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1. Hang floor-to-ceiling blackout velvet curtains anywhere you a) just want a dramatic finish or b) do want to block out as much daylight as possible, whether your kiddo needs to nap or you just want to sleep in on Saturdays.
2. Spend a weekend afternoon making over your kitchen with peel-and-stick tile backsplash — if you can use the basic childhood tools of stickers and a ruler, setting up this tile will be a breeze!
3. Create a beautiful gallery wall with very little effort thanks to a ready-to-hang frame set. It even comes with three different full-size templates to help you put the nails in all the right places.
4. Recover that hand-me-down sofa your roommate left with some soft velvet slip covers to make it look brand new (and a little luxe!) without breaking the bank.
5. Alternatively, simply drape a playful pom-pom trimmed bright throw blanket over that couch or chair you're just so done with looking at to give the piece a little more pizzazz.
6. Or if you're style's a little bit glam or playful, try a faux-sheepskin rug — whether you toss it over one arm of your sofa, lay it out on the floor next to your bed, or find something else entirely to do with it, you'll get to enjoy its little touch of whimsy every single day.
7. Instantly update your garage door with carriage-style magnets — yes, magnets — to create a ~focal point~ that draws everyone's eyes away from any other unsightly details. Neighbors will "ooh" and "ahh" them immediately ask where you got them.
8. Style your small accessories — on your coffee table, bookshelves, or entry table — according to the 1-3-5 rule. Basically, group your decorative objects in ones, threes, or fives.
9. Or display all those pretty small things on an étagère — frames, vases, books, and gorgeous vacation souvenirs all look stunning when they have a spot to shine. And you can follow the 1-3-5 rule when styling this shelf, too!
10. Transform all your favorite novels and cookbooks into works of art you can enjoy every single day with a set of three floating bookshelves.
11. Exchange your yellowing, cracked, or otherwise blah switch- and outlet-plates for new architectural covers to give every room a dramatically better look with almost zero effort required.
12. Pick up a super versatile velvet statement chair to add an eye-catching but comfy spot to sit wherever you need it! A glam beauty like this one steps up the fabulousness as an accent piece perched at the dining table, WFH desk, makeup vanity, or in your living room.
13. Or go for a pair of Louis XVI-style dining chairs instead, if you're more into a French chic look. Just between me and you, chairs like these often sell for a thousand dollars more!
14. Achieve your dreams of a bright, friendly (or dark, moody) entry with some specially formulated front door paint. It doesn't require any sanding and is fast drying, so it's a project you can do in a morning or an afternoon!
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!
Promising review: "Excellent product. Very easy to use. We were able to paint our front door with two coats and be finished all in one day. Product is a very thick consistency that causes it not to drip, run, splatter. Very little prep work and clean up. You can apply a second coat within a few hours and it was completely dry by 4 p.m. and we were able to close the door. And by 9pm, I was able to hang my wreath. Yay!" —Jay
Get it from Amazon for $40.07 (available in 15 colors).
15. Banish all the stubborn carpet and furniture upholstery stains you've been too busy to get around to with a spray cleaner basically guaranteed to make your jaw drop the moment you see the "after."
16. Decant your soaps and conditioners into pretty glass dispensers so your shower looks less like the drugstore aisle full of brand names and more like a calm, personalized spa.
17. Add a cozy, high-impact, low-effort glow to your yard or patio by installing waterproof globe string lights — they'll make it easier to see without harsh light. You can attach them to your roofline, string them in swags on a pergola or your fence, or drape a couple of lines between your front door and patio umbrella.
According to reviewers, make sure you remove the bulbs first and hang just the wire, to prevent breaking the bulbs. Once the wire's secure, then screw the bulbs back in! I did this in a yard once and it worked really well.
Each bulb socket has a clip on it to make for easy hanging/securing. And they're waterproof, so you don't have to worry about rain. Cable ties or screw-in cup hooks would work well for installation! You can get them with either a white, black, or green cord and sockets, so you know they'll match your house, trees, or decor.
Promising review: "I had a set of these on my patio for a good 3–4 years. They were totally exposed to the elements. Sun, heat, rain, etc. They only recently failed. At this price, I had no issue with replacing them with a new set. It cost less than buying a new fuse and a few replacement bulbs. And now I have plenty of extra bulbs from the old set." —CA Buyer
Get them from Amazon for $15.21+ (available in three lengths).
19. Pour your off-brand liquor into a glass decanter because nobody needs to know you get your whiskey on the bottom shelf.
20. Disguise a hideous buzzer or interior fuse box with a trendy macramé hanging you can move when you need easy access.
21. Or hide the box behind your favorite tea towel with the help of a magnetic wood frame, and you'll solve the same problem *and* be able to easily switch it out with the seasons, or just your mood.
22. Use faux plants — like this faux olive tree — to bring the warmth of a greenery accent to any room too dark for plants to grow...or if you don't want to bother with taking care of real plants! Life's busy enough as it is, I feel you.
