Confessions of an ADHD Homeowner: How I Finally Tamed My To-Do List (And My Stress)

 

Okay, here’s a confession: As someone with ADHD, keeping my home running smoothly has always been a bit of a challenge. I wouldn’t say my house was dirty—but let’s just say I had a tendency to forget the little tasks that kept everything in balance. The laundry would pile up, or I’d completely forget when it was time to change the air filter. It wasn't chaos, but I constantly felt behind, like I was always catching up to a never-ending list of things to do. And mentally, that took its toll.

I’ve always had the best intentions when it comes to housework. But remembering everything? That was the hard part. I would try to stay organized, but between life, work, and everything else, it felt like I could never quite get into a consistent rhythm. I was stressed just thinking about the endless cycle of tasks, and I found myself running in circles, trying to remember which chores needed attention next. And worse, feeling guilty when I remembered something I'd forgotten for a while.

I've recently gotten into using Notion to track my design work (and a few other things) and it occurred to me that I may be able to take control of the "remembering" part of managing my home. Enter the Notion Household Planner. And, honestly? It’s been a game-changer.

The Struggle Was Real—Until This Planner Entered My Life

Before this, I had a general sense of what needed to be done around the house, but I was always worried I was forgetting something. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to stay on top of things—I just couldn’t juggle it all in my head. I had a mental list a mile long of things like cleaning, maintenance, and seasonal chores, and I’d frequently miss things that were important but easy to overlook. And let’s be real, that mental clutter was draining. Building my digital household planner changed the way I managed my tasks.

Why I Love It: No More Forgetting, No More Stress

1. Stay Organized (For Real This Time):
What I love most about this planner is that it takes the pressure off remembering everything. I'm using it to track my basic maintenance tasks and am easily able to add new tasks as I remember them. No more mental clutter.

2. Time and Mental Energy Saved:
I don’t know about you, but my brain is constantly running through a million thoughts. Keeping track of every little task around the house took up so much of my mental energy. With the automated reminders in this system, I no longer have to remember when to clean the fridge or change the air filter. The reminders take care of that for me, giving me more space in my brain for everything else.

3. Super Flexible and Personalized:
What’s great about this planner is that it adapts to me. I can choose how often each task should repeat, whether it’s daily, weekly, or on a specific interval like every 10 weeks (like changing the air filter). Plus, I can add new tasks as they pop up—there’s no limit to how many reminders I can set. It’s totally customizable to my needs, which is perfect since my schedule is always changing. (The template is preset with 40 tasks, but you can add more with a little Notion know-how!)

4. Progress Tracking and Motivation:
I’ll admit it—seeing tasks marked as “completed” is so satisfying. I love being able to check off items on my to-do list, and the progress tracker lets me do that easily. Each task shows me when it was last completed, so I can keep track of how consistent I’ve been. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and helps me stay motivated. Plus, I really like opening my main dashboard and seeing an empty block where my chores live.

The Simple Stuff I’ve Been Able to Keep Up With

I won’t lie—I was a little nervous about sticking to a rigid schedule at first. But because I don't have to remember the when, this doesn't actually feel like a schedule. It's just a new deck of chore cards that magically appear. And with this planner, I’ve actually found myself staying on top of the everyday tasks I used to forget, like:

• Vacuuming weekly (instead of whenever I remember where the vacuum is)
• Deep cleaning the water dispenser weekly (because, ew)
• Changing the air filter every 10 weeks (a task I’d always put off)
• Treating the kitchen counters (a simple task that I often forgot was even a thing)

Plus, I’ve been able to keep up with seasonal tasks like rotating my mattress and scheduling HVAC maintenance before winter sets in. I know these tasks can seem small, but they add up, and being able to track them consistently has made all the difference.

No More Panic-Inducing To-Do Lists

Here’s the best part: I’m no longer overwhelmed by the never-ending list of household chores. The digital cards in the Notion template make it so easy to see everything in one place. Each task is clearly laid out with details like when it’s due and when I last completed it. I can just glance at the screen and know exactly what I need to do next. There’s no stress, no scrambling to remember things. It’s all taken care of. Plus, if there's anything I need to remember for the next time it's due, I can capture it right there in the chore page.

Conclusion: The Stress-Free, ADHD-Friendly Solution

If you’re someone who struggles to stay on top of housework, but you don’t want to be stressed about forgetting the small stuff, this planner is a total lifesaver. The Notion Household Planner has helped me stay organized, reduce my mental clutter, and create a routine that actually works for me. Now, when something needs to be done around the house, I know exactly when to do it—and I don’t have to worry about it until the reminder pops up.

So, if you’re ready to stop feeling like you’re constantly running behind, give this planner a try. Trust me, it’ll change the way you manage your home—and your stress.