The ADHD ‘Laundry Problem’: Why Simple Chores Feel Impossible to Finish

Executive dysfunction, a common part of ADHD, makes tasks with many steps—like laundry—feel confusing, frustrating, or even impossible. You might start with the best intentions but forget the clothes in the washer or lose steam before putting things away.

That’s because your brain craves structure, rewards, and clarity. But laundry? It’s endless, boring, and gives no real payoff. That’s a tough combo for an ADHD brain.

With the right systems, even laundry can feel doable. Let’s explore how.

Executive Dysfunction and Everyday Chores in ADHD

Executive dysfunction makes everyday chores extra difficult for people with ADHD. This happens because ADHD affects the brain’s ability to manage and organize tasks.

According to a study, children with ADHD show very large impairments in working memory—specifically the central executive part, which is the part of the brain that helps control attention, plan actions, and keep track of what needs to be done.

In fact, about 75% to 81% of children with ADHD show this kind of executive dysfunction. The researchers found that these impairments had strong links to how severe their inattentive and hyperactive symptoms were. When working memory breaks down, even basic household tasks like laundry or cleaning can feel overwhelming.

How about short-term memory? That’s the brain’s ability to hold information temporarily, like remembering a phone number for a minute. They found that phonological short-term memory, which holds language-based information, was not significantly impaired in ADHD. In fact, according to their study, only 20% of children with ADHD showed weakness in this area, and it didn’t relate to how severe their ADHD symptoms were.

On the other hand, visuospatial short-term memory, which stores visual and spatial information, did show some issues. According to the same study, around 38% of children with ADHD had impairments in this area. However, even this kind of short-term memory didn’t connect with ADHD symptoms reported by parents or teachers. That means these memory problems may not directly cause the behaviors we associate with ADHD, like distraction or impulsiveness.

Why Laundry Feels Impossible?

One major reason is how ADHD affects the brain’s executive functions.

Even with a plan in place—like doing one load of laundry each morning—things often fall apart. Clothes get forgotten in the washer or dryer, piles build up, and the task feels never-ending. This isn’t due to laziness. It's because ADHD brains struggle to carry out tasks that require multiple steps and don't provide instant rewards.

In a small qualitative study published in an occupational therapy journal, researchers interviewed 12 people in Sweden with ADHD about what helped them manage daily tasks like laundry. According to the study, participants found it easier to complete activities when they were fun, had a clear goal, involved other people, or were part of a structured routine.

But laundry? It's boring, repetitive, often done alone, and rarely gives a clear sense of completion. These missing elements make it harder for people with ADHD to follow through.

The Problem with No Clear Finish Line

Adding to that, one expert explained that the never-ending nature of laundry can be demotivating for ADHD brains. According to her, people with ADHD often prefer tasks with a clear beginning and end, where they can feel accomplished afterward.

Laundry, by contrast, just keeps coming. There’s no real finish line, which can make it feel overwhelming and unmanageable.

Time Blindness and the “Floordrobe”

Another layer of difficulty comes from the concept of “time blindness.” Therapist Rachael Bloom explains that people with ADHD often misjudge how long a task will take. Laundry may seem like it will eat up hours, even if it only takes 20 minutes. That distorted sense of time leads to avoidance. This is confirmed by ADHD coach Jeff Rice, who shared that timing himself folding laundry helped reduce the emotional resistance his ADHD brain built up around the task.

All of this leads to what Rice calls the “floordrobe”—piles of clean or semi-worn clothes left on the floor or over chairs because the brain can’t complete the task chain of putting them away.

Strategies And Solutions For Managing The Laundry Problem

Here are some simple strategies that can help make laundry feel less like a chore and more like something you can actually manage

Let Go of Perfection

One of the most life-changing strategies came from KC Davis, author of How to Keep House While Drowning. Davis asked herself a powerful question while folding baby clothes: “Why am I folding baby onesies?”

She realized many items—like pajamas, gym shorts, and underwear—don’t really need to be folded. As a result, she stopped folding about 80% of her laundry.

So, quitting folding dramatically reduced her laundry stress. Although it meant clean clothes took up more space, it was a worthwhile trade. The extra storage she added, like a storage bench and reorganized dressers, made it work. This shift challenged the idea that there’s a right way to do laundry. Laundry is morally neutral—you’re not a better or worse person based on how you do it.

