I saw an interesting post on Facebook a few days ago by a fellow wheelchair-user. She was describing all the things she stashes away down the back of her wheelchair seat, and how one of these things, a pin, had worked it’s way down from the seat onto her electric wheelchair’s battery. There it had touched something it shouldn’t have touched, and shorted it.

My chair isn’t electric and I don’t stash things down the back of my seat, but the post did get me thinking about my own wheelchair storage unit – my thigh.

If I want something to be quickly available but relatively safe I shove it under my thigh. All manner of stuff gets wedged there – my phone, tissues, keys, maps, money. I still do this even though I have a bum bag to keep all these essential items in.

My thigh-cupboard’s effective up to the moment when I need to get out of my chair. At that point my random assortment of precious belonging become hopelessly exposed.

It’s only a matter of time before my so-called ‘system’ fails and I lose something important, and rooting around under my leg to retrieve something is hardly elegant. But despite this, I still go on using my thigh storage solution.

I’m yet to find a wheelchair bag, pouch, or other receptacle that’s stylish, simple and safe. Any suggestions and inventions gratefully received.