Style

People On A Budget Who Transformed Their Dated Homes Swear By These Genius, Cheap Upgrades

A beautiful home on a budget is a possibility.

Written by Bimini Wright
We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

I have champagne tastes and a tap water budget. Like any other self-respecting millennial, I want to live in a chic, effortlessly Instagrammable apartment. The only problem is, I can’t afford it... or so I thought. As it turns out, there are a ton of tried-and-tested genius and cheap upgrades you can make around your home that won’t break the bank.

This list has a ton of useful suggestions, from brand-new bedding that makes your bedroom feel like a five-star hotel, to products that help wrangle unnecessary clutter off your surfaces. They’re all supported by customers who’ve provided glowing feedback.

1

Giving Your Bedroom A Makeover With Fresh Bed Sheets

Bring the luxury of a five-star hotel to your home with a fresh set of linens, like this six-piece bedding set. Super soft and breathable, these moisture-resistant sheets are available in seven classic colors. The set includes four pillowcases, a flat sheet, and a fitted sheet, plus they’re fade-resistant, machine washable, and have over 100,000 five-star reviews.

A Glowing Review: “Incredible quality for the price. Have had the use of these sheets for a couple of months. The soft and silken comfort and the quality have thus far spoke well of value.” — Donal Deriencourt

2

Making Your Bathroom Feel Like A Spa With This Fast-Absorbing Bath Mat

Nothing ruins the afterglow of a soothing, hot shower like stepping onto cold and dangerously slippery tiles. This luxurious memory foam bath mat has a soft microfiber covering that makes you feel like you’re standing on a cloud. It comes in 22 colors and seven different sizes, so there’s an option to match every decor.

A Glowing Review: “In my bath room this mat does it all at a affordable price.” — David

3

Sprucing Up A Dark Wall Space With These Whimsical Sconces

If you love a rustic vintage vibe but don’t want to deal with hiring an electrician, this pair of mason jar sconces are the perfect option. Silk flowers and white fairy lights fill traditional mason jars, set on a wood background with a simple rope hanging to bring warmth and beauty to any space. This popular pick boasts more than 33,000 reviews.

A Glowing Review: “Added an awesome elegant look to our bathroom! Easy to put it all together and hang. I have them on a timer as well with the remote. Very happy with this purchase.” — Amythyst

4

Boosting The Comfort Level Of Your Tub With This Bath Pillow

This thick and soft bath pillow makes a soothing bath even more blissful. Six suction cups ensure it won’t slide around during use so that you can relax in its ergonomic and supportive design, and 3D mesh fabric ensures it’s breathable and dries fast.

A Glowing Review: “This is way better than the tiny neck pillow I used to have. It supports the back and keeps your back warm. I love that the cover is removable and comes with its own laundry bag.” — Patty Picotte

5

Cleansing The Very Air Itself With This Powerful & Compact Air Purifier

Dust, pet dander, cooking odors, smoke, and other allergens are no match for this small but mighty air purifier. With a thorough five-stage filtration system, it does its job efficiently and quietly so it won’t interfere with your sleep. It even has an optional nightlight and can be used for aromatherapy.

A Glowing Review: “I have become highly allergic to dust lately and need something affordable and that really works. This is the best one I have tried! I really love it and the air is so fresh and I can breathe! I keep it on level 2 and the noise soft and doesn't bother me.” — hjs

6

Accessorizing Your Bed With A Cute New Bed Skirt

Hide box springs and cluttered under-bed storage while elevating your bedroom decor with a tasteful new bed skirt. Constructed from durable, double-brushed microfiber fabric, this sleek and stylish dust ruffle comes in a dozen colors, so there’s an option to match every boudoir.

A Glowing Review: “Was redoing a guest room. Didn’t want to spend a lot on a skirt that literally does nothing lol. This works. Feels silky and fits nicely.” — Patrick

7

Replacing Disposable Paper Towels With These Eco-Friendly Reusable Dishcloths

Made of cellulose and cotton, the textured design of these reusable Swedish dishcloths makes them great for scrubbing away stubborn stains. Safe to use on all surfaces, they are ultra-absorbent and machine washable. The fast-drying towels resist odors and can be reused up to 100 times —saving you money on paper towels — and come in 10 different colors.

