50 Common Mistakes You Don't Realize Make Your Home Look Bad
The solutions are so simple.
Are you wondering why your space doesn’t have that polished, ‘gram-worthy vibe? You might’ve done a lot to improve the look of your home already, but it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference. From visible clutter to poor lighting choices, I’ve rounded up a list of common mistakes distracting from your home's beauty and some super easy fixes, so you can refresh your space in no time.
01
Mistake: Forgetting To Clean The Bathroom
Solution: A Compact Power Scrubber To Scrub Hard-To-Reach Spots
If you forget to clean around your sink or neglect those hard-to-reach spots of bathroom grout, this battery-operated power scrubber will change the way you clean. Thanks to an oscillating head that scrubs 60 times per second, it busts grime quickly, so you can skip the manual scrub brush that takes twice as long.
02
Mistake: Water Splashes Leaving Water Stains On Your Counter
Solution: A Self-Draining Faucet Mat For Around Your Sink
This silicone faucet mat prevents hard water deposits and stains around your sink. Thanks to its large, textured surface and five-degree slope, it's designed to keep your sink area dry. When water gets on the mat, it travels down to the two drainage slots and into your sink. It also doubles as a sponge holder.
03
Mistake: Keeping A Gross Toilet Brush In Plain View
Solution: A Toilet Brush That Comes With A Sleek Holder To Hide it
Keeping a dirty toilet brush in plain view makes your bathroom look a little gross, so swap it out for this cleverly hidden toilet brush set. It features an innovative silicone brush head that’s durable, gentle on porcelain, and easy to clean. Meanwhile, its circular holder effectively conceals the brush in your bathroom.
04
Mistake: Stained & Dirty Fridge Shelves
Solution: These Refrigerator Shelf Liners That Keep Shelves Perfectly Clean
If food and drinks are always dripping onto your fridge shelves, leaving unsightly stains, simply line them with these trim-able refrigerator liners that have an anti-skid texture. Trim them to fit, and each shelf will look perfectly clean. Their vinyl material easily wipes clean when dirty, protecting your shelves from stains.
05
Mistake: Dirty-Looking Tile Grout That Needs A Refresh
Solution: This Grout Pen To Freshen Up Old Grout
Restore dirty-looking grout using this best-selling grout pen with over 19,000 five-star reviews. Its long-lasting formula is designed to fill in dirty grout lines with a bright white paint that’ll make your tile look like new. Simply your grout, activate the paint by pushing down the tip and apply it to up to 150 feet of thin grout. One reviewer raved, “I've tried everything to remove the mildew stains from the white grout in my shower [...] Wow, did this work! My entire shower grout is clean and stark white! It looks just about brand new.”
06
Mistake: Gross-Looking Caulk On Baseboards, Windows, & More
Solution: This Simple Stick-On Caulk Strip That Looks Fresh & Clean
This caulk strip has a durable yet flexible rubber-based adhesive so you can stick it around unsealed spaces, and it won’t crack or warp with movement over time. Remove your worn-out caulk, then apply the caulk strip by trimming it to fit, peeling the liner, positioning it, and pressing it into place — no caulking gun needed.
07
Mistake: Rugs That Are Constantly Sliding Or Curling
Solution: These Corner Grippers That Flatten & Secure Your Rug
Say goodbye to curled corners and slipping rugs — this set of reusable V-shaped rug grippers will stop it for good. They feature a strong, weatherproof adhesive that attaches to your rug’s backing while the bottom securely grips the floor, holding the rug in place. And they won’t leave any residue behind on your floor.
08
Mistake: Scuffed Up Walls & Surfaces
Solution: This Budget-Friendly Pack Of Eraser Sponges To Scrub Everything
This budget-friendly pack of cleaning eraser sponges will quickly banish scuffs from your home’s walls and surfaces. Simply add some water to a sponge, squeeze out the excess, and rub the surface until the mark disappears. They require little elbow grease and are designed to be safe for multiple surfaces like walls, cabinets, floors, and car interiors.
09
Mistake: Rooms With Little Privacy From Neighbors
Solution: A Chic Privacy Film To Your Windows
Apply some of this privacy film to your windows to make your space more private — all you need is water and scissors. Not only does it cast pretty rainbow prisms while obscuring the view, but it can also block up to 96% of UV rays, which may save you money on energy bills.
