As a kid, I was diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder). My brain fires a little differently, and as someone who is neuro-divergent, I have a very overactive mind that can get pretty easily stimulated (as well as distracted).
Growing up, I learned how to work with my ADD rather than it controlling my life. I discovered what foods affected me, tricks to stay more focused, and all of the ways in which my lifestyle was impacting my ADD. One of the biggest ways in which I learned how to manage my ADD was through my home.
Your home has such power to impact and influence your mind. That's because subconscious you are picking up information constantly from your environment. Your brain then processes and stores this information, which in return shapes and influences your mood, behavior, and mental state....ADD/ADHD included. Working with many ADHD clients, the home is one of the top ways in which our ADHD is triggered. It doesn't have to be this way though...
Want to learn how to POSITIVELY impact your mental health, having your home help your ADHD rather can overwhelm it? Then continue reading on for these holistic home and interior design tips.
Keep it Clutter Free
I sound like a broken record at this point, but a messy space = a messy mind. Extra items and objects create visual distractions and chaos for our minds. This overstimulates an already active ADHD mind. Tighten up on storage and organization and keep items in cabinets, drawers, and tucked away out of sight.
A good way to start organizing and decluttering is going room-by-room, space by space so you are less overwhelmed trying to tackle your whole house at once. Next break each room down into sections, such as a bedroom: focusing on clothes, tabletops, under the bed, etc. Breaking BIG tasks into smaller, bite-sized goals is more attainable to achieve.
Relax the Senses
Someone with ADHD can be very stimulated mentally. This can lead to stress and anxiety, having negative effects on the body. Bring a relaxing energy to your home through incorporating the other senses into your space. The sense of smell is an important, yet under-used element when in comes to our homes. Let's face it, a space can be beautifully designed, but if it smells funky, you're not going to want to spend any time there.
Choose to incorporate your home with smells that have been linked to calming and relaxing the body and mind. Lavender, Clary Sage, Chamomile, and Ylang Ylang have been linked to helping bring more peace through their calming aromas.
Use Calming Colors
Do you ever wear a color to suit your mood? Well you can do the same thing with your room. Color has a huge impact on influencing our mood and emotions. In fact, Interior Designers, Marketing teams, and Psychologists know and understand how color has the power to influence us, and intentionally use color to dictate our emotions.
For those with ADHD, calming colors can do wonders for relaxing the mind and soothing overstimulation. Muted blues like Sherwin William's Tarragon or a rich green like Benjamin Moore's Salamander are very tranquil color choices for a wall or large furniture piece. Other serene color choices include soft neutrals like Sherwin William's Requisite Gray or a classic and crisp white like Benjamin Moore's White Dove.
Create a Cozy Space
Since people with ADHD need a calmer mind, create a section of your home or room that is just for rest and relaxation...and no, I don't mean the bedroom. Have a small window nook? That's the perfect area for coziness up and relaxing. Or try a comfy reading chair to snuggle up with a book and nice cup of tea. Creating a space that is only meant for relaxation will put your mind into this energy.
Be sure to have this area be only for those good vibes. This might be moving an arm chair away from the TV and put it in the corner of a room to distance and separate the energies of TV viewing and peaceful relaxation.
Visual To-Dos
Getting mental clutter out of the head and transferred to something tangible is a great method for those with ADHD to not only feel less scattered, but also get them more organized. Instead of computer and phone calendars and reminders, try having a space in your home for a visual to-do list. A organization station with a wall calendar or memo/chalkboard is a great place for you to jot down your tasks, reminders, and to-dos. Go a step further by adding other organization elements like a slot for your mail/bills or a place to hold pens.
Living with ADHD can be overwhelming at times, but your home doesn't have to be! Try these design tips out today and start bringing more peace and clarity into your life.
