Insight: We heard that having conversations with roommates about accessibility needs, sensory preferences, routines, and stress triggers can help everyone live together more easily.

Tip: Find the right time, space, and tools to have these discussions. Prompting questions can help get the conversations started. The goal is open, ongoing two-way communication.

Application: Check out our Getting to Know Me reflection tool to spark open conversations and help roommates understand each other’s needs and preferences.

Insight: We heard that roommates feel more comfortable and relaxed at home when there are clear agreements about things like quiet hours, using shared spaces, and having guests over.

Tip: Include specific windows of time guests are welcome, areas of the home guests are allowed in, and set what is off-limits to guests. This can make their visits more predictable.

Application: Check out our example Roommate Agreement Form, which sets clear expectations around chores, guests, and quiet hours. It’s easy to use and leaves room for important details that some forms might miss.

Insight: We learned that going over the household agreement regularly helps everyone stay on the same page and speak up if something needs to change.

Inclusivity: How often a review happens depends on everyone’s preferences. It might be done once every month, once a year, or when someone new moves in.

Tip: Start a relaxed chat about what’s working and what could be better. Pick a comfortable setting, like sitting on the porch or having a coffee together. Keeping it informal can help people feel at ease and speak openly.

Application: Check out our guide, Welcome Package for New Tenants. It’s a friendly way to share the housing agreement, invite communication preferences, and help people feel welcomed and supported from the start.

Insight: We heard that joining events with a friend, family member, or support person made people feel more comfortable in social situations.

Inclusivity: Letting people know they are welcome to bring someone with them to community events like a rooftop BBQ, game night, or garden project can ease social stress and support inclusion.

Tip: Try adding a sentence to event invitations that people are welcome to bring someone with them.

Inclusivity: Body doubling means doing tasks alongside someone else, it can increase motivation and make it easier to get started and stay engaged. This can be helpful for people who live alone and need external motivation to complete household tasks.

Tip: Try pairing up in person or virtually while doing chores. It could be with a roommate tidying their own space, a friend on video call, or even a casual phone chat while folding laundry.

Example: We spoke about body doubling with someone who used it as a strategy with their Autistic family member.

They shared, “We body double all the time. Sometimes when they were writing essays, they would phone me as I was cooking dinner and doing other things around the house.”

And it didn’t need to just be with them. They explained that the Autistic person also body doubled with their housemate, and that the two of them share a “symbiotic relationship that works quite well for them in an interesting way.”

Application: Check out our Body Doubling Guide to learn how this strategy can offer a structure to help people start and finish household tasks.

Inclusivity: When living alone, start by doing the household tasks that feel the easiest or most enjoyable to build momentum. Use routines, devices, or support strategies like body doubling or the Pomodoro Technique to help get through the ones that feel more challenging.

Tip: Use tools like robot vacuums, slow cookers, or dishwashers to help shorten the to-do list. If they fit within the budget, they can save time and energy.

Inclusivity: In co-living arrangements, chores don’t always need to be split evenly. Some people prefer to stick with tasks they’re good at or don’t mind doing. That’s okay, as long as the overall workload feels fair, and the less-liked tasks are shared or rotated.

Tip: Have a chat about who would like to be responsible for what tasks instead of assigning them randomly.

Example: We talked with several Neurodivergent people about how they split up tasks with their housemates. A successful way was to figure out who had the time and energy for certain tasks.

While talking about meal prep and finances, one person shared, “it’s been really hard for me to clean and take care of things while I’m doing full-time work.” And because their housemate has more free time, “they handle all the food, and I handle all the money stuff. That’s the arrangement we have right now.”

Importantly, they said that this setup can change, but for now, it meets both of their needs without things feeling unbalanced or overwhelming.

Insight: We learned that household tasks can feel never-ending. Lists are a way to organize responsibilities and remember when tasks need to be completed.

Tip: Break chores into small steps and try spreading them out across the week. A written plan, app, or reminder can help keep things from piling up.

Tip: Try putting tasks into one list for housemates and another list for property managers. For example:

Housemates:

• Washing dishes
• Laundry
• Vacuuming

Property managers:

• Vent cleaning
• Gutter maintenance
• Pest control

Tip: Put tasks on lists that are easily forgotten or tasks that might be harder to keep up with.

Insight: We learned that it’s easy to forget about household tasks like checking smoke detectors or cleaning the oven. These things don’t come up every day, but they matter for safety and maintenance. A simple schedule or reminder can help keep them on the radar.

Tip: Try out a wall calendar or whiteboard to write down and visualize who’s doing what household tasks, and when.

Tip: Ask a friend or family member to set reminders in their calendars to check-in or offer a nudge.