10
Mistake: Using Grocery Bags As Liners In Bathroom Trashcans
Solution: These Sleek, Compostable Trash Bags For Small Trashcans
Instead of a bathroom trashcan with no liner or using shopping bags, grab these sleek trash bags, which are the perfect size for small cans — 1.2 gallons, to be exact. They’re made of eco-friendly, compostable plant starch, so they’re durable, leakproof, and dispense straight from the package.
11
Mistake: Cluttered & Messy Charging Areas
Solution: An Outlet Organizer With A Shelf To Stay Organized
If you’re sick of messy charging areas, try this wall outlet extender that adds three extra AC outlets, three USB-A ports, and one USB-C port for all your charging needs. It also features a built-in night-light and a handy shelf for storing your phone or smart speaker while charging.
12
Mistake: A Drawer Packed With Disorganized Grocery Bags
Solution: A Sleek Holder For Trash Bags That Can Mount In Your Closet
Instead of stashing your plastic bags in a cluttered drawer, mount this sleek plastic bag holder to your pantry wall and make your bags easy to access. It features a stainless steel design, an extra-wide opening in the center, and a top slot. Reviewers also rank it high for its easy installation and functionality.
13
Mistake: Keeping Soap & Shampoo In Mismatched Store Bottles
Solution: A Shampoo Dispenser That’s Chic & Wall-Mounted
If your shower is full of mismatched store bottles, this shampoo dispenser will help elevate its aesthetic. With a 16.9-ounce capacity and waterproof labels for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and more, its modern design is aesthetically pleasing and functional. It adheres to your shower with the included adhesive mount and also includes a funnel.
14
Mistake: Shower Drains Clogged With Hair
Solution: This Shower Hair Catcher To Prevent Clogged Drains
Prevent clogged drains with this hair catcher, which fits inside standard tub and shower drains. Stick it inside, and as hairs travel down the drain, the catcher will neatly wrap them around the base, keeping them out of your pipes (and sight). It’s super easy to clean, too — once full, remove the hairs with a tissue. One reviewer wrote, “This little mushroom is so good at collecting hair in the shower [...] It’s very easy to clean out the hair, and installing/taking it out doesn’t take long at all.”
15
Mistake: Using Mismatched & Tattered Bath Towels
Solution: These Luxe, Matching Hotel-Style Bath Towels
Swap out mismatched or tattered towels with this budget-friendly cotton bath towel set that feels super luxe. Made of soft Turkish cotton, they’re designed to be durable and absorbent while lightweight enough to comfortably wrap up in. They also have a chic hotel-style design with sophisticated double-stitched edges and come in 15 pretty colors.
16
Mistake: Living With Scratched-Up Wood Furniture
Solution: These Furniture Repair Markers To Repair Wood Scratches
Refresh your scratched-up furniture with this shockingly easy-to-use furniture repair kit. The set includes six wax sticks, a sharpener for the wax, and six markers in colors to match oak, cherry, walnut, maple, mahogany, and black furniture. Use the wax sticks to fill in wood gaps or the markers to retouch scratches, scuffs, and discolored wood.
17
Mistake: Dusty Ceiling Fans & Hard-To-Reach Cobwebs
Solution: This Extendable Microfiber Duster That Reaches High-Up Places
Reach high-up spots like your ceiling fan with this microfiber duster that expands from 2.5 feet to over 8 feet tall. Its washable, reusable microfiber head contours to reach tricky spots, making it easy to tackle dust and cobwebs. And it comes apart and collapses for easy, compact storage.
18
Mistake: Cleaning Floors With A Broom Covered In Dust & Grime
Solution: This Self-Cleaning Broom & Dustpan Set
If you’re sweeping floors with a gross, dust- and grim-covered broom, it’s time to grab this broom and dustpan. The spacious dustpan even features teeth for removing debris from the broom’s bristles. Plus, the broom features an extendable pole so you can comfortably clean without bending over and four rows of heavy-duty bristles that effortlessly sweep dirt and debris.
19
Mistake: Mismatched Salt & Pepper Grinders
Solution: These Chic Electric Salt & Pepper Grinders With A One-Handed Design
This electric salt and pepper grinder set features a chic LED design that’ll instantly make your kitchen look put together. Not only do the grinders look expensive, but they also have adjustable coarseness and a convenient one-handed tilt-to-grind operation. Each grinder also features an LED light to see how much spice you’re grinding. “I love these so much,” wrote one reviewer. “I just tip these upside down, and the pepper and salt grind and sprinkle over the meat.”
