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It’s no secret that renovating your home can improve the quality of life for you and your family. But did you know that renovating your house and home can also enhance the well-being of families on the autism spectrum? 

 

Families with children or adults on the autism spectrum are often overwhelmed with sensory difficulties, which cause them to feel stressed.

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This can be daunting as it requires changes both inside and outside, including items such as furniture, paint color, and lighting. 

 

But, the good news is that renovating your home can help reduce your family members’ anxiety levels and make it easier for them to sleep better at night!

 

People on the autism spectrum can be highly sensitive to light, sound, textures, or strong smells. 

 

Sensory overload is a common occurrence in autistic individuals who constantly take in information from their surroundings as they go through life activities that neurotypical individuals take for granted, such as cooking dinner or watching TV. 

 

Here Are A Few Tips On How You Can Renovate Your Home

 

Interior Renovation:

 

Lightening Up Your Indoor Space

The best way to lighten up your indoor space is by opening the window blinds and curtains. This can improve mood, alertness, and energy levels for everyone in the house. It also helps reduce eye strain as well as glare during video games or other screen time activities.

 

Paint Color Changes

Painting walls a lighter color will create more open spaces with natural lighting. However, dark colors are often associated with feeling closed off because they absorb light instead of reflecting it like brighter colors would do.

Photo by Tatiana Syrikova from Pexels

 

Changing Furniture Layout

A drastic change such as moving furniture around can help lessen the stress from having too many things all over the place. Rearranging furniture pieces may not seem that significant, but it’s enough to make a difference for those on the autism spectrum.

 

Changing Lighting

The best way to change lighting is by adding lamps or changing light bulbs. Both of these options are cheap and easy ways that will create a pleasant atmosphere inside your home.

 

Add lighting with low wattage bulbs for safety reasons (for those who are sensitive to light) as well as aesthetics. Consider using lamps instead of overhead lights, which will give you a softer glow and eliminate harsh shadows from entering rooms. 

 

Improve Well-Being with Natural Aromatherapy

Diffusers and humidifiers release natural aromas that can improve mood, alertness, creativity, and energy levels in everyone in the house. 

 

This includes fragrances such as lavender, orange blossom, peppermint oil, eucalyptus leaves water, and rosemary leaf extractions (which also help eliminate headaches).

 

Change Up Your Schedule

It’s essential to make sure you’re not stuck all day indoors because it could lead to too much exposure to artificial lighting, which may not be good for everyone in the house.

 

Create a Space of Your Own

The best way to create your own space is by renovating a room, whether it’s turning an unused bedroom into your personal study or renovating your child’s bedroom with their favorite colors and furniture. Doing so will allow you to have more control over what happens inside that particular area.

 

Get Outside

It can take some time for those on the autism spectrum to adjust but eventually, going outside can improve mood, alertness, creativity, energy levels, and concentration, at least according to many studies online.

 

Exterior Renovation:

 

Renovating Around Windows

This will allow for more natural light from outside and improve visibility inside the house. In addition, install lighting near outdoor entrances to provide better nighttime lighting and help families feel safer at night when returning home or entering their property after dark.

 

Landscaping

Keep landscaping simple by planting trees close together with low branches instead of overgrown bushes or plants, which may be difficult for those on the autism spectrum to navigate through safely due to heights, thorns, prickles, etcetera. 

 

As always, remember safety first! If you are renovating the exterior and use a qualified Roofing Contractor. Always make sure to get the necessary permits and always use caution when renovating.

 

Conclusion

The renovation of a house can help alleviate the stress families in need get from renovating their own homes due to autism or other gifts. 

 

The renovations should be done based on what those with autism would want, such as removing clutter, ensuring safety measures are taken care of by installing railings if needed, etc.

 

Renovating kitchens and bathrooms according to sensory needs, usually related to light/sound sensitivity or strong smells through cleanliness measures that will limit overstimulation (install noise dampening materials), renovate bedrooms, living rooms, and playrooms to improve sleep quality.

 

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Kori

Digital Product Creator at Kori at Home
Kori is a late diagnosed autistic/ADHD mom. She is currently located in Albany, NY where she is raising a neurodiverse family. Her older daughter is non-speaking autistic (and also has ADHD and Anxiety) and her youngest daughter is HSP/Gifted. A blogger, podcaster, writer, product creator, and coach; Kori shares autism family life- the highs, lows, messy, and real. Kori brings her own life experiences as an autistic woman combined with her adventures in momming to bring you the day-to-day of her life at home. Kori is on a mission to empower moms of autistic children to make informed parenting decisions with confidence and conviction.

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