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40 Genius Hacks That Make It Easy To Keep Your House Looking Nice

Keep your space looking organized — and keep your weekends free, too.

by Julie Peck
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
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Housekeeping can seem like a full-time job on top of your existing full-time job. There are frequent tasks like cleaning the bathroom and making the bed, and then there are once-in-a-while jobs that you put off as long as you can, like cleaning the oven and organizing your closet. None of these chores are any fun, but the thing is, the longer you let them go, the worse they get. Luckily, there are so many clever home hacks to help you keep your house looking nice with minimal effort.

This list is full of tricks that will make home maintenance faster and easier, whether you’re trying to simplify chores or just looking to make your space feel more polished. Put them to use and you’ll find that you can spiff up your home in a fraction of the time it would normally take.

Plus, when all your friends are cleaning on the weekend and you’re lounging around with your feet up, you’re going to be the smart one who can pass along these tips — so enjoy.

1Use These Organizing Bins To Keep Your Fridge Tidy

It’s easy for your refrigerator to become overrun with groceries, especially in multi-person households. These storage bins make it easy to keep your produce, beverages, and condiments sorted, so you can find what you need — and they’ve earned a near-perfect 4.8-star overall rating after 17,000 reviews. You can choose from packs of two, four, six, eight, or 14.

2Store Spices & Condiments On This Rotating Turntable

Get easy access to your spice jars, condiments, and other pantry essentials by placing this rotating turntable in your cupboard or on your countertop. Made from sturdy bamboo, the unit features two levels for storing your items, making use of vertical space. Several reviewers have raved over how easy it is to assemble with the included hardware.

3Save Outlet Space With This Device Charging Station

Keep all your electronics in one easily accessible place while they power up with this charging station. Engineered to deliver safe, high-speed charging, it has dividers and plug-in space for up to six devices. It’s a great way to get some outlet space back, and comes with short charging cables to keep everything as neat and uncluttered as possible.

4Use A Bed Skirt To Hide Items Stored Under The Bed

Made from sturdy microfiber with a tidy, box-pleat design, this bed skirt is the ideal way to camouflage all the stuff you have stored under your bed — and it also pulls together the whole room. The 14-inch drop accommodates most bed frames, and it’s machine-washable for easy upkeep.

  • Available sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King, California King
  • Available colors: 12

5Get Rid Of Even The Toughest Stains With These Spray-On Removers

Formulated for maximum effectiveness on stains like grass, red wine, and ink, this stain remover is a must for getting rid of spots on carpet, upholstery, and clothing. The clean formula is biodegradable and free of dyes and perfumes. Throw one bottle in your handbag and keep the other in your your medicine cabinet, so it’ll be handy when you need it.

6Keep Your Floors Cleaner With This Heavy Duty, Anti-Slip Doormat

If you’re looking for a way to keep your floors cleaner — short of having everyone remove their shoes the moment they walk in —this doormat is a great choice. Made with a super absorbent material that soaks up moisture from rain and snow, it’s coarsely textured to grab mud, dirt, and debris. Useful for both indoors and outdoors, this mat is a versatile, hearty way to keep your floors cleaner. Plus, they’re backed with slip-resistant rubber, so they stay in place.

7Straighten Up Your Closet With A Hanging Shoe Organizer

Shoes piled high in a heap on the closet floor is a problem many despair of ever tackling. It’s actually easy to get under control, though, with the simple addition of this hanging shoe organizer that accommodates up to 10 pairs. The organizer also features five mesh pockets that can be used for storing other accessories, and the hook makes it easy to hang on a closet rod.

  • Available colors: 4

8Organize Your Drawers With These Extendable Dividers

Does your underwear drawer look like one big crumpled mess? Straighten all that out with these drawer dividers that keep your folded items in order. They extend from just over 17 inches to 22 inches and provide “lanes” for your folded items, so they stay sorted and in place. Once you’ve conquered the drawers in your bureau, try using these in kitchen or desk drawers, too.

