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40 Popular Ways People Are Updating Their Homes For Just $35 Or Less
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It can feel like doing any updates to your home will cost an arm and a leg, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. In fact, there are plenty of updates you can do for $35 or less, and you’ll find plenty of them on this list.
Keep your closets organized by maximizing space with these slender hangers, or this closet organizer that has 10 compartments. Or maybe there are some tools you want to add to your kitchen to make cooking easier, like this milk frother for making lattes at home, or this set of 17 silicone utensils.
Whether you want to organize the messier parts of your home, add a little more decor, or just get some handy tools, here are some affordable ways to update your home.
1Adding Floating Shelves To Flawlessly Display Family Photos
Display your favorite family memories, trinkets, books, plants, or other home goods on these floating shelves. These shelves come in a set of three, so you can install them together or stagger them around the house. They have a U-shaped design, which is handy for holding books upright. They also come in nine different shades.
2Getting A Good Door Mat That'll Help Their Floors Stay Tidy
Unless you take your shoes off the second you walk in the door, it’s easy to track dirt into the house. This doormat has a rough surface so you can scrape off your shoes as you’re walking in the door. The mat is made from a PVC material, so it’s easy to clean off and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
3Using Utensil Organizers To Organize Messy Kitchen Drawers
It’s easy for a kitchen drawer to get messy — unless you have one of these expandable utensil organizers. Made from bamboo wood, the organizer — which can be used for anything, and not just forks and knives — can expand or contract based on the size of your drawer and your organizational needs. It has up to nine compartments and can hold silverware, large utensils, chopsticks, or even household items like screws, rubber bands, and stamps.
4Covering Bare Floors With Area Rugs
Rugs are a great way to add some worth and coziness to a room. This shaggy area rug is made from a soft and plush fabric that feels great on your feet. It has a nonslip material on the bottom, so it won’t move around and you don’t need to invest in a rug pad. Plus it comes in nine colors, including neutrals and bright shades like pink and green.
5Buying Velvet Hangers To Create More Closet Space
Some clothing hangers can be bulky and take up too much room in your closet. But these velvet hangers are slender, which helps maximize your space. Plus the velvet coating on the hangers helps grip your clothes to keep them from slipping, without damaging your garments.
6Freshening Up Cooking Supplies To Feel Like You Have A New Kitchen
Whether you’re baking or cooking, metal mixing bowls are a kitchen essential. These stainless steel mixing bowls come in a set of five — in all different sizes — so you have a bowl small enough to whisk one egg and another large enough to mix cake batter. The bowls also come with airtight lids, so you can easily store leftovers in the fridge without dirtying a new container.
7Storing Barely-Used Shoes Under The Bed To Save Space
If you’re not using the space under your bed for storage, then you’re missing out on valuable real estate. These under-the-bed organizer bins are narrow enough to fit under most beds but are wide enough to hold several pairs of shoes. If you don’t have a shoe hoard, the bins can also be used for clothes or linens. They have handles on two sides, making them very easy to pull out.
8Turning A Wall Into A Functional Chalkboard Wall
Turn any wall into a chalkboard with this peel-and-stick wallpaper. The wallpaper has a surface that mimics a real chalkboard, so you can write and draw on it and then wipe it to a clean slate. It comes with five pieces of chalk, which you can use to write to-do lists, make a schedule, or just doodle.
9Displaying Purses Instead Of Throwing Them In A Bin Or Closet
Purses can have a bulky and awkward shape, making them tricky to store in your closet. This hanging purse organizer solves that problem with large slots designed to hold your bags. The organizer has four slots on each side, made from clear plastic so you can easily see the purses. It can also be used to store other items like extra towels.
10Swapping Out Sheets For The Wrinkle-Resistant Kind
There’s nothing like climbing into a bed of crisp, clean sheets. These sheets are made from a blend of bamboo rayon and microfiber, so they’re soft and comfortable. Plus, they resist wrinkles so your bed always looks neat. The set comes with a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
11Adding Pillar Candles For Decor And Ambiance
Sometimes you buy candles only to find out they have a quick burn time. But with these pillar candles, you’ll be able to burn them for up to 55 hours. The sturdy candles work great as home decor or as part of a centerpiece on a dining table. Plus they come in 13 colors so you can pick the one that matches your vibe — or buy multiple sets for different rooms.
12Using Organizers To Create Makeshift Linen Closets
Not everything in your closet can easily be hung on a hanger, which is where this closet organizer comes in handy. It has 10 compartments of various sizes which can be used to hold shoes, bags, hats, or other accessories. You can even use them as a way to store your spare towels and guest towels, especially if your home lacks a linen closet.
