Home Owners Say They Wish They'd Gotten These Weird But Genius Things Sooner

If you’re tired of dealing with a clogged shower week after week, you need this snake clog remover. The plastic tool is bendable to allow for use on various drains and it has teeth all along its length designed to catch hair and grime. This weird but genius tool is super easy to use: remove the drain cap, insert the snake and pull it out. Just be prepared to be slightly grossed out, but also seriously amazed.

Helpful review: “Get these drain clog removers and use them once a month to pull up so much hair and debris that has been clogging your pipes. They cost less than $10 but will save you hundreds on a plumber.”

If you’re a homeowner, you may want to add this two-story fire escape ladder to your emergency kit. Before you think you don’t have the space to store a bulky ladder, it’s fully foldable for compact storage and easily deploys when needed. The ladder is 13 feet tall and has non-slip rungs so you can get down safely; it’s a great investment in your family’s safety. It has an overall 4.7-star rating after 15,000 ratings and one shopper wrote, “I should've gotten it a lot sooner.” So, go ahead and get yours now.

Helpful review: “I've been meaning to buy one of these since we bought our home a few years ago but finally remembered recently. This product has some weight to it but it seems very well constructed and sturdy. Hopefully I'll never actually need it, but I'm glad we have it now!!”

Keep your favorite coffee pods neatly organized and always on hand in this clever coffee pod carousel that spins 360 degrees for easy access. It holds up to 40 pods but doesn’t take up too much counter space thanks to its compact design. The carousel’s sturdy metal construction ensures durability and with an average rating of 4.9 stars after 12,000 reviews, this Amazon-fave is a must-have for every coffee lover out there.

Helpful review: “I'm the only coffee drinker in my family, so K-cups are the easiest solution in the morning. This display is one of the best ways I can check on my inventory. It's surprisingly sturdy and well made, and makes my coffee nook look much more sophisticated, especially in comparison to having K-cup boxes stacked up everywhere.”

A small corner can be hard to furnish but instead of letting the space go to waste, add storage and a decorative touch with this five-tier floating corner shelf. The wall-mounted shelf is sturdy enough to hold up to 11 pounds of weight and is available in eight different finishes to fit with any decor style. Use it in a bedroom, bathroom or kitchen to bring function to an empty corner, and if you’d prefer multiple floating shelves instead of just one, this piece can easily be separated and tiers hung individually.

Helpful review: “I can't even tell you how impressed I am with this corner shelf. It's sturdy, fairly easy to assemble, and has an unbeatable price. It's a great place to store trinkets or succulents, and I literally wish I could put one in every corner of my house.”

Replace outdated towel hooks and add hanging storage to your entryway or bathroom with these sleek adhesive hooks. Each stainless steel hook comes with a strong adhesive backing that can hold up to seven pounds of weight; just stick it on a wall, since there’s no drilling involved. The modern design and cheap price tag will make you wish you had gotten these sooner, especially when you see how much clutter they help eliminate throughout the house.

Helpful review: “It may seem a little weird to be so excited by adhesive hooks, but these have been a real game-changer in our home. They've been holding up my yoga bag in one room, and bathroom towels in another. I was surprised by how strong they were, especially for an adhesive. They're a great way to utilize your wall space.”

Outlets and cables can be so bulky and visually clutter a space, sometimes even becoming a tripping hazard. Eliminate that with the help of this genius ultra-thin outlet concealer. The kit includes double sided adhesive that attaches to the cover and the outlet for a seamless, wall-hugging finish. This clever hack is a home owner favorite, which is why it has garnered over 39,000 five-star ratings, including from many shoppers who report that they wish they would have known about it sooner.

Helpful review: “I own a house that was built in the 70s with a built-in counter top stove. When that stove [gave out] we cut the countertop and installed a regular stove. Only problem was the outlet for that side of the cabinet was now behind the stove! Its been that way until today. I saw this item on TIKTOK and bought one on the off chance it would work. Im pleased to say it works great and now we have a usable outlet on that side of the cabinet!”

