Products:

There are many products out there that may work for your needs and technology is always changing. Here are a few options to consider:

Laundry Cart

This product can be used for conserving energy when loading and unloading laundry or transporting it from a bedroom to the laundry room. This way, you avoid multiple trips and effort carrying the pile yourself. It is applicable for those who experience limited stamina, limited balance, difficulty bending, and difficulty lifting or carrying items.  

Options: Laundry Cart for Stairs  |  Laundry Cart on Wheels

Reacher to Retrieve Clothing and Turn Knobs

This tool can be used to transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer, and moving clothes from the dryer to the folding destination. A reacher can also be used to turn knobs or push buttons on the machines without strain to reach or press. It is applicable for those who experience difficulty bending or reaching, manipulating items with their hands, or have some loss of UE skills. 

Options: Amazon

Gravity Hook

Two images of metal hook that opens when it touches the floor. The hooks when lowered with a strap wrap around the object on the floor. When you lift up on the strap it picks up the keys with the hook to reduce bending down.

(Photo Credit: Sarah Pruett)

This product can assist with picking up items off the floor or behind tight spaces. It's different than a reacher because it doesn't require fine motor control or a grip to operate. When the claw hits the ground, the mechanism opens up. As you pull the claw up, the mechanism closes and you can grasp onto the object. It has hooks to pick up items too. It does take a little practice and comes in a few different sizes making it easy to carry around. This product is helpful for those who experience difficulty bending and reaching, those with incoordination, and those with reduced strength in the upper and lower extremities.

Options: Awesome For Sale 

Laundry Turtle 

This tool can be used for easily transferring wet clothes from the washer to the dryer, and moving clothes from the dryer to the next destination for folding. It is applicable for those who experience difficulty bending, only have the use of one arm/hand, or those who just like the convenience of not losing pieces of clothing to the floor when doing the task of laundry. 

Options: Amazon | YouTube Video

Laundry Soap Sheets and Laundry Pods

This product is great for easily tossing in your soap into the washing machine without having to deal with the mess of liquid. The packaging is also less plastic waste as well. It is a great option for those who have decreased strength in their arms and hands to reach, pick-up, and manipulate the traditional heavy liquid bottles.

Options: Laundry Sheets  |  Laundry Pods  |  Review from The Ginchiest

Clothes Folding Board

This tool can be used for folding articles of clothing without the typical lifting or wrist/finger movement involved. The board not only saves energy but also increases convenience as folding can be done easily in one’s lap or another surface. It is helpful to those who have difficulty lifting or manipulating items with their hands, incoordination, and loss of UE skills. 

Options: Amazon

Easy-Carry Laundry Basket

This tool can be used for ease of access when carrying laundry around the home. Many different styles of laundry baskets can be used from traditional baskets, to those with carrying straps, to those on wheels. Each is designed to make transport of laundry easier for the user. It is applicable for those who experience difficulty carrying with arms, limitation of stamina, or those with reliance on mobility aides. 

Options: Amazon - Laundry Basket w/ Carrying Strap | Amazon - Laundry Baskets on Wheels

Fold-Down Laundry Table

This product can be used as a dedicated space for folding and organizing laundry. The benefit of having a fold-down or fold-away feature on the table is that it can limit the amount of space that the table needs to take up.  Laundry rooms are often small spaces to begin with, so maximizing the space available for safety is crucial.  It is applicable for those who experience low vision, reliance on mobility devices, or susceptibility to dizziness and fainting. 

Options: Amazon  |  DIY - Pinterest

Height Adjustable Desk 

This product can be used as a dedicated space for folding and organizing laundry if you have room to utilize this in your laundry area, or close to it. The benefit of having an adjustable height desk or table is that it’s flexible for different users to either stand or sit for the task of sorting and folding. It’s helpful for those who have low vision, use mobility devices, have difficulty with stamina, balance, those who tend to get dizzy, are short, tall ,and in between. 

Options: Amazon  |  IKEA

Laundry Sorting System

This product can be used to assist individuals sort and organize their laundry. There are many reasons to sort loads of laundry, but one of the more important factors is to promote energy conservation during laundry tasks. Oftentimes, individuals will put too large of a laundry load in, and then the task becomes very tiring. By sorting laundry loads, individuals make the task easier by loading and unloading smaller amounts of clothes. It is helpful for those who experience decreased stamina, difficulty interpreting information, and 

Options:  Amazon | Home Depot

Sock Holders

This product can be used when completing laundry and making sure the matching set of socks is together. It is applicable for those who experience difficulty with visual impairments and find it difficult to pair socks together after washing.

Options: Amazon - Sock Rings | Amazon - SockDock 

Drying Rack

There are many options for drying racks, whether they sit on the floor, are mounted to the wall or ceiling, and have options like a line that’s retractable or folds away for easy use. This is applicable for people who experience difficulty benching or reaching, and manipulating items with their hands (if there are no clothes pins involved). 

Options: Amazon

Pedestals to Raise Front Loading Machines

Pedestals are a big energy and back saver as they eliminate the need to bend down to put your laundry in the washer or dryer. The extra space beneath the machines can also be used for storage. A simple google search will provide you with lots of options for DIY plans to build your own pedestals that include slots and drawers for storage. It is applicable for those who experience difficulty benching or reaching, rely on mobility devices, and have limited balance. 

Options: Amazon

Techniques:

Place Secure Grab Bar Next To Machine, If Using a Top Loader

Sometimes appliances cannot be replaced for logistical or financial reasons, and therefore individuals must make something work with what they have. Oftentimes, a top-loader washing machine can create challenges for individuals when trying to remove laundry. By installing a grab bar, users can get themselves into a position where they are able to access the toploader either by reaching or with a grabber. It is helpful those who experience difficulty bending/standing upright, extremes in height, or loss of LE skills. 

Mark Most Important Machine Buttons

A colored dot or dry erase mark around certain buttons on the laundry machine can not only simplify the task but also increase visibility. This can be tailored to each person’s needs depending on what buttons/settings they use most when doing the laundry. This is applicable for individuals with no or limited sight and those with difficulty interpreting/processing information.

Options: Amazon
Information: YouTube  |  Dry Erase Tips

Place Detergent Dispenser on Top of Machine, Above Detergent Drawer

Larger containers of detergent that are bought in bulk are usually heavier, however they do offer user benefits. They have a unique dispensing mechanism similar to that of a water cooler where a button releases the detergent in the container. This can be useful so users do not have to carry detergent anywhere, as it is placed above the drawer making it easy for detergent to be dispensed. It is helpful for those who experience difficulty carrying with arms, incoordination, or chemical sensitivity. 

Demonstration: Amazon - Example

Use Small Storage Containers

Large containers and cleaning products create extra difficulty when removing items for use with the laundry. Placing products in more manageable containers than can easily be picked up with a single hand will prevent physical stress from heavy lifting and decrease likelihood of dropping and spilling. This is applicable for individuals who have difficulty manipulating items with their hands, loss of UE skills, limited stamina, or have difficulty reaching/lifting. 

Options: Amazon