From the best way to fold a supermarket bag to the easiest way to cut bell peppers, TikTok is full of people sharing life hacks, the smartest ways to tackle the tricker parts of life. A lot of these life hacks focus on accessibility without even realising it; like how to make heels easier to walk in (which is great for those who wish to wear heels but struggle with chronic pain, for example).
The disability community has been joining in on these hacks, sharing how they make their life more accessible with specific disability-related hacks. Here are just a few:
Hair and makeup hacks for chronic pain and fatigue
Jenni, known as @chronicallyjenni on TikTok, often shows specific items that people may never have seen before and lists the appliances she uses to create these hacks on her social media, so it’s easy to recreate or buy the same tools you think may be helpful. In her “Hair and makeup hacks” video, Jenni shows her tips including:
- Using a hands-free add on to her hairdryer so that it can stand by itself, alleviating the need for tediously holding a hairdryer;
- Buying certain makeup brushes that help alleviate chronic pain, such as Kohls Kreative brushes;
- Why wigs can be a great alternative when energy can limit your ability to style your own hair;
- Sock curls being a great alternative to spending a long time using hair curlers or other heat implements.
You can watch the video here.
ADHD hacks for women
Rajya, known on the app as @rajyaatluri , covers hacks specific to ADHD in women. Her “Hot Girl ADHD Hacks” series goes into detail on everything from different clothing systems, to being late with a helpful, non-judgemental attitude. In her TikTok on waking up early, which she explains can be hard for those with ADHD due to motivation and executive dysfunction issues, Rajya gives the following tips:
- Get an accountability buddy, or a body double, to help make sure you get to bed on time. Having somebody to text when you’re about to go to sleep can help you stick to the routine rather than change your mind;
- Sign up for a morning workout class with a cancellation fee. “Nothing gets me out of bed better than knowing that I have to pay $20 if I don’t”, says Rayja;
- Try hiding your phone in a different room to limit time spent on your phone before bed or when you’re meant to be asleep.
You can watch the video here.
Medical Mask Hack
Max, known as @splatterbrained on Tik Tok, not only provides information on how to decorate mobility aids with convenient items like tape, but also created a viral hack on how to niftily use your old medical masks. If you pop off the straps, you can tie them together to make a hair tie, perfect for situations where you can’t get to the shops, or need your hair out of your face to manage heat levels.
You can watch the video here.
These are just a few examples of the breadth of hacks, information and guidance that can be found on the app. Whilst not all “life hacks” on TikTok will be suitable to all disabilities, much of the trend is a positive movement towards doing things differently, if they work for you.
Whilst this isn’t an accessibility movement, as the disability community continues to share their own hacks for navigating life, we can hope that this changes accessibility from a tricky subject that non-disabled people would rather ignore, for fear of getting it wrong, to a conversation we can all have - as we hack life together.
