40 Decorating Mistakes You Don't Realize You're Making Around Your Home

Your bedroom should be an oasis that you look forward to after a long day. But if you’re still using an outdated and worn comforter from years ago, you aren’t doing your space justice. Elevate your room without spending too much money with this all-seasons down alternative comforter. Use it on its own or as a duvet since it has corner loops to secure it to a duvet cover. It keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter and has a box stitch design that prevents its fill from shifting. It comes in nine colors and three mattress sizes, from twin to oversized king.

Ensure your wall art is hung evenly with this laser level tool. Not only does it feature an 8-foot measuring tap, but it also has three bubble levels at 0, 45, and 90 degrees so that you can achieve the exact positioning you want. Control the laser level lines with one slider selection button on the front of the tool. This lightweight, compact tool has so many uses for all kinds of home DIYs.

Installing custom lights in your home isn’t cheap, but if you need some extra light, these battery-powered slim LED lights will do the trick. They can conveniently be mounted to surfaces using screws but also have an adhesive option, so you can stick them anywhere for a little extra light — for hundreds less than you’d spend with professionals. They’re remote controlled and come in a pack of four.

There’s something about sherpa that just feels luxurious. This crowd-favorite throw blanket is no exception, but it’s a glam option for under $40. The fluffy faux fur blanket is soft and warm — perfect for staying cozy or accenting your living room furniture. It’s available in 23 colors and eight sizes.

How can your home look its best with messy cords and cables contributing to clutter? This cable management box set is a simple, affordable solution that conceals power strips and loose wires so you can see the room and not the accessories that make it come alive. This set includes three boxes of a variety of sizes, adhesive cable clips, and cord ties.

If you love essential oils but prefer to stay away from clunkier diffusers, you’ll flip over this beautiful reed diffuser disguised as a bouquet. The reed sticks come in an elegant transparent glass that looks great on a console table or nightstand. This $19 option includes five rattan sticks and a mixture of rose perfume. When the scent begins to weaken, just flip the reeds over.

Whether your shelves look messy or you’d like to organize your closets, these storage cubes are a solid pick. They come in 10 shades, making it easy to coordinate them with the colors in your home. Plus, they fold down when you aren’t using them, so it’s easy to stash them away in cramped homes.

A mess of open boxes in the pantry and on the counter looks chaotic, and can also lead to snacks and goodies going stale faster. Take care of both issues with this coordinated set of food storage containers. They make the kitchen look storefront-tidy, while rubber freshness seals on each container help keep food in tiptop shape. They’re clear too, so you can easily see when the Frosted Flakes are running low.

I swear by this budget-friendly carpet tape that keeps your rugs in place. This heavy-duty tape is double-sided and shaped to fit the corner of your rugs and stick to rough or smooth surfaces without damaging them. Use it on tile, vinyl, concrete, wood, and cement without worrying about it leaving residue behind. It’s only $13 and will protect your family, your floors, and your rug or runner.

Upgrade your artwork or concert posters by giving them a proper home: this frame. The modern, simple black frame features a clear styrene front and is lightweight and easy to hang on your walls. Fill these frames with photos, a finished puzzle, or family memorabilia. It’s available in 17 sizes and packs of 1, 2, or 3. Not to mention: it’s earned more than 30,000 reviews.

Throw pillows can really pull a space together or make it look outdated. These throw pillow covers are a super elegant and easy way to breathe new life into old pillows. The set comes with two velvet covers that fit an 18-by-18-inch insert (which is not included). The hidden zipper makes it easy to swap the covers out whenever it’s time to toss them in the washing machine. Choose from 33 sumptuous colors and nine different sizes.

If you’re ready to try real plants, this Golden Pothos plant is a great start for beginners. It’s low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and great for indoors. This one comes in a grower’s pot so you can place it in your favorite pot once it’s grown a bit. It only needs medium, indirect light and about 1 cup of water per week. Beyond just looks, this plant is 100% recyclable and better for the environment.

Even the world’s highest quality bed sheets need to be replaced over time. Opt for this comfy and stylish pick that’s under $40. The six-piece set includes a 16-inch deep fitted bedsheet, a fade-resistant top sheet, and four pillow covers. It’s designed with breathable microfiber that’s silky-soft, moisture-resistant, and comfortable year-round. Choose from seven colors and six sizes.