Don’t waste that small nook between your bathroom vanity and the wall — add valuable storage with this slim four-tier rolling cart that includes side hooks to hang towels and accessories. The cart is just over 5 inches in width and has four easy-glide wheels for quick access; its shelves are removable if you need to store taller items and would prefer only two or three shelves. If you’ve been wondering what to do with the space between your washer and dryer for years now, get this genius little cart —problem solved.

Helpful review: “This slim cart makes the most out of a small laundry room. It has plenty of room for laundry detergent, stain remover, and socks in a small bin awaiting their partner. I love that it's on wheels — it makes it easy to keep the floor clean underneath it.”

As soon as you get it, you’ll wish you had installed this pull out spice rack years ago. It mounts to the back of your cabinet with just two screws and easily slides out for convenient access. If spice bottles, oils, and condiments are cluttering your cabinets and countertops, this genius organizational tool will instantly solve that problem. The metal rack glides smoothly and its chrome finish will elevate your cabinet interior, totally giving it a high-end vibe.

Helpful review: “We cook a lot, so one of the first things we bought for our new house [were] these drawers. They let you pack all of your spices into a small cabinet. The drawer pulls out smoothly and is sturdy despite being completely full.”

Instantly create additional storage in your pantry or closet with this over-the-door organizer that has eight adjustable wire shelves and can alternately be mounted on the wall. Each shelf is designed with close wire spacing to make sure nothing falls out and the set comes with all the necessary hardware for easy mounting. If the storage space in your home is minimal at best, you’ll wish you had gotten this genius door rack a long time ago.

Helpful review: “I love this organizer. It makes the most of any closet or pantry, holds a ton of stuff, and the shelf heights are customizable. We keep canned goods in one in our pantry and it's held up well.”

To deal with stubborn clogs, get this heavy duty toilet plunger that tons of reviewers say is the best plunger you can buy. It works fast, requires little effort on your part and prevents water overflow, which is always good. This plunger is designed to have nine times as much power as a regular plunger and besides its obvious use for a toilet, you can also purchase it for a kitchen sink, garbage disposal or tub.

Helpful review: “get the RIGHT kind of plunger. The classic suction cup plunger is for drains. The accordion kind is for toilets.”

Gain an extra 9 inches of elbow room in the shower thanks to this curved curtain rod. It’s adjustable so it adapts to various wall angles, and its rust-resistant construction will keep it in like-new condition for years to come. The curved rod is available in black, silver and white, and for just $30, it’s a cheap home upgrade that’ll make you wish you had installed it in your bathroom a lot sooner.

Helpful review: “Just bought a house but my wife picked us up a curved shower curtain rod. Feels like a bigger shower/bathtub.”

Any home owner who’s had a water leak will appreciate this genius mesh gutter guard that keeps gutters from getting clogged. Leaves and debris can easily pile up and wreak havoc to your home’s interior and exterior, which will end up costing you way more than these $20 guards. They’re made from durable plastic to prevent any rust and can be cut down to size with scissors to fit your gutters. It gets the seal of approval from lots of home owners who write that they’re easy to install and are a good way to prolong the life of older gutters.

Helpful review: “Gutter guards. I haven't had to go up there in a decade. They work perfectly...I can't even explain how much I loathe cleaning out gutters.”

Install this thermostatic shower valve in your shower or next to a freestanding tub for a sleek upgrade and a safe way to maintain water temperature. The polished chrome finish and contemporary design will instantly dress up your bathroom and the valve’s clever temperature regulating mechanism means that you won’t need to adjust it manually. Make this inexpensive switch and you’ll love the fixture’s high quality, quick heat-up time, and set temperature.

Helpful review: “Thermostatic shower valve. You just set the temp and it doesn't change temp even when someone flushes or starts the dishwasher ,etc...”

