728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
Get Pregnancy Information
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › General Home › The Accessible Home

The Accessible Home

Comfort for the Whole Family

By Sue Marquette Poremba

Pages:  1  2  3  

Ideas for All
Of course, remodeling or building a new home isn't an option for most families. Still, there are plenty of ways to make the home comfortable for every family member. Dana Korey, owner of Away with Clutter, suggests using roll-out shelving in the kitchen cupboards. "It optimizes your lower cabinet storage and the shelves are deep and can be configured to house dishes and glassware easily," she says. "Adults don't like to bend over anyway. Who says your pots and pans must go on lower cabinets."

Korey also suggests a few modifications for bedroom closets. "If the closets don't have rods that are movable and that you can lower, you can buy a product called a closet rod extension. It hooks over the upper existing rod to create a second hanging rod. This way kids can reach their everyday clothes, and the out-of-season or dressy items can hang up higher."

Another idea is to create a place somewhere in the house that acts as the family's information center. In this area, each family member could have a mail slot or in box, and a family calendar is readily available.

Elaine Fantle Shimberg, author of Blending Families: A Guide for Parents, Stepparents and Everyone Building a Successful New Family (Berkley Publishing Group, 1999), puts a bookcase in her home especially for the children's picture books. She also has a low shelf filled with games, and under her desk she has crates of toys that are easily accessible for the children. Putting their things in the open and at an easy-to-reach level allows the children to feel like they are welcome.

Mud rooms, laundry rooms and basements can also be set up for the comfort of the whole family. Hooks and shelves at various heights encourage everyone to hang up coats. Bins or cubby holes provide storage for every member of the family. A bench or some other type of seating encourages everyone to take off muddy shoes before entering the main part of the house.

Pages:  1  2  3  


Want to see more?