Pivotal Decluttering Tips for Neurodivergent Educators

Creative Minds, Organized Spaces: Discover how neurodivergent educators can turn chaotic classrooms into havens of creativity and learning. Simple strategies. Big impacts.

Pivotal Decluttering Tips for Neurodivergent Educators

People with ADHD, autism, SPD, and other brain-based differences are often brilliant educators, artists, leaders, and entrepreneurs.

The ability to think out-of-the-box, inspire others, sustain passion for a subject, and intuitively find creative solutions to vexing problems are all real strengths.

For all of the gifts neurodivergence can bring, however, it usually also involves a significant number of daunting challenges.

One of the most frustrating for both the neurodivergent (ND) teacher and the communities they work with is the chronic struggle with disorganization.

Today we will look at:

• what neurodivergence is and how it can show up in teaching spaces
• the advantages of our unique brain wiring
• the benefits of having a workable space for you and your students
• and some simple management strategies for you to pick and choose from.

This blog offers educational content; not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for mental health concerns.

Your Neurodivergent Brain in Action

For educators living with chronic conditions like those listed above, in addition to many others, maintaining our classrooms, carts, or offices can feel like an uphill battle.

There are legitimate reasons for this, and not indicative of character flaws.

Neurodivergent brains are wired differently. I recently heard Dr. Dodge Rea refer to it on Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast as having a “both, and” brain versus an “either, or” one.

This means our executive functions are such that we cannot consistently prioritize, decide, or initiate tasks.

Setting boundaries is problematic. Our lesson plans remain unwritten, papers ungraded, field trip plans unsubmitted, until the last minute.

This is not because we are lazy or indifferent; quite the contrary.

Sensory processing difficulties contribute to avoidance of certain cleaning tasks.

In the classroom or office, this might mean you won't go near the strongly-scented cleaning wipes.

At home it may make managing laundry troublesome, when you can't tolerate the feeling of certain textures catching on your fingers.

Executive function challenges like prioritization or time prediction add to the procrastination around repetitive and boring tasks.

At work you might fall behind in paperwork, whether that's grading and returning papers, or thoroughly reviewing multiple employee expense reports.

Our attention wanders despite our best intentions, making focusing on the task at hand require much more effort than our peers.

Embracing Your Unique Strengths and Learning Style

As a former elementary music teacher, I count myself in the mix of the creative ADHDers.

Knowing as many artists, musicians, and actors as I do that are also educators leads me to think I'm not alone.

We are the ones who can hyperfocus on directing the play, writing the score, or building the set.

Our intense interests in what we do make us indefatigable in our areas of interest.

Neurodivergent teachers are also, generally speaking, extremely detail-oriented in certain regards.

For example, some people with dyslexia can make excellent proofreaders.

We are often perfectionists too, however, which can slow us down significantly.

Identifying Your Personal Clutter Triggers

Interestingly, despite what our culture constantly bombards us with on social media, having an organized space when you're neurodivergent really boils down to how well you can function in it.

Can you find what you need when you need it? If yes, don't sweat it unless it's becoming an issue for students or administration, for example.

Even so, whether it's because of our upbringing, the trauma that we often have wrapped up in the chronic mess, or our self-critical natures, most ND adults have some kind of a threshold of tolerance.

Once you cross that line, stress goes up, concentration goes down, and shame spirals kick into high gear.

As teachers we have the added pressure of wanting our learning space to be conducive to positive experiences for our students.

One thing we can do is to be aware of our own emotional triggers related to clutter.

Here are some categories for you to ponder. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

• Physical clutter (‘doom piles' of paper, crazy supply closets, broken pencil sharpeners, trash on the floor, sticky desks, half-washed coffee cups that are left soaking in the sink)
• Digital clutter (a gazillion unread emails, unclear file naming conventions, tabs being open that slow down your computer processing, confusion around whichever cloud storage system your district is using)
• Mental clutter (endless to-do lists either in your mind or elsewhere, alarm fatigue from too many reminders, Sunday scaries; or dreading a follow-up meeting with a parent, or with a supervisor on a performance improvement plan)

Decluttering Strategies for the Classroom

Physical Clutter

One huge advantage for my readers who are educators, depending on the age you work with, is that you can train your pupils to help you with this.

At the start of the year when everyone is obsessing over routines and procedures, make sure to include specific activities to help manage physical clutter.

Let's say you use a seating chart. (As a specialist working with hundreds of students this was not optional for me!)

