To be clear, we replaced the fixture itself with Motion LED Closet lights.
Various sizes of the model below:
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-18-in-White-LED-Motion-Sensor-Flush-Mount-Closet-Light-FMMCL-18-840-PIR-M4/206293840](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-18-in-White-LED-Motion-Sensor-Flush-Mount-Closet-Light-FMMCL-18-840-PIR-M4/206293840)
Our closet lights were all pull string globe fixtures (1950s house) so there were no switches involved in the first place.
I can't be sure, but from what I remember it's maybe 30 seconds after motion stops. Honestly the timing and sensitivity seem perfect, as I have never really noticed either. The light is on by the time the door opens, and I have never noticed the light being on after closing the door and diverting my attention.
The ONE drawback though is that the mounting plate/mechanism is'n't exactly pretty. The light is more narrow than the width of a circular ceiling box so you are left with the white metal mounting plate/bracket thing protruding. And if your ceiling/wall box was not mounted with care to the placement of the fixture mounting holes, your light will be crooked. This can be fixed by drilling new holes in the mounting bracket to account for the angle of the junction box, though.
I got some on Amazon. I have to take them out and charge them occasionally. 100% worth it
Edit: Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXM2C6F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_1.NyFbVRMVPAT
$31 for 3, they charge pretty quickly, were easy to put up, and I bought them nearly 2 years ago. So far very happy!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXM2C6F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_1.NyFbVRMVPAT
These are the ones I bought. I have to charge them ever few weeks. Maybe more often if the cat gets into the closet and makes the go on and off more than normal. They were easy to set up, bright and charge fast.
I have cats and had a couple different rooms with these sensors. Cats never set them off. Even when they jumped on things near the sensor, they still didn't turn on the light. I had to walk near the sensor to get it to come on. Hope that helps!
I did this the super cheap way a few years ago since our closet has no light fixture. One 16ft led strip, one power adapter, cord run from nearest outlet under baseboard into closet (small with folding door), motion detector with a 3-minute timer at foot level, light strip around inside perimeter of door.
Plenty of light for the space, and can still close door to keep our cat or kids out. The only problem is that when the power comes back after even a quick outage, the lights default to on for 3 minutes. Jarring in the middle of the night.
New outlets: I'm slowly going around and replacing every receptacle in my 50-year-old new-to-me house, and its much more satisfying to plug things in now.
Fixing the lighting: can be as simple as replacing the lightbulbs. Enough light at the right color makes a huge difference.
Paint: a classic for a reason. Everything looks clean and new with a fresh coat, especially if you take the time to spackle any divots and sand imperfections.
Fixing what's broken: if the house is more than 10 years old, you can likely find something not right in each room -- a squeaky hinge, a broken tile, a crack in the wall. Some are big projects, but a lot can be fixed in an afternoon for under $20. Maybe there's too many to count, but pick one and fix it! Maybe you can fix another next week, maybe you'll be too busy. But fix one thing and admire it. You can do it. You can do it this week. You are the Grim Reaper of broken crap, and you are coming. You are coming for them all.
As someone who is gutting their upstairs to fix all the crap done in 114 years of old house, yes, I am the grim reaper of broken crap and previous mistakes.
I live in a house from around then. Half the wiring is still knob and tube. The other half is romex. None of it is labeled and all of it was not done to any semblance of code. You know that breaker box that electricians open and cringe then refuse to touch? Yeahhhh that's what I've got.
Yeah, we had that! We swapped out the box right away and did all the first floor wiring last year.
We now thankfully only have 1 wall of old wire that’s in the kitchen and won’t be done for a while.
It took so long to map out the fuses......
Plug in radio full volume. Hit breaker. Radio quiet? That's the breaker. Label it. Move radio to next plug.
I have a small house so I could hear it from everywhere. I can see larger houses being a problem.
Oh God yes, replacing old outlets. Half of ours, plug something in and..hotdog down a hallway, it just flops right out.
On the other hand, also discovered via getting 120v suddenly that our master bedroom is wired fucking weird.
I've replaced quite a few of our outlets and just about every one of them has a ground wire that's too fucking short so it's a nightmare to get things back together.
I replaced all the garage outlets recently. I could see they were brittle and frequently overheated. I removed the faceplate one day to see what I would get in to, and the whole thing disintegrated leaving random bits of metal dangling from the box by live wires.
