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Christina X. Wood

The 50 best cheap home improvement products skyrocketing in popularity on Amazon


Home upgrades don’t have to come with a huge price tag, dust, and three weeks with a non-functioning kitchen. Some of them are easy, fast, and cheap. And some of the latter kind can have a huge impact on the livability and aesthetics of your dwelling, despite how easy it is to implement them.

When you wish you had the funds and energy to tear out the entire kitchen or bath and replace it with something modern and functional — but reality has you in its grip, give yourself the gift of something from this collection of the 50 best cheap home improvement products that are skyrocketing in popularity on Amazon. It’s so easy. Just tap “Buy.” Then, when the item shows up at your door, spend five minutes getting it set up and then reap the benefits.

This set of floating shelves designed for artistic groupings

AYKA Floating Wall Shelves
Amazon

Turn a piece of wall into a display of hobbies, photos, or plants for some affordable and personal decor. It will look coordinated and artistic if you use these varied sizes of floating wall shelves to create a uniform look that matches in both color and style. You decide if you want the storage to be functional or decorative and how to group the shelves. You have seven color options.

A metallic patterned wallpaper that’s easy to apply

Tempaper Marrakesh Peel & Stick Wallpaper
Amazon

Give a wall or piece of furniture an exotic and luxurious look quickly and easily by cutting this peel-and-stick wallpaper with a metallic Marrakesh pattern and sticking it to the surface. Give shelves an interesting backdrop, create an accent wall, or refinish a worn piece of furniture. It's easy to do and there are five colors to choose from.

The easy grippers that stop your rugs from moving

Gorilla Grip Rug Grippers (12-Piece)
Amazon

Stop the rugs from moving every time the dog scampers over them by holding them firmly to the floor with this 12-piece set of rug grippers. They are super easy to install. Just peel and stick them to the rug, following the directions printed right on them. That rug won’t move even when you vacuum, which makes life so much easier.

These chair leg covers that go on like socks & stay put

BUMACO Chair Leg Floor Protectors (20-Pcs)
Amazon

Silence that loud chair, protect the floor from scratches, and make it easy to move chairs and barstools by pulling these chair leg floor protectors over the bottom of the chair’s legs like socks. A soft felt bottom sticks to the silicone leg covers and won’t fall off, and you don’t need tools or glue to install them. Since they are clear (or a color that matches your furniture), you will never notice they are there, except when that chair glides noiselessly over the floor.

This mattress cover that protects without feeling like plastic

SafeRest Mattress Protector
Amazon

With cotton terry on the top and a membrane coating on the underside, this mattress protector offers nearly imperceptible safeguarding. Spills, accidents, and sweat won’t stain your expensive mattress and you won’t have to sleep on a crinkly plastic surface for that safety. Almost 180,000 people give this solution five stars.

A box of 30 slim, velvet hangers for a tidy closet

Amazon Basics Velvet Clothes Hangers
Amazon

These slender, velvet clothes hangers (with a cutout for skinny straps or slippery garments) will transform your closet into a space that’s orderly and easy to load and dress from. The hooks rotate 360 degrees. Your clothes won’t slip to the floor. They take up less space than plastic hangers, and look nicer. And they come in lots of colors to make it all pretty.

These satin pillowcases that are gentle to hair & skin

Bedsure Satin Pillowcases (2-Pack)
Amazon

Not only are these two satin pillowcases luxuriously soft and beautiful on the bed, but they are also so gentle to hair and skin that you may be surprised at how good everything looks when you wake up. The soft satin isn’t as drying to the body as cotton, doesn’t tug on skin or hair, and is much more durable than fancy silks.

The indoor bug trap that gets rid of annoying fruit flies & soil gnats

Katchy Indoor Insect Trap
Amazon

This electric bug trap sits silently in your kitchen, luring small, annoying bugs away from the food and your face to their demise. First, they fly close, curious about the UV lights. Then a fan catches them in its whirlwind and into the trap. Once in there, they land on a sticky mat that they cannot get off of. There is no zap or noise. Just replace the sticky mat occasionally.

