Five ways to create a sensory friendly home

For people with sensory issues, being out in the world can be a grating experience. In public, we have no control over what sensory stimuli we have to deal with - there could be flickering lights, screaming babies, weird smells and more, often in combination. It’s important that when we get home, we have a safe, comfortable space to unwind in. Here are some of the ways I make my own home a sensory friendly space, for both myself and my neurodivergent friends.

1.-Fidget toys

The author’s tub of fidget toys, both for her own use and for guests to borrow.

I’m sure you’ve heard of fidget toys before - after all, who could forget the fidget spinner fiasco of 2017? Fidget toys, or stim toys, aren’t just a fad, though. They’re a valuable tool for neurodivergent people to manage their sensory needs. Even neurotypical people enjoy playing with them and can use them for self-regulation.

My fidget toy tub (pictured) contains a wide variety of toys. I tend to play with my hair or bite my nails if my hands aren’t busy, so I keep these at hand to help me manage those behaviours. I aim to have a wide range of fidgets to meet various needs: things to squeeze, spin, click, stretch… you get the idea. If you’re just starting out, Kmart’s Sensory Toybox range have some great, affordable toys to help you discover what you like best. For amazing quality, I adore anything from Kaiko Fidgets, particularly their range of metal fidgets. You can also find great fidgets at almost any toy shop. More importantly, it doesn’t need to be a specific fidget toy - I have things like Ooshies, baby toys and keyrings in my collection, too.

The key thing with fidget toys is to make sure they’re easily accessible. You want them to be where you need them! Think about how you use them in your home, and place them somewhere convenient so you can grab one as needed.

2. Lighting options

Photo by Boris Ivanović on Unsplash.

Sometimes, the Big Light is just too much. (You know, the one you flick off at the door. The bright one.) Having multiple lighting options is a great way to make your home sensory friendly. Also, it just looks great!

An easy way to do this is to install dimmer switches, or those fancy lightbulbs that you can control from your phone. Having more control over the intensity of the light means you can adapt it to meet changing sensory needs. If you have hanging lights, you can also change the lightshades in a particular room.

Lamps are another practical way to light a room without the all-over intensity of the ceiling lights. Desk lamps allow you to control the direction of the light, and bedside lamps come with a wide range of lampshades which affect the brightness of the lamp. When adding a lamp to a room, consider what suits you best - and where the nearest power source is!

Fairy lights are hugely popular for decorating bedrooms and add a cute, ethereal effect. However, they also provide a dim, soothing light. For people who find strong light overwhelming, fairy lights are a perfect solution. I often use fairy lights once I get into bed for the evening, but when I’m not quite ready to fall asleep. Fairy lights come in a huge range of colours and styles, so it’s easy to choose your preferred light colour. Just make sure you read the box so you know how long your fairy lights are before you buy them! (Having to go back for another box always sucks.)

Nightlights are often associated with young kids, but nightlight lamps can also be a great option for providing just enough light to see. The soft touch lamps that you whack to turn on and off are lots of fun, and come in many adorable shapes.

Experiment with different lighting options and see what works best for you!

3. Candles

Photo by thevibrantmachine on Pexels.

As a person with a really strong sensitivity to smells, candles are an absolute lifesaver. Rooms like the kitchen can have really strong smells, which can be almost physically repellent to sensitive people. It’s not uncommon for me to walk to the kitchen in the morning, gag, and leave immediately. Lighting a candle can go a long way to counteracting unpleasant smells and replace them with a scent I like.

There are numerous options for adding delicious smells to your home. Candles are my favourite, but things such as incense, diffuser reeds, wax melts, essential oils, scented sprays, or even just a good ol’ blast of air freshener in a can work just as well. They vary in intensity - I find incense too strong, and diffuser reeds too weak - so it’s important to try a few options and decide what works best for your home. Most big chain stores and $2 shops have budget options, but once you’ve found a solution you like, it can be worth splashing out for a fancy candle from a specialist store. My absolute favourite candle at the moment is Bear Naked by The Gay Farmer (this isn’t sponsored, I just really love this candle. It smells like Froot Loops, but classy. Also, 10/10 business name).

4. Floor time

The ‘floor time’ area of my living room, complete with Squishmallow friends.

It’s not just babies who need time to hang out on the floor. For lots of neurodivergent folks, getting comfortable down on the floor is a surprisingly helpful form of regulation. Before I moved out, I realised that my friends and I would often start out sitting at the table, but progress down to the floor as a social event went on. Once it was time to decorate my own house, I decided to set aside a large portion of the living room for that very purpose.

If you have hard floors, I highly recommend finding a memory foam mat. They’re incredibly comfortable and have a lovely texture. I bought a pink mat from Mellow Mat, and while it was expensive, it’s one of the best investments I’ve made for my house (again, not sponsored, I just think they’re neat). As you can see in the photo, part of my Squishmallow collection hangs out on the rug for people to grab and position themselves comfortably with. Most of the time when we have guests, they put their things down and immediately sit on the Mellow Mat. It’s very popular.

Obviously this solution uses up a lot of space and is quite pricey, so it’s not for everyone. However, even something as simple as a few cushions on the floor, a nicely textured bathmat or a yoga mat can do the trick. Everyone’s sensory needs are different, so try a few different combinations and work out what is most relaxing for you.

5. Decorating

Photo by Jonny Caspari on Unsplash.

Yes, decorating! Humans are visual creatures, and looking at nice things makes us happy. For me as an autistic person, I really enjoy colour coordinated spaces, so most rooms in my home have one or two theme colours. Almost every room has an indoor plant, and there are lots of rugs to muffle the loud hardwood floors. I also hate plain walls, so I have fabric hangings, photos and art prints everywhere!

My house might very well be someone else’s nightmare. Someone who likes simple, dark styling wouldn’t feel comfortable. A minimalist might have an aneurysm. But when you’re decorating your space, there’s one main thing to keep in mind: screw the rules!

Seriously, forget anything you’ve read in a magazine or seen on a home renovations show. There’s no right or wrong way to decorate. If you like clean, calm spaces, make it happen. If you’re a maximalist with a hoard of collectibles, display them. Hell, if you just want to have a pile of soft toys in the corner, go for it! Your home is never going to please everyone, so do whatever works for you.

After all, braving the noisy, smelly, bright world out there is exhausting. You deserve a safe, relaxing space to come home to.