Can you color code it and use that for job rotations? I got this idea from Elizabeth Caldwell's blog Organized Chaos, and it truly saved me in so many ways.

We would have a materials person (or group) that was responsible for distributing supplies.

There was another team who handled collecting them at the end of the lesson. That in and of itself took some weight off my shoulders.

(Clearly, you will need to adjust if you have concerns about a certain student or group of students.)

Weirdly, though, many students seem to really enjoy simple cleaning tasks, like more than you think they should.

This goes for many scholars, but especially those that need to get up and roam or who tend to be a little bit dysregulated.

If you give them a container of cleaning wipes, they can make those tables sparkle like new.

(Always check with your administration and families when in doubt.)

Digital Clutter

Thankfully we are living in a day and age where the number of organizing apps is only growing. As educators you need tools for lesson planning, grading, and general task management.

Folks who struggle with paperwork (raising my hand), have you considered using paperless systems where possible? (Or, has someone told you that a million times?)

It's still not a guarantee that you will accomplish the job of processing and evaluating student work, but it can make it easier.

A tool I used and loved for organizing student data was called iDoceo. I could input names of students and have it automatically group them in different ways.

I could also, on my iPad, quickly record a note to myself about who was absent, or who left early, for example, and missed that day's work.

For music teachers, I recommend using the Apple iTunes Match system which allows you to sync all your devices.

So when you need to access your playlist but your phone is on the other side of the room, you can still do so from your laptop.

Or if you are at home, you can still access it from your home iPad, as you plan your next event.

Mental Clutter

This one, like the digital category, is all you. (You can't really share it with students.)

If you are feeling burdened by unmet expectations or past difficult conversations with families or administration, it's important to talk to a licensed, qualified therapist.

Don't let your mental health fall to the wayside.

As far as mental health and clutter goes, you can definitely start habits like doing a brain dump every day or week.

This can help those of us with a heavier cognitive load to feel a bit more free!

For more information on how mental health can be affected by clutter, be sure to check out Marj's article “Clutter And Your Brain | The Mental Health Connection” from her blog, Declutter Buzz.

FAQs

How can I declutter when I struggle with decision-making and letting go?

Begin by setting small, manageable goals to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Use timers and write down what it is you are working on.

If other thoughts pop up while doing something else, write them on a sticky note and put them in a temporary “decision box.”

Place items you're unsure about in this box and set a calendar reminder to revisit them every week. Often, the passage of time can clarify whether these items are necessary or not.

What are some strategies for staying organized with paperwork and grading?

Implement a digital system whenever possible to reduce physical clutter. Use digital tools like Google Classroom or educational apps that allow you to grade assignments electronically.

For physical paperwork, establish a filing system with clear labels for each category (e.g., “To Grade,” “Graded,” “To Return”). Regularly allocate time to sort through these documents to keep the pile manageable.

How can I involve my students in maintaining an organized classroom environment?

Engage students by assigning roles or tasks that contribute to classroom organization. This can include end-of-day tidy-ups, organizing books and materials, or updating the class calendar.

Encouraging students to take responsibility helps them develop organizational skills and reduces your workload. Make it fun by turning clean-up into a game or rewarding them with classroom incentives.

What are some affordable and accessible organizational tools for teachers on a budget?

Utilize inexpensive items such as binder clips, file folders, and clear storage bins from dollar stores. Digital tools like Trello can be used for planning and can be accessed in free versions.

Additionally, explore the use of upcycled items — for example, reusing jars or boxes for storage. Community sharing through forums and social media groups can also be a great resource for used or donated items.

How can I balance the need for organization with my tendency to hyperfocus on specific interests or tasks?

Enlist the help of an accountability partner. Set clear and defined time limits for tasks using alarms or timers to prevent hyperfocus from consuming disproportionate amounts of time.

Takeaways

When it comes to managing physical, digital, or mental clutter, you can make small changes that will pay dividends down the road.

Just be gentle with yourself and accepting of the fact that organization for you may well look distinct from those neurotypical friends and colleagues.

Remember, your unique brain wiring has its strengths in addition to the challenges.

Use your out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem-solving skills to your advantage in the classroom.

A moderately clutter-free environment can improve your productivity and mental clarity.

Organize your teaching materials in a way that makes sense to you, and watch how it positively impacts your teaching and your students' learning experiences.

For more tips on managing daily challenges as a neurodivergent teacher, read the Key Neurodivergent Teachers' Guide to Managing Daily Challenges round-up!