This mattress topper that helps regulate temperature

Linenspa Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
Amazon

If your bed is too hard or you sleep hot, add this two-inch memory foam mattress topper on top of your mattress and it will give you a soft landing and help regulate temperature. It’s a great way to get more life out of an older mattress or to make a too-hard mattress more comfortable without giving up back support.

The blackout curtains that keep the sun (& heat) out of your house

NICETOWN Blackout Curtains
Amazon

If you want to sleep during the day, keep the AC bill from going off the charts, or have a window that gets too much sun, these blackout curtains will get the job done. They have two layers of insulated fabric that block light, heat, and noise from coming in through that window. And they come in a huge number of sizes and colors to match your needs.

A reversible furniture cover that protects the couch from kids & pets

Easy-Going Reversible Sofa Slipcover
Amazon

Cover your expensive couch with this reversible sofa slipcover and stop worrying if the kids are spilling juice and the dog is chewing a gross bone while shedding on it. It’s easy to deploy, protects the seat, back, and arms, stays put, and pulls off to go right into the wash when guests you can trust on the furniture come to visit. There are lots of colors to choose from.

These adjustable bamboo drawer dividers that let you build the storage you want

Homemaid Living 100% Bamboo Drawer Dividers

Don’t let prefab drawer organizers tell you how to organize your shirts, underwear, tools, or kitchen utensils. Create exactly the storage you want with these bamboo drawer dividers. A spring-action, with rubber feet on each end, holds them firmly in place. You can create big storage areas, small storage areas, or whatever you need. You can even stack them for deep drawers.

A charging station to power all your gear without making a mess

Poweroni USB Charging Station
Amazon

Put all your gear on this four-port charging station and clean up all those cables and power strips that clutter up your desk or bedside table. Each gadget gets its own slot to stand on its side while plugging into the short, included charging cables. When a phone, tablet, or other gear is fully charged, its LED light indicator shuts off to let you know that it's ready to use.

These stackable furniture risers to raise the bed or couch

iPrimio Bed & Furniture Risers (8-Piece)
Amazon

If you want to take advantage of the massive storage area under your bed or you have a couch or chair that’s just too low, these stackable furniture risers are the easy solution. They raise the bed two inches, if you put one under every leg, so you can fit storage containers or suitcases under there. If you need more height, just stack them.

This easy privacy film that creates concealment without blocking light

Rabbitgoo Window Privacy Film
Amazon

Instead of hanging curtains for privacy, opt for this easy-to-install privacy film. No one can see through the windows, but light gets into the room and the windows sparkle with a stained-glass feel. It filters out both UVA and UVB rays of the sun to prevent your furniture fading and it comes in sizes to suit whatever window you have.

The sleek, vacuum-insulated French press for leveled-up coffee & tea

Osaka French Press Coffee & Tea Maker
Amazon

Make delicious French press coffee (or tea) that will stay warm and ready to sip for hours in the Osaka French press built into this vacuum-insulated body. The stainless steel filter with a vacuum seal makes coffee easily with nothing but grounds and hot water and it never lets sludge from the grounds into your cup. It’s ideal for home or travel.

A memory foam bath mat for luxurious comfort

Yimobra Memory Foam Bath Mat
Amazon

Step out of the bath or shower onto this super soft, absorbent, memory foam bath mat for a quick, luxurious upgrade to your bathroom’s look and tactile experience. It has a nonslip latex bottom, is deliciously comfortable to stand on, comes in seven sizes, and is available in so many colors you will be spoiled for choice.

The folding security-bar door lock that gives you extra safety anywhere

Master Lock Folding Security Bar
Amazon

If you are worried that someone will come through the door of your home, hotel room, or vacation rental, add a little peace of mind by locking this folding security bar into place when everyone is tucked into bed. It folds for storage and portability, deploys in just a second, and works for standard and sliding doors.

This door draft stopper that keeps the energy you paid for inside

Holikme Door Draft Stopper
Amazon

Help tame your power bill while making your home more comfortable with this simple, cheap, and easy hack. Anywhere in the house where noise, heat, cold, or bugs are coming in through a gap under the door, just cut this insulated door draft stopper to fit that door and peel-and-stick it to the bottom. It helps keep the heat and AC inside and the noise and bugs out.