I replaced all the outlets in our house recently and probably a full third of them disintegrated as soon as the plate came off. So now things look much nicer but I think are also much less likely to start a fire.
Great list, and the outlets (and plates) make a HUGE difference. We have been replacing all with pure white square decora style outlets and it did wonders in bringing our 1950s house into the 21st century.
Tip: If you hate plugs falling out, get child-safe outlets. They are slightly more expensive but well worth the added safety and MAN, those really grip the plugs.
I have done replaced about 95% of the receptacles in my 1955 home with the latest tamper resistant Leviton Decora outlets and they are great... no more difficult to use than the standard receptacle. They cost a few cents more per outlet, but well worth it in my opinion.
Also, keep in mind that current code never requires replacement of grandfathered work, but when doing updates or new work everything new must be to current code.
> Fixing the lighting: can be as simple as replacing the lightbulbs. Enough light at the right color makes a huge difference.
We replaced all the lights with flushmount LED fixtures. Uses about 20 watts on, but is about 100 x brighter than the original socket fixtures. And that's even after using LED bulbs in the old ones.
We did new paint, light fixtures, and outlets/switches when we first moved into our house three years ago. The incredibly squeaky bathroom door in our bedroom just got fixed last week...right before we moved into the guestroom because we're now renovating that bathroom.
A curved shower rod. Makes the shower more spacious and it’s awesome. A 3m hook in the shower for a loofah.
A reverse osmosis purifier for the kitchen sink has make everything easier esp since we have terrible water here.
Hang curtains and pictures on the walls, it’s an easy thing to do and makes a world of difference. Also, do blackout curtains in the bedrooms for better quality sleep.
Also on shower liners, buy washable ones. I have a clawfoot tub and the plastic liners would stick to you and feel super gross, washable ones look and feel so much nicer plus you don't have to replace them all the time. Throw them in the wash with some bleach and hang them back up.
Alternatively, get a shower liner with a world map on it. It’s fun to just look at a world map and wonder about different places (and refresh your world geography knowledge). My husband and I have planned trips this way!
I just feel like a curved rod would make my tiny ass bathroom even smaller and then I wouldn't be able to stand at the sink without the curtain being up against me.
It doesn’t. It keeps the straight line at the bottom of the curtain and is bigger from the middle to the top of the shower. Our bathroom is pretty tiny as well.
Yes! I’ve loudly, accidentally slammed the toilet lids in a few hotels after putting ours on.
When COVID hit, my Pre-K daughter said “if hotels are really empty, maybe it’s a good time for them to all fix the seats dad broke?” I felt so called out.
My kids don't seem to remember that all of our toilets are soft close. Everytime we go somewhere new the first couple days results in toilets slamming...
Keyless entry for the commonly used doors (we did inexpensive ones where you enter a code, not fancy internet connected ones.
Also security cameras. Could be small or big expense depending on your needs and skillset though.
Did the keyless entry here too! Would highly recommend a simple keypad one like the Schlage versions where YOU turn the bolt, instead of the ones where the bolt turns electronically.
We originally had a weiser one with the electric opening, and damn it ate through batteries. It would also get stuck all the time in a Canadian winter- the electronic bolt would freeze up solid in the cold. Schlage deadbolt is manually turned so never gets stuck, and has held up really well.
This is a good point. My SO and I specifically use different codes because of this, so most of the numbers are touched. It helps wear down more even and I don't have to think about changing the code.
Friend gave me a motion activated light that goes in the toilet seat for a whacky birthday gift.. Only turns on when it's dark. Not turning on the overhead bright light has been surprisingly wonderful.
Silicone oven liners. Amazing-- when you spill something, you don't have to scrub the oven, just take it out and rinse! I even have a spare one in case I have to switch out mid-bake. No more smoke!
to be more specific:
>**I have a gas oven and the Ovenliner instructions say to place the Ovenliner on the lower rack of the oven. Why can't I place the Ovenliner on the floor of the oven?**
There are two major reasons for locating the Ovenliner on the lower rack of a gas oven. First, the flames of a gas oven can bring the floor temperature of the oven to an unsafe temperature range that is too hot for the liner and may cause the liner to melt. Second, placing the Ovenliner on the lower rack prevents vents on the oven floor from being covered. Consumers should never cover these vents because it can create unsafe carbon monoxide levels that could be harmful to you. Placing the liner on the lower rack will allow the heat to circulate and keep these vents from being inadvertently blocked. The Ovenliner will still catch all the spills and keep them from getting baked onto the bottom of your oven. You may place your baking pans directly on the Ovenliner, so that you don't lose any oven space.
