Toolkit 1: Existing Homes

Making Your Home Work Better, One Change at a Time

This toolkit is for whānau and individuals in any living situation, including homeowners, renters, and those in shared homes.

About This Toolkit

Toolkit 1 is for autistic people (tangata whaitakiwātanga) living in a range of living situations: homeowners, renters, people flatting, and in other residential settings.

The information includes suggestions for autistic individuals across the lifespan, including advice for children (tamariki), teens and young people (rangatahi), and adults.

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Three people sitting on a beige couch playing video games together in a living room with bookshelves and a TV

A living rooms with a child playing with building blocks on a rug near a green sofa with his mum on it watching him smiling, and a cat sitting on a beanbag.

Whether you’re making small adjustments or larger changes, this guide offers ideas to choose from that suit your needs, budget and living situation.

At the bottom of this page you will find some Quick Wins to get started.

If building a new home or doing renovations, also see Toolkit 2.

Go to Toolkit 2 →

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Toolkit Organisation

This toolkit is split into two sections.

Whole Home Considerations cover suggestions that are relevant for any part of the home.

Room by Room Sections cover practical ideas for specific rooms and spaces in your home.

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Where to start

There is no order. You can start with the area that matters most right now, and come back to the others when you’re ready.

Pick and choose what will suit you/your whānau best.

Small adjustments can make as big a difference as larger ones.

Collapsible menus

We use collapsible menus. Click on these to see how they work.

Sections within each toolkit page are organised under headings that can be opened with the + icon

Click suggestions after the arrow to show more information below

You’ll find more information about each suggestion in the text under these headings. This includes the “what”, “how” and “why” of suggestions.

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Cost and complexity

Diamond symbols after a suggestion mean:

◆ = Simple, easy, usually low-cost. Generally possible in rentals.

◆◆ = Medium effort or cost. May cost more. May need some professional help. May need landlord permission.

◆◆◆ = Complex, high cost. Will usually need a professional. Probably not possible in rentals.

Note: These are a general guide only

Whole Home Considerations

These suggestions are for things to think about across the whole home (whare). They are not tied to one room.

They work alongside the Room by Room suggestions, which give more specific ideas for each space. Click the icon or heading to go to the suggestions.

Icon of a speaker emitting sound waves toward a sound-absorbing panel

Acoustics (Sound)

Icon of brightness control showing a hanging lamp with adjustable light intensity slider

Lighting

icon of paint swatches, a paint can, and visual board

Visual and Colour

Icon representing air temperature regulation with a thermometer and airflow separated by a vertical line, surrounded by circular arrows

Temperature and Air Quality

Storage

Whole Home Safety and Other

Room by Room Sections

Suggestions are organised around specific rooms and spaces in the home (whare). They focus on how each room is used, and what may help the space feel safer, calmer, and easier to manage.

Suggestions can be used with the Whole Home Considerations. Click the icon or heading to go to the suggestions.

Icon of a bed with two pillows and a bedside table with a lamp

Bedrooms and Sleeping Areas

icon of a bathroom with toilet, sink with mirror above, and bathtub with shower above in a row

Bathrooms and Toilets

Icon of a kitchen with a fridge, counter with sing and cabinet above, and stove with a rangehood above in a row

Kitchens

Icon of a laundry with a washing basket, washing machine, and shelves with towels inside and cleaning products on top in a row

Laundry Areas

Icon of a living room with a sofa, coffee table with plant, floor lamp, cabinet with plant, and a picture on the wall

Living Areas

icon with a door, stairs, and small plant wall picture above

Movement Spaces

Icon of a home office setup with desk, office chair, laptop, potted plant, coffee mug, and framed house icon on wall

Office, Work and Hobby Spaces

Outline of a bean bag chair, a round table with three legs, three building blocks, and a tablet on a stand

Playrooms and Play Spaces

Icon of a backyard patio with two chairs, a round table with a potted plant, a fence, bushes, and a sun

Outdoor Spaces

“Poipoia te kakano kia puawai”

Nurture the seed and it will blossom

Quick Wins

Here are some quick wins that are small, practical changes. These can be tried without major cost or renovation.

They have been chosen as they are useful for different ages and living situations. There is more detail for each as well as many other ideas for specific needs included in the main sections above.

Use soft surfaces throughout the home to absorb sound

Rugs, curtains, cushions, and soft furniture can reduce echo without building work.

See Acoustics (Sound) for more information

Use layered lighting

Can help give more control over brightness. Lamps, low-level lights, or light strips can reduce reliance on harsh overhead lighting

See Lighting for more information

Use simple wayfinding and visual cues throughout the home

Labels, colour cues, symbols, or consistent places for items can reduce cognitive load and support independence.

See Visual and Colour for more information

Secure mats, rugs and cords

A simple safety win for all ages. Especially useful for people who pace, move quickly, stim while walking, or have balance/proprioception differences.

See Whole Home Safety and Other for more information

Add non permanent physical supports for washing

Use options like a handheld shower head, suction grab bar, and slip-resistant mat to make washing safer and easier to control.

See Bathrooms and Toilets for more information

Provide accessible baskets with headphones and sensory tools

A consistent basket in living areas, bedrooms, or workspaces can support regulation without needing to search when overwhelmed.

See Living Areas for more information