Things That Help Me Function: An ADHD Shopping Guide (No Planners Included) 🧠💸
Welcome to my foray into product recommendations. Move over, Refinery29.
Obligatory blurb: What works for one person with ADHD might not work for another. These tools have helped me reclaim some precious mental bandwidth for more important things. Every bit of executive function we save on basic tasks is energy we can use elsewhere.
After a full childhood and young adulthood of struggling with undiagnosed ADHD (and five years of struggling with medication), I managed to build a collection of actually useful coping tools. While throwing money at executive dysfunction isn't always the answer, some purchases have genuinely transformed my daily life.
Quick backstory: I received my formal ADHD diagnosis when I was 26. My little sister, who is 19 months younger than me, received her diagnosis at age six. No one thought I needed the same assessment. How was I overlooked? Apparently, I spent over two decades building and maintaining a carefully constructed facade— masking in a textbook Eldest Daughter way. It turns out that level of constant self-monitoring can lead to chronic exhaustion and anxiety.¹ Who knew?
Now, the medical community recognizes that if one sibling has ADHD, the other is more likely to have it than not, even if the presentation is different.²
Like many people with undiagnosed ADHD, I developed compensation strategies before receiving the clarity of a diagnosis. Now, I have more context on how I approach tasks, scheduling, and relationships alongside resources to help me target specific pain points.
These purchases have made my life easier. They’ll likely help make your life easier even if you don’t think you have ADHD (women are more likely to be diagnosed in adulthood, btw…you never know).
Home Organization
Woven Baskets for Strategic Drop Zones
Navy Stripe Basket | Seafoam Green Basket | Gray and White Basket | Green Tuft Basket
Instead of fighting my tendency to drop things wherever I stand, I've created an organized system around it. I've placed woven fabric baskets in strategic locations throughout my home – one next to my stationary bike for workout gear and another in the bathroom for dirty clothes. You should work with your brain— not against it. These baskets are attractive enough to look intentional while maintaining their core functionality.
Adjustable Drawer Dividers
Bamboo Dividers | Transparent Dividers
These clear plastic dividers keep my socks, bras, and underwear separated. While I usually toss things in without much attention, these dividers ensure everything stays with its own kind. It's like creating little pools for your clothes – they can move around freely while remaining in their designated areas.
Battery Organizer with Tester
This plastic case keeps all batteries visible and in one place. The built-in tester ensures that the batteries you’re holding onto are the ones that actually work, not the dead ones you forgot to toss. It holds up to 110 batteries and helps prevent the scattered battery collection that seems to multiply in random drawers.
Small Woven Plastic Baskets
Black Baskets | Green Baskets | Basket Set
These trays can help contain those mini "drop zones" in drawers, on counters, and, in my case, inside the coffee table. They contain the clutter while keeping items visible and accessible. If something gets full, I know it’s time to declutter.
Object Permanence Solutions
People with ADHD often have issues with object permanence. When everything has an easily accessible space, it reduces the friction that often comes with decluttering and makes it harder to forget what you have.
Acrylic Shelf Dividers
These clear dividers keep my closet organized while maintaining visibility. I use them to contain stacked sweaters and bedsheets on an eye-level shelf.
Manual Embossing Label Maker
Container Store | Office Depot | Amazon
I have a label maker just like this. It creates tactile labels that are satisfying to touch and easy to read, and I don’t need to worry about it running out of battery. When items are stored in opaque containers or drawers, having physical labels helps prevent the “out of sight, out of mind” issue. The act of making the labels also helps cement the organizational system in my mind.
Sunglasses Organizer
I used to get periodically stuck in a cycle of losing sunglasses and unnecessarily buying replacements. I rarely kept them with their cases and would often forget to grab a pair before I walked out the door. After I saw a friend post a similar organizer on Instagram, I knew I had to get one. I mounted this right by my front door. The sunglasses are displayed like art, which makes me more motivated to hang them up and helps me remember how many I already have.
Travel Solutions
Bluetooth Trackers: Travel Peace of Mind
Tile | AirTag | AirTag Pet Collar Mount
I keep trackers in strategic places when traveling - one in my luggage, another tucked into my passport holder, and one on my dog's collar at home for peace of mind. For important documents, I'll slip an AirTag into the folder or envelope holding them. It's amazing how much mental bandwidth you can free up just by knowing exactly where your essential items are at all times.