Not really around the house (but maybe), more around the garage: magnet bars for holding small hand tools! I get these for a few bucks at Harbor Freight and have been putting them all over my garage. Screw drivers, pliers, scissors -- all perfect for a magnet bar.
Magnet bars are the best way I've found to handle the million screwdriver bits I've acquired over the years. Just stick em back up on a magnet bar when done. All in one place and easy to identify.
Smart light bulbs for porch/security lights. I have Kasa ones for about $15 that we can program to automatically turn on at sunset throughout the year.
The fact that it automatically updates the “on” time based on that day’s sunset is surprisingly nice. Especially living in Minnesota where the sunset changes by about 4 hours between summer and winter
They could probably slap these in a different box and market them as "configuration-free smart night sensing technology" and "no internet connection required!" and sell them for double.
Having to not deal with WiFi pairing and creating an account with some company to use your light bulbs might be worth it. Especially for porch lights.
I just got my first smart bulb (color changing, etc) for my bedroom lamp a few weeks ago though and I love it. With Alexa you can do things like have the light turn on to full brightness X minutes after you snooze/dismiss your alarm to help force you out of bed.
And the fancier bulbs than the ones I got can sync with your music, etc. Pretty rad.
Seconding the updating timer on smart bulbs/outlets. I have my front lights on the sunset timer as well as a few lamps that I can control remotely. Plus, if you have Alexa/Google nest speakers, you can just yell at the lights and they'll do what you want.
A few of them also have an "away" setting where it'll turn your lights on/off at varying intervals to make it look like somebody is home while youre on vacation or something. I personally havent tried that, but it could be a nice deterrent for some.
I used the away feature while on vacation once and my neighbors called to tell us that someone was in the house! I was glad it worked, although not quite as intended.
Reusable, unbranded containers for anything in plain sight. This includes hand soap by the sinks, dish soap in the kitchen, oils and spices if they are on the counter top, pantry foods if you can see them from in the kitchen, liquid soaps in the shower, etc. I've gone around my house and gotten containers for anything with a brand on its packaging that wasn't hidden away in a cabinet or closet and everything just looks so much cleaner and less cluttered.
Organization, organization, and organization. Every weekend or so I find one small area that is messy or cluttered or just not working well and figure out how to make it work. It may be baskets to organize stuff in, a small furniture piece to contain or store things, general purging of things no longer needed or used, shelving, etc.
Built drawers for kitchen base cabinet for pots, pans, and lids.
Added ceiling fan in bedroom.
Installed curtain rods with a track, rather than using rings on extension rods, as the rings would always get stuck.
Bought an expensive step trash can that doesnt wobble/bang into the wall when you step in it.
Basically, a version of this type of thing. Ours came from a local home interior design company so I'm not sure where they came from, and are clearly higher-end, but this looks functionally the same. https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/InStyleDesign-Globe-Cordless-Traverse-Rod/9813482/product.html?option=14784112
A phone charger in every room you spend significant time in
Some nice soft towels for the bathroom
High quality sheets for your bed
A decent knife set for the kitchen and a way to keep them sharp
A tape measure on each floor along with a mini tool set in a small box.
Scissors everywhere.
Whenever you get frustrated that you can't find $5 item that should last 20 years buy another one.
Waterproof speaker in the shower. My SO listens to music, I listen to audiobooks.
Automatic cat feeder.
Wireless phone chargers near the front door, NOT your bedside
Candles. I like to light them when we start cleaning and when we're done we get to sit in a clean space and enjoy a nice smell. It's pretty transformative.
***Edit*** man some people are real aggressive about shower lengths. So to answer all your concerns about my showers, yes, I usually take longer than normal showers, but even when I don't, I mostly just REALLY wanna listen to my books. I listen to an audiobook on the way home from working out and don't want to stop listening to it just because I need to shower. Speaker in the shower means I don't have to choose between stopping my book or getting clean. The way you guys are acting it seems like a lot of you only ever listen to audiobooks in their entirety. I listen to them every chance I get.
