55 Genius, Cheap Upgrades That Are A No Brainer For Your Home

There is always one window that exposes your privacy, looks bad from the outside, or otherwise needs to be covered. But maybe a curtain isn’t the answer. This window privacy film lets you see the window and enjoy the light while turning the glass into a pretty, nearly opaque surface that hides the view. Choose from lots of patterns and sizes.

When everything you like to keep next to the bed turns into too much clutter, this bedside storage organizer will corral it all into a working system. There are pockets for everything from your glasses and remote control to your phone, e-reader, pens, and hand lotion. Just tuck the anchor under the mattress.

Transform the chaos under the sink into organized, usable storage with this clever expandable organizer that fits around the plumbing and takes advantage of the vertical space. “Basically doubled the space I previously had,” wrote one reviewer. “I can find things much easier and not have to remove half what was in the cabinet to do so!”

Instead of muscling your small appliances around on the counter when you want to pull them out and use them, you can slide them easily if you apply these appliance sliders to the underside. “I use them on the air fryer, coffee maker, and toaster,” wrote one reviewer. “Simply genius!” This is a pack of eight.

It takes just a few minutes to end that scary, daily struggle to get your key in the lock. Peel and stick this keyhole light above the lock, and it will illuminate the lock so you can see to put your key into it instead of feeling around in the dark. It turns itself off seconds after you get inside, so the battery lasts for ages.

This automatic trash can not only elevates your space, but it also makes life easier. Wave your hand over the top, and the lid opens so you can drop trash into it. No more awkward fumbling while your hands are full, yet it stops pets from digging in the trash. Those eave stripes and contrast trim look so much more expensive than this, too. It comes in lots of color options.

Stacking dishes is fine when you are unloading the dishwasher. But accessing those dishes later is such a hassle. This cabinet organizer shelf lets you break up the vertical space in your cabinets so that you don’t have to do that. The shelves nest, stack, or stand separately. This is a set of two.

Don’t let ugly outlets and snarls of cords drag down the minimalist look of your kitchen. This outlet concealer lets you move everything out of sight without sacrificing function. Plug the plate into the wall. Hide the cord with the concealer strips and set the power strip out of sight. “It’s a no brainer if you want to hide power cords and make your place look good,” wrote one reviewer.

Lighting the stairs from your deck or a path in the garden doesn’t have to be a big project. These solar step lights are easy to deploy. Peel off the backing and stick them right to a wall or stair. They charge up with sunlight and turn on automatically when it’s dark. They are durable and waterproof, too. So this is a set-it-and-forget-it solution. This is a pack of four.

Everyone loves to light candles because candlelight is the warmest pool of light you can get. These flameless candles deliver that same moody lighting without a dangerous flame. And if you fall asleep in that charmed lighting, they will turn themselves off. Use the remote to control the brightness and how long they stay on. They come in lots of colors.

When you want to turn on several things at once, unplug a vampire appliance daily, or the switch for a lamp or other appliance is hard to reach, this power switch is a clever hack. Plug your power strip, power-hungry appliance, or hard-to-reach light into it, and you can control the power from a switch on the plug.

Make it easy for delivery people and emergency services to find your home by mounting this lighted address plaque to the side of your house or mailbox. A solar panel at the top soaks up the sun for power so that when it’s dark, the numbers light up. The easy-to-read font will end lost packages and address confusion. “Very attractive and genius!!” wrote one reviewer.

A dark flight of stairs is an unnecessary hazard. These motion sensor stair lights are a quick fix. Mount them to the wall or riser. Or even set them in a corner. They turn on when someone is on the stairs and turn off again when no one is there. They are battery-powered, so you can use them anywhere. This is a pack of eight.

If storage is a problem, this tension shelf makes it so easy to add more. Turn a vast cupboard into exactly the shelving unit you need. Tap an unused corner for storage space. Or just add another shelf in a closet. It uses grippy feet and tension to stay firmly in place so you don’t need to drill anything. It extends from 15 inches to 23 inches in length, but there are a few size options to choose from.