Example: In one of our research interviews, an Autistic person shared how much they valued having a housemate to rotate tasks with. They took turns cleaning and cooking, rotating daily. They felt that having another person made things “way better than if I’m doing it all by myself.” They added, “it doesn’t feel like big work for me if we’re doing it together. The fact that I have someone, it doesn’t feel heavy on me. I feel even happy to do it.”

Insight: We learned that it is useful when landlord and property managers share a home maintenance guide that includes contact info for repairs, emergencies, and local services.

Inclusivity: Easy-to-follow guides can take the guesswork out of tasks and give people more confidence in managing their space.

Application: Check out our Planned Property Maintenance List example of communicating about upcoming tasks, which helps tenants know what to expect and can plan around scheduled work.

Insight: We heard that sometimes inviting a friend to the home for a social visit creates a little motivation and is enough to prompt a quick tidy-up.

Example: In an interview with an Autistic self-advocate, they shared, “Being around friends is good, especially cause I’ll want to invite them over and then when I invite them over, I’m like, okay, I want to tidy up at least the bathroom and make sure there’s space for them to sit. So, it kind of helps me look after my house in that way.”

Insight: We heard from some people that living with another Neurodivergent person felt more comfortable and like a good fit because they did not have to explain themselves.

Inclusivity: Remember that even if both people are neurodivergent, their needs can differ.

Example: We chatted with a Neurodivergent person about what it was like to live with another Neurodivergent person. They felt it that it was a positive experience, sharing, “we’re both Neurodivergent, we both understand each other on a cellular level. And just learning more about how much space I need, and like, emotional space as well.”

Insight: We learned that sensory needs are a big part of living well at home and that they are different for everyone. Openly discussing sensory needs can support everyone’s comfort at home.

Example: During our research work, many Neurodivergent people talked about the sensory zones in their home. Sometimes, it was from other people doing household things, as one Neurodivergent person said, “For instance, if they’re turning on the blender because they make smoothies and other things, they’ll let me know so that we both aren’t in sensory hell from that.”

Tip: Think about all the senses and how activities might be associated with sensory discomfort. For example, vacuuming, phone calls on speakerphone, fans, open or closed windows, sticky counters, fragrances, cooking scents, or cleaning products.

Application: Check out our Sensory Zone Map example to help create one and use it to talk about sensory needs with roommates.

Inclusivity: Having a private space in a shared home gives people room to recharge, lower stress, and feel a sense of balance.

Tip: Share spaces by time if there isn’t a separate room. For example, someone might use the living room for quiet time in the afternoon, and someone else uses it later in the evening.

Tip: Schedule regular times for social connection, like watching a show together or chatting over a meal.

Insight: We learned that clear guidelines in shared areas like laundry rooms, gyms, or patios reduces guesswork and avoids confusion about unspoken rules. This makes everyone feel more comfortable and confident using the space.

Inclusivity: Good signage and messages have a positive tone and use simple text and visuals. It should also be in multiple formats, for example, posters, digital notices, or flyers.

Application: Check out our examples of Common Area Signs for ideas on making clear signage that calls out unspoken rules and expectations.

Insight: We heard that staying physically safe at home includes being ready for emergencies. Whether it’s a fire, power outage, or medical situation, having a plan can protect health, reduce stress, and make sure everyone knows what to do.

Inclusivity: A good emergency plan considers how people communicate, what kind of support they might need, and what helps them stay calm in stressful situations. Plans should be clear, easy to follow, and shared with everyone who might be involved in supporting safety.

Tip: Put together an emergency kit, which includes:

• A visual guide with essential actions to take during an emergency
• A contact list with important phone numbers
• A bag packed with necessary supplies and comfort items for self-regulation

Tip: Consider having different methods to signal an emergency in addition to auditory alarms, such as flashing lights or spoken words.

Application: Check out our Tips for Making an Emergency Evacuation Plan to create or adapt one that is accessible and supportive of different processing needs.

Insight: We learned that self-care including eating, drinking water, or staying warm outside can be forgotten when people get busy. Setting up gentle reminders can keep routines on track.

Example: Pets can be great natural reminders. Their routines often prompt self-care like getting outside, taking breaks, eating, and exercise.

“I still need to make sure they’re fed and drinking water. So, my cat kind of helps hold me accountable to my own health as well because, like, I’ll get up and get them water, and then I’ll get me water kind of thing.”

Inclusivity: When living alone, it can be hard to feel motivated to cook, for one person. Having meals prepped ahead of time makes it easier to eat well, especially on days when energy or focus is low.

Tip: Try making larger portions and saving leftovers for another meal. Meal delivery services can also be an option if it is within the budget.

Insight: We heard that access to community spaces for hobbies, learning, or social connection is very important. Places such as libraries or recreation centres are great additions to a community. However, getting to these spaces is still a common barrier.

Tip: Try helping someone plan routes, book rides, or provide travel training to their preferred activities.

Tip: When planning an event, set aside time, staff, or funds for transportation to help make getting there easier.