The 45 smartest things you can do to make your home look better for under $35

When your tile starts to look dingy and no amount of cleaning seems to freshen it up, it’s the grout. Getting grout clean is a tiresome, time-consuming job. But painting it bright again with this white tile grout paint marker is fun. It’s like coloring in a coloring book except the results are a bright, fresh-looking room.

Got a drawer full of tangled wires? Those are useful, if you can find the one you want when you want it. These self-gripping cable ties will you get you there fast and keep the mess from happening again. They are colorful, too, so you can color code your cords or just enjoy an organized and useful box of cables that look pretty. This is 40 ties in two lengths.

Your furniture and cabinets look old, tired, and ready to be refinished or replaced. But they might merely be thirsty. Wood loves to be cleaned and fed with this wood cleaner and polish. The plant-based formula is rich in mineral and coconut oil to feed and restore the wood while it cleans. And it smells like almonds.

Fill these brush pens with the paint you used to redecorate your place and you won’t have to worry that nicks, scratches, and dings will destroy that hard work. If you bump the wall moving a piece of furniture, whip out a pen and color right over that mark. They fill like a syringe and keep your paint fresh — and on hand — for years. This is a pack of five.

Cleaning window tracks and the frame of sliding doors seems like an awful chore. But that’s because you don’t have the right tools. This window track cleaner kit is the right tool kit. A combo scraper and brush gets the gunk out, and then the specially shaped sponge slides right into the track and wipes it clean. “This makes it so easy and fast!!!” said one reviewer.

Instead of letting bottles of shampoo gobble up the limited available flat surfaces in your shower, mount them to the wall with this clever dispenser system. The wall-mounted racks attach with a powerful peel-and-stick adhesive. The refillable bottles fit into them so you can pump product right into your hand. There are 14 color combos, some with a third bottle for body wash.

These luxurious-looking satin pillowcases make your bedroom look so soft and pretty, adding a punch of color to whatever scheme you already have in the room. They are also gentle on skin and hair because the ultra-fine fibers do not absorb skin’s moisture or catch pull hair fibers. “A fantastic addition to my bedroom, offering both comfort and elegance,” said one of 223,000 five-star reviewers.

Before you do anything else in your bathroom, drop this TubShroom drain protector into the drain to prevent clogs. Most drain strainers create a slimy mess that’s unpleasant to clean out. This one lets the water and soap scum through while catching the hair. Hair is what causes blockages. Clean that (not slimy) hair off the drain occasionally and your water will flow freely and you will avoid expensive plumber calls.

When your couch starts to sag, you don’t have to go straight to the expensive proposition of replacing that piece of furniture. This couch cushion support stabilizes the structure of the seat from below the cushions. It’s easy to install: Pull off the cushions, unfold and set it under them, and replace the cushions on top. It won’t slip or break. But it will extend the life of your seating.

With a melamine eraser sponge embedded with scrubbing gems on one side and an abrasive scrubber on the other, this eraser sponge is the tool that will clean the most difficult messes. You don’t even need to use cleansers. Just dampen it with warm water. It removes every scuff from counters, sinks, pans, and walls without damaging surfaces or making you work too hard.

Clean windows make your space look so much better, let in light, and eliminate that dingy feeling. Cleaning them might seem like a daunting task but it’s fun and easy with this squeegee cleaner. Soak the microfiber cloths in hot water and window cleaner to scrub the glass then flip it around to squeegee away the dirt and water. The telescoping handle reaches 61 inches so you can get the high spots. “Makes washing windows soooo easy!” said one reviewer.

You can stop spending every free minute wiping fingerprints off your stainless steel appliances. Use this stainless steel cleaner, once, and they will reject fingerprints for weeks. The kit comes with a microfiber cloth that’s perfect for achieving streak-free clean and the cleanser leaves a coating that’s impervious to fingerprints. “I’m mad I didn’t buy this sooner!!” said one reviewer. “This stuff is absolute magic for stainless steel and the scent is great.”

The loud scraping sound your chairs make when you move them is not just annoying, it’s also destroying the floors. These chair leg floor protectors stop all of that. Just choose the color and size that fit your furniture and pull them on over the bottom of the legs like socks. The felt bottom is quiet and won’t scratch the floors and the stretchy silicone socks keep it securely in place.

The best way to clean the house is to prevent the dirt from getting in. This absorbent dog rug is designed to do exactly that. It catches whatever dirt, mess, or wet wants to come in on paws and feet before it gets to the clean areas of your house. Just set one down at every entry. It comes in six sizes and eight colors.