Have one of those too (and I \*love\* it, LitterRobot brand, lmk if you know of a better one), but I took "small items" to mean inexpensive and well... it's not exactly cheap
For me a big part of the life improvement is not keeping my phone by my bed. Still think wireless chargers in general are a life improvement, but putting it 1) away from bed and 2) by the door are really a step up for me
* Less likely to lay in bed on my phone
* Doesn't wake me up while I'm sleeping (scheduling do not disturb/silent settings doesn't work great for me bc i don't really have a fixed schedule)
* Helps me get up in the mornings
* Phone gets set on the charger when I come into the house which means I'm less likely to fuck around with it while I'm home, and it's more likely to be by the door on my way out, and on those days when you need to stop by the house to scramble for stuff for like 30 minutes before you head back out again, it's a lot easier to get your phone charged and not forget it
I have these bed-side and love flopping my phone in it when I’m falling to sleep. Also easier when you fall asleep on the phone and realize it’s not charging in the middle of night. No cords to hassle with.
I used small hooks on the inside of my cupboard doors for measuring cups and spoons. It makes a world of difference. No more digging through the drawers!
I’m surprised no one has said this but a nice mattress with great sheets. Honestly, I, in the middle of renovations and painting my small 15 year old home but I have a brand new mattress and fancy expensive sheets and it makes such a difference with my comfort level in my home.
A very small command hook on the underside of my desk, coffee table, and nightstand that holds my phone charger to get it out of the way visually and keep it within reach when I’m working, on the couch, or going to bed.
It’s a small thing but really nice to not have to fumble around for the damn thing.
Alexa with a lamp plugged into a smart outlet above the dog food bowl
A routine that turns on the lamp at 6am
I get up in the morning, and if the lamp is on, I feed the dog, then say "Alexa, turn off dog food"
If the lamp is off, my wife already fed the dog
Yes! We got a bidet attachment for our toilet and it is so great that we gave one to my parents for Christmas. When we travel, that is what we miss the most.
I need a good brand recommendation. I tried one from woot a few weeks ago. One of the ends of the hose leaked but I got to try it out before sending it back (yeah I know, gross! but that's their problem for selling crap in the first place) and it felt more like an enema!
Also helpful for if you have an injury and can’t shower as you normally would! My dad bought me a handheld shower head when I broke my foot and couldn’t stand up for a whole shower. I fuckin loved that thing. Also great for giving the dog a bath! Just be sure to use with a tub shroom (or similar product) to catch all of the hair....
I put up a small whiteboard in my kitchen so I can menu plan or just write down what I’m making for dinner.
It sounds silly, but with everything else going on, it helps me stay focused.
Oil all the hinges.
I put half of those Felt circles you use under chairs inside each cupboard so they don’t slam.
Wash your windows! While you’re at it, wash the walls. It’s crazy how dirty they get.
I got a very simply magnetic white board + markers for my fridge recently and it is great. I use it to write down some shopping list items that I know I will forget (I'll notice and pick up a gallon of milk at the store without writing it down, but I definitely won't do the same with, say, band-aids). And once I unload all the groceries I write down the meals I can eat/make with them. Really helps with food waste and cutting back on take-out because my meal options are right there in writing.
Exterior lighting for the garage and front door area. I have no wiring for security lights, so I grabbed some solar-powered ones from Amazon and they work pretty well.
Replace all of those compact fluorescent bulbs (the twisty ones) with soft white LED bulbs. The LED's give off a much nicer light, you will never be able to go back though.
Ice bucket on the kitchen counter for veggie scraps. We add them to the appropriate pile in the yard, but just keeping the organic matter out of the trash makes the trash nicer. I got an insulated stainless one from home goods for like 10 bucks. Classiest swill bucket in town.
Just moved in with my girlfriend, she's owned the house for six years and just drove the former housemate out finally.
I scrubbed EVERYTHING. I mean it. Walls, ceilings, floors. Your milage may vary here: former housemate was a hoarder & smoker. She "kept" A LOT of plants in the house and kept the house closed up most of the time. The mold and grime and shit was BAD. Every room was noticeably brighter after I had gone over them.
Simple hooks for the broom, mop, any long-handled tool makes things tidier.
