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Just 30 Under-$10 Home Upgrades You Can Do In An Hour Or Less

Let’s put on a podcast episode and diguise those cabinet scratches and dings.

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by Elizabeth Lilly BuzzFeed BuzzFeed Staff

As a Deputy Editorial Director for BuzzFeed’s shopping team, I love to get into the weeds of why a product’s worth the money by deep diving into customer reviews, and product-testing as much as possible.

Not every home improvement project has to involve painting a room or assembling a piece of furniture. You probably have smaller things around your home that you notice and think, "Hmm" when you notice things like the chipped paint on your vanity drawer or are sick and tired of pulling the wrong cord on your ceiling fan. Well, there are all kinds of actually quick fixes you can pull off in less than an hour!

1. Remove all sorts of stubborn rings that've been staring at you every time you're in the washroom using a pumice stone toilet bowl cleaner. Nope, you do NOT need a new toilet. Your OG just requires some zhuzhing.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Everyone should have one of these under their bathroom sink! If you have hard water stains this is the product for you!! Super durable! and works great to clean toilets or showers or tubs! Perfectly fits in your hand and leaves no color or anything behind!" —Megan Hallman

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $7.49.

2. Spiff up upholstered furniture with a portable fabric shaver reviewers have used for sweaters, coats, and other garments BUT can really go to town on your hand-me-down couch that is still in fighting shape!

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "HOLY COW! If I could give this 11 stars out of 10, I would. I have these beautiful fabric recliners that I love that our new kitty got her claws on. I was ready to sell these and call it a day, I was so tired of looking at them. Then I remembered this fabric shaver, and I thought, 'For $10, I’ll see what happens.'

The 'before' and 'after' photos speak for themselves. These chairs look brand new again!! I am shocked and relieved that I just saved myself around $800-$1,000 for a new set of recliners. These things work so well, I want to ask my neighbors if they need any fabric shaved. Just kidding, but it’s oddly therapeutic too. Due to the extensive damage to these chairs, it probably took me an hour to do all four corners of each chair." —Erin Mazzei

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four colors).

3. Slap on a dishwasher magnet so everyone in the house is on the same page about whether it's OK to eat off a plate that's in the dishwasher. This'll probably help keep the peace. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "I got this because my mother has dementia and she kept putting away dirty dishes. 🤦🏽‍♀️ And believe it or not she has actually been using it and it definitely has been working! So I highly suggest buying this for parents or someone you know who has a similar problem!" —Raquel

Get it from Amazon for $5.39+ (also available in six colors/styles).

4. "Frame" your bathroom or wall mirror with a roll of wood grain tape that'll make your space feel a bit more intentionally designed — even if you inherited a bunch of someone else's design choices.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Where do I start? I absolutely LOVE this product. I wanted to replace our bathroom mirror, but due to the size, it would have cost a lot! I came across this on Amazon and decided to give it a try. The application process was super easy and applied without bubbles as long as you go slow and rub it down as you go. I kid you not. It looks like wood and feels like it, too! You can feel and see the 'wood grain.' It’s absolutely stunning and looks like I bought a whole new mirror." —Taylor

Get it from Amazon for $7.98.

5. Make use of a bare closet door with a hanging shoe organizer with the potential to be the hardest-working organizer in your home. Those pockets are the perfect size for cold-weather accessories, tights, wallets, wound-up belts, and all kinds of stuff. I have one of these hanging in my coat closet, and I fit all kinds of stuff in it while cutting down on visual clutter. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I used this in my guest closet to put hats/gloves/mittens so you could see all the pairs of winter gear and get to pieces easily. It's so neat and organized. I love it." —Trisha

Get it from Amazon for $8.97+ (available in seven colors). 

6. Swap out one of those weird long pillows (sorry!) for a ~streamlined~ door draft stopper to keep the temps in your home just as you like them. It'll just look like a natural part of your door, so other decor design choices (like that cute welcome mat) can shine!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "So easy to set up! All you do is peel tape and adhere to a CLEAN and DRY door. Also looks great, I don't even notice it. I had a huge gap under my door. I could smell and hear everything from the hallway. Smells, drafts, and sound all are less of an issue now." —Brit B.

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four colors).

7. Give most anything around your home the cleaning of its LIFE with a jar of The Pink Stuff. It's made to handle all kinds of sticky, stuck-on situations like this nasty-looking stovetop. Scrape away and lift any leftover crud by the previous tenants or owners with the help of this jar. Psst, it comes in a squeezable tube now!