Streamline and update your home’s entry with this keyless door lock that has a clever anti-peeping function when you enter the passcode for added safety. It allows for 20 password codes, a temporary one-time code for visitors that’s automatically deleted after use, and it also comes with two spare keys. The keyless entry is battery-operated and has an indicator that will alert you when the battery is running low, but you can expect it to last for up to a year.

Helpful review: “[...] No need to worry about people forgetting their keys, ever. Also, you can enter temporary codes if you go on vacation and have someone looking after the place. I've had them on a rental place and never have to worry about changing the locks, I just reset all the codes and change the battery every school year. I change the battery on mine every two years.”

After years of hiding the spare key for your out-of-town guests under a rock in the front yard, you’ll have so much peace of mind when securely storing it in this portable outdoor lock box. It’s made from high quality stainless steel and aluminum to make it pretty much indestructible even in bad weather conditions, and you can choose from 9,999 (literally) different combinations for your passcode. The box interior is large enough for up to five keys and can be hung on a door knob, handle or fence post.

Helpful review: “We just have a keysafe on the wall next to the door, same premise but no batteries.”

Get this programmable thermostat and customize your temperature preferences to fit your comfort and set it for an entire week. It’s easy to install and operate, and it has four preset options: wake, leave, return and sleep. Unlike other pricey versions, this thermostat is under $20 but gets the five-star seal of approval from more than 5,000 shoppers. One person wrote, “For the money this is the best and easiest to operate, temperature is accurate,” while another said, “The BEST thermostat EVER!”

Helpful review: “Sounds simple... but digital thermostats. Big reduction in my power bill for a low cost. The multi packs go on sale several times per year.”

If you’re sick and tired of your old, dull knives, do yourself a favor and get this professional chef knife set. It includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, a dual sharpener, and an edge guard cover for safe storage. The multi-purpose knife has an ergonomic handle for comfortable use and can be used for pretty much anything, from slicing large cuts of meat to chopping up vegetables.

Helpful review: “Most knife sets come with a large quantity of knives that are useless for most people's cooking habits. While maybe half are useful the other half will likely litter your kitchen drawer or sit in the knife block forever. For people on a more limited budget I usually recommend getting a single good quality chef's knife rather than a set. If you only have $30 to spend or example get one knife and not a set of 18.

For a versatile power tool you can use to sand, grind, polish and more, get this rotary tool kit that includes 140 different attachments and accessories. From cutting floor tile to drilling holes, it’s such a useful addition to your home owner arsenal, you’ll wish you would have gotten it a long time ago instead of spending money on hiring a contractor. With more than 13,000 perfect Amazon ratings, it’s a great investment tool you’ll use on countless house projects to come.

Helpful review: "I just love this tool and use it all the time for a wide variety of things. Plus the price for this tool makes it even more of a great value!"

Stream your favorite shows easily thanks to this Roku media player that’s quick and easy to set up and comes with its own remote. Connect the high-speed HDMI cable and watch TV with a great high-definition picture that you can also conveniently control through a Roku app on your phone. Besides your regular streaming services, it also has a huge selection of free and live channels and Roku originals.

Helpful review: “No one said it so I will, but Roku is amazing.”

To make indoor composting easier, get this countertop composter bin set that’s made from rustproof galvanized metal and has an airtight lid to prevent any foul odors. The set includes the bucket (with a cute “compost” label on it!), a year’s supply of charcoal filters and biodegradable compost bags, and a magnetic list of items that can be composted. If you’ve always wanted to get into composting but thought it wasn’t an option because you don’t have a backyard, this will be a game-changer.

Helpful review: “Best bin I’ve found! Came with bags which allow the metal inside to stay clean and odor free. The design allows a bit more room inside, unlike other lids which usually come into contact with scraps, which means fewer trips to the heap outside and no detectable odor. Cleans up and dries quickly, looks good as new. Love the color and the fact that it’s nice to look at - not something I want to hide under the sink.”

