Get in the right mindset first

• Lower the bar to lift the stress: aim for safe, warm, and presentable. Style can come later.
• Slow is smooth, smooth is fast: rushing feeds spasticity and mistakes.
• Bad days are part of the plan: have an easier backup outfit ready so you can still win the morning.

Prepare your space

• Create a dressing zone: a sturdy chair with arms, a non-slip mat under your feet, and good lighting.
• Lay out clothes in order of use: underwear, top, bottom, socks, shoes. Left to right works well.
• Use stable surfaces: avoid perching on soft beds. A firm seat reduces falls and makes bending safer.
• Keep essentials within reach: long-handled shoehorn, sock aid, dressing stick, grabber, Velcro fasteners, elastic laces.

Choose clothes that help you

• Tops: loose necklines or zips, Lycra or stretchy sleeves, breathable fabrics that glide over skin.
• Bottoms: elastic waists or side zips, wide legs if you wear braces, and fabrics with a bit of stretch.
• Fastenings: swap tiny buttons for larger ones or use button hooks, prefer Velcro and magnetic closures.
• Footwear: wide opening, heel loops, elastic or toggle laces. Non-slip soles for safety.
• Warmth without wrestling: gilets and cardigans beat tight jumpers.
• Consistency: buy duplicates of what works, then dressing becomes a familiar sequence, not a puzzle.

One-handed techniques that actually work

Tops

1. Place the garment on your lap with the inside facing up and the neck away from you.
2. Feed the affected arm in first, guiding fabric over the hand, wrist, then elbow. A dressing stick helps.
3. Lean forward, bring the garment over your head, then thread the stronger arm.
4. Adjust hems using the stronger hand and a bit of hip wiggle rather than tugging with the affected side.

Shirts and cardigans

1. Put the sleeve on the affected side first while seated.
2. Pull the body of the shirt round your back.
3. Insert the stronger arm.
4. Use a button hook from bottom to top. If it is still fiddly, try magnets or keep the shirt pre-buttoned and put it on like a T-shirt.

Trousers and skirts

1. While seated, thread the affected leg first. Use a dressing stick or grabber to guide fabric over the foot.
2. Thread the stronger leg.
3. Stand with support, pull up in small lifts using belt loops or a dressing stick hooked through the waistband.
4. For zips and hooks, use a zip puller loop. Consider side-zip or elastic waist styles to cut the faff.

Socks and tights

• Use a sock aid: load the sock on the aid while seated, drop it to the floor, slide your foot in, then pull the straps.
• For the second sock, reset your posture and breathe, then repeat. Fatigue makes balance go wobbly, so pause on purpose.
• Compression items: use rubber gloves for grip or a donning sleeve to reduce friction.

Shoes

• Use a long-handled shoehorn and sit to put shoes on.
• Go for elastic laces or toggles so you can slip in and out without tying.
• If swelling varies, choose adjustable straps rather than fixed laces.

If spasticity or weakness gets in the way

• Dress the affected side first, undress it last. This keeps fabric on your side.
• Warm up before dressing: shoulder shrugs, gentle wrist and ankle circles, open and close the hand, three slow breaths.
• Reduce triggers: avoid rushing, keep the room warm, and choose smooth fabrics that do not catch.
• Use friction to your advantage: press an elbow against your torso to hold fabric while the stronger hand works.

Balance, fatigue, and safety

• Sit for as much as possible. Save standing for brief pulls and final checks.
• Use a timer for pacing: two or three minute bursts with short rests stops energy crashes.
• Hydrate and eat a light snack first if mornings wipe you out.
• Keep a grab rail nearby if you need to stand.
• Never hop to pull trousers up. Shuffle feet or sit and adjust in stages.

Cognitive or visual challenges

• Colour code and label: use tags on the back inside neck, or tactile dots to mark front versus back.
• Lay out outfits the night before in the correct order.
• Reduce choice: a simple capsule wardrobe removes decision fatigue.
• Mirror placement: a full-length mirror at chair height helps with alignment checks.
• Neglect work: if one side is ignored, place that sleeve or trouser leg on top and start there every time.

Building a personal routine

1. Set the scene: chair, aids, clothes in order, phone within reach.
2. Warm up: 60 to 90 seconds of gentle movement and breathing.
3. Dress sequence: affected side first for each garment.
4. Safety check: stand, take two steady breaths, scan for loose hems or twisted waistbands.
5. Reward the win: note what worked, swap what did not.

Bad day backup plan

• Pull-on trousers, a soft T-shirt, zip hoodie, slip-on shoes.
• Skip fiddly layers.
• Ask a family member to set out the outfit the night before if appointments are early. This supports independence, it does not remove it.

Simple kit list that makes life easier

• Dressing stick with hook, long-handled shoehorn, sock aid, button hook, grabber.
• Elastic laces, Velcro or magnetic fasteners, zip pulls, non-slip mat.
• Chair with arms, full-length mirror, small basket to keep everything together.

Involving family and friends, without losing your independence

• Agree a help script: for example, “Please steady my waistband while I stand,” rather than doing it all for you.
• Ask them to prepare, not perform: lay out clothes, swap fastenings, attach elastic laces.
• Share your routine so they know when to step back. Confidence grows when support respects your rhythm.

Emotions are part of the job

It is normal to grieve the old ease. I have cried over socks. Celebrate small wins, because small wins stack. If dressing drains you, plan a quiet task afterwards, like tea and a sit, not a marathon errand. Progress is not a straight line, but it is progress.

When to seek more help

• New pain, skin breakdown, or repeated near-falls.
• Clothing that catches on splints or braces.
• Spasticity or shoulder pain that blocks movement.
  An occupational therapist can tailor garments and techniques to your exact needs, and a physio can adjust your warm-up so dressing triggers less tightness.

Quick checklist

• Chair, light, non-slip mat ready
• Clothes in order, affected side first
• Warm up, breathe, do it seated where possible
• Use the right aid for the job
• Stand only to finish, no hopping
• Note one thing to change tomorrow

You are not aiming to be the old you, you are building a new, capable routine. Getting dressed alone becomes another place you prove to yourself that you are still the hero of your day.