Building your home to support your ADHD & Autistic needs🏡

♡𝗠𝗬 𝗘𝗧𝗦𝗬 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣♡
Transition Techniques neurodivergent-friendly Guided Workbook

Rest & Regulation Guided Workbook for Neurodivergents

Discovering your Masks ADHD & Autism Workbook

ADHD & Autism Uncovering Your Stims Workbook

ADHD-friendly Weekly Planner · Helps with Executive Dysfunction

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♡𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲♡

♡𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲♡

[ladykarolyn]

I LOVE hearing other neurodivergent folks tell me the specific ways they're adapting their homes to suit their needs. Like, you could make a 20 minute video just describing why you arranged the items on your kitchen counter in the exact way you did, and I'd watch the whole thing.

[thegoogs]

As a single person, I rent a 2B place and have a little yoga/relaxation room. Without the visible reminder of my yoga mat, I won’t exercise which in turn makes me super dysregulated. Cold is also dysregulating to me in the winter and I have social anxiety at the gym. Having my own space for movement and relaxation removes these barriers for me and it is a luxury I feel lucky to afford, even though neurotypical people don’t understand it.

[cornichon]

I think that the best space accomodation i've done for myself is having a bed in my living room, i used to do everything in my "sleeping bed" and i feel quite uncomfortable sitting on anything else (i think i just need a large soft space that allows me to sit and lay down in any weird position that i want) Having another bed instead of a couch is a big game changer for me (also english isn't my native language, idk if i'm properly explaining myself)

[peaceglory]

1) little key rack next to door

2) really really good mattress gives you the best sleep --> better brain function --> better life

3) no TV (got rid of all my TVs in 2015 even before i was diagnosed with ADHD, the news are just way too depressing & anxiety inducing), I have a laptop with a large screen & my phone, I get to choose what I watch, no stupid loud commercials either

4) i put my vitamins into one of those 7-day pill containers, fill it up once a week & can even throw it in my purse if I'm in a rush

5) get pre-packaged salads instead of buying 12 separate ingredients and then forgetting you have the ingredients & they go bad (i also like to add a can of tuna or chicken or shrimp to the salad for added protein)

6) i stopped using the refrigerator drawers because out of sight out of mind, everything is just visible

7) creating zones, like a large basket on top of the dog crate for all the dog stuff in one place, a hanging jewelry organizer over the door that contains all the little things that could get lost super easy

8) clear baskets for shoes and everything else too, you can see what's in it plus it makes it easier to move when it's time

9) slippers, because i don't like my feet touching the bare floor

10) a few small blankets that i put over the dog bed interchangeably, that way i wash the blanket instead of the whole bed which falls apart after 2 washed. The blankets act like sheets

11) don't skimp on bed sheets and blankets, get ones with natural fibers like cotton and linen (no polyester or microfiber), get the higher thread count, not that scratchy stuff

12) I love how comfortable my sofa is but it was too low to the ground for me so i ordered taller sofa legs and replaced them, now it is the perfect height for me

PS. When you record your videos, could you pause the background music? It was distracting, i turned down the volume & read the closed captioning.

[Oraklet]

One of the biggest accomadations I made is lighting. First I changed all the lightbulbs and added multiple different light sources, even candles. I also noticed that if I have a live candle instead of a lamp when I'm about to go to bed I get sleepier, I'm guessing its because of natural vs artificial lighting. In addition to this I placed my desk directly infront of my window. It's helped with productivity so much bc not only getting sunlight, but I'm also hearing the birds outside and if my brain wants stimulus then I can have a short glance outside and look at nature.

Another big accomidation for me was customization. As an autsistc person I often get really annoyed if something isnt excatly the way I want it so I've given myself the freedom to paint and customize my surroundings no matter what others might think of my choices. This includes changing outlet covers, painting walls, furiture and trimm, reupolstering seats & changing out the handels on my doors. Its made a big difference in how calm I feel in my space.

[denisedarland]

I am AuDHD person and I live on disability. I literally have no money to not skimp on things. I have to buy what I can afford. Another thing is I can't live fully alone for various reasons and I moved back in with my mother 6 years ago. So, I have to deal with her and what she wants for her house. It gets frustrating. I keep telling her about different things we could do to help me in my neurodivergence and she just doesn't like a lot of the ideas I have. It's really frustrating. Right now we are saving to put a shower in the half bath, which would really benefit us both because she's getting older and our only full bath is upstairs. But I would also bathe more if there was an easier way to do it. My mother is awesome and she is totally my best friend and living with her is easy, but not having complete control over my space and being able to afford to make myself comfortable is really hard sometimes.

[catherinezeigst]

I recently decided to transform my underused dining room into a playroom! I need space to play despite being a full grown adult. I work better sprawled on the floor on a nice thick carpet, I have more space for my movement practices, not to mention increased room to play with the pup and the kittens. Sometimes I just lay their looking at the Aurora Borealis that I have lighting up the ceiling at night. I can't really host dinners anymore but I hate cooking so it's win-win 😅. The idea came from a book specifically to organize your home with ADHD in mind (so helpful!). Good luck with your new space!

[windkraftanlagenkonglomera]

I am 25 and autistic. I love this discussion! I am very sensitive to colors, the only color I can look at for a long time without feeling discomfort is pink. I recently got rid of all my furniture that I accumulated throughout my teens and college years bc I back then could not afford to choose the furniture I would have needed. Now I have the resources, so all of my new furniture is pink! I am so happy with my home now and it is soooo much easier to decrompress since everything in my home is pink.