Instead of fully replacing your toilet, give it a quick update with this new toilet seat. If you hate the sound of a toilet seat slamming, this is for you—the seat closes slowly and quietly. It also stays securely tightened so it doesn’t start wiggling and moving out of place. The scratch and chip-resistant finish ensures durability.

Helpful review: “Okay. It's the best cheapest toilet seat. It stays put and doesn't loosen, at all. I liked it so much I bought one for our second toilet.”

Use these multi-purpose towels to clean everything from carpet stains and windows, to your car and floor spills. They are machine-washable so you can reuse them over and over again, and the super absorbent material can soap up 10 times its weight without scratching or damaging surfaces. The towels are a cross between a chamois, a towel and a sponge, and once you start using them, you’ll wish you would have had them all along.

Helpful review: “A shamwow has been the best purchase for me. It cleans literally anything and is more durable than anything else.”

You’ll wish you had gotten this magnetic screen door a long time ago when you see how well it keeps bugs out while still letting in plenty of fresh air. It uses hook-and-loop closure strips all along its length to securely attach to the door frame with 28 magnets down the center seam to keep the screen closed. It opens and closes instantly when someone walks through it, and it’s completely pet and kid friendly.

Helpful review: “This was easy to install and fit the door perfectly. Keeps the flies away and my dogs can easily go in and out at their leisure. I wish I had bought one sooner.”

Avoid painfully tilting your neck and watching TV from an awkward angle by mounting this swivel bracket on the wall. It allows for a 180-degree swivel and retracts and extends from the wall for a comfortable viewing experience. Attach it to wood studs or a concrete or brick wall using the provided hardware that makes installation a total breeze.

Helpful review: “One of my best purchases yet. This mount is perfect and the range of motion is amazing.”

Prevent future scratches on your flooring thanks to these felt furniture pads that have strong adhesive backing to attach them to furniture legs. The set includes various sized felt pads to accommodate different types of furniture, and it’s available in three different colors to seamlessly blend in. They’re basically like coasters for your dining table, chairs and more.

Helpful review: “We should have bought these sooner! No more screeching sounds as chairs are pulled out on ceramic tile! Furniture almost glides on the floor when we need to move it to mop! Great product!”

Stop spending more time cleaning than you should be thanks to this spray rust stain remover that dissolves rust without any scrubbing on your part. Spray the powerful multi-purpose remover on carpet, fabric, kitchen and bathroom surfaces and watch the liquid formula do all the work for you. It’s unscented and works quickly on hard-to-reach places, and the trigger spray dispenses the formula easily for a fast clean.

Helpful review: “The photos speak for themselves. When we bought our home there was no water softener and years of iron build up. We tried so many things on our shower. Nothing worked. We were convinced we’d be stuck until we renovated the bathroom. The iron out worked wonders. I still can’t believe it. We had to let it sit for about an hour. It then dissolved and wiped right off. Definitely use in a ventilated area if possible.”

Give your garage a cheap update and get this multicode garage door remote opener that’s small enough to carry with you or clip onto your visor. It’s compatible with most garage door opener systems and comes with batteries so you can immediately use it. Tons of reviewers say that it’s a great alternative to outdated, bulky openers and that it’s easy to set up and works well.

Helpful review: “When we bought our home a year ago it came with two, large and ancient single button remotes for the security gate at the entrance of our development. Not only did you need to be close for them to operate, but they were bulky and the visor clips long gone. These compact remotes were a fantastic solution to the problem, easy to set up and they open the gate from 100 yards away! Originally, I bought the two so that I could put one in my truck and the other in the utility vehicle. When my wife saw me use one she said "How come you didn't get me one of those?" Oh well, the old bulky one went to the utility vehicle.”

Wall art can be seriously pricey and if you’ve had bare walls for what feels like forever, get these beautiful botanical art prints. For under $20, you’ll get 45 ready-to-frame vintage-style illustrations which is pretty much the deal of the year. Add color and charm and say goodbye to bare walls with these vibrant prints that look like you searched every flea market in town to track down the collection.