20
Mistake: Leaving Chargers & Messy Cords On Your Floors
Solution: These Easy-To-Cinch Cable Management Straps To Organize Cords
Get messy chargers and cables organized with these reusable cable straps, which feature easy buckles to cinch them onto cords and spacious blank labels. Once cinched on, they make it an absolute breeze to wrap the cord up and secure the strap onto itself to secure the cable.
21
Mistake: Using Harsh Kitchen Lighting
Solution: These Wireless Stick-On Lights To Create A Warm-White Glow
Harsh kitchen lighting can downgrade the look of your kitchen, but these wireless puck lights feature warm-white LEDs that’ll illuminate your counters. Simply use the included adhesive strips or hardware to pop them on, and you’ll have easy-to-use ambient lighting. A remote control makes them easier to customize with adjustable brightness and timers.
22
Mistake: Crumbs & Food Falling Between Your Stove
Solution: These Silicone Counter Gap Fillers To Keep Gaps Crumb-Free
Say goodbye to crumbs between your oven and countertop with these minimalist silicone counter gap fillers. They’re designed to block debris from falling into the gaps, and their heat-resistant silicone fits snugly inside the gap and is trim-able for a perfect fit. Once installed, easily wipe the collected crumbs away, keeping hard-to-vacuum gaps crumb-free.
23
Mistake: Keeping Messy-Looking Appliance Cords On Your Countertop
Solution: These Sleek Cord Organizers To Hold Appliance Cords
Put messy appliance cords in their place with these flexible silicone cord organizers that securely adhere to curved or flat appliances. Once adhered, use an organizer’s two large slats to neatly wrap an appliance’s cord into a bundle, and then secure the plug end into the middle slot to lock it into place.
24
Mistake: Using Cheap-Looking Night-Lights
Solution: These Backlit LED Night-Lights That Won’t Distract From Your Decor
These backlit night-lights have a 4.8-star average rating after over 1,000 reviews and a sleek design that won’t distract from your decor. Simply pop them in an outlet, and choose between automated mode, which will make the night-light motion-sensor-activated light, or night mode, where the lights turn on automatically at dusk and off at dawn.
25
Mistake: Chipped Paint Around The House
Solution: This Fillable Paint Pen For Quick Touch Ups
Neglecting chipped paint can detract from your home’s aesthetics, but luckily, you can skip the messy paint equipment and use these fillable paint pens. They’re virtually mess-free and keep the paint inside fresh for years. Use the syringe to fill the pens, then release some paint to the leakproof brush tips by pushing the plunger. One reviewer raved, “I used to drag out the gallon of paint and a brush for touch-ups! This was so convenient and not messy. Paint was not dripping, and the applicator actually held a lot of paint. Made my touch-up painting a breeze!”
26
Mistake: Messy Cords Blocking Your Furniture
Solution: A Sleek Outlet Hider To Conceal & Organize Cords
Messy cords distract from decor, but this outlet and cord concealer kit will help. It hides bulky plugs, thanks to its genius design that features a 3-foot extension cord you stash behind furniture. Plug the white plate into your outlet, adhere the cord along your baseboard, and plug your items into the extension’s three outlets.
27
Mistake: Sagging Sofa Cushions
Solution: This Hardwood Couch Support For Underneath Your Cushions
Fix sagging couch cushions with this cushion support that slides underneath your cushions for durable reinforcement. It’s made from 15 solid hardwood boards nestled inside a nylon cover, so it will easily support the weight of multiple people. To use it, remove your couch cushions, unfold and flatten the support onto your couch, and replace your cushions.
28
Mistake: Messy Tools & Supplies In Your Garage Or Cleaning Closet
Solution: These Clever Storage Straps To Organize Your Bulky Supplies
If your toolbox, shed, or garage is messy and disorganized, try these storage straps, which easily wrap around bulky extension cords, hoses, and more. Each strap holds up to 100 pounds, so you can conveniently hang items in a neat bundle. Plus, they’re weather-resistant, so they’re good to go in your garage, yard, or shed.
29
Mistake: An Old Showerhead With Zero Water Pressure
Solution: This High-Pressure Rainfall Showerhead For Elevated Showers
This rainfall showerhead will elevate your shower routine by delivering a high-pressure stream via 90 anti-clog silicone jets, and make your bathroom look more expensive. It features a smooth-gliding head, so you can easily adjust the angle of the stream, and a luxe polished chrome finish. The best part is — it installs in as little as one minute.
30
Mistake: Scratching Up Your Floors With Chairs
Solution: These Silicone Covers To Protect Your Floors
These chair leg floor protectors prevent your chairs from scratching up your floors. They’re made from durable silicone with a felt bottom and easily stretch to fit your chair legs no matter what shape. Plus, they won’t distract from the look of your furniture because they’re available in colors like black, walnut, and gray.