This mosaic table lamp is solar-powered, so you simply set it down outside and it’ll charge itself. When the sun sets, your lamp will automatically turn on. It’s also weather- and waterproof, so you can leave it outside without worry.

A bed skirt puts the final touch on a made bed, giving the room a crisp look of completion while hiding whatever you have stored under the bed. This one with tailored corners and a 16-inch drop brings understated elegance to the look, rather than ruffles or lace, and is so affordable you could change the color with the seasons. There are 12 colors to choose from.

Here is a life hack that’s straight out of Alice in Wonderland: When the grass won’t turn green for your lawn party (or HOA rules), paint it green with this grass paint. It’s great for when the lawn dies or decides to go dormant at an inopportune time and is easy to apply with a spray bottle. “A much better solution than wasting tons of water to keep the grass alive in the summer,” said one reviewer.

Tired of scrubbing, bleaching, and tossing out mildewy shower curtains? This mildew-resistant shower curtain liner is designed so that water beads up and rolls off, never stopping long enough to grow mold or mildew. It comes in 19 colors and textures and six sizes.

Don’t let your furniture suffer because your pet cannot be persuaded to stay off the couch. Toss this waterproof blanket over it and let your pet rest on its soft and cozy microfiber comfort. A waterproof layer in the middle keeps any accidents, muddy feet, or wet fur from transferring to your expensive upholstery.

These magnetic twist ties are the perfect tool for wrangling cords, wires, and other small items into manageable bundles. But once you have them in the house, you will use them for so many other things. They pin notes to the fridge, hold curtains back, secure wires, and even secure your hair. This 20-pack in assorted colors is the gateway to a new obsession.

Stick these LED puck lights anywhere that needs better lighting. They are easy to install by peeling and sticking them to a handy surface and are wireless so you don’t need power in that space. Tap the lens to turn them on and off and set them to turn off automatically at an interval that suits your use case.

Revamp your work area — in the kitchen, workshop, or office — by creating comfort wherever you tend to stand with these anti-fatigue kitchen mats. This two-piece set gives you plenty of work area to stand on and coordinate visually to create a cohesive design. Choose from 23 colors and patterns and your space will look as good as it feels underfoot.

Set this elegant organizer tray down on your bathroom vanity, windowsills, or kitchen counters to capture the mess and drips before they land on delicate surfaces or even impervious ones that are a pain to clean. The raised ridges keep plant pots and other containers elevated above the fray and the lip keeps water contained. They come in six colors and four sizes.

When your pet has an accident — or even when regular life has made your carpets look dingy — this carpet miracle will erase the damage and make your carpets look shiny new. It will do more than that, though. Since it smells bright and sunny — in spring mint, light lavender, or fresh summer scent — it will make your living space feel clean because it will also smell clean. It works with any steam carpet cleaner.

When your closet is too crowded, it is difficult to put clothes away and to find something to wear. You don’t have to purge your clothing to fix that, though. These magic hangers let you put more garments in the same amount of space while making it easy to see your wardrobe options. They take advantage of the vertical space by putting five garments in the space of one hanger.

Turn unused wall space or the side of the fridge into a coffee pod display with these coffee pod holders that peel-and-stick to any surface and store all your pods. Each strip holds 10 pods of any type — Keurig, Nespresso, and others. “Love having all of them displayed and easy access!” said one reviewer. “They fit perfectly on the side of my cabinet next to my coffee bar!”

The easy way to keep a work surface — the kitchen counter, a desk, or a bedside table — clear of trash is to give yourself an easy place to toss wrappers and tea bags when you are too busy — or tired — to walk to the trash can. This tiny trash can is perfect for this. The lid keeps the trash out of sight but you can easily toss small bits into it one-handed.

Keep a broom handy so that cleaning the kitchen floor or entryway is easy and convenient. That way your house will stay cleaner with less effort. Mount this mop and broom holder to the wall and snap that broom into it so you don’t have to hunt in a closet for it. This is a pack of four so you can stash cleaning tools all over the house.

Turn that chaotic under-sink area into a useful storage space with these under-sink organizers with slide-out drawers that let you easily access your supplies. They are designed to snug in around the plumbing and let you take advantage of the depth of that area. “Really elevated my under the sink cabinet game,” said one reviewer. “Looks chic and organized.”