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Um, why haven't you bought it already? This stuff WORKS! As a repeat boil-over offender, this has saved my stove time and time again. No regrets buying it! First photo is after a messy cooking session, second photo shows just how great the pink stuff is at cleaning up!" —M.C.

Get it from Amazon for $5.97.

8. Kick the blinds to the curb and get some privacy without the cord (it can be dangerous for kids and pets!) by applying a window film that'll still let in SO much light. I did this to my bathroom window and congratulate myself for it every day.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "We got this for the house we rent because the front door had a big piece of glass that was very cloudy, but you could still see-through it. We put it in both sides and the door looks so much better as well as gives an extra sense of privacy. Easy instillation and directions were easy to follow." —BreAnna Vaughan

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in seven sizes).

9. Or position a "stained glass" decal on front-door windows, transoms, skylights...the possibilities are nearly endless! It'll obscure the view into your home a bit without going whole hog like a blurred window cling that obscures the view on both sides. Also, it just looks really nice!

www.amazon.com

This kit comes with separate-to-apply elements, so it'll work on a variety of window dimensions. If this isn't quite your style, there are lots of other stained glass window decals and window cling styles.

Promising review: "These stained glass decals worked great on the fireplace windows in my early-1900s bungalow. If you get up close, or look at them from the outside, it's pretty obvious they aren't real, but you'd have to be looking really closely. Don't forget to buy one package of caming lines for each set of decals, you'll need it. If you're someone who gets stressed about applying sticky things, or making things straight, don't worry too much about it. I am really bad at that stuff typically and I found it really easy. Wash your windows first, measure so you have a rough idea of where to put the center decal, and keep some scissors on hand to cut the caming. It's easy and so cool! Our house already has a lot of 'old house charm' so these fit in perfectly." —Linds

Get it from Amazon for $8.47.

10. Tackle that nail polish you dribbled down your nightstand two years ago with a watermark-removing cloth.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Worked wonders! I spilled nail polish remover on my nightstand. This worked like magic! Just rub lightly with the cloth." —JMac

Get it from Amazon for $4.98.

11. Cover up dings and discoloration on door frames and molding with some wood scratch cover so everything will blend in like normal. Also, it requires no sanding or refinishing! Cue to you on the prowl for more wood surfaces you can fix up.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I can't believe how well Old English works! I recently purchased a home where a dog previously lived and had horribly scratched the woodwork. I thought I may have to sand and refinish the woodwork around two doors. Old English saved me a lot of work! " —Behold Behold!

Get it from Amazon for $6.98.

12. And tackle other chips and marks with a container of touch-up paint.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Have a couple of small chips on my white kitchen cabinet. This touch-up paint worked well in covering the chips. Easy to use the applicator." —Diane M.

Get it from Amazon for $8.49 (available in three colors).

13. Invest in a clip-on light if you like your existing patio umbrella but could use the extra light. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

It has three different brightness options so you can set *~the mood~* perfectly. It also requires AA batteries, so be sure to pick those up as well.

Promising review: "This light is great!!! It has three settings, to adjust the amount of brightness you need. Lowest level is great for just sitting around your patio table and having a couple of drinks with friends. Brightest setting is PERFECT for playing cards! We play cards a few times a month. We decided to try and play outside. There are two 70+-year-olds who did not complain that they couldn’t see. So, works great in my book! 😁" —Mandie Jordan

Get it from Amazon for $9.95.

14. If your curtain situation needs a LITTLE something else, these magnetic curtain tiebacks will help make your window dressings a bit more polished. Talk about a no-brainer!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Good quality item, matches with my bedroom decor and curtains. I love the color and each magmatic clasp. I’m ordering another set of two." —Victoria

Get two from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in three colors and three quantities).

15. Put in a fresh new set of switch plates because you're probably noticing them in a BAD way. This'll help 'em blend in (if you want). 

Elizabeth Lilly

And if you're especially petty, you can copy my move of saving said switch plates with a piece of marked duct tape so you know where you put 'em when you leave. This was one of the first things I did in my current apartment, thus rendering the switch plates barely noticeable — which is how I like them!

Get a 10-pack of plates for plugged outlets for $8.66+ and a variety of switch plates from Amazon.

16. Cut the confusion with a pair of ceiling fan charms to help you suss out which pull is which when you're desperate for a ceiling-fan breeze. They also add a bit of length that makes them easier to reach!

