Shopping is a pastime that many people look forward to. However, when you’re a wheelchair user, you may have to become a little more strategic if you want to get maximum enjoyment out of your visit. Here are our five top tips! 

Find accessible shopping centres 

The first and arguably most important step is making sure you can actually access the place you’re intent on visiting. There are still many shopping centres that are full of wonderful stores that have invested in a swanky design, but still lack the basic accessibility features that enable people with mobility aids to simply get around. 

No successful shopping trip starts with having to army crawl up a flight of concrete steps, so make the most of AccessAble’s Detailed Access Guides to find a suitable shopping centre near you. You can search by area across the UK, and filter by accessibility symbols to make sure that the venue you have your eye on ticks meets your requirements. 

Make a shopping list and set a budget 

Unless you’re fortunate enough to have recently won the lottery, you probably have to keep a careful eye on how you spend your money. Going shopping can open up a world of temptation, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll often find yourself coming home with a new top or a nice candle you’ve convinced yourself you need when you categorically do not. 

On the surface, making a shopping list and setting a budget in advance might sound a bit boring. However, having a rough plan in your mind can really help you to enjoy the shopping experience without the worry of overindulging. Think of your list as a guide, not something set in stone. Sometimes you’ll find The One, also known as a new bag that looks like it was made for you, and it would be rude not to have it. 

AccessAble Ambassador Lucy Wood at Bullring Birmingham. Find all the access information you need here!

Utilise your wheelchair storage space 

One of the perks of shopping as a wheelchair user is being able to use your lap as a handy storage space. However, if you have a lot of essentials to pick up or you’re really going on a spree, you can quickly run out of space. Rather than attempting a precarious balancing act and stacking everything up on your lap (trust me, not a good idea when you also need to go up a bus ramp to get back home), look into how you can utilise your mobility aids to create extra storage space. 

There may be baskets that slot neatly under the seat of your power-chair, or custom bags to fit over the back of it. Bizarrely, I’ve had my current power-chair for over five years now and only recently discovered a slot in the back of it that could probably fit a book in if you tried hard enough. However, you don’t have to lean on custom solutions. It could be as simple as hanging an extra tote bag over the arm of your chair, or wearing a jacket with deep pockets that can also be utilised as storage. Pockets are always a good idea.  

Bring a friend 

Shopping is a lovely social activity (if you want it to be) and bringing a friend with you can have a multitude of benefits. On the one hand, it means you’ll have a person there to help open any pesky manual doors, majestically part a path between rows of clothes that are positioned too close together, or even take over and do the communicating if/when other customers start getting on your nerves.  

On the other hand, having another person there with you may simply have the benefit of offering you an additional opinion, if you want it, on the things you’re considering buying. They may also be able to hold you accountable for your spending and stop you making any unnecessary purchases, but I think we all know that largely depends on the friend you choose. There are plenty of people out there who could be the ultimate enablers instead… 

Take good care of yourself 

Finally, make sure you’re taking the time to check in with yourself throughout your visit. It can be easy to get swept up in all the action, but depending on your disability, you may have to be mindful of pacing yourself or making sure you take medication on time. It may even be that sensory overload is on the horizon and you just need a little time out. 

In these instances, don’t be afraid to take yourself outside for some fresh air or find a quieter space to have a moment. In fact, some larger shopping centres (such as Trinity Leeds) even have a dedicated Quiet Room specifically for this purpose – you can filter by AccessAble’s ‘safe or quiet space’ symbol to find venues that offer this. Don’t be afraid of doing whatever you need to do. The better you take care of yourself, the more able you’ll be to have a cracking time and shop away to your heart’s content. 

Image Credits: Chapman Taylor. Find our accessibility guide for Trinity Leeds here!

Hope you find these tips helpful! If you have any of your own, we’d love to hear about them on our social media platforms. If you’re planning a shopping trip, don’t forget to make the most of AccessAble to search venues across the UK and find Detailed Access Guides that tell you all you need to know about a place’s access.  

Enjoy your trip!