Speaking Up for the Chronically Disorganized: Why Advocacy and Awareness Matter 

Think about the last time you struggled with something and felt unseen. 

Maybe it was something you didn’t feel comfortable sharing or feared others would not understand. Or even worse – maybe you did share only to be met with criticism and judgemental advice. 

It’s such an isolating feeling, isn’t it? 

This is an everyday reality for the chronically disorganized. 

And what’s even worse? They’re often deeply misunderstood and hit with assumptions and judgments that make an isolating feeling even more burdensome. 

This needs to change, and as a professional organizing consultant and advocate, that is my mission – to bring awareness, compassion, and support to those struggling silently.

What Does It Mean To Be Chronically Disorganized?

We all misplace things and fall behind on tasks. Our counters collect clutter as we rush through our weekly to-do’s and hectic schedules, and we get frustrated with how hard it can feel to keep up. 

In fact, I’m willing to bet this happens to the vast majority of us.

But when this has been someone’s reality for years…when disorganization becomes not only visible clutter, but a debilitating weight that interferes with quality of life…

When everything is being controlled by an all-encompassing narrative of shame and a feeling as though there is no changing it – not for a lack of trying, but because nothing helps…

When it feels like it has become an identity – this is chronic disorganization. 

And it’s not as simple as just “getting it together” – oof, how often have you told yourself you need to do that?

It stems much deeper into the realms of what makes a person who they are – the stories they carry, the patterns they’ve adopted…and these things are not easy to reframe without the appropriate support. 

The Harm of Stigma and Silence

We all understand the importance of mental health awareness, and fortunately, this has become less stigmatized in our society as the years have gone on.

However, many judgments and disparities remain, and we must continue to educate and raise awareness or become a voice for those who struggle.

Social stigma and cultural myths push heavier on the already existing self-stigma that a person with chronic disorganization holds. 

Someone with a lack of understanding sees a chronically disorganized home and immediate assumptions are made. We all know society’s way of placing a person’s value on their level of productivity, and if you’re disorganized and can’t keep it together? Well, you’re just lazy… 

This just simply isn’t true. 

It couldn’t be further from the truth actually. 

There’s always more than meets the eye – there are always root causes to the various struggles a person is faced with. In the case of chronic disorganization, these common root causes range from neurodivergence (ADHD, autism), and trauma, to depression and anxiety – to name a few. 

A person who lives with these mental health conditions typically struggles with self-worth and holds many feelings of shame. 

This is where the real harm of stigma and silence lives – in the isolation it breeds. When we dismiss someone’s struggle as laziness, or when someone feels they must hide their reality out of fear of judgment, we cut off their access to support, understanding, and healing. Shame thrives in silence. And silence is often born from stigma.

We must replace judgment with curiosity, criticism with compassion, and assumption with education.

The Power of Advocacy – Awareness Creates Access 

Advocacy doesn’t always look like a grand gesture. Sometimes, it’s choosing a different way of framing your language in front of a client. Sometimes, it’s gently educating a colleague about ADHD or clutter-related anxiety. And sometimes, it’s seeking out training, consulting, or speaking engagements to better serve your clients.

If you’re a professional who works with individuals or families experiencing overwhelming clutter or disorganized spaces, you’re in a powerful position to advocate – by understanding the underlying layers you become more than just someone offering a transaction or a service. You become part of someone’s healing process.

You stop seeing a “mess” and start seeing a person – someone navigating complex layers of trauma, neurodivergence, or emotional overwhelm. With awareness and compassion, you can shift not just your language, but your entire approach – and that has the power to change outcomes in a deeply meaningful way.

That is the power of advocacy.

Why Speaking Up Matters – For Individuals, Families, and Professionals

When we speak up, we open the door for others to feel seen, understood, and accepted. 

For individuals living with chronic disorganization, hearing their stories reflected without shame can be life-changing… 

For families, it creates a framework for empathy instead of frustration… 

And for professionals – realtors, estate attorneys, therapists, or care coordinators – advocacy leads to better, more ethical outcomes and lasting transformation for the individual struggling. 

Understanding chronic disorganization through the lens of mental health and neurodivergence rather than seeing it as a character flaw or failure shifts how we engage. It helps professionals avoid assumptions and builds trust, especially in high-stake transitions such as estate clean-outs or home sales. 

Where I Come In – The SHiFT® Method 

As a professional organizer and speaker, I work with community members, legal professionals, therapists, and others to increase awareness about chronic disorganization and the emotional weight it often carries. Through public speaking, education sessions, and consulting, I help professionals become allies – not just offering services, but providing informed, trauma-sensitive support that truly makes a difference.

One of the foundational tools I use in this work is The SHiFT® Method – a holistic, person-centered approach that guides individuals from fragmentation to a renewed sense of wholeness.

This is what the SHiFT® Method encompasses: 

S – Social: Addressing the relationships and support systems that can either nourish or deplete a person’s energy and motivation.

H – Health: Looking at how physical and mental health impact one’s ability to manage space and routines.

i – “i am deserving”: The core of the method. This lowercase “i” represents a person’s self-worth—often diminished by years of internalized shame. As we work through the other areas, this little “i” begins to stand taller.

F – Financial: Helping clients understand and manage the role that money, debt, or scarcity plays in their environment and choices.

T – Time: Supporting individuals in reclaiming their relationship with time, structure, and executive functioning challenges.

I don’t only use this method when coaching someone with chronic disorganization – The SHiFT® method has become a framework for the ways I engage in each aspect of every service I provide.

After all, it isn’t just about organizing a home – it’s about restoring dignity, rebuilding confidence, and helping someone believe that they are worthy of peace and order in their life.

How You Can Help – Be Part of the Change 

With your help in spreading this awareness, we can bridge the gap between misunderstanding and meaningful support. Whether it’s navigating an estate clean-out, preparing a home for sale, or working with a client in crisis, your role as a compassionate professional can be a stabilizing force during a deeply vulnerable time.

When you take the time to learn, speak up, and engage with empathy, you help reshape an entire narrative – one that has, for far too long, shamed people into silence. Instead, we can create a culture of understanding, dignity, and respect.

You don’t have to be a therapist or organizer to be part of this change. You just have to care – and be willing to act.

Here’s how you can take the next step:

• Reply to this blog or email me directly to start a conversation about how this awareness fits into your line of work.

• Share this post with a colleague, friend, or professional group who might benefit from learning more.

• Invite me to speak or consult with your team or organization to bring this important conversation into your workplace.

• Start using different language today – shift your wording from “messy” to “overwhelmed,” or from “lazy” to “disconnected.” Small changes have a ripple effect.

You are in a unique position to help people feel seen, respected, and supported – perhaps for the first time in a long time. Thank you for being here, and for being open to learning. You’re already making a difference.

Let’s continue this work together.