A Glowing Review: “I’ve saved so many paper towels by having these! They last a remarkably hard time and have worked for every application I’ve thought of for them. [...] Great product and when the time comes I wouldn’t hesitate to reorder.” — Sharlyn

8

Bringing A Relaxed Vibe To Your Home With This Meditation Floor Pillow

It’s hard to find your zen if your legs are getting numb and falling asleep. These meditation floor pillows are designed to place you in a natural seated position to relieve joint stress and promote good posture. With a soft, machine-washable velvet cover that features a beautiful mandala design, this cushion is filled with 100% natural buckwheat and boasts a high 4.8-star rating with more than 6,000 reviews.

A Glowing Review: “I expected a good seat for meditation. I didn’t expect this level of quality. The cushion is soft, no lumps, holds its shape and doesn’t suffer from deformation.” — MNP

9

Breathing New Life Into Old Furniture With A Fresh Coat Of Paint

The built-in primer and quick-drying finish on this country-chic paint make it the perfect all-in-one paint for aspiring DIYers. It’s ready to use right out of the jar, comes in dozens of luscious color options, and requires next to no prep work. It has a self-leveling chalky finish; as a bonus, it’s eco-friendly and budget-friendly.

A Glowing Review: “I used it for painting my kitchen cabinets. It was so easy to use and didn’t require alot of paint.” — Jaime Daugherty

10

Bringing Order To Your Broom Closet With This Wall Mount

No more tripping over loose cleaning supplies with this wall-mounted tool organizer. It has 11 separate storage slots with ultra-strong, spring-loaded clamps and a 35-pound weight capacity to hold everything from brooms, mops, cleaning sprays, and dusters to gardening implements or sports supplies. The durable and space-saving organizer is simple to install and super popular with more than 56,000 reviews.

A Glowing Review: “What a relief! Finally my utility closet is better organized! This helps keep my broom, mops and other cluttery things out of the way. Super easy to install. Really recommend this!” — JH

11

Streamlining Your Closet With These Velvet Hangers

Ultra-thin and nonslip, these velvet-covered hangers are soft enough to hold your delicate items and strong enough to support up to 10 pounds of heavier clothing. Their slim design preserves the shape of your clothes, and they have a 360-degree swivel hook that makes hanging items very convenient. Best of all they’re highly rated with a 4.8-star rating and come in a pack of 100.

A Glowing Review: “These are simple velvet hangers that keep your clothes from falling on the floor. Great price great product. I highly recommend them.” — Krista L.

12

Keeping Your Cooking Oils Fresher Longer With These Chic Dispensers

These drip-free and shatterproof oil dispensers offer a beautiful, mess-free, and convenient way to store your cooking oils and vinaigrettes. The ergonomic and slim design comes in a set of two with a nonslip grip, and built-in measuring cups help you dispense the perfect amount every time.

A Glowing Review: “[...] Elegant looking and love the amount you can control to pour. All in all it’s a great purchase!” — andrea

13

Organizing Your Hat Collection With Specialized Storage

Storing hats can be tricky. This 10-shelf hat organizer with sturdy cardboard shelves is the storage solution that prevents your caps from getting squished and losing shape. There’s no installation required — metal hooks allow it to hang easily in your closet, and its eco-friendly fabric is breathable, allowing for airflow.

A Glowing Review: “I’m a hat collector and I take care of my hats very well but didn’t have the room for all my hats, so I decided to buy this hat organizer that hangs right in your closet and it saved so much room and keeps my hat from getting dusty, plus you can’t beat the price!” — Jasper Wilkins

14

Consolidating All Your Batteries In One Place

I can’t oversell the convenience of owning a battery organizer. No more frustratedly hunting for a battery when a flashlight dies or my smoke alarm peeps at me — everything I need is right where I expect it to be. A transparent lid makes it easy to identify what I have in stock, and it even includes a small battery tester so I can check to make sure the batteries are still functioning.

A Glowing Review: “Great product and value.” — Alan Axson

15

Decluttering Drawers With Bamboo Dividers

Life’s too short to spend time constantly scrambling to find the right fork or your favorite T-shirt. This set of adjustable bamboo organizers can help bring order to the chaos of your drawers. No tools are required; the spring-loaded mechanism makes them easy to install, and the natural bamboo is coated with an easy-to-clean finish.

A Glowing Review: “I love how easy they are to install, how the make my kitchen drawers more usable and less cluttered.” — IzzyG

16

Switching Out Your Old Pillowcases For These Cotton Shams

These cotton pillowcases are a perfect bedroom upgrade if you have sensitive skin or are prone to overheating. They’re soft, sweat-wicking, cozy, and made of smooth 400-thread count fabric. They come in dozens of fade-resistant colors and are a great way to add a pop of color and help you get a good night’s sleep.

