Organizing an ADHD Brain

By Megs CrawfordSociety & Culture Education Self-Improvement Relationships How To

Organizing an ADHD Brain episodes

March 18Two ADHD Brains, One Household: Kendall's Tools for Couples and Cloudy Days
If you've ever struggled to explain a hard mental health moment to your child — or wondered how to hold your ADHD brain together as a parent — this episode is for you.
Megs sits down with Kendall, mental health advocate and children's book author, to talk about something most of us never learned how to do: make our inner emotional world visible to the people who love us most. Kendall shares her journey from lifelong anxiety diagnosis to ADHD discovery, how postpartum depression cracked her open, and the "cloud" metaphor she created so her kids could understand mom's hard days without fear or confusion.
🎧 What We Talk About
Understanding your own brain first — Kendall spent years being told she had anxiety before landing on an ADHD diagnosis that finally made sense. If your mental health story has kept shifting, you'll feel seen here.
The cloud metaphor that changed everything — After PPD, Kendall needed a way to say "mom is struggling today" without clinical language or blame.
ADHD tools for couples — Kendall and her husband have different ADHD patterns. She shares "pause" check-ins, shared lists, and strategies that actually work when two executive-function-challenged brains are building a life together.
Care kits for hard days — What goes in one? Simpler and more intentional than you'd expect.
The book + pay-it-forward program — Kendall self-published Cloudy Day Chronicles to keep the family dialogue supportive rather than clinical, and now donates books through a pay-it-forward program and speaks with community organizations to connect parents to local mental health resources.
About Kendall
Kendall's greatest adventures began at home, as a mother. Her stories are inspired by the curiosity, humor, and boundless imagination of her children, who often help shape the characters and moments that appear on the page. Alongside her husband Matt and their dog Kiaora, she fills her days with laughter, exploration, and just the right amount of playful weirdness. When she's not creating stories, Kendall can usually be found where the wild things are.

⏱️ Jump To
01:12 — From mental health struggles to becoming an author
02:07 — Postpartum depression and the birth of the cloud metaphor
03:26 — Inside the Cloudy Day Chronicles book
12:21 — ADHD tools for couples with different patterns
18:46 — Building a care kit for cloudy days
23:42 — How (and why) to ask for support out loud
27:12 — Publishing choices and drawing the family line
29:56 — Advocacy work and connecting parents to resources
33:36 — Community impact and closing thoughts
35:16 — Where to find the book

📚 Resources & Links
Cloudy Day Chronicles — Author's Website/Buy The Book
Follow Kendall — Substack/Instagram
Organizing an ADHD Brain is a podcast for humans with ADHD who are done with shame.
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com
38 min
March 11 Weight Loss, Sobriety, and Decluttering: The Messy Middle is the Point
If you've ever started a weight loss journey, tried to declutter your home, or attempted to quit a habit — and felt like you were doing it "wrong" because it wasn't linear or easy — this episode is for you. As an ADHD coach for women, Megs Crawford digs into why quick fixes don't create lasting change, and why going through the "messy middle" is actually what builds sustainability, self-trust, and genuine self-understanding — especially for an ADHD brain.
Using real stories from her own life, Megs shares her experience pursuing bariatric surgery and the required nutrition coaching, therapy, strict dietary changes, and body-image work that came with it; getting sober through a structured program, confronting depression and navigating triggers like ordering drinks in social settings, and maintaining sobriety for nearly four years; and decluttering her home through trial and error, selling items, lowering barriers, and discovering which organizing systems actually fit her ADHD patterns.
She also connects these lessons to parenting a child through uncomfortable transitions, showing how the messy middle isn't just a personal growth concept — it's a life skill. If you're a woman with ADHD looking for an approach to organizing, sobriety, or weight loss that meets your brain where it is (instead of shaming you for not fitting a neurotypical mold), this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

03:11 Cora And The Transition
04:17 The Quick Fix Trap
06:57 Weight Loss And Surgery
11:10 Body Image And Self Talk
13:07 Quitting Drinking For Good
16:15 Sober Struggles And Tools
19:05 Decluttering With ADHD
22:39 Trial And Error Systems
27:25 Fix It Mindset Shift
31:32 Small Steps Build Rome

Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

38 min
March 04Why Art Actually Fills You Up: The ADHD Brain on Color and Creativity with Eli Trier
🔁 Rerun from Fall 2024 — still so good, we had to bring it back.
If you've ever felt guilty for loving color, keeping "too much," or struggling to maintain a minimalist space — this episode is your permission slip.
Megs sits down with Eli Trier, an AuDHD neuroqueer artist based in Copenhagen, to talk about what it really means to organize and decorate as a neurodivergent person. Spoiler: it's not about having less. It's about having what fills you up.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why colorful spaces aren't clutter — they're actually good for your ADHD brain (hello, dopamine 🧠)
What maximalism really means and why it can be the most intentional way to live
How art and color affect dopamine, serotonin, and cortisol — backed by science
Eli's late AuDHD diagnosis story and the emotional journey that followed
How to stop organizing out of guilt and start curating a space that genuinely supports you
This episode is for you if: ✔ You're a human with ADHD looking for less overwhelm at home ✔ You've tried minimalism and it just… didn't stick ✔ You want a neurodivergent-friendly approach to your space and your life
Connect with Eli Trier: 🌐 Website ▶️ YouTube
Timestamps
00:14 Minimalism to Color
02:00 Meet Eli in Copenhagen
04:13 Diagnosis Journey
09:38 Art and Brain Chemistry
16:21 Maximalism Explained
26:21 Systems For Creative Chaos
32:45 Advice For Late Diagnosis
37:30 Final Thanks And Reflection
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com
42 min
February 18ADHD and Flow State: How to Focus in a World Built to Distract You
Book: Deep Work
Learn more about Sukha:
Join Steven's Flow State App
Contact Steven:
[email protected]
In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, Megs talks with Steven Puri — ADHD-diagnosed entrepreneur, former film executive, and founder of Sukha — about flow states, distraction, and what it actually takes to focus in a world engineered to pull your attention away.
Steven shares his journey from engineering and Hollywood to building a company centered on sustainable focus for neurodivergent brains. Together, they explore:
What flow state really is
Why ADHD brains struggle with long to-do lists and context switching
The nervous system layer of distraction
Why hiding all but your top three tasks increases follow-through
How finishing one meaningful task a day shifts identity
Steven explains Sukha’s “friendly nudge” approach — gently asking, “Is this helping you?” instead of harshly blocking websites — and how redefining productivity as time for what truly matters (family, creativity, community) changes everything.

07:16 — What Flow State Actually Is (ADHD + Neuroscience Explained)
Clear explanation of flow and why ADHD brains crave it.
13:01 — Why Modern Distraction Feels Impossible to Beat
Notifications, dopamine loops, and the attention economy.
14:48 — ADHD Distraction & Regulation: Real-Life Examples
Nervous system awareness + how distraction shows up day-to-day.
29:56 — Multitasking vs Monotasking: The Context-Switch Trap
Why switching tasks drains executive function.
30:59 — ADHD To-Do List Paralysis & the “Top 3 Only” Strategy
Reducing overwhelm to increase follow-through.
32:15 — Breaking Big Goals Down: 1% Progress & Micro Practices
Sustainable momentum instead of burnout cycles.
28:15 — Beating the ‘I’m Behind’ Story: Identity & Momentum
Rewriting self-narratives through action.
48:59 — Redefining Success: The One Thing That Moves Your Life Forward Today
Values-based productivity instead of hustle culture.
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com
59 min
February 11 Choosing Hope Instead of Avoidance with ADHD
In this episode, Megs explores organizing through the lens of ADHD, nervous system regulation, and the human need for comfort during difficult times. She shares a personal story about losing her childhood blankie to illustrate how comfort objects and familiar routines often help us feel safe — especially when life feels unpredictable or overwhelming.
The episode also acknowledges the emotional weight of what’s happening in the world and how collective stress can quietly intensify avoidance, dysregulation, and the urge to retreat or “hide.” Through this discussion, the host differentiates between comforts that genuinely support regulation and those that keep people stuck.
With compassion and honesty, the episode offers practical organizing insights, emotional regulation strategies, and reminders that seeking ease, structure, and hope is not a failure — it’s a form of care. The overall message centers on coming out of hiding, choosing supportive comforts, and remembering that progress doesn’t require perfection.
Article: Exaggerated Emotions: How and Why ADHD Triggers Intense Feelings
Podcast Recommendation: Connection Project 360
Episode Breakdown
01:21 – Childhood comfort objects and why they matter more than we realize
02:05 – Autonomy, choice, and trust in organizing decisions
04:04 – Why discomfort makes us cling to clutter, routines, or avoidance
07:47 – Emotional reactions, nervous system responses, and ADHD coping patterns
11:47 – Healthier comforts, regulation tools, and practical support strategies
16:37 – Hope, connection, and the role of community when things feel heavy
26:20 – Final reflections, reassurance, and encouragement to keep going
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

