A Valentine’s Gift of Decluttering
A little Valentine’s-themed thought today. If you’re the ADHD partner in a relationship, opposites often attract, which likely means you’re paired with someone more naturally organized and type A. You love each other dearly, and you also probably frustrate each other in small, familiar ways, often centered on the same recurring hot spots around the house where your natural clutter blindness collides with their need for order.
A small gesture of love
What if, instead of another gift, you spent thirty minutes tackling the one space that quietly drives your significant other crazy, purely as an act of love? It doesn’t have to be announced. You could simply clean it up and leave a small note there, letting them discover it on their own.
Removing yourself from the emotional attachment
One nice side effect of tackling a space for someone else rather than for yourself is that it can create just enough emotional distance to make decluttering easier. Approaching it almost like you’re a professional organizer helping a client, rather than someone sorting through your own belongings, can lower the usual resistance and second-guessing that comes with personal attachment to stuff.
This works just as well for a kid’s space, or any loved one’s space that’s been quietly bothering them. Give it a shot and see if doing it for someone else, rather than for yourself, makes the task feel lighter.
Happy Valentine’s Day, and until next time, continue to choose joy.
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