Try What Worked Before

Looking back can help. Taylor Allbright, a coach specializing in sustainable productivity and well-being for people with ADHD, said she remembered that when she lived alone in a small studio apartment, she had a very effective system: go to the laundromat every other Saturday, do two loads at once, fold everything before leaving, and be done in two hours. It was simple, structured, and efficient. Even though it was annoying, it didn’t fill her with the same frustration as her current routine.

That old system had clear start and end points, and it required minimal decision-making. There’s value in revisiting strategies that worked well during a different season of life and asking, “Can I adapt this to fit now?”

Cut Down the Steps

Jessica McCabe, creator of How to ADHD, recommends simplifying systems. She uses the example of a coat rack versus a closet. A rack takes one step. A closet takes four. Applying this to laundry, that might mean keeping similar types of clothes—like workout gear, pajamas, and basics—in one drawer or bin without sorting or folding.

Experiment Gently

Dr. Kate Henry, author of Tend to It, suggests a strategy called gentle experimentation. She recommends trying a new system for a short time—such as a month—and then reflecting on whether it worked. Inspired by this, Allbright planned the Laundry Day Experiment of 2024: Do all laundry on one day each week (probably Friday), and use alarms—not reminders—to stay on track.

Why alarms? Because reminders weren’t working. Alarms, unlike silent app notifications, are harder to ignore. She also planned to buy a bigger hamper to keep dirty clothes from overflowing, and put hooks in places where jackets usually ended up on the floor. These changes were designed to reduce both physical and mental clutter.

Design Your Environment for Success

Small changes to your space can lead to big improvements. Designing your home to work with your brain, not against it.

You may skip the folding and use labeled bins or drawers for each clothing type instead—like a "shirts" bin and a "socks" bin. This lowers the mental load and still keeps things organized in a way that works for your brain.

This reduces the need for perfection and supports habits that are already working, even if they look different from traditional systems.

Reddit Talks on ADHD Laundry Solutions

Some Reddit users found ways to make laundry easier, even with ADHD.

For example, skip-hollandsworth stopped folding clothes completely. They bought 40 black hangers and hang up everything, even old T-shirts. Socks and underwear go into a beach basket—quick, no sorting. This method keeps things simple and saves brain energy. Another user, taz420nj, shared that they haven’t folded clothes since they were 14. Now at 42, they still don’t use a dresser. They keep clean clothes in one basket and throw dirty ones on the floor. When the basket is empty, that’s the sign—it’s time to do laundry. No fuss, no extra steps.

Visibility also came up a lot in the Reddit thread. Clothes that are out of sight often get ignored. Broeckchen89 said they need to see their clothes. If the clothes aren’t near the bed or easy to spot, they forget about them. This leads to wearing the same outfits and clothes piling up. To help with this, WizardBlackledge uses a clear shoe organizer to hold work clothes. That way, they can quickly see what’s clean and ready to wear. This trick makes getting dressed less stressful and keeps laundry moving.

Other users created small routines to break the task into parts. FreckledHomewrecker puts in one load in the morning, moves it to the dryer at night, and puts it away the next day. Doing one step at a time makes the job feel less heavy. They also stick to a capsule wardrobe, which means fewer clothes and fewer choices. This reduces mess and makes laundry easier to keep up with. fab000 said something similar. They keep their wardrobe small, so when they run out of clothes, it’s time to wash them. Futurecrazycatlady added that perfection doesn’t matter. They don’t fold much. Instead, they use baskets and do laundry right after breakfast. Then, they reward themselves for finishing. It’s simple, but it works.

Final Words

The key is finding systems that match how your brain works, not how others expect things to be done. That might mean skipping the folding, using baskets, or doing laundry all in one go.

Even small changes—like using alarms instead of reminders or making clothes more visible—can really help. What matters is making the task easier to start, stick with, and finish. And if something doesn’t work, try something else.

There’s no perfect way to do laundry. But there are better ways—ways that feel lighter, take less effort, and actually get done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people with ADHD often have floordrobes?

ADHD affects things like focus, memory, and motivation. Laundry feels boring and not urgent, so it often gets pushed aside until it becomes overwhelming.

Why does laundry feel harder for people with ADHD?

It’s repetitive, not exciting, and never-ending. ADHD brains crave interesting tasks, so laundry just doesn’t “stick.”

What is time blindness?

Time blindness means it’s hard to guess how long a task will take. So something like folding laundry feels like it will take forever—even if it won’t.

What is body doubling?

It’s doing a task while someone else is nearby. They don’t have to help—just being there can keep you focused.

Should I feel bad about having a floordrobe?

Nope. It’s common, and there’s no shame in it. If it doesn’t bother you, it’s OK to leave it.