9Keep Your Area Rug From Slipping Around With This Rug Gripper Pad

Don’t become the victim of a loose area rug and go skidding on the floor yourself — get this rug gripper pad that helps keep it from sliding around. This pad can be cut to size with household scissors and will also help keep your rug from curling at the corners, which is not only unsightly, but can also catch the toe of a passerby.

  • Available sizes: 3

10Clean Nearly Any Surface With These Magic Sponges

These genius eraser sponges will clean just about any tricky mess you have on your hands, including glass stove tops, sneakers, and even scuffs on the wall. Not only are they incredibly effective for a wide range of household and outdoor tasks, but they’re also less expensive than some name-brand alternatives. Plus, each sponge is extra thick for lots of cleaning power.

11Turn Your TV Into A Theater Experience With These LED Backlights

Offset the eyestrain that happens when watching multiple episodes of a show — and enhance your viewing experience while you’re at it — with these LED backlights. They’re easy to install on your TV using the included 3M adhesive, and you can use the included remote control to choose from among 15 colors, 10 levels of brightness, and a fade option.

  • Available sizes: 3

12Tidy Up Your Home Office Or Entertainment Center With These Cable Clips

If there’s a snarled mess of cables trailing beside your desk or entertainment center, use these cable clips to get them in order. Backed with adhesive, they can be attached to flat surfaces, and feature flexible cutouts in the middle for cords. This is an easy way to give your setup a streamlined appearance.

13Keep Your Stainless Steel Appliances Shining With This Cleaning Kit

Stainless steel appliances are so good-looking, but man, do they attract fingerprints. Thankfully, this stainless steel cleaner kit keeps those appliances spotless. The kit includes a two-in-one stainless steel cleaner and polish, plus a lint-free microfiber cloth to make those surfaces gleam again. You’ll also get a set of wipes for quick touchups in between deep cleaning sessions.

14Outfit You Bed With A Fan-Favorite Down Alternative Comforter

When you don’t want to bother changing out your bedding by the season, this down alternative comforter is the perfect choice to for all-weather sleeping. Soft, fluffy, and lightweight, it’s even machine-washable for easy care. Boasting a 4.6-star overall rating, it’s available in nine colors.

  • Available sizes: Twin/Twin XL, Full/Queen, King/California King
  • Available colors: 9

15Solve Clutter Problems Quickly With These Foldable Storage Bins

Great for everything from linens to off-season clothes to toys, these foldable storage bins can clear up clutter quickly and easily. Use them on a standalone basis or group them together and place them inside a shelving unit to efficiently tidy up a playroom, living room, or office. Choose from 10 colors.

  • Available colors: 10

16Deep Clean Hard Surfaces With This Steam Cleaner

Ideal for bathrooms and kitchens, this hard surface steam cleaner uses the natural sanitizing power of hot steam to remove dirt, grime, grease, and germs. The cleaner comes with a handful of attachments, including a jet nozzle, round bristle brushes, a scraper tool, and a grout cleaning tool. Use it on countertops, stoves, sinks, and more.

17Dress Up Your Countertop With This Oil & Vinegar Dispenser Set

Decanting your household goods into upgraded containers is a time-proven hack for making your kitchen look better (I’ve done this with my dish soap and hand soap for years). Now you can utilize these oil and vinegar dispensers to make your countertop look more polished. These durable glass cruets feature measurement markings on the sides, pouring spouts, and wide openings for easy refills.

18Remove Mineral Stains With These Pumice Wands

There are times when even the most assertive cleaning won’t remove the mineral buildup or rust on your tub or in your toilet bowl. That’s when you need these pumice cleaner wands that are safe to use on all porcelain and ceramic surfaces — no chemicals required. They have convenient handles that make them easy to use.