You don’t have to risk life and limb every time you descend that flight of stairs. Use these rubber stair treads to give traction to every step. They look like fancy iron grillwork but are rendered in flexible rubber. They come with several methods of attaching them to suit all kinds of stairs. “We feel much more confident walking up and down to the garden!” wrote one reviewer.

This reading pillow with firm back support is a much more comfortable way to sit up in bed than those limp pillows you have been leaning on. The headrest supports your head. A cup holder keeps your beverage at hand. And pockets on the side make it easy to keep essentials like remotes and glasses within reach. It comes in lots of cute colors.

No one likes to look at a toilet brush and imagine where it’s been. This hidden toilet brush won’t make you. It hides behind the tank where no one has to look at it. But it’s right there — within easy reach — when you want to clean the bowl. The handle tips out to make it easy to grab and scrub.

Hanging plants create a calming vibe in your space. Well, live ones do, anyway. These self-watering hanging planters will help you keep them that way. A reservoir of water at the bottom lets plants hydrate from below without waiting for you to remember. And a fill spout makes it easy to add water to that tank without moving the plant. This is a set of two, and they come in several colors and sizes.

This silverware organizer creates order in your drawer, allowing you to give every type of utensil its own space. Its ability to expand to fit the drawer won’t let any drawer space go to waste. As the organizer gets larger, so do the compartments. “It’s sturdy, easy to clean, and a great upgrade for the kitchen,” wrote one reviewer.

There is always one outlet that turns into your hub. This outlet extender helps that outlet handle your needs. It turns two plugs into five standard plugs, three USB ports, and one USB-C port. It also protects everything you plug into with 1,680 joules of surge protection. It comes in several colors, and some even sport a night-light.

If you just spent your precious time cleaning your house, you want it to look clean. Dirty lampshades ruin the whole look. Add this magic lampshade cleaner sponge to your kit to remove lint, dust, hair, and dirt without risking streaking, discoloration, or other mishaps. It requires no water and works well on picture frames, shades, and other hard-to-clean items, too.

That door chime on your wall is dated, yellowed, and not going anywhere. Fortunately, this doorbell cover is an easy way to cover it with something bright, modern, and pretty. It won’t affect the sound of your doorbell or require drilling or electrical work. “Instant upgrade!” wrote one reviewer.

As the blades of your ceiling fan spin, they could also be cleaning the air. Add these ceiling fan filters to that rig and teach that fixture to earn its keep. These activated coconut carbon filters trap airborne dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, VOCs, and other contaminants so you don’t have to breathe them or dust them off the furniture.

Turn your shower into a whole mood by setting this waterproof shower lamp in there and tapping the button to choose one of 16 underwater ocean lighting schemes. It turns a shower into a moment of relaxation and a soak in the tub into a spa experience. “One of my favorite home accessories,” wrote one reviewer. “Bright enough to enhance the ambiance but gentle enough for winding down before bed.”

That weird transition between the flooring on one side of the door and the flooring on the other does not require a call to your contractor. This adhesive floor transition strip is an easy fix. Just choose the right color and size. Then peel and stick it to the floor. It blends right in, and the weird gap or mismatch is gone. “Makes the floor look so much better!” wrote one reviewer.

Keeping a shower door clean is easier than getting it clean again after it is a mess. Hang this shower squeegee near that door and turn it into a post-shower habit, and you will never have to waste a Saturday scrubbing soap scum off that door. It comes with two types of hooks to hang it from and looks pretty in the bathroom.

Pair this wallpaper border with a bit of your own creativity, and you can transform your house with very little cash outlay or mess. Add a border to an ugly mirror and turn it into something much more elevated. Transform a tattered dresser. Create a wood-grain table out of a cheap thrift-store find. “The results were outstanding!” wrote one reviewer. It’s as easy to apply as tape and comes in lots of colors and sizes.

You bought into the reusable straw promise. And the turtles are happier. But how do you store the straws? Finally, there is a solution: this straw holder that you can mount to the inside of a cabinet door or to the wall. Drain holes in the bottom let just-washed straws dry, and it looks so tidy and organized. You will always be able to find the straw you want.