[monikabennett]

I have the $3, 000 couch. It's in my favorite, soothing color. It's a crushed velvet texture and the light hits it just so. It's really soothing and the experience of sitting on it is really soothing and it makes the experience of holding my favorite cup in my favorite couch and having lovely interactions with my favorite people on it really soothing. It just adds like two points to the entire experience.

[celeste]

This is such an interesting topic in my opinion. Neurodivergent people are so often taught to adapt to their environment in order to thrive. I believe this pattern of teaching and thinking is completely backwards! I would love to hear more of Irene’s thoughts on this matter as she continues her moving process!

[justlisten]

Unmasking your house! Love practical content like this and the thought processes behind it. More, please.

[tiffanylin]

My partner and I had to make space to make two separate bedrooms. Their ADHD and my autism both get space at the end of night. We wind down differently and we stim differently, as well as different bed time. It 's been a huge improvement in our marriage. We are also in the process of finding a bigger condo so I can have a "alone time" room where I can soundproof the heck out of it, have a rocking chair and take care of my sound sensitivity. I need to have a room where I can't hear my partner. My partner likes to move and talk a lot as part of their stim, so me having a quiet space separate from the main living area meant they can stim freely as well.

[jessicacass]

I love this topic. As a late diagnosis, my masking has gone so deep I have to relearn who I am. And a big part of that is how my home functions and feels safe. It's been an uphill process but this topic definitely helps shed light in areas that help. ❤❤❤

[saulshellokittyphone]

As someone who is still in highschool I think these videos are really useful to me personally to help me plan for my future. Love your channel and thank you for all of your advice and warm guidance <3

[sweeet_banana]

I love this topic! Something that changed my life was swapping out my plates and bowls for plates made out of bamboo and buying these mats for rugs that stop them from slipping. Now my plates are on these mats and it really helps with my noise sensitivity! Also making everything visible in my room, it took the doors of my wardrobe and have stuff in clear containers

[imfine_ithink]

Instead of a dining room, I have a room for plants and aquariums. Especially in winter when everything is bare and gray outside, it's important for me to have a space where I can enjoy nature to wind down after a stressful week.

[eternalearth]

It didn't quite hit me until you posed your questions (thank you Editor Irene!), but I find that I build little stations for myself throughout the house.
- I have a coffee station and coffee/tea related things there and a few other small things that I don't have space for in the kitchen but need it be accessible like first-aid kits and stuff there.
- I have a couple of those rolly carts from Michael's so I can take them with me in different parts of the house with ease, but also each cart has a theme like "this is my art cart" or "this cart has my notebooks and journals and stickers" or "this set of drawers that roll is all the cat food supplies (including bowls)" etc.
- I use a big basket in the kitchen to contain a lot of everyday things like breakfast oats and protein powders. I call it my breakfast basket!
Like, everything has a small space/station for things so that they are out and I can see them and remember to do them, but also they are organized and are at least "in place" when I don't have time to clean. It also helps me focus on the thing I need/want to do in that space too.

[thecozyconstellation]

i'm 43 and have adhd and i live in a tiny house (not a tiny house... my house is just really small lol) and these are the things i've done to make it more soothing:
1) neutral colors (black, grey, beige), almost no patterns or prints (they are overstimulating).
2) lots of warm, fuzzy textures to make it cozy.
3) colorful pillowcases and wall tapestries i can switch out when i get tired of the colorscheme.
4) smart lightbulbs in my bedroom and main living area - my favorites!! bc i can change the luminosity and colors. i'm highly sensitive to light and cold artificial color is something i hate! i prefer low, moody warm light. a salt lamp helps too! and some candles.
5) aromatherapy for helping with moods and anxiety.
6) a place to hang my keys right by the door to minimize losing them.
7) lots of b/matching, basic neutral-colored plastic bins/baskets to organize all my stuff.
8) cute things that make me happy, including some plushies!
9) plus i always ALWAYS have some kind of ambience playing in the background (fire, rain etc) besides calming lofi music for when i need to concentrate. and i just got a cute vintage-looking speaker that sits on my desk bc i love retro stuff!

[rachelleegagnon]

love this video. My partner has a climbing wall and padded floor in the living room in place of a couch which fits our lifestyle so much better, even if people are confused when they come over and don't know where to sit. We've also realized recently that the dining table is super underutilized and are now thinking about turning that space into a studio for knitting and crafting :)

[watermarkedoctopus]

Hi. I know there are probably better videos to say this under but I wanted to say it under this video because you posted this around the time I finally worked up the courage to ask my parents to get me an autism assessment. I started watching your videos about 4 months ago because I made a good friend who has autism and I wanted to better connect with him. After watching through a few videos, I started to realize just how much I related to some of the things you were saying. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but I kept finding myself watching your channel. After about 2 months, I finally asked my mom to set up an appointment. And now, as of yesterday, I was diagnosed as Autistic and Adhd. I'm writing this because I wanted to thank you for making a genuine impact on my life through your videos. I'm 16 years old but I think if it weren't for you, I never would have even considered that I was Autistic and may not have been diagnosed until much later in life. Thank you so much for making these videos. ❤