31
Mistake: A Cluttered Pile Of Coats & Bags
Solution: This Sleek, Retractable Rack For Your Bags & Coats
Organize the pile of bags and coats by your door with this sleek coat rack, complete with cleverly hidden hooks. From its sturdy aluminum base to retractable hooks, its sleek, modern design maximizes your space. Pop it on your wall with the included hardware, then load its five hooks with up to 5 pounds of items each.
32
Mistake: A Frequently Smelly Fridge
Solution: This Mini Deodorizer To Banish Odors In Your Fridge (For 10 Years)
Tackle gross smells in your fridge with this refrigerator deodorizer, which can last up to 10 years and requires no extra filters. It’s designed to break down gases into water molecules, eliminating gross food odors at the source. As a bonus, removing gases inside your fridge may also help your food stay fresher longer. One reviewer wrote, “I thought this product couldn’t possibly get rid of all of the odors in the refrigerator — boy, was I wrong. I even put a cut onion in the refrigerator, and a few minutes later, I came back, and I couldn’t smell it.”
33
Mistake: Dirty Window Screens You Can Barely See Out Of
Solution: This Screen Cleaner To Easily Refresh Window Screens
Tackle window screen cleaning like a pro with this budget-friendly mesh screen cleaner. Remove grime at all levels, thanks to its removable handle and dual-length bristles, which reach between mesh for a thorough clean. Use it dry, or add soap for a deep clean. Its microfiber fabric is also great for dusting.
34
Mistake: Food-Stained Kitchen Towels
Solution: These Chic Turkish Hand Towels You Can Use Instead
Replace stained kitchen towels with these impressively chic Turkish hand towels, which feature a soft cotton-polyester blend that gets softer with each wash. They’re not only practical thanks to their high absorbency but also have a sophisticated sultan design that’ll look stylized in any kitchen. Choose from 30 colors, including subdued neutrals and trendy brights.
35
Mistake: Messy, Disorganized Kitchen Cabinets
Solution: This Shelf Organizer Set To Elevate Your Storage
Fix messy cabinets with this cabinet organizer set, which features four chic stackable shelves. Two smaller shelves are designed to nestle underneath the taller shelves, allowing you to easily customize your cabinet storage and configure dishes, spices, mugs, and more for the best fit. Each durable wooden shelf supports up to 33 pounds.
36
Mistake: Pilling On Your Furniture & Upholstery
Solution: This Fabric Shaver For Pilling Around The House
Banish fuzz and pilling on your couches, curtains, pillows, and more with this rechargeable fabric shaver. Its six-leaf blade is designed to spin at up to 9,000 times per minute, so pilling disappears in seconds. It also features a honeycomb mesh design that makes it safe for all fabrics, even delicate satins and silks.
37
Mistake: Cheap-Looking Plastic Storage Bins
Solution: These Chic Fabric Storage Bins To Upgrade Your Storage
Ditch cheap-looking plastic storage bins for these fabric storage bins, which have a modern design that hides clutter in style. Each bin has a sturdy metal frame wrapped in chic fabric, a reinforced bottom for extra durability, and faux leather handles. Inside, they’re spacious enough to store everything from towels to books to cleaning supplies.
38
Mistake: Keeping Cooking Oil In The Grocery Bottle It Came In
Solution: This Stylized Glass Dispenser With Sections For Cooking Oil & Vinegar
Transfer your cooking oil into this stylized oil and vinegar dispenser, and you’ll instantly upgrade the look of your kitchen. Its stunning blown glass has an elegant shape that cleverly nestles a vinegar dispenser inside the main oil dispenser, making pouring each condiment separately easy. Stylish corks finish off the look and keep the contents airtight.
39
Mistake: Damp Air-Drying Clothes Scattered Around Your House
Solution: This Chic & Compact Spinning Drying Rack To Air Dry Clothes
Give your damp laundry a designated place to dry on this compact clothes drying rack. It’s designed for small spaces with its compact, two-tier build, complete with 360-degree rotatable arms. But its small size doesn’t limit its capacity — it has 27 hanging holes and 24 clips, supporting up to 35 pounds at a time.
40
Mistake: Spills & Stains Under Your Sinks
Solution: This Under-Sink Mat To Protect Your Cabinets
This under-sink mat protects your cabinet from stains, leaks, and spills, and when they do happen — cleanup is a breeze. It’s made of flexible, waterproof plastic, and the mat’s textured surface and angled sides will keep liquid within its bounds. It also has a surprising capacity for major spills — it holds over 3 gallons of liquid.