Turn that light switch cover into a piece of decor with this vintage dark green light switch cover that looks like something you would find in a Victorian novel. If you love the look, there are covers for every kind of light switch you have. There are other patterns and colors, too. “The detailing, down to even the screws, is great!” wrote one reviewer. “A fun addition to a room!”

This textured shower curtain liner keeps the water in the shower and hides the person who's naked and bathing without robbing your shower of light. The heavy-duty EVA fabric has magnets embedded into the bottom so it stays in place and hangs from metal grommets so it won’t fall apart. Choose from several colors and sizes to outfit your bathroom with the perfect solution.

Hang this pretty waffle kitchen towel right out in the open. Not only does the highly absorbent microfiber fabric — made from recycled plastic bottles — pull water from wet hands and dishes, but it looks pretty hanging from the oven door or a hook on the wall. “These bad boys are the bee's knees,” wrote one reviewer. “They soak up the biggest wet messes and dry fast without being soggy and smelly.”

A good doormat is a labor saver and a way to pretty up the first impression your home makes on visitors. This textured one grabs dirt from shoes before it can mess up your floors and has a grippy underside, so no one slips. “No tripping hazard, no door catching on the edge, just a clean, flat mat that sits flush with the floor,” wrote one reviewer.

The simple act of installing this TV backlight strip will transform your living room. It throws light behind the screen, which might seem like a small thing. But it changes the way everything looks on that screen, and it provides soft, interesting spot lighting in the room. “So easy, so cool,” wrote one reviewer. “Such a cheap way to make your whole room look exclusive; it's a no brainer.”

Tired of getting tangled up in all the wires under your desk? This under-desk cable management kit will fix that for good. Peel and stick it to the underside or back of the desk and channel all the wires through it. It has an opening so you can add more wires, unplug things, and make changes. But none of those wires will be on the floor anymore. This is six pieces. Choose black or white.

Finally, an easy way to store shoes on your shelves without taking up too much space. This clever shoe organizer gives each shoe a cubby, then goes into a shelf and stays out of the way. When you are looking for a pair, pull out the whole bin. “By far the best solution I've found,” wrote one reviewer. “Simply genius!”

Mold is very stubborn. If you spray it with cleanser — even bleach — it will hold its breath and survive. This mold stain remover gel, though, sits on top of it until it is gone. The viscous gel texture doesn’t slide away, and the needle-nose dispenser makes it easy and accurate to apply in the fiddly areas where mold gathers. “Like magic,” wrote one reviewer.

Expand your closet by tapping the vertical space with these genius closet hangers. One of them hooks onto the closet rod and lets you hang five hangers from it. Hang all your shirts from one. Hang pants from another. You can organize your closet while fitting more garments into it. This is a pack of six.

Raking leaves is one thing. But how do you get that pile of leaves off your lawn? These clever leaf scoops are the tool you didn’t know you needed. They turn your hands into big, leaf-grabbing paws that lift the whole pile in a few grabs. “The greatest thing since sliced bread,” wrote one reviewer. “I just wish I would have thought of this... genius.”

Set this luxurious, absorbent bath mat down in your bathroom, and you will wonder why you ever settled for a towel or your old, dingy mat. Every time you step out of the shower onto that soft chenille surface, you will feel pampered. “Felt like a spa when I stepped out of the shower,” wrote one reviewer. It comes in a huge range of colors and sizes so you can outfit the space you have perfectly.

Shaving in the shower is the cleanest, easiest way to do it. And your hair and skin prefer it. If you don’t want to do it by feel, though, you need a mirror in there, which is not that easy because regular ones tend to fog up. This shower mirror doesn’t, though, because it has a built-in heating element that prevents fog. It also has a shelf for your kit.

