Danielle’s home office looked like a filing cabinet had exploded, then hosted a tea party for receipts, paperclips, and unwashed coffee mugs. It wasn’t just cluttered, it was her dumping ground. Whenever she was tidying elsewhere in the house and didn’t know what to do with something, she dumped it in there. Out of sight, out of mind… until she had to sit down and work.

This was supposed to be her nerve centre, her creative haven. But walking in filled her with shame. She couldn’t relax. Her thoughts felt chaotic and cluttered, just like the room. Tasks that should take 30 minutes dragged on for hours. She was constantly distracted. The space that once inspired her now drained her.

She remembered how she used to have a vision board on the wall, where she’d dream big, map out goals, and plan her future. Now it was covered in a haphazard mess of post-it notes filled with urgent tasks. Dreams had been buried under to-do lists. And so, increasingly, she abandoned the office altogether and worked at the dining room table, surrounded by household noise, toys, dishes, and chaos.

She needed a place where she could feel focused and in control. She needed her space back.

She kept telling herself, “I just need to get more organised.” But what started as a noble plan to spring clean a few piles of paper quickly snowballed into a complete home office redesign. And then she realised her filing system needed an overhaul. Oh, and maybe she should finally rewire the lighting. And get matching desk accessories. Suddenly she was overwhelmed, disappointed, and back to square one, only now with a Pinterest board full of inspiration and no energy to actually tidy.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Welcome to the ADHD (or perfectionist) cycle of “I wanted to tidy my desk but somehow ended up Googling bespoke stationery storage solutions at 1am.”

But Danielle found a better way. Here’s how she did it, and how you can too.

1. Beware the Perfectionist Spiral

One of the biggest barriers to getting organised is… trying to get too organised. That sounds backwards, but here’s the deal: when your brain says “spring clean your office,” your inner perfectionist interprets that as, “Create the most beautifully curated workspace the world has ever seen.”

Suddenly it’s not just about clearing a drawer, it’s about designing a colour-coded sanctuary. Cue overwhelm. Cue giving up. Cue feeling like you just “can’t” keep a tidy space. And that’s when shame sneaks in.

2. Get Clear on Why This Matters

Ask yourself: What does a tidy space mean to me? For Danielle, it was about more than just aesthetics. She wanted a refuge, a nerve centre, a space where she felt calm, focused, and in control. Tidying wasn’t just a chore, it was a declaration: “This space is mine, and I am the boss of it.”

Tidying gives us one of the rare things in life: a task where we control both the input and the output. That’s powerful. You see the result. You feel the result. You are physically shaping your environment, and that sends a powerful message to your brain: I can take care of myself.

3. Start With the Vision, But Don’t Redesign Yet

Before you get stuck into colour palettes and drawer dividers, visualise how you want the space to feel. Spacious? Calm? Inspiring? Think less Pinterest board, more emotional blueprint. But don’t start shopping just yet. Tidying is phase one. Redesign comes after the mess is gone.

4. Pick the Room That Will Give You the Biggest Boost

Danielle picked her home office. Not the kitchen, not the garage of doom, the space she worked in every day. The one that set the tone for her productivity. Ask yourself: If I tidied one room, which would have the biggest impact on my sense of control or peace? Start there.

5. Break It Down Into Bite-Sized Jobs

Do not write “Spring Clean Office” on your to-do list. That’s a full-season Netflix binge of a job. Instead, write:

• Empty top left drawer
• Recycle old papers from shelf
• Clear one pile off desk

Each task should take 30 minutes max. Ideally less. Give yourself the joy of crossing things off a list. Visual wins = dopamine = momentum.

6. Make It Meaningful, and Rewarding

Tie each task to something deeper. Danielle found that tidying her space gave her more clarity, more calm, and helped her be more present with her kids. She wasn’t just clearing papers. She was modelling to her five-year-old that tidying is possible, even if the child’s bedroom looked like an explosion at a Lego museum.

Add rewards. While clearing a drawer, or tidying the desk, play your favourite song. Listen to music while you tidy. Make it sensory. Enjoyable. Something that feels good, or listen to an inspiring podcast.

7. Create a System for Future Clutter

It’s not just about clearing space, it’s about keeping it that way. Danielle gave herself:

• A designated place for new post and papers
• A weekly time to go through it
• A new mantra: “I can take care of myself.”, written at the top of her checklist

And she proved she could.

When her home office was finally clear, Danielle walked in, sat at her desk, and breathed. No sigh this time. Just peace. Clarity. Control.

She got more done. She felt more capable. She stopped seeing herself as someone who “just couldn’t keep things tidy.” And her daughter noticed. Because when you tidy your space, you’re not just creating order, you’re telling your brain (and your kids): You matter enough to take care of.

Final Thoughts

This spring, don’t let perfectionism hijack your home office clean-up. Don’t plan the perfect space before you’ve cleared the current one. Pick one area. Break it down. Tie it to what it makes possible. And when you finish that drawer, take a breath and notice what you’ve just done.

Then tell yourself: “I can take care of space.” Because it’s true.

Call to Action

Spring is the perfect time to reset, and your home office is a great place to start. If you’ve been meaning to get your life and space in order but keep feeling overwhelmed, I can help.

I offer a complimentary 30-minute ADHD coaching discovery session to help you identify what’s getting in your way and how to move forward in a realistic, supportive way.

Try these strategies for a week and see how you feel. You might just surprise yourself. See here for Techniques for ADHD Professionals to Handle Overcommitment 

📅 Book a free ADHD Coaching Discovery Session today because learning how to ADHD Spring Clean your home office is how you feel more capable .