Even If You’re Only, Like, 20% Handy, You Can Totally Handle These 59 Home Improvements
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Simple, check. Doable, check. Feeling proud after you accomplish even one of them, check.
Posted 2 minutes ago
by Natalie Brown BuzzFeed BuzzFeed Staff
I'm a mom, Senior Editor on the BuzzFeed Shopping team, and BuzzFeeder since 2015, and am constantly on the lookout for smart, genuinely effective problem-solvers, especially anything cleaning, home, parenting, fashion, and skincare related.
Amazon
They come in three sizes so that you can find the best option for you! This reviewer says they're cute but super sturdy, enough to withstand the outdoor conditions of their porch for several months without showing wear.
Get this set of two on Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three sizes).
Katy Cartland / Apartment Therapy
From the geniuses at Apartment Therapy.
Get a similar wood wall hanger from Hanger Frames on Etsy — a Salt Lake City, Utah-based small business — for $11+ (available in 14 sizes starting at six inches, and six different finishes).
And there are all kinds of places to find nice tea towels: this Amazon listing has dozens of designs in packs of 3 for $17.57+, and Etsy has a wide selection from a variety of sellers too.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
They're made of a super durable UV- and weather-resistant plastic, so you don't have to worry about rust at all, and according to this reviewer, the magnets are strong enough to withstand rainstorms and excessive wind.
Get them from Amazon for $19.99.
Plus if you hang them ~high and wide~ — like they did in the photo here — you can instantly make any windows look bigger. If you can't stand the idea of a drill, reviewers say they followed the prep directions for these easy stick-on Command Curtain Rod Hooks and they worked like a charm. If you want to hang curtains outside the weight/length limits, I'd recommend simply using more than two of the hooks.
According to a multiple reviewers, these heavy velvet drapes also help keep whatever room they're in more insulated, especially in the summer. A win!
Oh and if you don't like the velvet look, Amazon of course has all kinds of curtain styles available, from boho lace to pom-pom trim to ruffly to sheer linen and so much more. Just do a search for what you want!
Get the pictures velvet curtains on Amazon for $25.64+ per 84" panel (available in five lengths and up to 11 colors).
All you need is a screwdriver! You first adjust the depth of the gadget to clamp onto blinds so it's sturdy — it works whether the top of your blinds are almost flush with the windowsill or above the windowsill entirely — then you set the curtain rod in the round section and secure it with an easy righty-tighty twist.
Get a set of three from Amazon for $18.95 (also available in brown).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
It'll also block bugs, sounds, and even smells! If you can put cute stickers on your laptop, you can stick this baby on your doors.
Get it from Amazon for $7.98+ (available in five colors).
Several reviewers said it really helps to use a wallpaper smoothing tool — you can get one for $4.74! This does take a bit more work of measuring and smoothing, but over 3,000 other people have rated this stuff five stars. If they can do it, so can you!
Get an 15"x78" roll from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four sizes).
They're especially great for kitchens because unlike drapes or blinds, they won't collect dust and dirt!
Get a 23"x78" roll on Amazon for $7.99+ (14 roll sizes and four colors available).
You can cut it to whatever length you need to easily, and it can fit quite a few cords with plenty of room, even if you have a bunch of components!
Get the kit (which has six cable covers that total 150", self-adhesive tape, and 12 connector pieces) on Amazon for $15.99 (available in more lengths and colors and in floor versions on the Simple Cord Amazon Store).
You just have to add the photos! (Oh, and multiple reviewers say they're definitely light enough to hang with Command Picture Hanging Strips, if that's more your style.)
With that handy template, you could even drill the holes for the frames directly into the paper, or like poke a pencil through the paper to make the marks on the wall. (I'd use a hammer and nail, just because drills intimidate me.) How easy is that??
Get the pictured pack of 9 frames from Amazon for $84.99+ (about $9.44 per frame; available in four sizes and nine colors).
Reviewers say they're weather-resistant enough (including to snow, freezing conditions, and heat) that you don't have to worry about fading within the first year! Grab some green zip ties to make hanging super simple without anything looking obvious.
Get a 94"x39" roll on Amazon for $24.99+ (available in two sizes).
Amazon
It comes fully assembled and is designed to work well even in small spaces!
Get it on Amazon for $43.05+ (available in two colors).
Stencil Revolution / Etsy
This particular stencil is from Stencil Revolution, a small business on Etsy based in Brooksville, Florida! They have over 100 wall stencil designs, so you'll probably find something you love. Reviewers recommend practicing on paper first, and applying spray adhesive to the stencil to keep it flush to the wall, so all of the little details come out crisply.