13Giving Your Home Bar Accessories A Mature Makeover
An easy way to upgrade your home is to outfit your home bar with a professional shaker — especially if the last time you bought one was back in college. This shaker has a built-in strainer and comes with a jigger to help make sure your proportions are accurate. It’s a great way to entertain guests and is a nice upgrade that feels a bit more extravagant.
14Adding A Bed Skirt To Help Hide What's Stored Underneath
The space underneath your bed can get messy, or at the very least dusty. This bed skirt hides the gap, giving your bed a neat, sophisticated look. The skirt is made from a microfiber material and is pleated around the corners to make for a smooth drop. It comes in 12 colors so you can coordinate with your bedding.
15Upgrading A Coffee Stations With Expert Tools
If you want a fancy coffee drink first thing in the morning, but don’t want to leave the house to get it, then this handheld milk frother will be your new best friend. The handy little frother works with the push of a button and quickly whips milk (dairy and non-dairy) into a tasty foam. Use it for your lattes, matcha, hot chocolate, or other beverages.
16Cleaning And Protecting Leather Items So That They Always Look Brand New
Whether you have a leather couch that’s a little dirty or a purse that has a stain, this leather cleaner will help bring your piece back to its original glory. The formula is a combined cleaner and conditioner that protects the leather from fading or cracking. It can be used on any color of leather and won’t leave stains or residue.
17Letting Smart Bulbs Change The Vibe Of Bedrooms And Living Spaces
Most electronic devices nowadays can connect to your phone, so why should a lightbulb be any different? These smart lightbulbs can be controlled through an app on your phone that allows you to adjust the brightness and color, and even set a timer for your lights to turn on and off at a certain time.
18Adding More Plugs Without Using A Clumsy-Looking Power Strip
The outlets in most homes aren’t equipped for the number of things we need to plug in nowadays, but this surge protector has six three-prong outlets plus two USB ports for maximum usage. Plus the outlet is angled on the sides so you can avoid the issues of chargers and chords bumping into each other.
19Brightening Kitchen Spaces With Under-Cabinet Lights
Stick these puck lights on the wall or ceiling of your closet, stairwell, or kitchen to easily illuminate a dark space. The battery-operated lights can be installed with an adhesive or screws and come with a remote to control the brightness of the lights. You get three per pack.
20Installing Bidets For A Better Bathroom Experience
Going to the bathroom isn’t always a pleasant experience, but it can be a much smoother one with this bidet attachment. The attachment can be easily installed onto most toilets in just a few minutes and doesn’t require a plumber. It has a knob that lets you adjust the intensity of the spray, so you can get as clean as you want.
21Creating Wall Collages Of Family Memories
These simple black picture frames come in a pack of 10 — and they’re a steal considering how expensive frames can be. You can use the pack to flawlessly create a photo wall full of your favorite memories. Of course, you can also spread them out around the house — and since they have both the mounting for hanging on the wall and a kickstand, you can display them on a table or mantle as well.
22Upgrading Tubs With This Bottomless Bath Accessory
When you’re taking a nice, relaxing bath, the last thing you want to hear is the sound of water trickling down the drain. This drain cover prevents that from happening to you, allowing you to take as deep of a bath as you want without the limits of the drain. The cover has a suction design that easily attaches to the wall of the tub.
23Adding A Bunch Of Live Plants To Help Liven Up Any Room
Paintings and photos are nice, but there’s something about having a living, breathing piece of decor in your home. This mini fiddle leaf fig is relatively easy to care for — it just needs indirect sunlight and occasional watering. It’s an ideal size for putting on your desk or table.
24Installing A Towel Rack With Extra Storage Space
Sometimes you just need one towel to hang in the bathroom, but other times you need three or four. That’s where this space-saving towel rack comes into play; it has seven bars for hanging towels and has a weight capacity of 22 pounds. Its accordion design, which probes to be fashionable and functional — allows you to expand it fully or contract the bars based on your needs and space.
25Turning Entryways Into A Place They Can Get More Use Out Of
This three-tier end table is so versatile that it can be used in basically any room — but, it’d be perfect to help separate an entryway and turn it into a more livable space. You can also use it as an end table in the living room, a night stand in the bedroom, or as a shelf to hold toiletries in the bathroom. The gray and black table is made from oak with plastic legs, so it’s lightweight and easy to move around.
26Adding Extra Storage Space To Their Laundry Area
Hang this wire shelf in your linen closet or laundry room and use it to store towels, sheets, detergent, and other items. Installation brackets arrive separately, but it’s worth picking up after realizing there’s also plenty of room for hangers if you’re putting away clothes right after they finish running in the dryer.