A Glowing Review: “Pillowcases seem to be be of good quality and well made. They are sized correctly and fit as they should with plenty of room for the pillow. The thickness of the fabric is nice. Time will tell how long they will last but I am very pleased with the product quality for the price point.” — Kenneth R. Kirkland

17

Adding Fashion To Your Functional Storage With A Rope Basket

Beautifully store objects in plain sight with this gorgeous cotton rope basket. With comfortable reinforced handles that hold up even under heavy loads, their chic minimalistic style makes them a fashionable and versatile storage solution for blankets, laundry, toys, and towels. Made of recyclable 100% cotton, these baskets are built to last and have a high 4.7-star rating.

A Glowing Review: “These baskets are wonderful! The material is soft and looks like great quality. I was shocked at the low price, since most other companies had a much higher cost for 3 baskets.” — Josh and Macquel

18

Combining Form & Function With These Floating Shelves

If you’re unsure how to decorate a blank wall, try this set of three floating shelves to show off your beloved knick-knacks. Both stylish and functional, they can hold up to 11 pounds and are incredibly easy to install. Available in four different finishes, they’re a practical and decorative way to display odds and ends.

A Glowing Review: “They are great quality! Perfect size and really easy to install. I love how they come pre marked with the holes so all you have to do is line the nails up and boom. The color is beautiful Really exceeded my expectations for the price.” — Jamielee Adams

19

Displaying Beauty Products Like A Professional Salon

Though they could also hold things like books, spices, or toys, this set of two wall-mounted acrylic shelves is an especially cute way to store and display your beauty products. They come with all the necessary hardware and step-by-step instructions to install them, and the clear acrylic is easy to wipe clean.

A Glowing Review: “Easy to install. They are very sturdy on the walls. Great for the price. They look very nice on my wall to put my little things on it.” — Jes K

20

Streamlining Kitchen Drawers With An Expandable Divider

If you’re tired of kitchen drawers getting jammed stuck on an errant spatula, it’s time to invest in this bamboo drawer organizer. It has an adjustable design, expanding from seven to nine compartments depending on your needs. Made of eco-friendly and antibacterial bamboo, it’s easy to wipe clean.

A Glowing Review: “High end look with reasonable price. Very functional and looks great! Took my overstuffed cutlery drawer into an organized paradise.” — Texas Shopper

21

Bringing Order To Your Folded Clothes With These Drawer Dividers

Never hunt for your favorite shirt again — use these expandable drawer dividers to keep clothes tidy, organized, and visible. Made of beautiful easy-to-clean water-resistant bamboo, they’ll match almost any decor and have nonslip scratch-resistant rubber padding to protect your furniture and keep them in place.

A Glowing Review: “Easy to use and make my new kitchen drawers look custom made! Love them!” — Claudia Simon

22

Staying Warm Under An Affordable Duvet Cover

A new duvet cover can give your bedroom a new lease on life. This three-piece duvet cover set comes with two pillow shams and is luxuriously lightweight, made of silky microfiber that wicks away moisture and won’t fade in the wash. This beautiful set is available in a dozen different colors and will keep your temperature regulated all year round.

A Glowing Review: “Good quality at a great price!” Denise F

23

Displaying Decor On Rustic Wall-Mounted Floating Shelves

Just because you can’t afford an entire house full of reclaimed barn wood doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some charming rustic flair with this set of floating shelves. Designed with durable Paulownia wood and heavy-duty metal brackets, these shelves require no assembly and come with all the hardware necessary to install.

A Glowing Review: “Great little shelves. Took 10 minutes to mount and make my living room alot nicer.” — Lala2269

24

Setting The Mood With Beautiful Hand-Crafted Tealights

Set a romantic and soothing atmosphere with these beautiful tealight holders. The holders are individually hand-crafted from Himalayan salt crystals and produce a cozy and warm amber glow. Beautiful and calming, they’re a simple yet effective way to add a touch of whimsical elegance to your home’s decor.