Get it from Stencil Revolution on Etsy for $32.99.
It's completely self-adhesive, so you don't have to mess with glues when you put it up. You do need a smooth surface painted with a satin or semi-gloss finish for it to work, though, and probably need a wallpaper smoothing tool to make things easier. You can also use it on furniture like bookshelves and drawers, or even stair risers!
You guessed it: just like most of the other decor in this post, if you don't love this example, Amazon has all kinds of other pattern choices for peel-and-stick wallpaper! This particular brand, Tempaper, gets good reviews for how thick and durable it feels, but other peel-and-stick brands will have their own pros and cons. Some popular, highly rated ones include: NuWallpaper, Art3D, RoomMates, and Spoonflower.
Get the removable cranes for $32.99+/roll (and available in three sizes and five colors).
I bought this initially to go behind my bar cart, and it made such a huge difference! It disguised all the cords that were under the cart, I could plug more in, and the cart could sit close to the wall without bending the cords unnaturally. Now that I have a baby (and no bar cart), it allows the diaper-changing table to sit flush with the wall while still giving me a spot to plug in the sound machine/nightlight. It's literally as simple as it looks: you plug it in, use the included cord organizers to make that look nice and neat, then plug in your electronics. And it only takes an instant!
Get it on Amazon for $21.95+ (available in two styles and six versions).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
The doorknob photos don't have a "before", but I'd bet you $10 they were shiny brass. And the faucet has only a blurry "before", but it was a gleaming late-'90s chrome. If you want to do your faucet, it's probably easiest to cover everything else with newspaper and secure the paper down with painters tape, like this reviewer did!
Get it on Amazon for $9.49+ (available in four sizes, various multipacks, and in dozens of metallic finish colors).
The reason why some of the over 11,000 reviewers who rated this five stars loved it? It involves no stripping, priming, top coat or sealer, and there's no need to remove your cabinet doors. Just spread out a drop cloth and get to painting. It comes with two cans cabinet paint, a roller arm, two roller covers, and an angled paint brush, so you'll basically have what you need to get going! Oh, and many reviewers say following the directions is all you need to do.
Get it from Amazon for $61.41+ (available in 11 colors).
Amazon, www.amazon.com
It's a three-step paint process that goes right over your old countertops. It has automotive-grade durability and is made of safe water-based materials. One kit covers the typical kitchen's 35 square feet or 16 running feet of standard two-foot-wide countertop. You could also use it to paint a counter a solid color!
You'll also need: a Brillo pad, Frog Tape, a wood patch, and sandpaper for any deep nicks or seams. Paint rollers, sponges, and brushes are included in the kit. The company also has thorough step-by-step videos on its YouTube channel for both the granite and the marble kits!
This reviewer explains that even if you're not artistic even one bit, as long as you follow the simple directions you'll get good results!
Get it on Amazon: The granite kit for $72.46 or the marble kit for $199.95 (each available in five finishes).
One reviewer praises the pattern for not looking repetitive or faux!
Get it from Amazon for $17.40.
Kolos Ceramics / Etsy, Keyaiira / Etsy, Anthropologie
If you're a renter, you can definitely change them back before you move. All it takes is a screwdriver and like, half an hour of work! You'll be amazed at the difference such little effort can make.
There are tons of really cute options out there, so you're bound to find some that fit your style. Anthropologie has tons of glam options like the flowers pictured above, Amazon has good basics, including the adjustable-length pulls I mentioned already, and the first two pictured above are from small businesses on Etsy!
Get the leather pull handles pictured left from Keyaiira on Etsy for $9.99+ (available in lengths from 2–20 inches and in 7 leather colors).
Or get the cherry-shaped ceramic knobs pictured right from Kolos Ceramics on Etsy for $10 (available in lots of other shapes like pasta, blueberries, tomatoes, and pickles on their store page).
Or get the flower-shaped iron and resin knobs from Anthropologie, $24 for two.
No electrician required, thanks to those plugs. This set is designed so you can easily add or take off however many lights you need, depending on how long your counter is.
Use a Command Strip to put the remote control's included bracket on the wall or side of the fridge (or wherever makes sense to you), and you can use it like a light switch to easily turn them on and off!
The kit is on Amazon for $38.21+ (available in warm white or cool white).
According to this reviewer, it takes all of half an hour to set up!
