Packing with ADHD: Why It’s So Hard (and 10 Strategies to Make It Easier)
Image Credit: Kateryna Hliznitsova via Unsplash+
All my life, I’ve struggled with packing for trips — especially ones to locations where there’s no local Target or Walmart nearby as back-up — in case I forget something essential. No matter how hard I tried, my packing “routine” never changed. I would procrastinate until the day before, then sprint around tossing things into my suitcase right up until the moment we left.
The idea of trying to guess what I might feel like wearing on future mornings, evenings, and specific occasions (when deciding what to wear in the present is hard enough) always left me stuck.
Then there was the inevitable scramble to find things I thought I had — only to realize at the last minute that I didn’t. Cue the frantic, last-minute store run.
Did I mention the amazing little travel perfume dispenser I bought after the last trip? Still unopened. In its packaging. Still completely useless because I never figured out how to fill it and certainly didn’t have time to figure it out during the next packing frenzy either. Even choosing which suitcase to use (size matters) — and not over-packing it – was another dilemma.
The crazy part is, once everything was finally packed, I still didn’t feel peace. The drive to the airport allowed ample time for me to mentally run through all the things I might’ve forgotten. The whole process was so overwhelming, I sometimes questioned whether the trip was even worth it. Wasn’t going on vacation supposed to be fun? What was wrong with me?
Sound familiar? Turns out that for many people—especially those of us with ADHD—packing is overwhelming because it hits so many executive functioning challenges:
Planning (How many days? What’s the weather?)
Organizing (Different activities and events)
Time management (The chronic urge to put it off and then the panic to get it all done)
Decision fatigue and perfectionism (Trying to choose the “just right” outfits and shoes for every possible scenario)
Working memory (Forgetting essentials or what’s already in the suitcase)
No wonder it’s such a struggle!
Recently, I had to pack for a two-week trip to Europe and I was determined to finally break the cycle. I combined my past packing experiences and all I’ve learned through coaching to create concrete strategies to make packing easier and even set a goal to be fully packed and ready a whole day before departure. I started a few days early, used the new strategies, and for the first time ever… it worked! Calm, organized, low-stress packing. Imagine that! I am so excited about my personal packing success, that I wanted to share the strategies I used with the hopes that all or some of them may help you too.
Although packing may never be my favorite task, with the right tools and strategies, I know that it can actually feel more manageable—and the days leading up to a vacation won’t be as stressful.
Now, if only I could remember where I put that unopened travel perfume container…
Check out the 10 ADHD-Friendly Strategies for Packing Without the Panic