A Glowing Review: “I am so happy with these and the price is about 1/3 of what I have seen elsewhere. My set was packaged so well, each candle holder was wrapped very well. Look so pretty with a tea light. These are a great gift or just a nice set if you like having candle's lit, like I do.” — Stefanie Smith

25

Stashing Plastic Bags In This Wall-Mounted Organizer

If you need an affordable solution to the mini-Everest of crinkly plastic bags piling up under your sink, look no further than this stainless steel plastic bag saver. With extra-wide openings, so you can quickly grab what you need, this convenient canister has a fingerprint-proof finish and easily mounts to a wall or the back of a cupboard door.

A Glowing Review: “This bag holder was sturdy, filled with MANY bags, and kept the kitchen cabinet very organized. It's definitely worth the price tag.” — Daniel

26

Replacing Your Old-Fashioned Doorbell With A Futuristic Wireless Option

This wireless doorbell kit has it all; over 50 different chimes, adjustable volume, 1000 feet of range per receiver, and three-year battery life. Best of all, you don’t need existing wires or infrastructure to install it — simply attach the button with the included self-adhesive tape, and plug the receivers into an outlet. This pick comes in six colors and has more than 13,000 reviews.

A Glowing Review: “So easy to set up and install! Receivers work at a distance farther than even stated, and have solved our problem of a wired but very soft ring. It’s definitely a good buy!” — Barbara P Davis

27

Transforming Plain Furniture With This Clear Glaze

Get a gorgeous antique look without shelling out big bucks for antique price points —artificially age your furniture effortlessly with this eco-conscious furniture glaze. It’s water-based, so it has no harsh chemical odors, making it a great alternative to traditional toxic wood stains. Plus, it’s so easy to use — just brush it on and wipe it with a damp cloth for a gorgeous finish. The glaze comes in six shades.

A Glowing Review: “I used this glaze to accent some sculptural wood appliqués I had added to some pieces I rescued. Everything was painted, I dry brushed lighter color to simulate a distressed effect, and I even added some gilt highlights…but I wasn’t happy and wanted more depth and contrast. This glaze added drama!” — Andrea

28

Providing Perfect Accent Lighting With LED Strip Lights For Your TV

Bias lighting can be helpful when watching a TV in low light, as it increases contrast and (most importantly?), it looks really, really cool. This ambient home theatre light is USB-powered and super easy to install, helping provide a more vivid viewing experience. Choose from nine sizes to suit various TV’s and find out why this popular pick has more than 11,000 reviews.

A Glowing Review: “I buy the white LED’s for all my TV’s. Been using them for years and now I can’t fully enjoy watching TV without them. Really helps with eye strain and makes a darker color TV screen look much better.” — Chris

29

Illuminating Counters & Dark Corners With LED Puck Lights

Perfectly customized under-cabinet lighting doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg — this pack of two battery-powered LED puck lights will do the job beautifully. They come with a wireless remote and dimmer, so you can achieve the perfect brightness level or turn them off even from across the room, and the set includes everything you need to install them in minutes.

A Glowing Review: “Bright, cheap, makes you feel wealthy even when you’re half-naked and alone, comes with sticky pads. These lights have changed the way I feel about my kitchen and life and bedroom closet on a fundamental level. Combined with a buttload of rechargeable batteries, they’re an affordable, life-changing force to be reckoned with.” — Jackson E Shelton

30

Stashing Items & Storing Candles In ute Zebra-Printed Tins

Whether you use these adorable eight-ounce decorative tins to make candles or not, functional storage has never looked so cute. These decorative spaces have many purposes — they can hold everything from earrings to loose-leaf tea, beads, potpourri, candies, and much more. In addition, they come with lids to hold your items securely, are non-rusting, and are easy to clean.

A Glowing Review: “A perfect container for a candle and lightweight. Color true to picture and can be used for so many purposes. A really good buy.” — Diane L.

31

Giving Backyards & Patios Much-Needed Light

Dining outside on your patio is lovely, but once the sun goes down, it can be hard to see what you’re eating (and your guests). Use this umbrella light to provide a little illumination on your patio table without inconvenient wires getting in the way. It installs easily in seconds and even comes with a handy remote that can control the brightness settings from 50 feet away.

A Glowing Review: “Real good for its price and works great.” — Wanda

32

Replacing Weak Low-Pressure Showerheads With An Elegant High-Pressure Pick

Lackluster water pressure can’t detract from your showering experience if you have this stainless steel rainfall shower head. Its brilliant design injects tiny air bubbles into the water, giving it a luxurious feel and creating higher water pressure with less water. It’s easy to install and comes with a swivel head design to ensure you can always enjoy it at the best angle.