Get it from Amazon for $160.02.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Reviewers have figured out all kinds of ways to attach these, and if you own your home, gluing or nailing them on is the way to go! But I'm a renter, and I think that Command picture-hanging strips would be a super easy way to hang them without having to worry about damage. Oh, and they come in a bunch of different sizes and dimensions, so you'll be able to find one that works for your project.
Single panels start at $15.99+ on Amazon. Or for something a little more whimsical, try a scalloped version!
It has four rows for shoes; the very top shelf and the shelf second-from-the-bottom are adjustable. This reviewer says it fits men's size 11.5 shoes with extra room.
Get it on Amazon for $109.99+ (available in two colors).
It's basically a piece of thick foam that you insert into the bottom of each cushion to plump up all the other layers, and a piece of thin foam that goes near the back of the cushion for extra support. So your couch will feel equally comfy but look — and according to reviewers, feel — brand new.
Get them on Amazon for $34.99+ per kit; each kit fixes one cushion.
And it works on sweaters and clothes, too, of course!
Get it on Amazon for $12.48+ (available in two colors).
Amazon
Protip: If you can't find shams with the exact same measurements as your throw pillows, go for covers an inch or two smaller for an ~overstuffed~ look.
Get the pictured pack of four from Amazon for $32.50 (available in eight sizes and 15 color combos). Or check out our roundup of throw pillow covers for over 30 other styles!
Reviewers say you may have to use a little elbow grease, but combined with the formula, the effort is incredibly worth it given the results you get — and you'll be hard pressed to get those same results any other way.
Get them on Amazon for $15.74.
One reviewer said it worked in literally two minutes of scrubbing! Now that's a miracle if I've ever heard of one!
Get two bottles on Amazon for $16.94 (also available in a three-pack).
Just make sure to use them only on surfaces you're pretty sure they won't scratch! You can alway test in a discreet area first to be sure. Hey, sometimes you just can't stand to scrub and scrub — while you're at it, might as well pick up a container of the soft cleanser above to assist you.
Get them on Amazon for $19.99+ (seven bristle stiffness options available).
You do have to let it sit for four to five hours (or even overnight), but the results, as proven by the review photos like the one here, are worth it. Yeah, sure, you could completely recaulk your bathroom — but I've researched it, and it's not nearly as easy as it seems. Especially compared to simply running a line of bleach gel over anything mildew/mold-y.
It's from Amazon: one bottle for $14.99 or two bottles for $26.99.
One reviewer says the glass is sturdy, and the pump works well!
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $14.99 (available in four styles).
One can contains more than enough to give your fireplace a couple of coats and maybe even touch up your outdoor grill. Designed to protect metal surfaces up to 1,200 degrees F (although you shouldn't put it on surface directly exposed to flames), it dries to the touch in 30 minutes and is completely dry within two hours.
As always when dealing with spray paint, you'll definitely need masking tape along with a bunch of newspaper to block off all the surfaces you *don't* want spray paint permanently marking!!
It comes in silver and copper too, if you have an outdoor fire pit or radiator that needs updating!
Get it from Amazon for $10.39+ per can (available in three colors).
GoHomeNumbers / Etsy
And it comes with all the hardware you need to hang them!
You can get any one of the pictured 6-inch "modern" numbers from Go Home Numbers on Etsy for $7+ each, or check out their Store Page to see the wide variety of colors, sizes, and styles they offer.
Go Home Numbers is a Florida-based small business that offers multiple font options and heights for home numbers!
This review gives detailed instructions to help everything come out perfectly, and most people will also need: a drop cloth, a regular paint brush, a small roller brush, touch-up brushes, and some painter's tape for the edges and windows. Oh, and you do have to clean your door quickly before you get started!
One reviewer says it's a thick consistency paint that doesn't drip or run, which makes it very easy to work with. And it comes in nine different colors, so you're bound to find one you love!
You can get it from Amazon for $42+.
I've used this stuff on a week-old strawberry smoothie stain (on a blue and white rug), chocolate stains on fuzzy pillows, looots of spit-up stains from my baby on carpet, and other mystery stains, and have seen it for myself — it really does work! It's great for all kinds of stains, like oil, makeup, food, dirt, rust, ink, and wine; even if they're 10+ years old, like this reviewer's. (It won't work on, say, hair dye stains, though. It's a cleaner, not a bleach.)
Get it on Amazon for $26.95.
This also works on Durablend, vinyl, compound, saffiano, faux leather, and other leather or leather-like surfaces. One reviewer says it may take a couple of treatments, but it's 100% worth it when you see the results!
