I love to do my very own fix-it chores round the home, however I make so many blunders alongside the way in which that I usually marvel if I ought to have simply employed an expert.
Then I get enthused about one other DIY job round the home, and I downplay my earlier missteps, errors, and failed dwelling enchancment initiatives. “This time will likely be totally different,” I feel optimistically. However do I imagine it?
As a lot as folks with ADHD hope one thing will likely be totally different, it hardly ever is except we modify our habits — and that entails remembering what we have to change and eager to make the change occur. Poor working reminiscence and hyperfocus are elements of my ADHD that makes this tough.
Working example: Portray my toilet.
Earlier than: I used to complete a paint job with paint on the partitions — and my garments. I wouldn’t discover my error till the paint had dried and ruined no matter I used to be sporting. Are most individuals with ADHD as messy as I’m?
After: Irrespective of how small the paint job, I all the time grow to be my designated portray garments earlier than I start.
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Earlier than: Instantly after sparking the thought, “Let’s redo the lavatory,” I might begin portray. I believed placing down masking tape and overlaying the ground was pointless and time-consuming. I’d inform myself, “I will likely be neat this time.”
After: Numerous mess-ups later, I spotted I might by no means be neat sufficient not to wish masking tape and a drop fabric. Now I do each. Doing this routine prep work has improved my paint jobs.
Earlier than: I didn’t take the time to rigorously take away {hardware} and screws from fixtures.
After: I take away all {hardware} and screws and correctly retailer them, so they don’t get misplaced. I realized that if I care for the eliminated items, I received’t want to buy lacking elements later. Additionally, eradicating the fixtures ensures that I received’t get paint on them, inflicting extra work later as I attempt to take away the undesirable colour.
Yipee! As I’ve realized to do issues otherwise, I’ve gotten smarter. I’ve turn out to be extra happy with the progress I’ve made, and but….
[Self-Test: Do I have ADHD? Symptoms in Adults]
I lately needed to caulk the seam between the partitions and baseboards — and I wore my on a regular basis garments. If I had the thought to “placed on my portray garments first,” I ignored it. In spite of everything, this was caulking, not portray. I might be tremendous.
Later, I found dried caulk on my slacks. Do you know that dried caulk is as unattainable to take away from clothes as is dried paint? I do now!
In on the point of paint the lavatory, I set the paint tray on the drop fabric overlaying the ground. I might need thought, “That isn’t a very good place for the paint tray.” However attributable to my poor working reminiscence I rapidly forgot.
I additionally forgot in regards to the paint tray, backed up, and put my left foot in it! I wiped the paint off my shoe’s backside and thought I used to be good to go. Then I left the lavatory and went down two flights of stairs to complete cleansing my shoe within the basement sink.
Later, I observed each different stairstep had paint on its edge. I couldn’t perceive what had brought on this unusual sample, and I set to work eradicating the paint. It was solely then that I spotted I had not cleaned the bottom of my shoe, the place a lot of the paint remained, and had tracked paint on every step once I lifted my left foot.
The toilet was nearly completed. I simply wanted to reattach the fixtures. Okay, I admit I misplaced among the screws and made a visit to the house enchancment retailer to purchase replacements.
However all and all, I completed the paint job with fewer mishaps than earlier DIY initiatives and new learnings. My subsequent DIY job will go even higher.
DIY Initiatives for ADHD Adults: Subsequent Steps
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