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This is the definition of 'product you didn't know you needed because you didn't know it existed.' I was FOREVER pulling the wrong chain on our bedroom ceiling fan. (Want the light off? Oh no...now the fan's on high. Need to change the fan speed? Eek...now you're in the dark.) They're much better quality than I expected. They're actually quite heavy-duty pull chains, and they add a bit of fun to the decor." —LHD

Get them from Amazon for $5.88+ (available in three finishes and two sizes).

17. Swap to a set of satin pillowcases that'll look more luxe on your bed than the pillowcases that came with your sheet set. AND (I can vouch) that they'll leave your hair and skin more moisturized than cotton ones. Here's to keeping that blowout looking smoother for longer. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

At this point, I own five sets of these and even pack them to use in hotels while traveling! I've def left a few accidentally while traveling, but it wasn't as big of a deal because they're so cheap to replace. 

Promising review: "My hair has never been better! I got this because of TikTok and it has done wonders for my hair. My hair isn’t frizzy or dull looking when I get up in the morning." —Aaron Key

Get a set of two from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 37 colors and five sizes).

18. Cover up an ugly Kleenex "decorative" box design with a cross-hatch tissue holder for the perfect touch that shows just how thoughtfully a room's vibe was curated. (Psst — fans of Bottega Veneta will note that the crosshatch is very similar to their signature look.) 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This product is exactly what I was hoping for. It’s great quality. Looks so chic. Such a nice way to dress up a household necessity. Definitely worth it." —Kaylee

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+(available in three sizes and 13 colors). Also check out a plain faux-leather tissue box, also under $10!

19. Spend a few bucks on some fresh chenille throw pillow covers with Farmhouse-leaning contrast stitching that'll change up the look of your couch quite a bit for such little effort. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "This is my third set of these pillow covers. They are a great economical way to change up the decor in your living room without having to spend a fortune on new pillows. I also love that these are easier to store than several sets of throw pillows. Beautiful fabric, nice stitching, easy to launder. They are also very durable in a three-dog household." —Schonathan

Get them from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in five sizes and 31 colors).

20. Clean lint out from your dryer after a winter of drying, well, cozy winter clothes with a special brush to keep your dryer's lint trap clear of debris and make drying cycles/the appliance more effective for longer.

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Also, built-up lint is a fire hazard! Make this a part of your weekly cleaning routine.

Promising review: "This brush is stiff but flexible enough to feed under my dryer's lint filter. Several weeks ago a trouble light came on that indicated the air flow in my dryer was becoming obstructed. I had the dryer vent and area under the lint filter cleaned. (Not much lint was pulled out, so maybe the dryer sensor gave a false alarm.) I felt a small investment in a brush such as this is better than paying for a future vent cleaning. I've been using it once a week and it picks up a little lint each time, but that's lint that won't have a chance to build up in the dryer vent!" —blueskys

Get it from Amazon for $6.99.

21. Corral your kid's toys (or your own stuffies) into a boho-style toy hammockthat'll make for even easier tidying. But if your kid is old enough to walk, you can put it close to the floor so they can help clean!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I was tired of stuffed animals being strewn all about my daughter’s room. This was a simple and chic net to hold all her stuffed animals. It was easy for my husband to hang and holds a plethora of stuffed animals, and has made me a happy mom to have a much cleaner room!" —Jayma Perry

Get it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in two sizes and 11 colors). 

22. Stick on set of appliance sliders so you can easily scoot that stand mixer back when not in use instead of negotiating with yourself to get out a step stool and dig it out of a cabinet because you've got a cookie craving. These lil' guys simply attach to the bottom of the appliance itself! 

www.amazon.com

Check out aTikTok of the appliance sliders in action. 

Promising review: "These are a game changer! I have some heavy appliances like my espresso machine and reverse osmosis filter that I hate to pull out to fill with water. These tiny sliders have been incredible! Immediately better, and so far (about three months in) no issues at all. Still gliding!" —sara

Get a set of 24 from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in five sizes). 

23. Refresh all kinds of outdoor furniture and structures with some rust-stopping spray paint for a weekend afternoon project that'll have a substantial payoff. Just look at that zhuzhed garden gate!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I used this Gloss White to paint an old garden arch, gate and a trellis over a garden bench. It was just a dreary, tired black; the white changed the look and feel instantly. Definitely get the trigger grip accessory if your project takes more than one can — mine was eight cans and that grip was a great idea.The paint is a true bright white with a bit of a shine after it dries. I did have to do two full coats to completely cover the original black wrought iron, but there's no color bleed through as a result." —Dogs & Horses

Get it from Amazon for $6.47+ (available in a variety of metallic colors).