Get it from Amazon for $20.99.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
You just rub it right into your leather. It can even help minimize the look of cat scratches, depending on how bad they are. Note that it's very important to test to see if it will work with your particular leather, because it's for absorbent leather only — you simply put a drop of water on your leather and see if it soaks in. If it does, this product works! (Here's a video; skip to 0:42.)
There's no reason to live with shabby, beat up leather furniture! Just polish it up with some of this stuff.
Get a jar from Amazon for $24.95 (16 colors available).
It works on both finished and natural woods, including wood floors. One person says says, "This stuff was like a magic eraser for water spots, scratches, scuffs, and any other blemish." Amazing!
Get a bottle on Amazon for $10.98 (available in six finishes).
FYI, if you're facing much damage that's a little worse than that, you might want to try their other (also well-reviewed!) product, called Restore-A-Finish, first; it does more to hide minor scratches, white heat rings, deep water marks, and stuff like that. The two products are actually made to be used together! Get that on Amazon for $16.48.
They're designed for smaller scratches on wood furniture, wood laminate furniture (yes, that means stuff from Ikea!) and wood or wood-like floors. The kit includes both markers and wax sticks in six colors: maple, oak, cherry, walnut, , the sharpener for the wax sticks is included, too.
Get them on Amazon for $9.99.
Some reviewers even use it to redo their countertops or sinks, although you might want to use an acrylic sealer afterward if you decide to do that! It's fantastic for vintage appliances too, according to one reviewer.
Get a quart from Amazon for $27.69.
They're removable, so it's renter-friendly — yay! That involves heating it with a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive, slowly pull it off, then using something like GooGone ($15.77) to clean the residual glue. But maybe it'll look so good your landlord will want you to keep it!
Reviewers say you'll also need a level, sanding block and sand paper, measuring tape, ruler, screwdriver to remove outlets, and utility knife or scissors. And that you'll want to buy a few extra over what you need in case you make mistakes! For more tips, read this review.
Get it from Amazon, for $26.37+ (available in two colors, and in dozens more designs and colors on their store page).
The tile above is made from PVC, aka lightweight plastic individual tiles placed closely together so they don't require grout. While it's fine to use in the bathroom, the manufacturer does not recommend using them in the shower because that would weaken the adhesive.
This kind isn't removable, at least not without damaging your walls, so if you rent, check out the kind in number 1 above instead.
The pictured herringbone kind comes in eight different colors, and you can get packs of 10 squares of 12x12 adhesive chunks of tiles from Amazon for $43.99.
Here are a few more brands / styles of adhesive tile to check out if you want more options:
- Eight styles of different colors and options of geometric PVC styles that look like stone.
- Six trendy styles out of stone composites and PVC in many color options that look like concrete tiles.
- Six styles of marble-look vinyl tiles in a variety of marble colors.
The reviewer pictured above said it only took them half a day to do the entire ensuite bath!
These exact tiles come in packs of 10 for $20.14 on Amazon, but the brand makes other colors/styles — see them all on on the Floorpops Store Page.
Amazon, Slobproof
They work like little syringes to neatly suck up the paint from the can. Because they're completely airtight, the paint lasts for years without drying out! You'll just want to make sure to thoroughly rinse the brush off after every time you use it, and put the cap on tightly. They *are* refillable, despite what some reviewers claim; here's how.
Get a pack of two on Amazon for $12.99 (available in three styles and in five-packs).
Note that it's designed for rust stains that come from having hard water; it won't do anything for, like, a rusty metal towel holder. If you've tried bleach, soft scrub, and other cleaning products with no results, this may be the answer — even if you have years of buildup to contend with.
Get it a pack of two bottles from Amazon for $16.41 ($8.21 each), or a single bottle for $6.88. And if you also have struggles with rust in the toilet or staining your white laundry red, try the same brand's rust-removing powder, $24.97).
Amazon
You just insert it down your drain, twist it a few times via the handle, let the grabby micro-hooks on the tip (similar to Velcro) do their work on the stuck, clogging hair and debris. Then pull it up, and your sink will drain like it's new! This reader tried and loved it!
I used it myself a few years ago, and it worked wonders: It wasn't hair clogging my sink, but the remains of a luxury soap bar that made so much gross residue it built up over time. It was gross, yes, and I had to insert it, clean it, and re-insert it a few times, but it was sooooo worth it — and effortlessly removed all the grime until the sink drained nicely again.
Get one with five included refills on Amazon for $19.99.