Helpful review: “Since we bought our home 2 years ago, I've known I wanted botanical prints on the back wall of our dining room. Thanks to this book and some truly beautiful and very high quality frames.”

Replace old outdoor bulbs with this blue incandescent light bulb that has an average lifespan of 2,000 hours. It’ll add the brightness and color you’ve been looking for to your outdoor space — think pool or sitting area — for just $10. Shoppers say these bulbs are hard to find in stores, so consider stocking up.

Helpful review: “We bought our home 20 years ago and it has a built in pool area with a light that had a blue bulb in it. The same bulb still works and has been out in the 4 seasons of the northeast weather all these years. I have never seen these in any stores so I thought I would buy one for a spare to keep in the pump house for that day/night it does burn out. It cast such a nice calming blue light creating a noticeable mood change.”

Save money you would have spent on replacing furniture and get this wood polish and conditioner to restore it back to its original shine again. The solution is made from a blend of Carnauba wax, beeswax and orange oil and besides creating a protective layer, it also keeps wood from drying and fading. You’ll be amazed at what a difference just a little bit of this conditioner makes and you’ll wish you would have started using it a long time ago.

Helpful review: “I cannot recommend this product highly enough! When we bought our house, every door had damage from the previous owners dogs. Our own dogs did damage to a piece of furniture made by my boyfriends grandfather, which is when is what I was thinking of when I bought it. I bought this product based on the sheer number of positive reviews, and I cannot be more pleased with the results. Not only did it bring pop pop’s cabinet back, the results when I turned it on our scratched doors is amazing.”

For ultimate convenience, give your home an upgrade with this ceiling fan remote that allows you to control the fixture without flipping a switch or pulling one of those old school cords. The remote includes a holder to mount on the wall for easy storage (and so you don’t have to keep looking for it) and it features a reverse button in addition to three speed choices and a light option. People comment that it’s easy to program and works like a charm.

Helpful review: “We bought our house from the original owner who must have lost the fan's remote. the remote he did have is the one you can buy at HD but does not have a reverse function on it (why do they even make that?). the fan was stuck in the "winter setting". after trying many ways to figure out how to make the fan's direction reverse and not finding a switch on the fan, i purchased this remote. it worked like a charm! [...]”

You’ll wish you would have known about this genius dog doorbell sooner because it’s about to make housebreaking your pet so much easier. Hang the doorbell at a height that your dog can reach, then follow the included instructions to train them to ring the bell every time they need to go outside. It’ll prevent lots of accidents and keep your dog from scratching the door and peeling all the paint off.

Helpful review: “Just got a new standard poodle in our family. She picked up on using the bell almost immediately. She’s only 10 weeks old and occasionally forgets but lots and lots of times I will hear the bell ringing and I let her out. Goes potty every time. It’s amazing and such an easy way to potty train!”

The second you use this peel-and-stick marble wallpaper, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to jump on the bandwagon. It’s the easiest and cheapest way to give countertops and furniture a quick makeover and a much needed refresh. The paper has gridlines on the back to make cutting straight lines and measuring simple, and the vinyl surface is waterproof for ultimate durability and practicality. It’s also fully removable, which makes it a great option for renters who want to spruce up their home without an actual renovation.

Helpful review: “This is so easy to use. People think I have new counter tops. Easy to clean and great for a fresh look”

Get this dryer vent cleaner kit and you’ll be amazed at how much lint build-up and dirt you’ll remove. The cleaner consists of an up-to 40-foot long flexible rod with a high quality synthetic brush head that you turn clockwise as you clean for best results. It’ll also help your dryer to work faster and the investment in this genius little tool is much lower than if you were to hire a professional service.