A Glowing Review: “Product was affordable, easy to install and feels great. This is the best feeling shower I’ve taken in years.” — Amazon Customer

33

Bringing Light To Dark Staircases With Thin LED Light Bars

Rewiring your entire home is costly and disruptive; using these thin LED strip lights to brighten up dark staircases and corners is budget-friendly and genius. Providing a warm white glow of 65 lumens, these lights are easily mounted anywhere with the included adhesive tape or screws. They operate on two AA batteries and have a run time of over 100 hours.

A Glowing Review: “[...] Really makes my kitchen look updated without spending a lot of money.” — Wsut

34

Serving Guests With This Gorgeous Gold Bartending Set

Make Happy Hour even happier with this sleek and chic mixology set. The collection includes a professionally weighted shaker, a strainer, a Japanese jigger, and a beautiful pack of cocktail cards that provide all the recipes you need to make delicious beverages from the comfort of your own home. This pick has a high 4.7-star rating.

A Glowing Review: “Glad I bought this. Great price for a great product. I made martinis all night. No leaking!!!” — Laura

35

Giving Surfaces A Luxury Makeover With Self-Adhesive Contact Paper That Mimics Marble

Get all the visual luxury of marble countertops without paying through the nose for it with this easy-to-use peel-and-stick contact paper. No extra glue is required — simply cut it to fit and apply it to any clean and smooth surface. It’s easy to clean, will transform your space on a dime, and boasts impressive 45,000-plus reviews.

A Glowing Review: “My dresser and nightstand are old and have seen better days but I’m in no place to buy new furniture. I covered them with this contact paper and they look great! I was patient and took my time, using a credit card to slowly smooth out any bubbles. Was a bit difficult trimming around the edges of the mirror on my dresser but still very happy with how they look now!” — Ashley M.

36

Enjoying Movie-Quality Popcorn At Home With This Collapsible Popcorn Maker

Thanks to streaming services, the only reason to go to a movie theater these days is for the popcorn — unless you have this microwave popcorn popper that allows you to make up to 15 cups of popcorn in the comfort of your own home. No more overpriced, oversalted, stale buckets of unpopped kernels because you can easily customize this tasty treat however you like. It’s dishwasher-safe and comes in 20 bright, fun, and vivid shades.

A Glowing Review: “Love this microwave popcorn popper! It works perfectly and it is the perfect addition to our household!” — Esther Thompson

37

Considering Charming Backyard Decor

The shell of this delightful turtle statue is decorated with beautiful hand-painted succulent flowers that light up at night. Its solar panel will charge all day, providing energy for it to glow automatically when it gets dark for up to eight hours. In addition, the cute decor is waterproof and can hold up through sleet and rain.

A Glowing Review: “[....] Flower colors are pretty, lights are bright and truly a sweet addition to our flower beds.” — S.D.

38

Organizing Messy Cables With These Colorful Magnetic Ties

A jumble of tangled wires can make an otherwise chic space appear messy. Keep your power cords and loose cables neat and tidy with these magnetic silicone twist ties. Made of soft, flexible material, you can even use them to hold notes on the refrigerator or pens on a writing board.

A Glowing Review: “These magnetic cables are perfect for organizing all the wires for the various devices my family has. The colors are vibrant and fun. The magnets are strong and the silicone is sturdy. Great value for the price!” — Troy House

39

Savoring The Perfect Cup Of Coffee With This Stylish Coffee Maker

Enjoy a perfect, barista-quality pour-over coffee every morning with this exquisitely crafted laser-cut coffee maker. Made with beautiful heat-resistant borosilicate glass, it has a double-walled stainless steel micro-mesh funnel strainer, so there’s no need to buy paper filters. A protective nonslip silicone base minimizes any risk of slipping and cracking.

A Glowing Review: “[...] Now with this super handy air tight very affordable pitcher I am living my best life!! Easy to clean and the seals and filter are great! I love it!!”— Tracy

40

Decluttering Surfaces With These Baskets That Are Perfect For Produce

Whether you use them to hold fruit and veggies, craft supplies, or assorted bathroom items, this set of stacking basket bins can keep your space organized with style. Available in black or white, they’re stackable, so they take up very little floor space while offering a ton of storage.

A Glowing Review: “Amazing Product. Very helpful in organizing my storage room. Keeps it clean and well organized. Value for money.” — Jestin Joseph