Turn your bathroom into a spa oasis without spending too much with this adorable and cult-favorite memory foam bath mat that feels like you’re stepping onto a cloud. The outer surface is velvet microfiber that’s soft and easy to care for. You can machine wash and dry this absorbent rug without worrying about the colors fading or the mat losing its shape. It keeps you safe, too, and has non-slip grips on the underside to prevent sliding. It’s available in 21 colors and eight sizes and boasts more than 54,000 reviews.

Hardwood floors can be expensive to maintain, but you can use tools like these non-slip furniture pads to preserve them. These felt core pads come with multiple pre-scored sizes, but can be cut to your exact dimensions. Stick them to the bottoms of your couch legs, chair legs, and beds so they slide easily when they inevitably get bumped or moved. They’re made with anti-slip rubber that grabs the floor and furniture without any glue or nails.

You may have sacrificed comfort for style when it comes to your dining table, but these chair pads will soothe your buyer’s remorse — and your backside. The rounded square chair cushions are made with memory foam and feature ties to secure the pad in place. Each pad has a non-skid rubber back and a subtle pattern on the front. This pick is available in 40 colors. Now you can be comfortable while still enjoying your gorgeous dining chairs.

Are you looking for a floor lamp or a shelf? How about this two-in-one shelf lamp? The square-base lamp has three shelves that can hold up to 50 pounds and a white lampshade and long-lasting LED bulb. The modern design is neutral enough to fit with your existing decor while providing ample light and storage. Reviewers love using it to display plants, books, or other memorabilia.

​​Your kitchen might benefit from some decluttering, too. Use this bamboo corner shelf to organize pantry goods or leave it on your counter to hold fruit or bread. The shelf is easy to assemble and weighs less than 2 pounds. It has three tiers of shelves, with sturdy wooden slats on the base of each shelf.

Upgrade those old, outdated outlets and switch covers with these decorative options. They feature sunken pearls in an aged bronze that look elegant without being over the top. The traditional-style plates are made of solid zinc alloy which is ultra-durable. It comes with matching screws that make it easy to discretely replace and secure them. This same design is available in antique brass.

Even small holes in your walls can make your home feel unfinished and like a construction zone. This hole repair compound makes it a cinch to fix them without spending a fortune calling in professionals. It replaces vinyl spackling, making it easy for anyone to fill holes in just minutes. It won’t shrink, crack, or sag and doubles as a primer, so once it’s dry, all you need to do is add a touch-up of paint.

On the outside, this just looks like an ordinary ottoman, but it’s actually a sneaky storage solution. The 15-inch cube is hollowed out to make room for blankets, toys, and more. It holds up to 300 pounds and can be used for additional seating or as a footrest. The faux leather material is sturdy and practical and the piece collapses flat for simple storage when you’re not using it.

Your home may feel cluttered if you don’t have enough flat surfaces to display stuff or set things on. Thai tiered side table offers plenty of vertical storage with a small footprint. The engineered wood has a French gray oak finish and each tier can hold 15 pounds.

Hide all of those scratches and pulls in the fabric of your sofa without blowing your budget on a whole new living room set. This stretchy slipcover simply slides right over your couch and provides a barrier for all of those outside sources of destruction (like your beloved pooch). It comes in five sizes and 20 colors.

Avoid the anxiety that comes with trying to hang pictures on walls by snagging this 85-piece picture hanging kit. Inside the kit, you’ll find a removable level and all of the hardware and accessories you need to flawlessly hang pictures. The kit helps you hang photos evenly in three easy steps. A five-star reviewer noted: “We moved last month to our 10th home in 13 years: I have spent a LOT of time hanging things on walls and trying to get the right height and level. This makes hanging most of my items SO EASY!”

Customize your closet shelves without paying a fortune with these inexpensive shelf dividers. They slide onto shelves and stand up without any additional screws or installation. This pack of two dividers is made of non-woven fabric and strong steel supports that measure 12 inches high. They’re perfect for small closets or bathrooms where you need more room to stack towels, washcloths, linens, or clothing. The best part? If you change your mind, just slide the dividers off the shelf without any damage.

Create a tidier (and cuter) workspace with the help of this desk mat. It’s reversible so you can change the vibe of your office setup whenever the fancy strikes. The mat is nonslip, durable, and waterproof, helping protect your desk from hot coffee or water spills. Made from synthetic leather, it’s soft underhand and so smooth for using with a mouse.

