Making your home more accessible for summer visitors does not require a full renovation. Focus on removing trip hazards, creating clear pathways, improving entryway access, smoothing raised thresholds, and making outdoor areas easier to navigate. These changes can support wheelchair and walker users, older adults, people recovering from an injury, and parents with strollers.
Quick Answer: How Can You Make Your Home More Accessible for Guests?
Before visitors arrive:
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Clear indoor walkways and outdoor paths.
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Remove loose rugs, cords, and unstable mats.
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Smooth raised door thresholds with a threshold ramp or angled mat.
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Consider a portable ramp for steps or raised entrances.
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Rearrange furniture to create wider routes.
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Improve lighting around entrances, paths, and outdoor spaces.
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Check that the bathroom route is clear, dry, and well-lit.
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Make patios, decks, and backyard seating easy to reach.
Why Summer Hosting Needs Accessibility Planning
Summer gatherings use more of the home than an ordinary day. Guests may move from the driveway and entrance through living areas and the bathroom before heading to a patio or backyard.
Each transition can introduce barriers such as steps, gravel, uneven pavement, narrow furniture layouts, or wet surfaces. Clearer routes and smoother transitions help guests feel more comfortable and independent.
Start With Safer Entryway Access
Check the front, back, and garage entrances for steps, raised thresholds, sliding-door tracks, narrow openings, or uneven surfaces.
Walk each route yourself and look for:
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Changes in surface height.
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Loose or curled doormats.
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Shoes, planters, parcels, or decorations blocking the path.
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Doors that do not open wide enough.
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Poor lighting around steps or thresholds.
For small rises, a threshold ramp or angled entry mat can provide a smoother transition. The TRANSITIONS® Angled Entry Mat, for example, is designed for low thresholds without permanent installation. Larger rises or single steps may require a portable ramp.
Use Portable Ramps for Temporary Access
A portable ramp may provide temporary access at a single step, raised porch, garage entrance, patio transition or low deck.
The ramp must suit the height of the rise, available space, surface, and mobility device being used. A ramp that is too short may create an incline that is difficult or unsafe to navigate. Always check the mobility device manufacturer’s guidance on suitable slopes and ramp use.
Options such as the SUITCASE® portable ramp line are designed for temporary access and storage. The GATEWAY® 3G may suit locations requiring a larger portable platform. Make sure any ramp is positioned on a firm surface, secured and suitable for the user.
Create Clear Pathways Indoors and Outdoors
Guests need an unobstructed route to the seating area, kitchen, bathroom and outdoor space.
Indoors, remove:
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Loose rugs and trailing cords.
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Shoes, bags and pet beds.
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Side tables, ottomans or lamps that narrow walkways.
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Furniture that forces guests through tight gaps.
Outdoors, clear hoses, tools, toys, planters and garden decorations from paths. Trim overgrown bushes and low branches, and check for loose stones, uneven pavement, or unstable edges.
Moving one chair or side table may create enough space for a mobility aid to pass comfortably.
Make Patios, Decks and Backyards Easier to Access
Check the transition from the house to the patio or deck. Sliding-door tracks, thresholds, and small steps can be significant barriers. A threshold ramp may help with a low rise, while a portable ramp may be needed for a step.
Create a continuous route from the house to the main outdoor seating or dining area. Smooth, firm surfaces are generally easier to navigate than grass, loose gravel, or uneven pavement.
Arrange tables, chairs, grills, coolers, and shade structures so guests do not need to squeeze through narrow gaps. Leave space for a wheelchair or walker to approach seating and turn around.
Keep food, shade, and seating on the accessible surface rather than requiring guests to cross the lawn.
Improve Traction and Reduce Slip Risks
Decks, patios, tiles and smooth concrete can become slippery after rain, watering or pool use. Inspect outdoor surfaces before guests arrive and remove standing water where possible.
Outdoor mats should be:
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Low profile.
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Slip resistant underneath.
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Fully secured.
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Flat at the edges.
Avoid loose mats that can shift, curl or catch wheels, canes and feet. A poorly secured mat may create a greater hazard than the surface it is intended to cover.
Make Bathrooms Safer and Easier to Use
Make sure the bathroom route is clear, well lit and wide enough for the guest’s mobility aid.
Keep floors dry and remove loose rugs. Use a secure, non-slip bath mat where needed, and place towels within easy reach.
Temporary supports may include a raised toilet seat or suitable portable grab bar. However, suction or temporary grab bars should only be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and should not be treated as a substitute for a permanently installed support where full body weight will be applied.
Rearrange Furniture for Easier Movement
Furniture layouts can become crowded as chairs, bags and serving areas move into walkways.
Before guests arrive:
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Widen routes through living, dining and kitchen areas.
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Keep the route to the bathroom and outdoor area open.
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Provide stable chairs with arms for guests who need support.
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Leave clear space around tables and seating.
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Keep extension cords and fans away from walkways.
Add Lighting for Safer Summer Visits
Entryways, ramps, steps, patios and garden paths should remain visible after sunset.
Motion-sensor lights, rechargeable pathway lights and battery-powered lamps can improve visibility without permanent electrical work.
Position lighting so guests can clearly see:
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Steps and threshold changes.
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Ramp edges.
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Uneven surfaces.
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Wet patches.
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The route between the house and seating area.
Think About Comfort as Well as Access
Provide stable seating in each main area, including outdoors. Keep shade, drinking water, and rest areas close to the gathering.
Ask guests in advance what would make their visit easier. Their needs may differ from what you expect.
Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid
Walk through the home and yard at least a day in advance. Review the complete route, not just the front door, and avoid unstable temporary fixes.
Mats, ramps and supports must be suitable, secure and used as instructed. Check the route again after dark and remember that wheelchair, scooter, walker and cane users may need different arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make my home more accessible for guests?
Clear the main routes, remove trip hazards, check thresholds and steps, improve lighting, and make sure guests can reach the bathroom and main seating areas. Use an appropriate threshold or portable ramp where a change in level creates a barrier.
What is the easiest accessibility improvement?
Clearing clutter and removing loose rugs are the quickest improvements. You can then address raised thresholds, poor lighting, and narrow furniture layouts.
How can I make my patio wheelchair accessible?
Create a clear, stable route from the house to the seating area. Smooth the doorway threshold, remove obstructive furniture and avoid requiring the guest to travel across grass or loose gravel.
Are portable ramps suitable for temporary visitor access?
They can be, provided the ramp is suitable for the rise, available space, surface and mobility device. It should be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s guidance.
How can I make my home safer for older visitors?
Focus on fall risks. Improve lighting, remove loose rugs, keep floors dry, provide stable seating, and make sure steps and thresholds are easy to see and navigate.
Can I improve accessibility without major renovations?
Yes. Clearing routes, rearranging furniture, adding temporary lighting, and using suitable threshold or portable ramps can make a meaningful difference without structural changes.