19Clean Up Small Messes Quickly With This Handheld Vacuum

This cordless handheld vacuum is just what you need to clean up those small messes that don’t necessarily warrant dragging out the full-size vacuum — think: dinner crumbs, cat litter, and dried leaves tracked in from outside. Lightweight but powerful, it comes with a crevice tool for reaching into tight spaces, like between the couch cushions.

20Tidy Up Your Garage With This Wall-Mounted Broom Holder

With six slots that can be used for handled tools like brooms, mops, and rakes, this wall-mounted holder can be placed on your garage wall or inside your utility closet to get everything up and off of the floor. Designed to hold more than 40 pounds, the rack also has hooks to hold smaller items like gloves, rags, and hats. It mounts easily with the included hardware.

21Keep Your Stove Clean While Frying With This Splatter Screen

Made from stainless steel, this splatter screen is designed to be placed over your pan whenever you’re frying foods to prevent that grease from getting all over your stove and walls. And while the fine mesh material blocks oil, it still lets steam escape. Available in a variety of sizes, this screen is rustproof and cleans easily in the dishwasher after use.

  • Available sizes: 4

22Dust Your Floors While Going About Your Business With These Mop Slippers

Dust your floors while going back and forth to the coffee machine, when picking up the house, or while making dinner with these mop slippers. They’re outfitted with microfiber loops that attract dirt, dust, and pet hair, just like a dust mop. They slip on over your shoes and are machine-washable. With five pairs, you can dust every day of the week.

23Use These Mats To Keep Your Refrigerator Shelves Clean

These fridge mats are made from waterproof foam, and they’re much easier to wipe clean than your glass refrigerator shelves. The porous material also keeps air circulating, which can help maintain food freshness. The mats can be customized to the size of your shelves with household scissors.

24Organize Your Pantry With These Matching Airtight Containers

My goal is to one day have a neat and orderly pantry with all my staples and dry goods stored in matching tubs like these airtight food storage containers. An easy way to make your kitchen look swank, the clear containers let you see what you have at a glance, so you’ll know when you need to replenish. This set of four comes with labels and a chalkboard marker to keep everything straight.

25Keep Your Bathroom Fresh With A Mildew-Resistant Shower Curtain Liner

Mildew loves a warm, wet environment, and what better place to grow and flourish than on your shower curtain liner? Use this mildew-resistant shower curtain liner instead. It’s finished with metal grommets and weighted magnets at the hem to keep it securely in place while you suds up.

  • Available sizes: 3

26Use This Extendable Duster To Clean Ceiling Fans

Cleaning ceiling fans is a major pain in the tuchus, but not anymore, thanks to this extendable microfiber duster. The handle extends all the way up to 100 inches — perfect for reaching fan blades and removing cobwebs from cathedral ceilings. The flexible duster head can be easily washed for repeated reuse.

27Clean Your Sinks, Grout & Fixtures With This Power Scrubber

When you need to get rid of tough stains in your bathroom or your kitchen in a hurry, this power scrubber from RubberMaid will do it fast. Like a super high-powered electric toothbrush, it removes mold, mildew, and other stains from grout, your sink, and fixtures. This cordless, battery-powered unit can even be used on grill grates.

28Get Stuff Off The Shower Floor With These Wall-Mounted Shelves

If you keep knocking over a ton of products every time you get into the shower, these shower caddies will help you get that mess organized in a hurry. Crafted from stainless steel with a matte black finish, they’re designed to adhere to your shower wall with the included adhesive. Each shelf can hold up to 30 pounds, and there are hooks to hold washcloths and loofahs.

29Get Your Kitchen Cabinets Organized With This Pan Rack

If your cookware is shoved into your kitchen cabinets to the point where it’s hard to find what you need, this pan rack can help you get it all in order. Suitable for use on your countertop or in your cabinets, it’s engineered from durable steel and designed to hold even the heaviest cast iron pans. A corrosion-resistant coating keeps it looking fresh, and you can choose from colors like red, black, and gray.