27Getting A Power Sprayer Hose To Clean The Exterior Of The Home
If you’ve ever seen viral videos of people power washing, then you know how satisfying it can be. This power wash spray nozzle turns any hose into a power washer, making it easy to clean dirt and grime off of pavement, decks, driveways, and other surfaces. The brass nozzle has two different stream options.
28Updating Exterior House Numbers For A Fresh New Look
You may think of house numbers as something small and inconsequential, but having numbers that are outdated and rusty can impact the curb appeal of your home. These house numbers have a minimalist but modern look that is easy to read. The numbers are made from stainless steel and come with hardware for installation.
29Adding Wall Decals To Change The Look Of A Room With Minimal Effort
I always see videos of people painting a DIY mural on their wall and think it looks cool, but know I’ll never have the patience for it. But these wall decals allow you to create a mural without having to break out the paint. The set of six decals come in warm brown and orange hues with arches and circles creating a soft geometric design.
30Using Matching Placemats At The Dinner Table To Create A More Unified Look
Having placemats, tablecloths, and napkins on your dining table is a surefire way to make it look chic and inviting. These rattan placemats have a woven design for a boho look. Not only do they look good but they protect your table from spills and heat damage. The mats come in a set of two, but can also be ordered in larger sets.
31Adding Muslin Cotton Throws To Create A Homier, Cozier Atmosphere
We think of throw blankets as a winter essential for snuggling up on the couch, but sometimes you want a lightweight one in the summer, too. This muslin cotton throw blanket is super lightweight, so it’s perfect for a thin layer or just as decor. It’s also great for traveling or outdoor use. Plus it comes in nine colors.
32Organizing Work Areas To Look Professional
Keep your folders, notebooks, and other important items within reach with this bamboo file organizer. It has four slots with dividers of different sizes in between. It can also be used to hold a tablet or laptop. The organizer is only 6 inches tall so it’s the perfect size for putting on your desktop.
33Lighting Outdoor Pathways For Guests And Visitors
Illuminating the walkway leading up to your house just makes it seem more friendly and inviting, not to mention you and your visitors won’t trip on a rock. These solar-powered outdoor lights give off a soft glow and come in a pack of 12, so you can line them up as needed. They have a stake on one end for securing them in the ground and are built to withstand inclement weather.
34Storing Pots And Pans On A Display Rack So They're Easily Accessible
It’s hard to keep pots and pans organized when they’re all different sizes. This cabinet organizer is designed to solve that problem with wire shelves that allow you to stack pans without having to figure out what to do with the lids. It can hold up to eight pots and pans, and the racks are adjustable for height.
35Taping Down Rugs So That They Don't Curl Up And Become Hazardous
A rug that is always curling and slipping around not only makes your room look messy, but it’s also a hazard for tripping. These rug grippers help secure your carpet to the floor and keep it from moving out of place. It works on most floors including hardwood and tile and doesn’t leave behind any residue when you remove them.
36Switching Out Doorknobs To Change The Look And Feel Of Your Home
A rusty old doorknob can be an eyesore, not to mention a pain to use. Replace the outdated ones in your home with this modern door knob with a matte black finish. It has no locking function, so it’s ideal for a closet or basement door. It also comes in chrome, nickel, and bronze finishes.
37Creating Cozy New Spaces Outside With Outdoor Cushions
Put this seat cushion on top of a dining chair for an added level of comfort, or place it on the floor to make sitting on the ground more enjoyable. You can also bring it outside for an impromptu picnic, helping you get more use out of your space outdoors. The lightweight cushion has plenty of uses and can be moved around as needed. It has several tufts to keep the internal stuffing in place, and comes in four patterns.
38Swapping Regular Curtains With Blackout Curtains To Better Control The Light
These blackout curtains are not only handy for blocking light from streaming in, but they also help regulate temperature. If the sun is beating in through the windows, your room is going to feel a lot warmer. These curtains help keep it cooler in the summer (and help keep heat in during the winter). They come in 18 colors and 11 sizes.
39Adding A Fresh Pop Of Color To The Kitchen With New Dish Towels
Having plenty of dish towels on hand is a great way to cut down on your paper towel use — but, they can also be a great way to decorate. These cotton dishcloths come in a pack of 12, with six smaller dishcloths and six large kitchen towels. They’re absorbent and good for cleaning up spills or drying off dishes. They come in a variety of different colors, so you can go so far as to choose a new color scheme every season.
40Replacing Kitchen Accessories With A Fresh, Matching Set
Cooking for yourself is more challenging if you’re not set up with the proper utensils. This 17-piece utensil set has all the tools you need for basic cooking and baking, including several spatulas, spoons, a whisk, tongs, ladle, and more. it even comes with a container to hold them all. Each utensil is coated in heat-resistant silicone. Replacing everything at once is a way to feel like you made a major upgrade.