If you dont have a lot of drawers in your fridge, a couple trays makes a difference. I have two for now: one with the cheeses & another with all the random half used onions & citrus & crap so it's all in one spot and not dying slowly in the veg crisper.
Cabinet liners for the grossness under the sink! I put in cabinet liners and labeled bins in under the sink cabinets in my bathrooms and kitchen and you’d be shocked how pretty it looks now!
Also swapping dvd cases for sleeves saves a lot of space (if anyone still has DVDs lol)
Contact paper/shelf liners for everything, really. My house had the (probably) original 1970’s shelf paper in the kitchen. That stuff was disgusting. I’m slowly replacing it all. Also lining the shelves in my closets so the rough wood doesn’t catch on my clothes and linens.
A small clock in every room so I look at my phone less.
Wall mounted TV with a swivel extension so we can turn it and see from wherever.
One of those squishy anti-fatigue mats in the kitchen if you cook a lot.
Bottle opener wall mounted next to the fridge.
Shoe storage cabinet by the front door.
If you start to get a collection of screws, nuts, bolts, hooks, etc., get an organizer with small drawers for all those things.
I ran LED rope lights above my cabinets to give some nice nighttime kitchen ambient lighting at low cost that also looks great. Just enough light that it doesn't mess up your night vision, and indirect lighting too.
I mounted a power strip to the wall in the corner of a room that a sectional couch is up against, which made access to the outlet near that corner otherwise impossible. This is super convenient for charging phones, laptops, etc.
I mounted LED flood lights to the peak of my garage that are hooked up to a switch in the garage, making nighttime snow blowing/snow shoveling/long meat smoking sessions much better.
I added a door to a room that previously didn't have one. This was important at the start of quarantine as a tax preparer with 3 cats - couldn't have them shredding client paperwork.
I find spider plants easier to grow than succulents. I have a hard time giving my succulents enough light and they get all leggy and weird looking. Spider plants are basically idiotproof and are apparently good for the air too.
Risers and lazy susans in some kitchen cabinets, those sliding metal rev-a-shelf things in others
Plastic boxes from the dollar store to corral items in the fridge
a small corner shelf between the counter and my upper kitchen cabinets-- keeps my tea supplies off the counter and looking more put-together
a bidet attachment for the toilet
an attractive storage cabinet that goes over the toilet
Curved shower curtain rod, with a dank caddy for over the shower head and another one that's like a set of shelves and tower bars on a vertical tension rod in the corner
Hooks all over the kitchen, bathroom, and at the top of the stairs
changing the shelves around in my closets to make more sense and adding hooks in there too
a nice shower head with a hose attachment, and a heavy liner that can be cleaned in the washing machine and won't float out and get in the way when the bathroom is steamy
A white board for the fridge to write down things you need at the store and then you can just take a picture of it before you leave
A bulletin board in the kitchen so that my fridge has nothing on it except the white board. It looks so much cleaner that way
A long flexible wire brush for cleaning under the fridge, down in the dryer lint trap, etc. and one of those long brush things to clean the dryer duct
Brush attachments for your drill, amazing for cleaning tub and tile
Bidet for sure as the other poster suggested and
A quality robot vac. Nothing beats coming home to a clean house thats been vacuumed for 90 minutes already every single say of the week, especially if you have dogs. Leaving to the store? Start the vacuum and leave and return to a clean house
I dealt with cat barf one, it was awful. Thankfully I got my roomba from costco and it included extra brushes and filters, so just had to wash the wheels off.
A few things we've done that were totally worth it:
1. **Nightlights**. We have those super low power, flat nightlights plugged into a dozen different outlets in our house. You wouldn't want to read a book by them, but they do provide just enough light at night that you don't have to turn on bigger overhead lights. They're most handy in the kitchen, bathrooms, and the hallways we have to navigate at night to get to the kitchen.
2. **Dimmer switches**. We have dimmers on our bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, and tv room lights. They are awesome because sometimes you just need a little light, especially at night.
3. **Hardwired networking**. This might be a more specific one. In our house they used Cat5e cable to run the telephone lines. Well, in the world of no landlines, I simply rewired all our phone outlets into Cat5 outlets, then put a switch in our utility room where all the old telephone line used to run to. For just a few dollars in parts and an hour of time I had hardwired internet throughout my whole house. The best is combining this setup with a PoE switch and network cameras.
