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Being shorter than others presents you with a few more challenges than the average person. And it becomes especially apparent when you need to do certain chores around the house. If you’re living in a family with taller people, you can delegate such tasks to them, but if you’re living alone or there’s just no one tall enough for the job, you’ll have to find ways to compromise. Here are some tools that can help you out with all the mundane activities at home.

BEST TOOLS FOR SHORTER INDIVIDUALS

Ladder

This is honestly a must-have for every home, whether you’re short or not. There are just some parts in a house that are impossible to reach without vertical support, and ladders are the best solution to this. With a ladder, you can reach the attic if you don’t have any way up there already. You can also stock up on items on the top shelf. And the best part? You can choose how high up you want to go depending on which rung you settle on.

If you want a ladder that’s convenient, go for a stepping ladder. Unlike regular ladders, which don’t give you very good footing, stepping ladders give you just enough space for your feet to stand on, so you can free your hand for all sorts of tasks while you’re on the ladder itself. Some step ladders even come with space for tools and such, so they won’t be out of reach while you’re up on the ladder.

Stool

While ladders are arguably the best solution for reaching tall heights, they’re not the most convenient. In fact, it can be quite a hassle to set up a stepping ladder just to reach the cookie jar on the shelf. For simpler activities that only take a minute at most to complete, you may want something easier to pull out, and for that, you have the stool.

Stools can vary in size and shape, and because of this, you’ll want to choose the stool’s height very carefully before buying. The right height will determine whether or not you can reach an object. And just buying the tallest possible stool isn’t always a good idea because you may end up being too tall for certain tasks. Finding just the right height can be a struggle, depending on how tall you are, but the effort will be well worth it once you find the perfect stool to stand on.

Light bulb changer

This last one’s a little unexpected and niche compared to the previous two tools, but you’d be surprised by how often you’ll need to change a lightbulb. Sure, lightbulbs have improved over the years, making them last longer, but they’ll still die out eventually, and at that point, it can be a real pain to bust out the ladder. Instead of going through all that effort, you can use a light bulb changer. It’s surprisingly easy to use, and it’s safe, too, so you won’t hurt yourself while changing the light bulb.

It can be a little difficult to maintain a home when you can’t reach a lot of stuff, but with the tools mentioned earlier, it doesn’t have to be impossible. From general solutions to more niche tools, there are plenty of ways to get rid of any sort of inconvenience that being short entails.

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Old House Journal

Founded in 1973, Old House Journal is the original authority when it comes to old-house restoration, traditional house styles, period kitchens, bath & kitchen restoration, DIY projects, gardens & landscaping, and more-- from Colonial and Victorian through Arts & Crafts and Mid-century Modern homes.

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