It’s a common question we get asked by readers, friends, and family alike, put simply: What do you do if you can’t focus long enough on a task to tidy your home?
It’s a valid and common chore obstacle. Thankfully, we’ve hit upon the Sunday Butterfly Organizing and Decluttering Method, which can be used for cleaning, too.
This is one of the best decluttering methods that professional experts say is perfect if you are neurodivergent, think that you might be, or suffer from brain fog or difficulty focusing, as it works with your brain’s natural wiring, rather than against it.
What is the Sunday Butterfly method?
Simply put, instead of following an order of events, you move through your home and put away, declutter, organize or clean the items you notice. There are some supportive boundaries to put in place so the process doesn’t descend into an overwhelming list or cascade of unfinished tasks, including zoning and setting timers, so you know exactly how to reap the benefits of this stunningly versatile method.
First, to the fabulous creator. Lydia Hayman is Homes & Gardens’ Kitchen and Appliance Editor, and though delightfully organized and focused at work, she confesses that she finds keeping her home tidy a hard task due to brain fog, and what she calls her ‘butterfly’ brain.
Lydia explains, ‘I have been using what I call Butterfly Decluttering, because my mom and I have butterfly brains and always float from one thing to the next. I’ve always been quite a creative person who tends to flit around a lot, and social media distractions don't help!'
Lydia continues, ‘My Sunday Butterfly method seems to work for my creative brain as I combine it with listening to an audiobook on Sundays, so I not only have the necessary time earmarked, but I can let my mind drift whilst my body is busy getting on with tidying, cleaning, or decluttering tasks without losing focus.’
Using a playlist for cleaning or other household tasks is scientifically proven to make the job easier, as it prompts a dopamine hit, which is your brain delivering happy hormones and allowing it to train itself into new habits more easily by putting your brain into 'autopilot'.
This combination of body doubling with a call, music, or watching videos of someone else doing the same thing, also lowers the cortisol response stressful tasks can have, bringing together multiple scientific reasons why the Sunday Butterfly method is perfect for those who lose focus, find chores stressful, are neurodivergent, or contend with procrastination.
Professional organizer, KonMari® Master Consultant, and founder of Spark Joy and Flow, Rebecca Jo-Rushdy, says, ‘I love the Sunday Butterfly name as I’m neurodivergent, and totally relate to what Lydia has described. My husband recently teased me that it’s not multitasking, it’s rapid switching!’
That's a great way to look at it, as there is a natural pacing which puts you at ease to work across your space and change up tasks as it suits you. You can also make a checklist before you begin if you find that helpful. We particularly like this helpful print-at-home decluttering checklist available at Etsy.
Recently, a Homes & Gardens reader reached out about methods suitable for those with ADHD, and we believe the Sunday Butterfly method is a good fit. We also have a dedicated ADHD cleaning checklist, expert advice on how to create an ADHD friendly home, and tried the 1% rule and found it to be great for reducing chore anxiety.
How to do the Sunday Butterfly Method
As for how to actually do the Sunday Butterfly method, Lydia details it beautifully. She explains, ‘I simply walk around my house doing whichever task I notice and act on it in the moment, without putting pressure on myself to do it a certain way, or in any order.
‘I could start in the bedroom, organizing my makeup, and when I go to put something in the bathroom, see it needs decluttering. I'll do that, then I notice the bathroom trash needs taking out, and when I come back in the door, I'll notice the shoes need organizing in my small hallway.
‘I just keep going and going until all the tasks are wrapped up and the space feels lighter and brighter!’
A multi-head cleaning system like the Joseph Joseph CleanTech set, available at Amazon, is compact and versatile and useful for methods like this.
It’s worth noting that Lydia has a ‘very small one-bed apartment’ and this method works to avoid decluttering overwhelm or further mess because all of the tasks are ‘close together’, she notes.
However, the Sunday Butterfly method can be used in any space, big or small.
Professional organizer Rebecca advises ‘zooming in’ when working in larger rooms or homes. She says,‘Use the Butterfly method on just one room or zone at a time; otherwise, your mind will keep hopping to new stimuli and you’ll end up with lots of half-finished pockets of clutter.
‘And if you’re starting from a place of decluttering overwhelm, begin with clearing visual clutter from surfaces and taking rubbish out first. It’s the quickest way to see progress and reduce visual noise before layering in more detailed tidying.’
Why the Sunday Butterfly Method Works
Getting that first hit of accomplishment is a known motivator and a top decluttering tip experts often relay to the Solved team. Rebecca explains, ‘I often like to gamify it, almost like a Spot The Difference challenge. Consider what’s out of place? What small tweak can make the space feel calmer? It gives your brain a quick dopamine hit, which helps sustain motivation.’
Repeating the Sunday Butterfly method weekly, whether it's to clean your bathroom or organize your kitchen, will also make it easier to complete and more efficient over time.
Rebecca explains, ‘What’s described here, that 'floaty' visual-cue-based movement from space to space is so relatable. Our brains ping with stimuli and want to respond to what we see in the moment, which can actually work beautifully after you’ve decluttered and created clear homes for your belongings.
‘Once those foundations are in place, the Sunday Butterfly method becomes less chaotic and more like a flow state. Your brain can make connections faster, your hippocampus (long-term memory) can put things back easily, and you build muscle memory around where things belong.'
Boundaries to Stop the Sunday Butterfly Method from Creating Chaos
There are simple steps you can take to get the most out of this method, as detailed by Rebecca:
- Timing: Setting a 10-15 minute timer can anchor that floating energy and stop things from expanding endlessly. It turns the process into a contained burst of focus. Using a visual timer, available at Amazon can be helpful.
- Zones: If your home is small, that’s a zone in itself, or you can zone further, almost like putting an invisible boundary to work within to avoid working across too large a space that you cannot finish.
Rebecca adds, ‘These will honor how your brain naturally works instead of forcing a linear system, and that’s where the magic really happens.’
What to Shop
Instead of having a number of items scattered around that help you clean, for the Sunday Butterfly method, load up a plastic caddy with everything you need, including microfiber clothes, a Damp Duster, and your favorite cleaning spray. Take it with you to the zone you’re working on to save time and mental energy.
The same goes for your cleaning tools. You don't need to carry around a load of tools. Use one cleaning arm with multiple heads. News writer Ottilie Blackhall tried this and loved it, saying it made quick work of cleaning her bathroom. It stores compactly too.
As your Sunday Butterfly sessions progress, you might notice the same spots get cluttered time and again. Placing a storage solution such as a basket in that spot as a catchall will help ease the visual clutter. It’s a part of the smart Desire Path Decluttering Method.
A stair tidy with handles means you can pop items in there that need to go up or down, without having to break your rhythm or zone. I particularly like this one with a flip top lid. It means you can’t overfill and ignore it because the lid simply won’t close!
A sturdy waterproof laundry bag that collapses easily to be tucked away when not in use can be so handy for your Butterfly run. Place all items that are out of place in it return them to their homes when ready. Working in stages, such as cleaning using adaptive pacing or decluttering with health challenges, will help you avoid flares and injuries.
We love this plant-powered multi-purpose spray which harnesses the power of nature and avoids harsh chemicals. This pack of three will last you many months so you’ll not be short of the items you need to complete your round of Sunday Butterflying!
Next, delve into our tried and tested library of Decluttering Methods to discover more methods and tricks to suit every space, and how to hack your brain for easier chores.
