Make organizing accessible.
Accessibility shows up in countless ways when it comes to organizing—mental, emotional, physical, visual, and beyond. We've both spent years working as caregivers within the disability community. We actually first met working at an art studio and farm for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities! From there, our path deepened into disability activism, accessible design, and community organizing. Along the way, we’ve considered how to make everything—from a simple photo release form to a raised garden bed—more inclusive, flexible, and user-friendly, because we know there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach.
Here is an experimental accessible raised garden bed designed and built by Tommy on the accessible urban farm that Tommy and Madeline helped build from 2017-2019 with Public Annex, an art and farming non-profit focusing on inclusivity of people with disabilities. It features a table top portion where wheelchair or chair users can sit and work and then stair steps down to offer different heights to fit the needs or preferences of others.
We always prioritize making your space work for you. We love appropriate technology/low cost "life hacks", assistive technology, and thinking about the Curb Cut Effect. What are all those terms!? I’ll break them down a little for you:
Appropriate technology is people-centered, locally controlled, and environmentally sustainable technology that is suitable for the specific social, economic, and environmental conditions of a particular community. The best examples of this are found in lower income communities across the world. Self-powered agricultural equipment or solar powered devices are good examples too.
A life hack is a shortcut, trick, or clever method that increases efficiency, productivity, and ease in everyday tasks, simplifying life and improving overall well-being. Life hack videos and reels are very popular on social media. I say that we love them because we really do, we love making things easier for ourselves in this complicated world. But we also like to be careful of striving for too much productivity and optimization of our lives. It’s ok to not be able to do it all all the time.
Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system—whether low-tech or high-tech—that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities, the aging population, and individuals with non-communicable diseases, enabling greater independence and inclusion in daily life. This could manifest as fancy accessibility devices like screen readers or power wheel chairs or as DIY solutions like putting foam around a pencil so it’s easier to grip.
The Curb Cut Effect (basically Universal Design) is the phenomenon where designing for the needs of vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, creates broader benefits for everyone. It originates from the fact that curb cuts, originally designed for wheelchair users, benefit people with strollers, people who have a hard time with steps, bikes, etc.
All this to say, marginalized people have so much to teach us! And did you know, the disability community is the only minority group that anyone can join at any time? Talk about inclusive! We likely all will at some point in our lives as we age. So, why not consider the accessibility of our spaces now?
All of the knowledge and experience we've gained over the years working with people with disabilities has definitely shaped the foundation of All This—a practice rooted in creativity, curiosity, accessibility, and collaboration. We love it and we can't wait to talk about the accessibility of your space with you!
A custom paper organization system for a client who can not always physically or mentally get to their filing cabinet but needed a way to keep the current incoming/outgoing papers in order. The clip boards, being lightweight also help this client who sometimes lacks physical strength. The color coding helps the client find what they need when they need it.
