONE could be expected to keep a house as cluttered as mine clean. So I hired a personal organizer who helped me purge a substantial amount of stuff out of the house (to charity, consignment, ebay, craigslist, yard sale, recycle, garbage). Then we organized what is left. Theoretically, it's now easier to keep things clean. In reality, reducing the clutter has just eliminated one thing that I used to use as an excuse... But other excuses have crept in, and a tidy house is still a challenge for me. I more focus on a healthy house, and use the timer when I feel so moved.

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I, too, use boards and baskets, but the kids move the darn baskets!!!!

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Hi! First of all,pardon my English, Im from abroud.

You are not alone.

I first drink 1 glass of milk (for the tummy so I dont feel sick) and take my medication. Then I drink just enough coffee. When that starts to work I start to work.

First laundry,seperate colored and white,hot wash from cool washed. Then fold my dry clothes,I sort the socks by stripes,lenght and colour, (but there are never two of them all anyway)

Then dishes,not all at once,thats horrible.A few dishes,than get the post, More dishes,then knit. Then dishes again,then dry off dust,or shop. I make a list when shopping.

If I go out I plan...usually one or two more hours then most people need, I have LOTS of alarm- ringings! :O

I have many many maps and I refuse sort any kind of paper unless Im 100 % sure my medication works...! When they do,and I have a new paper I put it in emidiatly so I dont forget it. I make sure my friends understand how much I appreciate that people...in general ofcourse...call before a wisit,,,(not to obviously.)

Ok I must limit this messege now.Good luck!! :)

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Who says YOU have to do the housekeeping????? Are ALL MEN supposed to be good carpenters, plumbers, landscapers, etc????

What does the male do when his carpentry skills are lacking? He HIRES someone to to the work.

Sooooo...I finally decided that housework is not my strong point. and I needed to outsource! I hired someone who comes in 2X per month. She does the floors and all surfaces. Occasionally I have her do extra chores for an additional fee, like cleaning out the frig, washing the windows, etc.

The night before she comes, I run around and clean up the clutter so she will be able to clean.

As time goes on, I've been stimulated to do some decluttering, and have developed some better habits, knowing that I've outsourced the main cause of my frustration. So after a year or so, my house is in much better shape, and I can pull things together fairly quickly if someone is dropping in unexpectedly.

Try it!!

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