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40 Quick And Easy DIYs That’ll Refresh Your Home In Under An Hour
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BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Read More 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. As good as it would feel to take a sledgehammer to a wall right now, that isn't feasible for many reasons. But if you're after a bit of a home transformation, there are all kinds of much lower lift DIYs you can do instead that'll also feel super satisfying. Consider bringing some serious order to your pantry with an over-the-door shoe organizer that can pull off all kinds of organizing feats. Or finally removing the dark stains from your toilet that bleach just won't erase. So set a timer for an hour and tackle one of these for what feels like a productive use of some otherwise antsy downtime. 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 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). Promising review: "Such a great and simple solution to help redirect A/C and heat. Super simple and easy to install. Universal fit makes it a cinch to work with any vents within the size range." —Heydaddy Get a pack of two from Amazon for $14.99 (also available in packs of four and six). Promising review: "The attic drop-down door in the home I'm renting is located in the interior of the home in the bedroom hallway, plus the door is warped, leaving a half-inch gap open. In this flaming hot summer, the heat was pouring into the hallway, and my AC ran 12 hours per day to keep the house reasonably cool. The thermostat is 3 feet from this attic door (poor design), which exacerbated the problem. Within five minutes of installing this, I noticed a complete change! In the South, it doesn't get terribly cold in the winter, but this will keep the cold from leaking in as well. Great product for less than $40. Beats paying for a new attic door on a home I don't even own." —C A Get it from Amazon for $25.95+ (available with or without a staple gun). Promising review: "I love WD-40 products and use them for everything. I spray on shovels to keep dirt or snow from sticking, spray around windows and thresholds to deter bugs, clean Sharpies off wood and walls, and, of course, stop squeaky doors. These small direct-point application pens are great. Keep one in the glove box, my kitchen 'junk' drawer, and the house toolbox." —BBP623 Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.49. Promising review: "This is one of my favorite things I've ever purchased from Amazon! The fact that they're so customizable allows you to cut them and shape them to any drawer size! I think this will be my go-to gift for all of my friends who love cooking as much as I do! Freeing up cabinet space and having something that can so easily be rinsed off in the sink makes this a for sure buy!" —momonono Get a 10-foot roll from Amazon for $15.99. Promising review: "It has doubled my closet space in my apartment where I can’t make any damage in terms of adding another permanent shelf — so this has been a perfect solution. It was easy to assemble and is sturdy. I’ve had it for a couple of weeks now with no issue. Your closet has to be pretty high for this to work or else your shirts above are going to get caught on the hangers below and for my case, some of my shirts are dragging on the floor — just keep this in mind when you’re thinking about purchasing." —Alex Promising review: "Great product for a great price. Very sturdy, but lightweight and small — under my bathroom sink is *very* small, and the metal frame is thin enough that it doesn't take up much space, and of course it allows me to utilize the empty vertical space instead of shoving things all the way to the back wall. I might rearrange the shelves, but it's just held with screws on each end so that's easy enough to do-comes with two supports for two shelves, but you can choose from four heights/positions. 👍🏻 Might need to order a second for under the kitchen sink..." —Jennifer Mowry Get it from Amazon for $22.87+ (available in three finishes). Promising review: "I have never been so excited about a slipcover. Total transformation of our couch and loveseat. I was worried about it not working on our leather couch, but it stays on really well due to the straps and the separate cushion covers. LOVE." —Brian/Liz Get it from Amazon for $42.92+ (available in five sizes and ten colors). Promising review: "Before and after putting it on. I couldn’t be happier. This chair has been through and lot and I just wasn’t ready to pry with it. The cover was easy to put in and so soft." —Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $23.99 (available in 19 solid colors). Promising review: "These arrived yesterday and they was so easy for me to put on. Only took about 10 minutes for six chairs. From nasty white chairs to a nice gray and white cover. I LOVE THESE SO MUCH THAT I WILL BIY MORE TO CHANGE OUT MY COLORS FOR CHRISTMAS TIME AND ALL HOLIDAYS. Well worth the price we payed. I’m in love with my new chairs now. IT WAS MY HUSBAND'S IDEA FOR ME TO BUY MORE. ❤️" —lisa browning Get six from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in 35 solid colors and prints). Promising review: "The magnets are super strong. Purchased two sets but only used one set of 'handles,' I wasn’t a fan of how close I had to place each set next to each other with the narrow spacing on the door itself. Paired with the magnetic 'windows,' it looks like a brand-new door!" —MrsPirate Get them from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in several sets and variations). Promising review: "This bracket is awesome and was extremely easy to install. We were able to hang curtains over our vertical blinds in just a few minutes and didn't even need any tools. Great product!!!" —Amazon Customer Get a set of two from Amazon for $21.95 (also available in brown, black, gold, and brass, and also available in inside-mount brackets). Promising review: "Easy to install. Lights provide ample lighting; USB allows lights to be a standalone fixture without tying up another wall socket. The USB interface also acts to turn the lights on and off with the TV. Backlighting also seems to make the screen seem sharper." —Shaun Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in four sizes). It includes a remote that can adjust the brightness. Promising review: "This is a wonderful product; just what I wanted. It's super easy to install, and I love that it breaks off into sections so you don’t have any hanging over to hide. The remote is awesome, and there are lots of brightness settings. I’m going to use these everywhere!" —Queen Halloween Get the six-piece kit from Amazon for $16.78+ (available in three light colors). These have a built-in magnet that'll stick on most metals, or you can use the included adhesive tape to tape them onto an existing surface. Promising review: "These lights are so worth it. I have a closet with no light in it, and I installed these in maybe two minutes flat, and it has completely fixed my disdain for the previously dark and disorganized closet. If you think you need these, you probably do." —HD Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in two sizes and in warm or white light). Promising review: "Great light strip. The motion sensor has a good range and then controls for time on and brightness are wonderful. The 3M tape on the back could be stronger, but for the price and motion sensor it is a great buy. Also we have this plugged into a smart outlet so that it only turns on during certain hours of the day. That plus the feature that is there is enough ambient light, the motion sensor doesn't trigger makes this on par with systems that are far more expensive. Works great with Google home as well because of the linked smart plug. Very happy with the purchase. Would be 4.5 stars just because of the tape not being sticky enough, but they do provide a second roll in the box, which helps." —AC 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). 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 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). 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). 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. 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). 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 Promising review: "Worked wonders! I spilled nail polish remover on my nightstand. This worked like magic! Just rub lightly with the cloth." —JMac 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! 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). Promising review: "Love this stuff! My stove had two chips in it for many years. Very pleased, so easy to apply! Would definitely recommend for small touch-ups!" —Sally Jo Get it from Amazon for $6.29+ (available in four colors and in multipacks). 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 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. 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). 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). 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 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). Check out a TikTok 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). 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). 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 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). 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. 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 * Products That’ll Help Disappear Home Eyesores So Well, Your Space Will Feel Totally Refreshed * Things That’ll Help You Make All Kinds of Home Upgrades You Thought Were Too Difficult to Try/Out of Your Realm of Possibility * Quick Home DIYs You Can Pull Off, Even If You Couldn’t Pick A Screwdriver Out Of A Lineup * If Your Home Is In Desperate Need Of A Glowup, Here Are 75 Easy Upgrades * $20-And-Under Finds That Can Completely Transform Your Space Plus, finds from Walmart, Wayfair, and World Market. 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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