41
Mistake: Scattered & Disorganized Shower Products
Solution: This Minimalist Shower Caddy To Store Your Shower Items
If your shower is cluttered, this minimalist shower caddy is here to help. Mount it to your shower wall with its two easy-to-use suction cups, then move your shower products inside. The caddy supports up to 22 pounds and features handy hanging hooks for loofahs, scrub brushes, and washcloths. Meanwhile, its drainage holes keep your items dry.
42
Mistake: Cluttered Bathroom Or Kitchen Drawers
Solution: These Cute Plastic Organizers To Streamline All Kinds Of Drawers
These durable plastic drawer organizers will make your bathroom or kitchen drawers feel much more organized (plus, they look cute). A set comes with 20 containers in four sizes — small, medium, large, and long — perfect for separating hairbrushes from makeup, toothbrushes, and other toiletries. They’re also stackable in deeper drawers.
43
Mistake: Pet Hair All Over Your Floors
Solution: This Clever Silicone Broom That Easily Grabs Hair
If pet hair has taken over your floors, don’t worry — this silicone broom is a game-changer. Because it features a silicone blade, its material generates static electricity, attracting hair so you can sweep it into a neat pile. You can even expand its pole to 4.5 feet for sweeping hard-to-reach areas.
44
Mistake: Not Taking Care Of Leather Furniture
Solution: This Speedy Conditioner To Restore Leather Furniture
Revive the look of your leather furniture with this leather conditioner that’s a breeze to use. Its nontoxic formula powerfully penetrates leather to condition it while offering protection from spills and moisture. It’s ready to use on any leather furniture (except suede), and one speedy application lasts up to six months.
45
Mistake: Dirty Baseboards Throughout Your Home
Solution: This Baseboard Cleaner To Cleanup Baseboards
Clean baseboards make a huge difference, but cleaning them doesn’t have to be back-breaking if you grab this baseboard cleaning tool. It makes cleaning baseboards a breeze, thanks to its adjustable handle that reaches up to 4 feet and 360-degree swivel head that easily conforms to boards. Use its microfiber pads, wet or dry, to grab dust and grime.
46
Mistake: Dirty, Unwashed Windows
Solution: This Extendable Cleaner To Scrub Down Windows
This window cleaner tool will make it an absolute breeze to clean dirty windows booth inside and out. Featuring a telescopic pole that extends to nearly 4 feet, you won’t need a ladder to soap up your windows. Just add water and soap to the sponge end, rinse, and use the squeegee end to wipe away water.
47
Mistake: A Cluttered Broom Closet
Solution: These Cleverly Compact Clips To Hang Up Your Broom & Mop
Clean up your broom closet by getting your brooms and mops off the floor with these compact broom grippers. They come with easy-to-install adhesive strips and can support brooms and mops up to four pounds each. Plus, each hook is separate, so you can arrange them in to fit your unique cleaning tools and closet. “These grips are the perfect solution for hanging all of my cleaning tools in my small laundry room,” wrote one reviewer. “They adhere to the wall easily and hold my heavier tools very well. They are very sturdy [...] they hold everything: mop, broom, Swiffer dry mop, duster and more.”
48
Mistake: You’re Missing Cozy Ambient Lighting
Solution: These Flickering Flameless Candles For Aesthetic Lighting
For chic, soft lighting that’ll add a cozy ambiance to your home, grab this budget-friendly pack of flameless candles. Sleek, modern gray glass holders contain real wax and faux wicks that flicker and glow warmly like flames. Each battery-operated candle offs 350 hours of light and features adjustable brightness and convenient auto-off settings via the remote control.
49
Mistake: Untreated Stains Around Your House
Solution: This Best-Selling Stain Spray
Untreated stains around your house stand out, but grab this pet-friendly stain-treater spray, and they’ll be gone for good. It’s formulated with a gentle solution that will effectively remove tough stains (even old ones) from tomato sauce, red wine, and grass without damaging the fabric.
50
Mistake: Coffee Stains Around Your Coffee Maker
Solution: This Absorbent Mat Specifically For Coffee Stains
Prevent countertop coffee stains around your coffee maker by using this coffee station mat. Its thick PU surface is designed to conceal stains from coffee, milk, and other liquids while quickly absorbing them into its diatomite interior. Not only does the mat dry quickly, but its leakproof backing also keeps your countertop dry.