Helpful review: “My wife had noticed that the dryer was taking longer to dry clothes than when we first moved into the house. We go through a lot of clothes so vent cleaning seemed like a reasonable thing to try. This kit worked very well! The rods are sufficiently stiff to drive the brush yet flexible enough to let the it go around corners in the vent. [...] I was amazed at how much lint came out of that pipe! Very satisfying to think of the now clean vent.”

If you’ve been using disposable dryer sheets for years but are looking for reusable alternative, give these wood dryer balls a try. They are unscented so as not to cause irritation to sensitive skin and are recommended for use with cotton, polyester, nylon and spandex fabrics. Throw in four balls with a medium load and six with a larger load, and you’ll be so impressed by how much faster your clothes will dry.

Helpful review: “These work great‼️ I was skeptical about ordering them but I’m so pleased that I did‼️ These balls softened my clothes and helped them to dry much quicker. I am tired of all the chemicals this is a great option for getting some chemicals out of the house‼️”

Anyone who’s always tripping over mops, brooms, and rakes that clutter the floor needs this wall-mounted tool organizer. It has six hooks and five slots that have spring loaded clamps so tools stay in place and don’t slip. The holder will keep everything neatly in place, save lots of space, and because it’s weatherproof, it can be used for both indoor and outdoor storage.

Helpful review: “Sturdy enough to hold my brooms and cleaning supplies, so I bought a second one for my shovels for my house entrance for the winter. Holding up great.”

Hang this portable mini dehumidifier in your closet, cabinets or car to keep moisture out for up to 30 days. The small device is rechargeable and cordless for easy use, so if there’s a space in your home that always feels a little too humid, get this $15 gadget to help. It comes with over 19,000 five-star ratings and shoppers say it helps improve air quality and prevents car windows from fogging up.

Helpful review: “The little box has kept my bathroom dry for over a month now. We have an old house with only one, very small bathroom. There are 6 people in my family and the bathroom gets a lot of use. When my boys and teenage daughter would get a hot shower the entire bathroom would steam up to bad the walls would drip within a few minutes. [...] I wanted a dehumidifier that was compact since we don't have any extra room in our bathroom but we needed something powerful enough to do the job. This little box is both!!! It has worked great!”

Add a decorative touch and finally block out all the street lights with these linen blackout curtain panels. If you’ve never had light-blocking curtains, they’re a total game-changer, and besides creating a good sleeping environment, they also help maintain room temperature. These panels are available in nine sizes and 13 colors to fit your windows and personal style.

Helpful review: “Could not have made drapes for this price. Good insulation. I purchased 2 panels for my french doors. Worked perfectly. These replaced my beige, lined drapes that I made when we built the house. Love new look!”

If you’ve spent hours and hours scrubbing grout with no success, you’ll be oh-so impressed by this grout marker pen. Just wipe down your tiled surface, shake the pen well, press down the tip to release the paint, and go over the grout as if you were using a regular marker. Wipe off any excess, allow a couple of hours to let the paint set, and your grout is as good as new.

Helpful review: “I used this product 5 years ago in the bathroom floor of a house we bought. It had beautiful beige tile and hideous orange grout. After cleaning the grout with a paste of Oxiclean, I applied the pen. It covered completely and I have beige grout. It has lasted without reapplying for 5 years. The floor is washed every week. We recently bought a vacation condo with beige tile and orange grout in the shower. I used the white pen and the shower looks brand new. Now I ordered more for the floor.”

Use this moldable multi-purpose glue to seal cord tears, patch cracks in ceramics, or fix leaky taps. The silicone glue is waterproof and both heat- and cold-resistant, and is suitable for numerous surfaces, including wood, brick, plastic, rubber and metal. It can hold just over four pounds of weight and can be used indoors as well as outdoors.

Helpful review: “This is such a versatile, durable and practical rubber putty. It’s so easy to use and works. I’ve used it in and around my home, patched up a fraying charging cable, fixed things to walls, gaps around my house, repaired cracks and more. Sets in around 30 minutes and fully cures in 24hrs. If you need to remove, comes off easily.”