a blank smart phone is in the center of the photo with a white background and journals stacked on the left and two green plants and a candle on the right — Looking for more joy in your life?

*Let’s take a look at how Universal Design can provide more efficiency for you so you can regain control of how you spend your time and energy.*

Universal Design in Everyday Life

Hello and welcome!

I’m Alison, a learning leader and designer with over 20 years of experience in both education and design. Through these two fields, I’ve come to realize that design is so much more than aesthetics or functionality—it’s a way to shape the environments and experiences that support our best selves.

That’s why I’m excited to launch this blog, where I’ll be sharing insights, strategies, and research on how to integrate Universal Design into every aspect of your life. Whether you're an educator, a designer, or simply someone looking to create more intentional, accessible, and meaningful spaces, I believe Universal Design has the power to help you live a more balanced life.

What Is Universal Design?

At its core, Universal Design is about creating spaces, systems, and experiences that are flexible and inclusive—designed with everyone in mind, regardless of their abilities, background, or needs. It's about making things not just “work” for the widest group of people, but also enabling each individual to thrive. Whether it's a physical space, a learning environment, or even a daily routine, Universal Design can make a significant difference in how we interact with the world.

Universal Design helps us think through how a space/routine functions for our needs, and ways to incorporate more high-leverage products or moves to become more efficient - saving us time and energy to focus on the things that really matter to us. Initially it can take more time and preparation to really think through ways to improve a space or routine, but when done well, it can make a lasting impact that provides an excellent ROI (return on investment). Reducing stress can be as simple as taking a few minutes to slow down and reflect on how we can do things just a little bit better the next time.

In the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear, he encourages us to aim for just 1% better each day. Those small adjustments will add up over time to have a big impact on living a more fulfilling life.

It’s also about anticipating and reducing barriers to help you achieve your goals, and creating a plan to help you get where you want to be. What I love about both design and education, is that both are a process and an experiment - you need to be able to take risks, reflect honestly, and make adjustments as you go. It’s a continuous cycle of learning, growing, and improving - so it is ever-evolving and adapting to our current needs. The way to get better is to take the first (scary) step. Once you go for it, it’s actually not that scary at all, but trust me, we ALL have self-doubt, fear, imposter-syndrome, etc. Don’t let the ‘what if’s’ and fears prevent you from living the life you’ve imagined for yourself.

When you take time to pause and pay attention to the world around you, you’ll start to identify examples of Universal Design that are already in place to help make life a little easier. Here are a few examples;

Think about automatic doors at the grocery store. They help people carrying groceries, parents pushing strollers, and those using wheelchairs—all without needing special accommodations. That’s universal design: creating spaces, products, and systems that work well for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or situation.
A well-designed kitchen with pull-out shelves, good lighting, and wide walkways makes cooking easier for everyone—from kids to older adults to someone with limited mobility. That’s universal design in action: making everyday spaces more functional, efficient, and comfortable for all.
Voice assistants like Alexa or Siri were originally designed for accessibility, but now we all use them to set timers, play music, and get information. Universal design isn’t just about disability—it’s about making life easier for everyone.
A well-designed office includes adjustable desks, quiet spaces, and clear signage—things that help employees stay comfortable and productive, no matter their work style or needs. That’s universal design: creating environments that support everyone, not just a few.
Universal design is about designing spaces, products, and systems that are usable, efficient, and welcoming for all people—without needing extra adaptations or special accommodations. Think about dimmable lighting, volume controls on audio, various speed control settings on a fan, etc.

If any of you reading this have an Apple Watch, or a smart watch that sends you reminders to ‘take a breath’, or ‘take a mindful moment’ - have you ever just ignored those reminders? I did. I used to think ‘Who has time to stop and breathe? I’ve got waaaay too much to do.” Little did I realize that if I had taken time to pause during the craziness of the day, I’d have more energy and more focus to do a BETTER job after the quick pause. Without the pause, I was running on fumes and wasn’t as productive or thoughtful in my work and in my relationships.

This year, I was introduced to the Calm app - as a way to encourage slowing down, reflection, and self-care through a variety of meditation practices. When I initially heard about meditation, I had a very different vision of what that really looked like - I have grown a great appreciation for meditation and try to infuse this practice into my daily routine. BTW, this is also a universally designed tool. There is something for everyone - a beginner to an expert, tools for people who like to move their bodies, or lie still, for those who enjoy reading, listening, or watching, for those who want to invest 40 minutes of their day or 1 minute of their day. Just yesterday I followed a practice called, S.T.O.P. and I’d like to introduce it to you as well;

Stop

Take a breath

Observe

Proceed

Try using the STOP practice to allow yourself to be more present and reflective throughout your day. Can you think of a few more examples of universally designed products or environments that you’ve experienced - at home, in your community, in your work? How have these helped make your life a little easier?

Think of situations in your life that frustrate you, get you feeling ‘stuck’, or take a lot of time and energy for you - is there a way to simplify, declutter, or stop doing things the same way and start building more sustainable and enjoyable habits? At home, a great way to start is thinking through the process for entering your home and where you park your car, place your shoes, bags, keys, wallet/phone, etc. Or, consider your process for doing everyday activities like laundry or washing dishes. If you’re at work, read through your SOP (standard operating procedures) and consider if there are any ways to reduce redundancies to streamline your systems and processes for more efficiency. (Here’s a helpful template to guide you in this work.)

Share your thoughts or ideas on how you’d like to bring more intentional design into your life by commenting or filling out our short form below! I’d love to hear from you!

Why This Blog?

I’ve spent the last two decades exploring how we can design environments that promote inclusivity, accessibility, and well-being. I’ve seen firsthand how good design can transform not just learning outcomes, but the way we live, work, and relate to one another. At WhiteSpace Design Co., I believe that a truly balanced life starts with intentional design.

Through this blog, I aim to share the research, experiences, resources, and strategies that have shaped my work and my life—and to offer practical advice on how you can apply Universal Design in your own life. From creating inclusive classrooms to organizing more mindful, accessible spaces in your home or workspace, my goal is to help you design environments that support you in living your best, most intentional life.

I hope you'll find inspiration, ideas, and maybe even a little joy as you explore how Universal Design can unlock new possibilities for you—personally, professionally, and in your everyday life. Share your thoughts or ideas on how you’d like to bring more intentional design into your life by commenting or filling out our short form below! We’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for joining me on this journey. I’m so glad you’re here!

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