This set of floating shelves with a towel bar for the bathroom

ZGO Floating Shelves (Set of 2)
Amazon

Solve all your bathroom storage problems elegantly with this set of two floating shelves. One has a bar so you can hang a towel from the bottom. Set your essentials — cologne, cotton swabs in apothecary jars, hand lotion — on the shelves where you can see them and they become relevant decor for the bathroom. These work well in the kitchen and bedroom, too.

An expanding utensil drawer organizer to tidy the clutter

Dynamic Gear Bamboo Utensil Drawer Organizer
Amazon

This bamboo utensil drawer organizer expands and increases its storage capacity if you put it into a wide drawer. Move it to a narrower drawer, though, and it also fits. It just gets smaller as the sides slide inward, which is super clever and means it will still fit if you move or remodel. Ideal for silverware, art supplies, and office tools.

A magnetic calendar & to-do list so you will remember all the things

Home & Me Magnetic Dry Erase Calendar & Whiteboard
Amazon

Stick this pair of magnetic whiteboard tools to the fridge or your bulletin board and keep everything on track. The calendar lets you see the entire month at once, with room for daily events and notes. And the to-do list is completely blank so you can create your own system of tracking tasks, meals, or notes.

The 14-pack of faux ivy leaves that you can decorate your home with

CEWOR Artificial Ivy Leaves (14-Pack)
Amazon

Decorate your home easily and inexpensively with this 14-pack of artificial ivy vines. Hang them from the mantle or headboard. Use them for a party or as wedding decor. Cover the balcony with them. All you need is some imagination and $12 to create decor that makes your space look quaint and lush.

This handy bedside shelf for your phone & sundries

EHKIT Bedside Shelf
Amazon

If you have no room next to the bed for an end table, this bedside shelf will provide a place for your phone, an alarm clock, or whatever sundries you like to keep at hand. It sticks to the wall and is the same size as A5 paper, which makes it perfect for a remote and a phone or a few small essentials.

A set of 32 mirror tiles that make chic & easy decor

Shappy Acrylic Hexagon Mirrors (32-Pieces)
Amazon

This set of 32 hexagon mirrors makes for sleek, inexpensive wall decor. It will create the illusion of space in a small room, offer a reflection of light to brighten a space, and fill a wall in the shape you choose for just $12. Peel and stick the acrylic pieces however you like. Each one is four inches wide.

These fairy lights that create a magical ambiance

YEOLEH USB Fairy Lights
Amazon

Hang these fairy lights with a sheer curtain to create a dreamy interior that will bring magical moments. Or use them alone as a curtain to illuminate a space while creating the illusion of a curtain. They are easy to hang, come with a remote for choosing the lighting mode or setting a timer, and are waterproof so you can use them outdoors.

This battery storage case with an easy tester

Battery Storage Organizer Case & Tester
Amazon

Instead of tossing batteries into a drawer where you will quickly lose track of what you have on hand and which are fresh, store them in this clear plastic battery storage organizer with a battery tester. You can see your inventory at a glance and, before you load a gadget with batteries, check the power level of the ones you choose.

These mini chalkboard signs so you can put messages on everything

OleOletOy Mini Chalkboard Signs (20-Pack)
Amazon

When you have this 20-pack of mini chalkboard signs on hand, you can leave your mark on everything. Claim that donut! Tell everyone what’s in the pitcher in the fridge. Leave reminders to shut off the lights. You will be unstoppable. They wash clean so you can leave a new message anytime you like and come with their own easels.

This peel-&-stick backsplash for a fast & easy kitchen makeover

Art3d Peel & Stick Backsplash Tiles
Amazon

You can transform your kitchen in just a couple of hours with very little money simply by turning the wall behind the sink or appliances into a subway-tile backsplash with these peel-and-stick tiles. They are super easy to install, look amazingly like real tile, and — after they are installed — make cleaning the wall so much easier.

