I’m going to say something controversial in the organizing world: pretty baskets are a trap. At least for ADHD brains.
You know the ones — gorgeous woven seagrass baskets, chic fabric cubes, beautiful wooden crates. They look amazing on Instagram. And then you put your stuff in them and never see any of it ever again, because out of sight is literally out of mind when you have ADHD.
The single biggest organizing upgrade I’ve ever made wasn’t a system or an app. It was switching everything to clear bins. Let me explain why.
The science-y bit: object permanence (or lack thereof)
“Object permanence” is the understanding that things still exist when you can’t see them. Babies develop it around 8 months old. ADHD adults… struggle with it forever. 😅
It’s not that we don’t know the scissors are in the drawer. It’s that our brains don’t surface that information unless there’s a visual cue. So we buy a second pair of scissors. Then a third. Then we find all three in the same week and feel like a mess.
Clear bins fix this with zero effort. You don’t have to remember anything. You just… look.
My clear bin hall of fame 📸
This is my shoe wall. Every pair visible. Getting dressed takes 30 seconds instead of a 20-minute excavation. I call clear shoe boxes a life saver and I mean it with my whole chest.
My bathroom drawers. Makeup, jewelry, all visible. I actually use my nice eyeshadow palettes now instead of wearing the same three products until they expire.
My closet shelves. Cleaning supplies, toiletries, first aid — I can see when I’m running low before it’s an emergency CVS run.
“But clear bins look cluttered!”
I hear this a lot, and honestly? A little visual busyness is the price of actually knowing where your stuff is. But here are my tricks to keep clear storage looking cute:
- Decant the ugly stuff. Take things out of loud packaging and put them in the bins directly. Instant 50% less visual chaos.
- Group by category, not by vibes. All the hair stuff together. All the first-aid together. Your brain will thank you.
- Labels on everything. A label maker is $10 and makes clear bins look intentional instead of chaotic.
- Contain the categories. One bin per category. When the bin is full, that’s your signal to declutter — no second bin.
What to buy (the short list)
You don’t need a hundred bins. Start with these:
- Clear stackable shoe boxes — for shoes, obviously, but also great for accessories, craft supplies, anything smallish
- Clear stackable drawers — bathroom and vanity game-changer
- Clear open-top bins — for closets and shelves where you grab things daily
Every single one I personally use and recommend is on my Recommended Products page. All clear. Obviously. 🧺
The bottom line
ADHD organizing isn’t about discipline or aesthetics. It’s about removing every possible barrier between you and your stuff — including the barrier of an opaque basket. Go clear, thank yourself later.
🎬 Come hang out with me! I post organizing videos on YouTube and daily finds on Instagram — see you there! 💕
Disclosure: some links on this site are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. It keeps the blog (and the bin obsession) going! 💕