Neurodivergent Cleaning Crew
Around this time last year I was starting to take my art more seriously. This consisted of taking chances, trying new things and working with random materials that were accessible to me. Shout out to my fellow dumpster divers, antique shoppers and upcyclers. During this process I had accumulated a lot of junk and it wasn’t long before it became overwhelming. With that said, I have created over 100 pieces within the last year in addition to working various contract roles supporting the containment of COVID-19. At the height of my manic episode I found a supportive Facebook community dedicated towards fellow neurodivergent people sharing tips on how to improve organizing our home spaces. I will not share others stories because I don’t want to infringe on the safe container we have developed in the group, however, I do want to take a moment to share some of my major takeaways that I have implemented in my own life.
You deserve a safe space to walk - As a multimedia artist who lives in their workspace I have had to make a conscious effort to not leave projects on the floor. Especially when they became hazards like needles, broken glass and heavy metal fixtures that could stub ones toe. Having to step over items is a hazard that can be easily prevented with proper routines and planning.
You deserve to function - There have been times I have not been able to make my sleepy time tea, be comfortable in my bed or I have to wear clothes that don’t fit my comfort needs due to disorganization. Ensuring that my tea mug is clean, I have a clear space to lay my head and having fresh laundry aids in my day to day functioning. Sometimes ordering food to match the demands of the day is a wise choice. Sometimes eating something is better than overthinking what is the most nutritious.
You don’t have to be perfect - If you are like me, sometimes you may be working harder at a task than is necessary. Yes, we are rewarded for overachievement but at what cost? Social isolation, bad sleep hygiene, self-medicating with alcohol? After one year I opted to have a small gathering showing friends my work and they revealed to me “you know your place doesn’t have to be perfect to have people over?” I have found that I have legit missed opportunities to connect with those in my inner circle because of my unfinished projects, creative chaos and thoughts about how I ought to be.
Decide what kinds of clutter you can tolerate and what you can’t - I absolutely hate dishes in the sink. Mail stacks up on my counter and there is a limitless pile of clean clothes that are never fully put away. Instead of having the goal of putting all my clothes away, I will put away some. I have a designated hamper for clean clothes and dirty clothes. On laundry day I put away what I can, and then when I am ready for the next activity I will let some of the remaining clean shirts stay in the clean hamper. I tend to go through the clean hamper for a shirt prior to the ones hanging up as it is a part of my flow. What was once a pile on the floor has evolved to a rhythm and a practice.
Putting away 20 items before leaving the house - This may sound like a big task sometimes, but for me sometimes this is my secret way of not moving backwards in my journey towards organizing in a way that works for me. I will give myself one point for every item put away that is more than 5 feet away. For tasks that are functioning related and have a larger impact like dishes, making the bed or taking out the trash I give myself two points. Loading the dishwasher and leaving it for soothing background noise when I get home is a pleasant gift to my future self. It is through this process I am able to do kind acts of service to myself and that tends to radiate to other areas of my life.
Cleaning on a time lapse - It can be very rewarding to see your process in high speed. I highly recommend giving it a go if you have not tried it yet.
Connecting with a community that has challenges organizing - Neurodivergent Tiktok has taught me a few tips that I have used. Some have worked, some have worked for a short period of time and some just weren’t for me. Some of the things I picked up were reframing the idea of cleaning as self-care tasks instead of chores. Sometimes I imagine that I was hired as my own personal assistant who has insight to ambitions, challenges and personal preferences. As an artist I get the opportunity to use my creative to reshape a narrative that works best for my goals. Listening to new perspectives and learning the coping skills of others has been proven to be effective in my journey.