A sofa armrest organizer with pockets for your essentials

Joywell Sofa Armrest Organizer
Amazon

Sling this armrest organizer over the arm of your favorite seat in the living room and, while it protects the couch, it also keeps all your essentials at hand. There are pockets for everything from a tablet or magazine to your phone, glasses, and remote. The linen-like fabric looks good and it comes in lots of colors.

These farmhouse-rustic wall sconces made from Mason jars

Homecor Rustic Mason Jar Sconces
Amazon

Create a charming light anywhere in your home by mounting these Mason jar sconces in a dark corner or stairway. They are battery powered so you don’t need to run wires. And they look just delightful if you make it extra with blossoms of peony and leaves of eucalyptus (artificial OK) popping out of the top. Use the remote to set timers and turn them on and off.

A clever record holder that puts your vinyl on display

KAIU Vinyl Record Storage Holder
Amazon

Skip the milk crates and put your vinyl collection on a shelf where you can flip through your music easily in this record storage holder. The base holds 50 albums and the acrylic end pieces keep your vinyl from falling out. You can flip through them, leaving whatever record you like exposed for the next browser.

This cool wall hanging that shows the phases of the moon

BASE ROOTS Moon Phase Wall Hanging
Amazon

Create an elegant, artsy display anywhere in your home simply by hanging this moon phase wall hanging over the bed, in a hallway, or wherever you need some flair. The 13 moons can be hung vertically or horizontally and each one shows the phases of the moon as it travels through the month.

A silicone popcorn popper that lets you microwave custom creations

POPCO Silicone Microwave Popcorn Popper with Handles
Amazon

If your love your Popco silicone microwave popcorn popper as much as I do, you probably use it daily. It makes absolutely the best popcorn, with very little cleanup, in just a couple of minutes. Fill it with your choice of kernel along with your preference of oil, salt, and flavorings, and stick it in the microwave. The even-heating design ensures very few (if any) kernels are left unpopped.

An airtight canister for storing coffee beans & keeping them fresh

Bean Envy Coffee Cannister
Amazon

Store your coffee beans in this decorative and functional coffee canister so that your brew is fresher and tastier. A one-way valve lets CO2 escape because, when trapped, it will make beans turn bitter. An airtight seal keeps oxygen out because you don’t want stale coffee. It seals easily, has a scoop attached to the side, and comes in four colors.

The easy way to stop your shower from leaking

Aulett Shower Door Seal
Amazon

If shower water leaks out from under the shower door, the fix is surprisingly fast and easy. Cut this shower door seal to fit and slide it onto the bottom edge of the door. It won’t impede the door opening but it will keep the water inside because the two pieces at the bottom create a super efficient seal.

A magnetic sign that lets everyone know if the dishes are clean or dirty

cinch! Dishwasher Clean/Dirty Magnet
Amazon

Stick this decorative clean/dirty sign to your dishwasher so you can let everyone know when the dishes in there are, well, clean or dirty. It’s magnetic so it takes only a second to install it and even less effort to flip it when you run or unpack the dishwasher. If your dishwasher isn’t magnetic, it comes with a stick-on piece of magnetic metal so you can stick the sign to that.

This rack that makes storing cutting boards easy

Thirteen Chefs Cutting Board Rack
Amazon

Storing cutting boards is notoriously challenging in any kitchen. But this well-engineered cutting board rack solves that problem simply and elegantly. Use any cupboard, shelf, or the corner of the counter to store your cutting board collection on end so they drip dry and don’t take up too much space. The rack is sturdy, stainless steel, and holds three boards.

The solar-powered wind chime that charmingly lights up after dark

SIX FOXES Solar Lights Wind Chime
Amazon

Hang this unique solar wind chime on your porch or balcony and enjoy the sound of light tinkling while the wind blows during the day — and the gentle lights of the solar-powered butterflies, hummingbirds, or flowers when they light up after dark. There are five styles to choose from and almost 12,000 people gave them five stars and said things like “beautiful!”

A 2-way hose spigot for more advanced watering

Flexi Hose 2-Way Garden Hose Connector
Amazon

When you have only one spigot for your hose but you want to run a sprinkler and a soaker hose (or whatever watering whim strikes) this two-way garden hose connector is the way. Just screw it onto the one spigot you have and now you magically have two. You can turn them on and off individually and run two hoses from the same spout.