The space under your bed is the perfect spot to store additional bedding, seasonal clothes, or guest linens, and these large storage bags make it simple to do so. The two-pack includes two large-capacity boxes that have reinforced handles, clear windows to see what’s inside, and a dual zipper lid. The waterproof bag keeps your belongings safe from dust and moisture and the rest of your room clutter-free.

Deep countertops are a blessing and a curse: more room for storage, but it can be difficult to reach your daily appliances. This set of appliance sliding trays sit under your blender, coffee maker, or standing mixer and slides out to make it easy to reach what you need. Each tray in this pack of two can accommodate appliances up to 30 pounds and they’re conveniently dishwasher-safe.

This catch-all apothecary jar set — featuring stunning transparent jars with modern stainless steel lids — is a step up from the manufactured boxes your purchases come in and will instantly elevate the feel of any room. Use it to store hair ties, bath fizzies, makeup, paper clips, stamps, and more. The wide mouth of the canisters makes them simple to fill and versatile enough for any of your organizational needs.

Bare floors can make your home look like you just moved into it or didn’t have time to decorate yet. This best-selling rug is the perfect solution for making a space feel cozy and elegant. This plush shag rug has a velvety soft feel and a skid-resistant bottom so you never have to worry about it sliding around. Choose from seven sizes and 23 colors.

This unique wall-mounted corner shelf provides the perfect place to display your favorite plants, family photos, or other decorative pieces to dress up your home. The five-tier unit easily mounts to the wall with the included hardware. It comes in seven finishes to match your space. One of the more than 48,000 reviews noted, “ It was easy to assemble, and looks super cute and sturdy.”

Admittedly, I have a collection of mismatched towels that I’ve acquired over the years. Don’t make the same mistake by investing in this affordable eight-pack of cotton towels that provide a unified look. This set, made of 600 GSM ring-spun cotton, includes two bath towels, two hand towels, and four washcloths. They’re extra soft, highly absorbent, and feature a double-stitched hem. Choose from 16 colors including lavender, electric blue, and sage green.

Keep your bed sheet secured in place with these heavy-duty straps. They feature nickel-plated clamps that hold your sheets in a stable triangle design. They’re adjustable to achieve the perfect amount of tension for your mattress size. This pack of four has earned nearly 40,000 reviews and is an Amazon best-seller.

Keep your dirty laundry out of sight with this laundry hamper that has a lid. This tall, slim laundry basket has two compartments so you can organize your laundry into light and dark colors. This compact hamper won’t take up too much floor space and it features convenient handles for transporting the basket from your bedroom to your laundry room.

Swap your bulky knife block for this in-drawer option that holds 14 knives as well as a sharpener and frees up major counter space. It’s only 2-inches tall to ensure that it fits in most drawers and 17-inches deep with grooves for the blades and handles to rest. Six of the slots hold large knives while eight of the slots are the ideal design for steak knives. It’s made of high-quality bamboo that’s water-resistant and looks modern and sleek.

If your shoes and the shoes of every guest that enters your home are sprawled out all over the hallway floor, this is the attractive solution you need in your home. This sustainable bamboo entryway bench has two tiers where you can store shoes and boots, as well as purses and a basket for umbrellas. The hand-crafted bench is eco-friendly and has more than 12,000 reviews and an impressive 4.7-star rating.

Dress up your windows with these sheer curtains that will still let light stream in, while giving you a bit more privacy. This set comes with two polyester panels, each featuring a rod pocket that fits rods up to 1.5 inches. The billowy curtains are simple and add a purposeful elegance to your decor without distracting from the rest of your home’s style.

A little greenery adds a wonderful sensory experience to your home. Add fresh flowers or dried stems to this ceramic vase that is elegant and looks handmade. The budget-friendly white vase is glazed and offers a minimalistic touch in any space. If you prefer a little color, it’s also available in pink ombre and black.

This is more than just a set of table lamps for your bedside table: they feature two USB charging ports that power up your devices while you rest. The black base is modern and stylish and saves space to keep your room looking tidy. The on/off switch is conveniently on the base to reach, even in the dark. This two-pack of lamps boast more than 3,000 reviews and come in five colors.

Upgrade builder-grade hardware with this sleek, modern option. These 5-inch cabinet pulls come in a pack of 30 so you can redo your entire kitchen for less than $30. The matte black finish on the stainless steel pulls is stunning and makes a bold statement on any cabinet. This pack has earned more than 22,000 reviews.