Crafting Livable Worlds: Sensory, Creative, and Nonhuman Supports in Autistic Adults’ Everyday Lives

Background: Many autistic adults still live in worlds that don’t understand or accommodate their sensory needs, creative interests, or ways of structuring everyday life. We explored how autistic adults use nonhuman supports such as objects, plants, animals, creative activities, and structured routines to navigate sensory and emotional demands and sustain their well-being. Methods: Led by an autistic researcher, we conducted qualitative interviews with 12 autistic adults in Australia to reveal how everyday nonhuman supports helped them manage overwhelm, reduce decision fatigue, and affirm personal identity. Results: Participants described sensory rituals including brewing tea in a familiar mug, tending to gardens, or carrying plush toys, alongside creative pursuits such as drawing, replaying games, and decorating spaces with bright character-themed items. Many also developed tailored systems, using planners, checklists, and structured shopping, to ease executive functioning challenges. However, the use of these supports was often stigmatized and incurred scrutiny from others. Participants worried that plushies or playful décor might be judged as childish or unprofessional. In the face of exclusion, social discrimination, and stigma, they envisioned more inclusive futures, imagining workplaces that normalize sensory breaks, planning tools designed for autistic adults, and community hubs blending plants, crafts, and social connection. Conclusion: Our findings challenge deficit-focused views of autism, highlighting instead how autistic people creatively build meaningful, sustaining environments. By centering autistic perspectives, this study calls for supports and spaces that respect and celebrate autistic ways of being, moving toward genuine acceptance and belonging.