Photo: Ciara Olsson

Keeping on top of house chores can be a challenge when you have a busy schedule, especially for the neurodivergent.

Ciara Olsson said she was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) about five years ago.

“Managing and having the diagnosis was a tool in itself,” the Nelson resident said. “I learned that I'm not broken, that it's not abnormal and that I'm not lazy, or useless. It's just that my thought process is different.”

With cleaning and organizing being one of her favourite pastimes, she decided to put her tidying skills to good work. She started a cleaning business with services tailored to clients who struggle with depression, ADHD and other neurological disorders.

Olsson's business, Cleaning Chaos, aims to support neurodivergent individuals without judgment, leveraging her own experience with ADHD to offer practical solutions.

“With ADHD, it's the little things that I clean. The things you don't see or can't get to,” said Olsson. “It's not so widely diagnosed so I provide a safe, calm space where people can articulate what they want cleaned and how.”

She emphasized that it is common among people who are neurodivergent to struggle with task paralysis or ADHD paralysis. This is described as the psychological state where a person feels incapable of starting or completing tasks. The feeling can often stem from anxiety, stress, or a fear of making wrong decisions.

“With the time blindness aspect…You don't think that the mess could be a problem until maybe someone else says something," she said.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, about four per cent of adults experience some or all ADHD symptoms during their lifetime.

Research suggests that males are more likely than females to receive an ADHD diagnosis — however, time has revealed that the disorder impacts men and women equally. Individuals who are diagnosed later in life often create coping strategies that mask their symptoms. Or, they choose activities that align with them, such as choosing a fast-paced job to pacify the feeling of restlessness.

Olsson said that she wants to make people more comfortable reaching out for help when they need it.

“Clean is in the eye of the beholder,” she said. “If it’s not causing you stress, then don't worry so much about it. But if you need help, reach out to somebody, reach out to me, or someone in the ADHD community.”

Above all, Olsson said she simply just wants to help her community and has already received positive feedback from clients and on social media.

“Some of my friend's parents have reached out for help. I guess it was time to just branch out and help my community.”