Want to turn your knife collection into a countertop display and have each blade within easy reach? It’s easy. Just set this magnetic knife block on the counter. Magnets grab your knives, scissors, and other tools and hold them firmly on each side of the simple board. It’s easy to clean, too, unlike the kind with slots. “They look amazing all neatly displayed!” wrote one reviewer.

You do not have to move the furniture to clean under it if you have this clever microfiber duster in your cleaning kit. Just swipe it under appliances, furniture, shelves, and other hard-to-reach places, and it will pull out the dust and detritus. The flexible head can get into any space, and the microfiber cover is easy to pull off and wash.

Adding a light to a dark closet or hallway is so easy with this motion sensor ceiling light. Attach its magnetic mount to the ceiling, charge it up, stick it to the ceiling, and use the remote to control the brightness and color temperature. It senses motion and turns on when you need light and will last for months before you need to recharge it.

If you are unreasonably tired after cooking or cleaning the kitchen, it’s likely because those hard floors are stealing your energy. Set this anti-fatigue kitchen mat in your workspace, and it will absorb the impact so your legs and back don’t have to. It looks pretty, too. This is a pack of two, in different sizes. They come in lots of patterns and sizes.

There comes a time when every water bottle collection exceeds the capacity of your storage for it. That moment calls for this stackable water bottle organizer that lets you stash six insulated tumblers or water bottles in the corner of a shelf or the fridge. Concave sections prevent rolling, and you can add layers as your collection grows.

This toilet cleaning system eliminates steps and supplies from your effort to keep that bowl clean. It reduces the brush, squirt bottle, and brush rack to one slender stick and a scrubber dispenser you can hang from the wall. Each scrubber holds plenty of cleanser and can go right in the trash when you are done cleaning.

Set your houseplant on this rolling plant caddy so you can easily move it to clean, rotate its access to sun, or redecorate. The wheels hide under the base until you need them. When you do, “they roll so easily!” wrote one reviewer. “They’re so aesthetic compared to other plant rollers!” This is a set of two, and you can choose the color.

If you are short of room next to the bed, this bedside shelf is the perfect solution. Mount it to the wall, and it offers the perfect spot to stash your classes, phone, remote, or other small items within reach. It works well in a small home office or study station and comes in several configurations so you can fit the gear you have.

Park your car precisely every time with these vehicle floor stoppers that give you a tactile response when you hit the right spot. No more worrying that you will smack the wall or run into items you have stored in the garage. “Keeps me from running into my house,” wrote one reviewer. This is a set of two.

You won’t mind setting this stylish magnetic cable manager on your desk. It looks like it belongs there, and it makes it easy for you to unplug your charger cable and drop it without worrying that it will get lost under the desk. Choose the texture and color that matches your rig and make this part of your style. It comes in two sizes.

If you are going to spend your own valuable time cleaning the appliances, use this stainless steel cleaner to do it. It not only delivers a streak-free shine when you wipe things down with the included microfiber cloth, but it also prevents fingerprints and stains from coming back. “It's magic in a bottle,” wrote one reviewer. “My dishwasher hasn't looked this good in years!!”

Once you install this bidet attachment, you might refuse to go anywhere but at home. It bathes your nether parts in a cooling spray of water every time you go. You set the pressure and direction of the spray with the dashboard that sits seat-side. “You are never truly clean unless you have a bidet!” wrote one reviewer.

If all you have under your bed are lost socks and dust bunnies, you need this under-bed storage system. You could be stashing spare blankets, shoes, boots, your holiday decorations, and all the other things you don’t have room for under there. The wheels and side handles make it easy to access. The clear zippered top makes it easy to find what's in there. This is a no-brainer.

Add some romance to your dining area without committing to candles, lighters, spilled wax, and dangerous flames. These cordless LED table lamps bring serious atmosphere and soft lighting. And they are battery-powered, so you can put them anywhere. This is a set of two.

Put this electric salt and pepper grinder set on your table and enjoy an upgrade to modern living. Instead of cranking or turning to grind your spices, just turn them over. They will turn on automatically, delivering freshly ground spice to your plate with no effort. It even shines a light on your food so you can see how much salt has landed.