  • Available sizes: 2
  • Available colors: 5

30Keep Your Clothes Off Your Closet Floor With These Nonslip Velvet Hangers

If you’re sick of your clothes slipping off of your hangers and ending up on your closet floor, you need these velvet hangers that keep clothes where they belong. Also featuring a super thin, space-saving design, these hangers swivel a full 360 degrees for easy viewing of your items.

  • Available colors: 7

31Repair Your Leather & Vinyl Items With This Kit

Do you have leather or vinyl items you’re about to discard because of rips? Don’t give up so easily — use this vinyl and leather repair kit to fix those tears and blemishes. Blend the colors to get an exact match to your surface and repair burn marks, scratches, cracks, and peeling. You can refresh everything from your old designer handbags to overused sofas.

32Use These Oven Liners To Save Yourself From Scrubbing

Cleaning the oven has to be one of the worst, most dreaded kitchen chores, but you can say goodbye to it forever with these oven liners that catch any drips or spillover. Made from durable fiberglass that’s BPA- and PFOA-free, they’re heat-resistant to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and can be wiped clean with a damp cloth or put in the dishwasher. Use these on your outdoor grill, too.

33Rescue Your Furniture From Cat Scratches With These Shields

You love your cat but hate what he does to your furniture with his claws. Protect your upholstery with these cat scratch deterrent shields that stick on easily to chairs and sofas with self-adhesive. Tough and flexible, the transparent design won’t interfere with the look of your furniture, and twist pins are included for a more secure fit.

34Keep Your Curtains Where You Want Them With These Magnetic Tiebacks

Ready to get some light into your room but don’t want to mess with fussy rope tiebacks? These magnetic tiebacks secure to each other without any hassle, and give you a tailored look without a bunch of extra fluff. Suitable for both thick curtains and sheers, they feature a twisted rope design and come in 20 colors.

  • Available colors: 20

35Organize Off-Season Storage With These Zippered Bags

If your closet is overflowing, one way to organize things is to pack linens and off-season clothes in these zippered storage bags. These bags are made from breathable non-woven material with handles for easy retrieval, and feature transparent windows on the front, so you can instantly see what’s inside.

  • Available colors: 3

36Keep Your Knives Handy & Organized With This Magnetic Bar

Don’t jumble up your expensive knives in a kitchen drawer — that’s a great way to dull those blades in a hurry. Instead, treat them right and keep them handy for use while you’re cooking with this magnetic knife bar that’s so much less bulky than a knife block. Available in seven sizes, it’s easy to mount with the included hardware.

  • Available sizes: 7

37Keep Food Prep Crumbs Off The Floor With These Stove Gap Covers

There will always be small gaps between appliances and countertops in the kitchen. And when you’re cooking, food crumbs will inevitably sneak through those gaps, and it’s nearly impossible to get them out without moving everything. These stove gap covers eliminate those gaps to ensure that the crumbs don’t make it onto the floor. Made from silicone, they’re easy to trim to size with scissors.

  • Available sizes: 3
  • Available colors: 3

38Get Storage Space Under Your Sink With This 2-Tier Shelf

Finally make room for all your cleaning and household supplies under the kitchen sink — or all your toiletries under your bathroom sink — with this under-sink storage unit. Durable and steady, the narrow design leaves room for a pipe, and the bottom basket slides out to give you easy access to your products.

  • Available colors: 2

39Prevent Sink Messes With These Draining Soap Dishes

Bar soap is more eco-friendly than bottled soap, but it can leave a gunky mess in the soap dish. These self-draining soap dishes remedy that problem by draining off excess water, so your soap can properly dry. The three-pack means you have multiples for all the sinks in your home.

40Hang Things Quickly With These Over-Door Hooks

You have that one chair in their bedroom that collects your extra clothes, right? I know I do, and figuring out what to do with those clothes seems like an insurmountable problem. These over-door hooks are the perfect solution: Made from strong metal, they keep the clothes you’ve put on “that chair” visible and handy until you’re ready to hang them up for real.

  • Available colors: 5

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