30 min
February 04Learning to Let Life Be Messy (Without Giving Up on Yourself)
Motherhood. Neurodivergence. Work-from-home life. Burnout.
And that uncomfortable in-between season where nothing is falling apart… but nothing feels settled either.
This episode is a deep exhale for anyone living in the messy middle.
Megs sits down with Candice Janae — therapist, coach, writer, and fellow human navigating real life — to talk about what happens when life shifts, routines stop working, and you’re trying to stay aligned without burning yourself out.
Together, they unpack how to:
Adapt when life changes (again)
Build systems that actually work for neurodivergent brains
Let go of guilt, perfection, and “this should be easier by now”
Communicate needs and share the load at home
Choose rhythms and rituals over rigid routines
This conversation is grounding, honest, and full of “oh wow, that’s me” moments — especially if you’re juggling caregiving, creativity, and a career.
⏱️ Episode Breakdown (timestamps adjusted +39 seconds)
02:22 — What “The Messy Middle” Actually Means
03:46 — When Life Happens: Navigating Unexpected Changes
05:31 — Coping with the Unknown (without spiraling)
13:02 — Aligning Your Values with Your Real-Life Needs
19:19 — Creating Systems That Work For You (Not Against You)
24:47 — Letting Go, Grief, and Embracing Change
25:04 — Holiday Decorations, Traditions, and Letting Them Evolve
26:07 — Adapting to New Living Spaces
27:08 — Creative, Neurodivergent-Friendly Organizing Solutions
30:55 — Progress in the Messy Middle (Even When It’s Not Pretty)
37:13 — Why Rhythms & Rituals Beat Routines Every Time
42:54 — Sharing the Load: Communication & Balance with Partners

🌊 Guest Spotlight: Candice Janae
Candice is a private practice therapist by day and, in the online space, a burnout & balance coach for indie, self-employed, and freelance moms.
She works closely with chronically ill and neurodivergent moms who are trying to do all the things — without losing themselves in the process.
She’s also:
An author of both fiction and nonfiction
A water-lover (oceans, lakes, give her all of it)
An introvert constantly navigating the push-pull between community and quiet
Candice brings a grounded, compassionate lens to burnout, balance, and identity — especially for moms who are exhausted from holding everything together.
✨ Connect with Candice
Instagram / Threads: https://instagram.com/soul_cadence_coaching

Substack: https://soulcadencecoachconnect.substack.com

Website: https://soulcadencecoaching.services
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com
47 min
January 21 How Do You React to Your Clutter?
The Power of Noticing: Transforming Your Reactions to Clutter and Life
In this episode, Megs—ADHD coach and professional organizer—dives into the practice of noticing as the true starting point for meaningful change. Before decluttering systems, routines, or productivity hacks can stick, we have to become aware of how we react.
Megs explores the most common nervous-system responses to clutter and overwhelm—fight, flight, freeze, and appease—and explains how noticing these patterns without judgment creates space for compassion, curiosity, and choice. Through personal reflections and real client examples, she shows how noticing reveals triggers, beliefs, and habits that often run quietly in the background.
Noticing can feel uncomfortable. It can bring grief, frustration, or resistance. But it’s also where growth begins. This episode invites you to stay curious, soften self-criticism, and understand that real transformation happens gradually—through awareness, not force.
Episode Breakdown
01:03 – Why noticing is the first step to lasting change
02:04 – Understanding patterns, triggers, and automatic reactions
02:29 – Real-life examples of noticing in everyday moments
05:00 – How judgment shuts down awareness (and what helps instead)
09:04 – Why noticing can feel uncomfortable—and why that’s normal
15:26 – Fight, flight, freeze, and appease responses explained
30:37 – Using curiosity to analyze reactions without shame

Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

36 min
January 14Money Without Shame: A Starting Point for ADHD Brains
In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, Megs is joined by financial therapist Lindsay for an honest conversation about money, debt, and personal growth for ADHD brains.
If you’ve ever felt shame around finances, struggled with consistency, or believed past money decisions defined your worth, this episode is for you.
Megs and Lindsay explore the powerful overlap between financial organization and home organization, starting with a crucial reframe: debt and clutter are morally neutral. Neither is a personal failure. Both are signals that systems, support, and regulation matter more than willpower.
You’ll learn:
Why persistence matters more than consistency with ADHD
How to use financial data without self-criticism
What “money dates” are and how they reduce avoidance
How to externalize your brain when money feels overwhelming
The impact of social media on financial shame and comparison
Why community and coaching support follow-through and regulation
Lindsay also shares personal insights from her own financial journey, including navigating major life transitions and redefining success on her own terms.
This episode is a reminder that financial growth, like organizing your home or managing ADHD, isn’t about perfection. It’s about self-trust, awareness, and small sustainable actions.
Lindsey is your favorite financial therapist for women and couples, here to help you feel excited about money! (Yes, it's possible!) Money isn't just a math problem; there is always so much more to the equation. Merging behavioral therapy and financial education, Lindsey helps you live your dream life!
Links:
Join the Waitlist for the Financial Self-Care Course + Community here!
Lindsey’s website
Lindsey’s IG
FREE Get Out of Debt Template & Guide
Episode Timeline:
04:12 Introducing Lindsay and the role of financial therapy
10:17 Lindsay’s personal and professional updates
23:31 Using data as a supportive tool in financial planning
28:42 Externalizing the brain for financial success
31:02 Learning from mistakes without self-judgment
33:13 Social media, comparison, and distorted expectations
36:21 Navigating emotions tied to financial decisions
42:01 The role of community and coaching in growth
46:05 Setting realistic, supportive financial goals

Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com
1 hr
January 07Starting Over Again in The New Year with ADHD
Why consistency doesn’t work for ADHD brains — and how learning to come back without shame creates real change.
If you’ve ever felt like you can’t stick with anything — routines, organizing, decluttering, goals, or New Year’s resolutions — this episode is for you.
Book a Call with Megs > Calendar
In this episode, Megs talks honestly about why starting over is not failure, especially for ADHD brains. She breaks down why so many systems don’t stick, how social media narratives can quietly box people with ADHD into believing there are things they “just can’t do,” and what actually creates sustainable change.
This conversation is about the messy middle — the part no one posts about. The part where motivation fades, routines fall apart, planners get abandoned, and shame creeps in. And why that middle isn’t a problem to fix — it’s where learning happens.
Instead of pushing consistency, Megs introduces a more realistic (and ADHD-friendly) concept: persistence — the ability to come back without shame, even after you forget, avoid, or fall off.
This episode is a gentle but powerful reminder that:
Your ADHD brain is not broken
You’re not lazy or inconsistent
You don’t need to change everything at once
And there is always a moment you can begin again
Article Referenced in Podcast > What is Executive Dysfunction in ADHD?
01:03 — How Social Media Shapes ADHD Beliefs
02:31 — Why the New Year Feels Like a Reset for ADHD
03:22 — Noticing ADHD Patterns That Block Change
05:55 — Persistence vs Consistency for ADHD Brains
09:12 — Organizing Strategies That Actually Work With ADHD
19:52 — Why ADHD Community and Support Matter
24:33 — Microdosing Mindfulness for ADHD Overwhelm
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com
32 min
December 08, 2025 The ADHD Stuck Cycle: What Keeps You Looping and What Actually Shifts It
You know that moment when you walk into a room and your whole body reacts before your brain even has time to make sense of it? That’s what today’s episode is really about, how clutter hits the nervous system first, and how that shapes everything from motivation to avoidance to why that one corner has been haunting you for months.
In this episode, I’m sharing the real, lived experience behind regulation, what it is, why it matters, and how it changes the way ADHD women interact with their homes. We walk through each protection pattern (fight, flight, freeze, appease) in a way that helps you see yourself with clarity instead of shame.
You’ll hear more about my own journey with understanding regulation, the resources that shifted everything for me, and why this work matters so much if you’ve spent years thinking, “Why can’t I just do this?”
My mission: to help you rebuild self-trust, one tiny regulated moment at a time.
If this episode resonates, I’d love to hear where clutter shows up in your nervous system. Your stories help other women feel less alone.

01:17 — Personal Updates and Reflections
02:47 — Understanding Regulation and ADHD
05:15 — Personal Journey into Regulation
10:31 — Reactions to Clutter: Fight Mode
15:11 — Reactions to Clutter: Flight Mode
17:42 — Reactions to Clutter: Freeze Mode
20:18 — Reactions to Clutter: Appease Mode
23:08 — Final Thoughts and Community Updates
Check out Jenna Free: https://www.adhdwithjennafree.com/
Check out Mindful as a Mother: https://mindfulasamotherco.com/
^Go join their community! Megs is in it too!
Check out Laura Hope: https://www.hopeandhealingcoach.com/
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

30 min

About Organizing an ADHD Brain

From the publisher's feed

Organizing an ADHD Brain is the podcast for people who are tired of organizing advice that just doesn't stick. Host Megs Crawford — ADHD coach, professional organizer, and fellow ADHDer —…