24. And some outdoor fabric spray paint (yes, you read that right) can refresh your outdoor pillows and cushions that can be particularly annoying to straight-up replace because so many are custom shapes to fit furniture.

The Home Depot

Promising review: "Pricey but worth it! My patio cushion covers would have cost a fortune to replace, given their unique shape. This is the ONLY fabric spray that has EVER held true to its promise of preserving the fabric’s original soft texture. Shake Suddenly Sapphire well, it will need at least three coats for an even application because it comes out very fine. Example: I needed one whole can for the first coat on the tops and sides of two cushions. At $14 a can, it can get up there, but it’s still better than replacing cushions!" —Juanita

Get it from The Home Depot for $9.98 (available in eight colors).

25. Un-ensnare tangled hair from your vacuum cleaners, hairbrushes, and even your beloved round brush dryer with a sturdyPikk-It tool. Raise your hand if you've ever broken a seam ripper cleaning a vacuum cleaner. (Meee.) 

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Cleaned three items in less than five minutes. Vacuum brush head and two hair brushes that have three girls' long hair. I can’t wait to get the whole vacuum and rug cleaner bristles cleaned. I had to write this review after testing it out. Design is strong, sturdy, and handles great. Highly recommended." —Rob

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

26. Make the fitted sheet you really like actually stay put on that deep mattress with some sheet fasteners. These are exactly how they sound, so no matter how much you toss and turn, your fitted sheet won't come loose in the middle of the night and require an extra pair of hands to put back in place.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

See them on TikTok. 

Promising review: "I love these! Since I started using them my sheets haven’t popped off once and that used to be a several-times-a-night problem because I toss and turn when I sleep. Thank you, TikTok!" —Gabby

Get a set of four from Amazon for$6.59 (also available in a set of eight). 

27. And if your hair dryer plug keeps falling out of the bathroom outlet and you're starting to wonder if you need to pay for an electrician to get involved, try a set of Snug Plugs. These little contraptions make a snug fit between outlets and plugs to keep 'em where you want. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products. 

Promising review: "I saw Snug Plug on TikTok and immediately ordered them. I have outlets at home AND at work that I couldn't keep anything plugged into because they're so loose. Snug Plug quickly and easily solved that problem and now I can finally have a phone charger in my den. Yay! I highly recommend this product." —KSay

Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99. 

28. Upgrade to a tidier fridge with fridge bin liners that'll absorb extra moisture in an effort to keep your produce fresher for longer. PLUS, they'll catch the brunt of messy spills and will be so much easier to clean than taking a drawer out of the fridge and awkwardly scrubbing it down in your sink. 

Amazon

Promising review: "Fits my Kenmore like a charm. Don't know why it took me so long to figure this solution out." —Shell

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $7.70.

29. Prevent future sink problems with a simple pair of kitchen sink strainers to catch all those lil' chopped onion bits that always end up in your sink. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I have purchased every type of kitchen sink strainer available and these are the best! So easy to clean, completely covers the drain and they catch everything. I would buy these again." —Mary

Get them from Amazon for $7.99.

30. Use a garbage disposal brush so you can safely clear the leftovers outta there without grossly (and unsafely) sticking your fingers down there. (Go watch the great horror movie To Let and then you'll *really* wanna buy this.) 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Do you ever remove the rubber cap between your sink and disposal? It is beyond gross! This is shaped just right and makes quick work of a yucky job. Good to do to keep odors away." —Mom328LSA

Get it from Amazon for $7.20.

Want even more home upgrade inspiration? We're here to help:

* Easy Little Fixes You Can Do Around Your Home For $10 Or Less

* Budget-Friendly Home Upgrades You’ll Feel Like A Genius For Buying

* Effective Solutions To Address All The Ugly, Gross, Or Weird Problems You’ve Been Avoiding Eye Contact With In Your Home

* Products That’ll Stay In Your Home Forever Because They’re That Useful

* Products That’ll Make Your Home More Comfortable *And* Stylish

* Products That’ll Help Disappear Home Eyesores So Well, Your Space Will Feel Totally Refreshed

Plus, finds from Walmart, Wayfair, and World Market.

Why Trust BuzzFeed Shopping?

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.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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