23. Block a utility box, trash cans, or anything else you want to make disappear but still need to access regularly with a simple privacy screen.
24. Update your circa-1990s appliances for less than the cost of dinner for two: simply cover them in stainless-steel-effect contact paper.
25. Toss the branded hand soap pump you've been refilling who even knows how long for pretty foaming dispensers — these use less soap per pump than regular bottles, so you'll save $$ on soap refills, too.
26. Rejuvenate beat-up or water-stained furniture and other wood with the help of a wipe-on finish restorer. It'll take that stained bedside table from blah to gleaming in literally an hour or less!
27. Cover up scratches, scrapes, and chips on that old chest of drawers by applying furniture decals that turn it into its very own unique work of art. You just rub them onto your piece with a wooden stick, so it's the perfect project for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
28. And touch up any faded or scratched leather with a leather recoloring balm, so you can spend many more years reading in your favorite chair *without* having to put up with furniture that looks like it's on its last legs.
29. Dress up a less-than-lovely patio or porch — or protect a high-traffic area so it doesn't deteriorate — by laying down an indoor/outdoor rug that'll seem like it's there exclusively because it looks good.
30. Mask an eyesore of a view with rainbow-y self-adhesive window film — besides looking jaw-droppingly beautiful, it'll also provide a little extra privacy.
31. Mount some stick-on, plug-in, dimmable, remote-control lights under — and maybe even on top of — your cabinets so your prep and cooking workspace has some nice extra light, not to mention a luxe look. And it should only take about an hour to set up!
32. Consolidate the mess that is your TV's cords in a cable raceway because there's no reason your grown-up living room needs to remind you of your college dorm years one little bit.
33. Handy with a drill? You could even add cabinet knobs and pulls with the help of a reusable template (complete with the drill bit you'll need!) to make sure the holes are always perfectly spaced and parallel.
34. Opt for lidded baskets in your bathroom to hide sanitary products, hair accessories, makeup palettes, and more in a way that looks like an ~aesthetic~, instead of clutter.
35. Slap on a coat of simple primer to brighten up a dingy brick garage over the course of a lazy Sunday afternoon.
36. Hang a roll of faux ivy to solve several problems at once: conceal an ugly railing or wire fence, create a little extra privacy, and block a view you wish you didn't have to see.
37. Box up a router and other e-clutter behind a row of cut-up books for a visual disguise that won't block the all-important WiFi signal — and that looks super cute, too!!
38. If you're not lucky enough to have a mudroom, this shoe cabinet is a good start — it'll at least be better than the ever-growing pile of shoes threatening to trip you every time you walk past the back door.
39. Paint your cabinets if you want them to feel fresh or different. You could definitely hire a professional if you don't feel like DIYing. But if that's not in the budget, a cabinet paint set is one of the easier ways of making this happen, and reviewers say it can be done in one day!
40. Lay peel-and-stick vinyl flooring in your bathroom or another small room in your home for some instant wow that doesn't involve any grout.
41. Or opt for some peel-and-stick vinyl tiles to get the trendy cement tile look you love for less money, less time, and less effort.
42. And pull your brass fireplace out of the 1980s with a coat or two of high-heat spray paint.
43. Hang up some pre-made wainscot wall panels. They take just an afternoon's work with some glue or nails — or if you're a renter or just noncommittal, Command Strips! — add a little architectural charm to a boring, blank wall, door, kitchen island, or hallway.
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.
Promising review: "I am a 66-year-old grandma and installed it myself. Super easy to install. Used White Lightning to adhere the panels. These panels gave a high-end look to an otherwise drab wall and peninsula. So classic and affordable and it will never go out of style! I would HIGHLY recommend this product for a custom designed look. Use your imagination!" —JM
Get single panels from Amazon for $9.33+ on Amazon (available in 18 sizes and in packs of 10). Or for something a little more whimsical, try a scalloped version!
44. Facing a patio or balcony that's *not* so much your aesthetic jam? Cover it up with interlocking teak tiles — they (thankfully!) don't require tools at all and are pretty simple to put together.
45. Stencil a pattern you love to create a custom accent wall. It's cheaper than paying for a wallpaper installation, and you can do it over the course of a weekend if your wall isn't too large.
46. Or achieve your accent wall dreams with some peel-and-stick removable wallpaper that'll make everyone who sees it "ooh" and "ahh." Not to mention the spark of joy (from how beautiful it is) and pride (because you did it yourself) you'll feel when you see it every day!
47. Elevate your hand-me-down, thrifted, or discount furniture (or even your kitchen or bathroom countertops) with peel-and-stick wallpaper or marble contact paper. It'll suddenly become the star standout piece in whatever room its in!
48. Replace the blah-looking house number next to your front door with a modern option for a quick curb-appeal boost.