Compression Packing Cubes
These cubes are a game-changer for travel organization, especially for those of us who overpack due to anxiety about forgetting something. The compression feature means I can pack all my "just in case" items without overloading my bag. They keep similar items together and visible, making it easier to find things during trips and unpack once I'm home (even if I do that unpacking three weeks later).
Loops Earplugs
Loops | Alternative One | Alternative Two
Airports, trains, and public transit can get loud. I’ve been a Loops evangelist for the last two years. I always keep a pair in my purse and have an extra pair that lives in my carry-on. There are off-brand versions you can get for cheap (I have several, and they work just as well).
Travel Battery
My typical airplane routine involves listening to audiobooks while playing games on my phone. My worst nightmare is being in an unfamiliar city at night with a dead phone (my sense of direction would not save me). I like to bring a large external battery in my carry-on and keep a smaller one in my purse when I’m out and about. I love the new models with attached charging cords— no more forgetting the cord that goes with your battery!
Low-Energy Automation Tools
My fiancée introduced me to these. They may seem excessive, but they’ve improved my quality of life by leaps and bounds. Work smarter, not harder!
Automated Curtain Opener
Nina’s room has large floor-to-ceiling windows shielded by blackout curtains. The curtains are on a timer to open at the same time as her morning alarm. When I’m struggling to get out of bed, the flood of sunlight makes it much easier. A little extra? Maybe. I’m working with my brain, not against it!!
Phone-Controlled Switch
Nina uses this for the fan in her room. It’s the same concept as the curtain. Don’t disturb your cozy cocoon to get out of bed to turn the fan on, just flip the switch from your phone. It’s much cheaper than installing a smart fan!
Smart Lightbulbs
Philips Hue | Kasa Smart Lights
I love these. I turn off the overhead light facing the bed or the couch when I don’t want direct light. I turn the lights down or change the hue when I have a headache or am watching a badly lit TV show (basically all of them now). Turning them on and off from bed is an obvious benefit.
Robot Vacuum/Mop Combo
Okay, this one is an investment. I used to have a vacuum-only model, but getting the vacuum + mop combo was absolutely worth it. Our dog sheds and goes in and out of the doggy door all day, tracking in dirt and anything else she can get into. Our floors get gross quickly. We run this almost daily. Clear floors = clear mind, etc. New models come out every year, so I recommend checking OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace for older models in good working order. A lot of households will likely upgrade during Black Friday! I linked the exact model we use. We’ve had it for about a year. No complaints so far.
Medication Management
Cute Little Pill Case
Amazon | Urban Outfitters | Etsy (this one made me laugh)
This elegant little case lives in my purse. It's perfect for those moments when I've forgotten to take something at home or need quick access to as-needed medications. Having this backup system reduces the anxiety of potentially missing a dose and has saved me on multiple occasions.
Medication Timer Caps
PatientSleepSupplies | Amazon | Walmart
Have you ever taken your Adderall and immediately fallen back asleep? I do that. These caps display the exact amount of time since you last opened your medication bottle. No more staring at your pills, trying to remember if you took them (or accidentally taking them twice). They come with matching bottles in case your pharmacy uses non-standard medication bottles.
Mindful Health (formerly DoneADHD) Subscription | $89/month or $799/year
Texas makes accessing ADHD medications unnecessarily complicated. This service eliminates the need for monthly office visits, surprise drug tests (that insurance may or may not cover), and the associated costs of missing work for appointments. It's expensive 🥲, but it's worth it *to me* for consistent, hassle-free medication management. I’ve tried other telehealth services for ADHD meds, and nothing compares. Get $100 off your first appointment with my referral link.
Have you found any ADHD holy grail products? Comment with your recs!
Find me everywhere on the internet: linktr.ee/arieltypes
Citations:
¹ Hinshaw, S. P., Nguyen, P. T., O'Grady, S. M., & Rosenthal, E. A. (2022). Annual Research Review: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in girls and women: underrepresentation, longitudinal processes, and key directions. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 63(4), 484–496. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13480
² Barkley, R. A. (2015). Etiologies of ADHD. In R. A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed., pp. 356–390). The Guilford Press.
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