Even the tidiest among us can see them start to slowly accumulate around our homes—the dreaded piles of stuff that we haven’t had the time or energy to put away. As it turns out, there’s a buzzword term that labels these mini mountains. They’re called “doom piles,” and sometimes, you can’t help but feel a sense of doom every time you look at them.
But what are doom piles exactly? How did they get their name? And what can you do to avoid these piles from building up throughout your home?
What Are Doom Piles?
Julie Witherell, a professional organizer specializing in ADHD and owner of Julie’s Organizing Services, explains that “doom” is an acronym that stands for: “Didn’t Organize; Only Moved.”
“A pile gets created, usually contained in a box or bag, sometimes on the floor or another surface like a countertop. The pile often holds items from various categories, but not necessarily,” says Witherell, who adds that someone could have very important papers mixed in with photos, office supplies, and discount flyers. You may relocate the pile in an effort to bring it to your attention or “closer” to the items’ intended location.
You might not be able to face these piles in the moment (maybe you have a jam-packed schedule, feel less than your best, or lack an organizing system), but you intend to deal with them later, observes Melanie Summers, CEO and ADHD organizing specialist of I Speak Organized.
“They often start when a person is trying to get organized, sort through something, prep for a trip, or gather items for a project. Then more things get added over time,” Summers says.
The term “doom piles” first came about on social media and became particularly associated with people with ADHD, who grapple with things like distractibility, time blindness, visual overstimulation, and unfinished projects, Summers lists.
Mindy Godding, founder of Abundance Organizing, says that other conditions, such as depression and anxiety, can lead to doom piles, but “doom piles are universal,” she says. “Even a person with no executive functioning challenges can sometimes end up throwing items into a bag or stacking things in a corner in order to quickly clear visual clutter instead of putting things away.”
What Can Result From These Piles?
Godding points out that clutter-filled doom piles can lead to even more clutter. “If items are hidden in a doom pile, they often will be replaced or duplicated, compounding the clutter struggle,” she says. “Each item becomes a representation of delayed decisions and uncompleted tasks. As items collect and the piles grow bigger or more numerous, they become exceptionally overwhelming.”
But Summers assures that doom piles are very common, and they don’t mean someone is lazy. Simply, you are overloaded and maybe even burned out—and that’s OK.
How to Deal with Doom Piles
✔️ Create homes for your items. Before delving into the doom pile, you might need to tweak your organizing system first. Witherell advises, “Assign a designated home for your items based on the use of the room. Create simple drop zones based on where items belong.”
✔️ Sort items into categories. Next, come face-to-face with your doom pile and “start by sorting items into categories, then move each category to its assigned space,” Witherell says. “After that, go back and put things away one area at a time so you can stay focused and on track.”
✔️ Do a “clutter sprint.” Godding’s favorite technique for undertaking doom piles is something she calls 20-minute timed “clutter sprints.” Essentially, you’ll set a timer and dig into one doom pile at a time, and the goal is to put away as many items as possible before the timer goes off, chipping away at the volume contained in the pile. She adds that to make these sprints more enjoyable, you can turn to a motivating playlist.
✔️ Take “before” and “after” pics. “Documenting a doom pile with photos before and after you’ve tackled it can help evaluate the effectiveness of your efforts and give you a way to acknowledge and celebrate progress, no matter how small,” Godding says.
✔️ Make it easy. Summers stresses the importance of having a system that’s easy to use. “If it takes too many steps to put something away, people are much more likely to pile it instead,” she says. “We set our clients up with systems that generally require just one hand or one action to put something away.” This can include hooks or simply opening a drawer, dropping the item in, and closing it.
✔️ Be flexible. “Having a flexible system is key, one you can do on your worst day,” Witherell says. “The goal is to make it better, not perfect. Everyone is dealing with a lot in their lives.”
Shelby Deering is a freelance lifestyle writer who frequently covers home design and decor for national publications. She has worked as a full-time freelance writer for over a decade, and has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years, writing home tours, interviewing top designers, and beautifying her own home. She holds a master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and when she's not writing, you can find her at thrift stores and flea markets, running, or exploring local trails in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and corgi, Dolly.