Technically, the directions say you actually only have to wait for two hours to get results, but lots of reviewers let it sit overnight, and like this reviewer says, then the grime simply melts away!
Get it from Amazon for $23.85.
Everneat / Etsy
You rub the scrub all over your oven's interior, scrub to your heart's content with a scouring sponge, then wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
Everneat is a small business based in Fairfield, Connecticut, that specializes in natural cleaning products and microfiber cloths.
Get it plus a bottle of surface cleaner from Everneat on Etsy for $30 (available in one scent or unscented; also available in a refill bag for $36).
Amazon
This one's two inches thick and has several ~zones~ that theoretically provide different levels of support. It also has over 44,000 five-star ratings, so you know people like it!!
One caveat: if you're a hot sleeper, you might want to stay away from memory foam toppers and mattresses because they retain body heat. For a bunch of alternative options, including ones that will help with a bed that's too soft, check out the best cozy mattress toppers, best memory foam toppers, and these firm mattress toppers!
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two colors, two thicknesses, and in sizes twin–Cal king).
Note that it's best if your garbage disposal's just generally smelly or dirty and not actually clogged — if it's clogged, definitely call a plumber.
Get a pack of four uses on Amazon for $12.86.
And it takes just 15 minutes to see results; simply run warm water, pour in some cleaner, and start your jets, absolutely no scrubbing or elbow grease required.
Get it on Amazon: a bottle good for four cleans for $19.99 ($5/clean), two bottles for $36.99 ($4.37/clean), or a gallon good for 32 cleanings for $84.99 ($3.34/clean).
You start by using the razor blade to scrape off burnt-on food; you don't have to worry about scratching as long as you don't use the corner or edge to make a thin line. Then comes a coating of the cleaner and polish to let dry before buffing off with a soft cloth or even a paper towel. This step's really satisfying, I used to do it when I was in high school for my parents' stove! Then you work at any super tough spots with the scrubber, which helps buff everything back to like-new.
Reviewers say it takes off marks that have been there for years!
Get the kit on Amazon for $18.98.
Reviewers say if the staining's really bad, it may take you 10 or 15 minutes of elbow grease, but that's nothing compared to ineffectually scrubbing with a toilet brush and any manner of concoction of cleaning products.
Get it on Amazon for $13.99 (available in multipacks).
I bought this for my move back in 2021: My now-husband had hung up these posters that used big foam adhesive squares (no, they were not Command strips), and when we pulled them off the wall, they left a bunch of foam and sticky stuff behind. Goo Gone (plus a plastic scraper) came to the rescue! It took a little patience, but the stuff would never have come off without the Goo Gone. It helped break down both the foam stuff and the adhesive, which came off in little bits, leaving nothing behind. We did then wash off the paint with some dish soap and water — Goo Gone is super greasy — but by the end, you couldn't tell anything had been there at all, and the paint was undamaged. According to this reviewer, it even works for kids stickers!
Get two bottles on Amazon for $16.99 (they also make a spray-on version for $21.98).
It also works wonders on area rugs! And it only weighs about 13 pounds — heavier-duty carpet cleaners usually weigh around 20 — so you won't feel completely exhausted by the time you're done with your living room. Even a reviewer who ran dog boarding and daycare at home (so many doggies!!) ended up amazed at how much deeply imbedded debris, dirt, stains, and hair it can pick up!
Get it on Amazon for $135.12.
Oh, and you could get a pro to do this, but it's a pretty simple DIY — that's more money saved! Just make sure you get enough rods to extend all the way through your dryer vent in one direction (see below for options) to completely clear the buildup. BTW, several reviewers recommend using duct or electrical tape to secure the rods even more! It has 15 feet of reach.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three colors).
One reviewer said they watched this video on YouTube, read the directions, and were able to make it happen without any help, even though they're not an expert DIYer!
Get the kits from Amazon for $19.99 each, and pendant lights similar to the ones pictured for $29.99.
And if you rent, you can take the tiles apart to take with you when you move! Coat them in polyurethane before you set them down: it'll make their wood and shine last longer. Or if you want to skip the poly, you can restore them after fading with a coat of teak oil.
Get 10 sq. ft from Amazon for $77.48.
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* Products That’ll Help Disappear Home Eyesores So Well, Your Space Will Feel Totally Refreshed
* Just 30 Under-$10 Home Upgrades You Can Do In An Hour Or Less
* Quick Home DIYs You Can Pull Off, Even If You Couldn’t Pick A Screwdriver Out Of A Lineup
Plus, finds from Walmart, Wayfair, and World Market.
BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.
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