Grow an herb garden in a window sill and you will always have fresh herbs on hand. This indoor seed starter kit is an easy way to get started. It has seeds for growing mint, chamomile, and lemon balm or culinary herbs such as basil and cilantro. Each kit has four seed packs, soil disks, plant markers, pruning sheers, and instructions.

It’s so easy to fix that broken or poorly installed transition between rooms with this wood grain floor transition strip. Just peel and stick the vinyl strip over the gap to make a smooth transition that is visually pleasing and won’t trap dirt. It’s useful on counters where gaps between counter pieces occur and to cover a gap between the stove and counter. It comes in four colors.

It is astonishing how much better the exterior of your house looks with a few windows to break up that vast expanse of bland garage door. You don’t have to replace your garage door to achieve this, though. These garage door windows magnets create the illusion of windows, which is — visually — just as good. Just stick them to the door and enjoy the curb appeal.

When it comes to keeping your home clean, prevention is better than adding another chore day. Start by setting this shoe tray at the entry and encourage everyone to take their dirty shoes off and set them in it before they track mud, water, and dirt all over your floors. It even has a coir mat that lays inside so you can ensure your shoes have no mud or dirt on them.

This compact and decorative dish drying rack is the perfect place to set a pan or glass after you wash it and is sized perfectly for a small kitchen and to keep the counter clutter to a minimum. It comes in six colors, routes the water back into the sink so you don’t have to worry about mold or milder, and looks nice on the counter.

You don’t have to grow a green thumb or create work for yourself to have greenery in your home. This two-pack of faux potted plants in paper pulp pots looks like the real deal but never needs to be watered or fed. And, since there is no actual soil involved, you won’t have to fight with soil gnats.

Drop this washable rug runner in your entryway to create an elegant first impression. It is secretly also keeping your home cleaner by grabbing dirt from shoes before it gets tracked inside. Even though it looks expensive and has a delicious soft texture, you can toss it in the laundry to clean it up. It comes in 11 patterns and every imaginable size so you can have washable rugs all over your home.

Mirrors do more for your space than reflect your own image back at you. They also reflect light and space to make a space feel larger. Place this decorative hanging mirror over a dresser, in the entryway, or a small space as decor and it will serve double duty, looking elegant while creating the illusion of space and light.

You can create order and space in your home by replacing a footrest that takes up space with this storage footrest that not only gives you a place to set your feet — or a cup of coffee — but opens up to provide storage space for remotes and game controllers. The lid is reversible so you can have a soft landing for feet or a firm rest for a beverage.

Keep a stash of wipes or personal care products right over the roll of toilet paper with this clever toilet paper holder that has a hinged stash box on top. It makes what was once a single-purpose space much more useful. It looks good doing it, too. It comes in six finishes.

Candles throw the warmest and most romantic light. And you don’t have to stock up on lighters and risk a house fire to have them all over the house. This three-pack of flameless candles looks like the real thing — they are made from real wax — but you can use a remote to turn them on and off. You can even set a timer so they turn themselves off after you fall asleep. They come in eight colors.

Hang this closet organizer so that you have an easy place to store hard-to-hang items like hats and purses right there in your wardrobe. It will reduce clutter elsewhere in the house and make it easy to find the things you need. It has drawers, too, for small items that you can place where you want them. Pockets on the side store scarves, wallets, and other gear.

Cleaning the car and driveway and getting dirt, mold, and pollen off the side of your house or windows is easy with this pressure washer gun that connects to a hose or pressure washer. Choose the spray nozzle tip that suits your task, aim, and blast that area clean.

Transform a thrift-store find or the counters you can’t afford to replace in an afternoon with nothing but this marble wallpaper and a pair of scissors. It’s easy to apply. Just peel off the backing and stick it where you want it. And the results are spectacular. “Looks amazing,” said one reviewer. “People ask me how I could afford four-inch marble tops.”

Lighting the paths and gardens in your exterior is a fast and easy way to boost the curb appeal and usability of your outdoor space and it’s so easy to do with this pack of 10 solar pathway lights. Just stick them in the ground and let the sun take it from there, charging them during the day so they come on and throw light when the sun goes down.

Stick these clever, angled solar stair lights on all your outdoor stairs to make them safer and more visually appealing. Each light has a built-in solar panel to charge the lights. And they throw light sideways, onto the stairs so you can see the steps. They come in cool white, warm white, or RGB color. “My friends have all bought them after seeing mine,” said one reviewer. “They charge even on cloudy days. Just the added smidge of safety I needed on our front steps!”