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March 10
Some people are naturally organized. Cassandra Aarssen is not one of them. A self-proclaimed “super slob” turned organizing expert, Cas spent years struggling with clutter before realizing that traditional organizing methods simply didn’t work for her ADHD brain. That revelation led her to develop the Clutterbug® Organizing Philosophy, identifying four unique organizing styles to help people work with their brains—not against them.
In this episode of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, Cas shares her incredible journey—from being a homeless teen to finding stability, only to feel like she was constantly dropping the ball as an adult. She opens up about how her late ADHD diagnosis at 40 transformed her self-perception, the organizing hacks that changed her life, and why a one-size-fits-all organization is a myth. Tracy and Cas also dive into why ADHD brains struggle with clutter, how decision fatigue plays a role, and practical strategies to make organization effortless—even for those who think they’re beyond help.
Cas is now the host of HGTV’s Hot Mess House, a bestselling author, and the creator of a wildly popular YouTube channel, podcast, and online community. Through it all, she remains on a mission to help others reclaim their homes, their time, and their peace of mind—without the shame or frustration that so often comes with being “messy.”
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by clutter or convinced you’re just bad at organizing, this episode will completely change the way you see your space—and yourself.
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"I spent my whole life thinking I was lazy, irresponsible, or broken. And then I realized—I wasn’t any of those things. My brain just worked differently."
- Cas Aarssen
"I was done breaking the rules. I was going to build a better life."
- Cas Aarssen
"Organizing is not about being ‘neat’—it’s about understanding how your brain naturally works and designing systems that fit you, not the other way around."
- Cas Aarssen
"People make decluttering way too complicated. You don’t need a million piles—you just need one simple question: ‘Do I actually want this?’ Yes or no. That’s it."
- Cas Aarssen
"ADHD brains love fast, easy, and visual systems. If it takes more than a second to put something away, we won’t do it. That’s why our systems have to be effortless."
- Cas Aarssen
"Every time you see a pile, your brain has to process it again. The more you let go, the more mental energy you get back."
- Cas Aarssen
- Cassandra Aarssen shares her challenging childhood, describing herself as hyperactive, impulsive, and oppositional from a young age, which led to running away from home at 15 and eventually serving nine months in prison.
- She explains how traditional school environments were particularly difficult for her ADHD brain, with requirements to sit still, be quiet, and memorize information being the three things she struggled with most.
- Despite her turbulent youth, Cas's prison experience became a turning point that prompted her to change her life's direction, though she still struggled with maintaining an organized home until discovering organizing systems that worked with her brain rather than against it.
[20:00 - 40:00] The Clutterbug Philosophy and Finding Her Style
- After becoming a mother, Cas developed her Clutterbug organizing philosophy when she realized traditional organizing methods weren't sustainable for her, leading her to create a system of broad categories and simple storage solutions.
- She identifies four organizing styles (Butterfly, Ladybug, Cricket, and Bee) based on whether someone prefers visual or hidden storage and detailed or non-detailed organization, helping people understand their natural tendencies.
- As a "Ladybug" herself—someone who prefers hidden but simplified storage systems—Cas demonstrates how working with her natural tendencies rather than forcing herself into perfectionist systems finally allowed her to maintain an organized home.
[40:00 - 52:00] Practical Strategies and ADHD Workarounds
- Cas shares decluttering strategies for ADHD brains, particularly the "21 item toss" which turns decluttering into a game by focusing on finding a specific number of items to remove rather than evaluating every possession.
- She addresses the challenge of "identity clutter"—items we struggle to part with because they feel connected to how we see ourselves—and suggests limiting memory items to one bin per family member.
- Her number one ADHD workaround is using multiple alarms and reminders throughout the day, which helps her manage her forgetfulness despite sometimes annoying her family members with her abundance of notifications.
- Website: clutterbug.me
- Instagram: clutterbug_me
- LinkedIn: cassandra-aarssen
- ClutterBug - Organize, Clean and Transform your Home & Life Podcast: podcasts.apple.com
- Hot Mess House: hot-mess-house
