How do you remember stuff?

[AussieButterfly]

I’m pretty certain I have ADHD. One child has been diagnosed with it, another on the waiting list. So many things on the questionnaire made me think I have it too. I’m sure it’s a familiar story to many of you.

The main problem i have is remembering stuff. The everyday stuff like who needs to take PE kits to school on what day each week. To pay a bill online. To order that repeat prescription. To return the jeans I bought a month ago that are too big that I’ve taken out with me to return yet I still forgot to return them.

It’s driving me mad. Has anyone got any tips to help me remember stuff? I’ve tried writing stuff down but either I don’t write it down or, I do then never check the list of things I’ve written down. I’ve tried emailing or texting myself but i read the message later and then more often than not, I’ll still not do the thing.

Alexa.
I couldn’t function without her now.
Alexa, remind me to order prescription on the 7th…Alexa, set reminder every Wednesday at 7:30 am -Sam’s PE kit…Alexa, set reminder for the 26th, pay credit card bill -she’s brilliant, although I rely on her so much I’ve started trying to talk to her when I’m out in the car!

I trained my dc to remember which days were uniform/PE from an early age. I would make them laugh by getting it wrong, and they loved telling me off - light hearted but actually vital. I’m not always sure what day of the week it is!

It’s also the dc’s jobs to check their lunchbox is correct before putting it in their bag.

I use alarms on my phone a lot because I can keep snoozing until the job is done and not switch off the alarm til then. Calendar doesn’t work as well for me.

Every activity has its own bag and I keep extras if necessary so I don’t have to swop things about. Football kit gets washed and rebagged - it doesn’t ever go up to the wardrobe.

I really don’t know about returning things - that defeats me. If it’s out of sight it’s out of mind, but I’m also clutter blind. Keeping on top of clutter, keeping tidy and putting as many belongings into drawers and cupboards where I can’t see them helps free up mental space. But even if I leave a bag hanging on the door handle so I won’t forget to return an item, I can walk by it and just not see it. (And I can carry it around and just not do it).

Thanks! I could definitely use alexa more.

Clutter gets me down. So much. Tonight, there’s so much crap on the sofa that there was no space to sit down. Did I tidy it? No. I went to bed!

That there is the crux of the problem because we tend to see alternative solutions (go elsewhere) instead of automatically doing the obvious (tidy the sofa)

Have a look at some of the older threads on mumsnet (they tend to crop up every January) about being organised. I’m convinced there are a lot of MNetters with adhd traits because I don’t think ND people need as many hacks to get through life.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/3774726-Organisational-tips-and-tricks-to-start-in-the-new-year