These decorative window frames that create the illusion of a vista

Greenco Wooden Rustic Window Frames
Amazon

Dress up any blank wall by hanging these two rustic window frames that create the illusion of a pair of windows. Put photos or art behind them to play with the illusion, layer them with flowers or other artistic effects, or just hang them as they are for playful and rustic decor.

A compact desk organizer for all your essentials

Greenco Office Desk Organizer
Amazon

Keep all the things you often reach for organized and within reach on your desk with this compact office desk organizer. It’s solid but you can see where everything is, through the black metal mesh. There’s a stand for a notebook, a platform for some sticky notes, a cup for pens, and a drawer for push pins or paper clips. Best of all, it all fits in a small space.

This lazy Susan to get more efficient storage out of your cabinets

Greenco Bamboo Lazy Susan Turntable
Amazon

Set this two-tiered, bamboo Lazy Susan in a cupboard in the kitchen to make spices or ingredients easier to find while increasing your storage capacity. Or use it on a vanity or dresser to store more cosmetics in less space. The 10-inch diameter gives you lots of storage space while a raised lip around the edge keeps your stuff from flying off if you spin too fast.

A tiered oven rack so you can cook more at once

Estilo 3-Tier Oven Baking & Cooling Rack
Amazon

This three-tier oven rack lets you bake more items at once while still allowing everything to get the necessary airflow so that everything cooks correctly. You can bake three full-sized casseroles on this, all at the same time. You can also use it as a cooling rack so your baked goods don’t take up the whole kitchen.

The light & flexible hose you have (probably) been wanting all your life

Flexi Hose with 8 Function Nozzle
Amazon

This super flexible hose is so lightweight that you will wonder why you ever struggled with heavy rubber hoses. It won’t kink, tangle, or otherwise require much attention or effort from you, either. It expands when water runs through it and is otherwise light and easy to carry and use, with brass fittings to make connecting and disconnecting easy, too. It comes with an eight-function nozzle for all your watering needs.

A bamboo bathmat for a spa-like feel in the bathroom

Signature Living Bamboo Bath Mat
Amazon

Set this elegant and clean bamboo bath mat down in the bathroom for a minimalist, spa-like effect. It never has to be laundered, has anti-slip gaskets on the bottom so it doesn’t slip out from under you, has a water-resistant finish, and three coatings to prevent mold and mildew. It’s a clever way to keep your feet off the floor when you step out of the shower without adding to your laundry or bathroom upkeep.

This stovetop espresso maker so you don’t have to go to a cafe

bonVIVO Intenca Stovetop Coffee Maker
Amazon

There is no need to track down a local café for your morning espresso. This stovetop coffee maker creates that heady brew easily at home. It works right on your stove and makes up to four cups of espresso at once. “This stovetop espresso pot is so easy to use and in 13 minutes you will be drinking great espresso,” said one of the nearly 3,000 five-star reviewers.

This classic paper-towel holder for easy access

Greenco Bamboo Paper Towel Holder
Amazon

Get your paper towel roll up off the counter and onto the wall where it’s handy to grab a fresh towel when you need one. This bamboo paper towel holder is not only super convenient but it’s also attractive. Just mount it to the wall and slide the dowel through a roll of paper towels.

A collection of little easels that hold up photos or plates

Artliving Picture Frame Easels (12-Pieces)
Amazon

This set of 12 picture frame easels will come in super handy when displaying family photos. Or, think outside the box and turn a special plate into a display. Make a sign that explains your cake. Use them for assigned seating at a party. They fold flat, come in lots of sizes, and are available in four colors.

The jewelry storage organizer you can also toss in a suitcase

FEISCON Small Jewelry Box
Amazon

This little jewelry box has double layers so there’s plenty of space to keep everything from necklaces and rings to earrings sorted and untangled. It’s also a great way to pack along your favorite bling when you travel — everything stays tidy even if you toss the whole box into a suitcase.

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