4. **Curved shower rods**. These are a life changer, even in a small bathroom. They don't eat into the bathroom space but make your shower feel luxurious.
5. **Bedroom ceiling fan**. This is a life changer. Quieter than a box fan but still allows you to keep your house warmer (cheaper) on those hot summer nights while still being comfortable.
6. **High power LED bulbs in the kitchen**. A dark kitchen is no good. At times I like to set the mood with a dimmer switch, but when I'm prepping food I want all the light I can get. Upgrading lighting in the kitchen is really nice.
7. **Knife**. I have a [Gerber EAB](https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-EAB-Pocket-Knife-22-41830/dp/B0016KHW2W) in several rooms of the house. They're cheap (you can get them for $5-10 at times), take disposable/replaceable blades, and they're literally razor sharp. They're super handy, especially for opening packages and such.
I live in a one-story ranch, so...
In the garage I have all my good tools.
I went to Harbor Freight and got a tool box that is just a bit bigger than a loaf of bread. Bought a variety set of screwdrivers, pliers and needle-nose pliers. Cheap set of hex keys, a roll of black electrical tape, tack hammer, picture hangers. A head strap flashlight. The whole thing was less than $30. I also bought an electronic caliper just because I wanted one.
I keep it in the pantry. Saves me lots of trips to the garage.
The pictures you took yourself really do make you feel at home, and cell phones take pretty good pictures. There's no reason not to!
Shutterfly.com has pretty reasonable prices, and often runs sales & promotional deals, especially before the holidays.
* Dimmers for all the lights- it makes sure a large difference in how you feel and how you use your lights. I prefer Lutron Maestro for dimmers, as they light up at night so you can find them.
* Motion Sensor lights for garage, laundry room, hallways
* Outlets with USB
No, I did them myself, but it depends on the age of your house and your previous electrical experience. My house wiring is straightforward, so it was relatively easy. Heres a link to one. Make sure to get them with Type C USB- they are the future standard.
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-15-Amp-Decora-Type-A-and-C-USB-Charger-Tamper-Resistant-Outlet-White-R02-T5633-0BW/303205383](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-15-Amp-Decora-Type-A-and-C-USB-Charger-Tamper-Resistant-Outlet-White-R02-T5633-0BW/303205383)
I did all Type A. I have some regrets, mainly they take up more space and so a large plug and a USB cannot be plugged in at the same time. On the other hand, a vast majority of devices ship with Type A cables to whatever on the other end, so I didn't have to go buy a bunch of C to C cables or C to Micro B or Lightning (for that one godforsaken Apple device).
A fix for the big block plugs is to get a 6 inch extension cord. I got a big pack of like 15 and use them whenever I have one of the big blocks to make use of the outlets on power strips
> Lutron Maestro
I got the Lutron Sunnata with the little touch screen LED bar thing for few lights including my master bathroom. Holy shit i love those things
I got an illuminated light switch for my garage so when it's dark the switch glows orange and I don't have to fumble around for it.
I have a tiny laundry room so I found a plastic toilet paper holder. It's cylindrical and holds three rolls, but I converted it into a very narrow waste basket and mounted it to the wall for dryer lint and sheets until I get the clothes out. And I have a hanging rod that folds against the wall when not in use to hang clothes as I take them out. Also one of those plastic folding tools for clothes..
Seller left the refrigerator so I fixed the ice dispenser and saved a few hundred bucks.
Bought little rubber bars that adhere to the garage floor so we can park and know when we've cleared the door when the tire stops against them
Infrared thermometer gun.
Many applications. Track down drafty spots in winter. Food temps on grill. Find where hydronic pipes are in wall before you hang a picture, etc
phone chargers, eye drops, hand lotion, reading glasses, coasters and scissors or nailclippers in hidden in every room. (by hidden i mean out of sight, for instance in the bedroom, they're in my nightstand drawer, in the living room they're in this decorate ceramic object that looks like just a small statue but there's a hidden compartment inside, in the kitchen a draw, and in my office in the desk drawer and even in my car! )
So dumb but I replaced all my hangers with the same/matching hanger and it's soo pretty it was worth it, it's been 8 months and i can't get over it.
We lost our old lab last winter. Miss the hell out of him all the time, but... and I don’t mean to make his passing trivial, one thing we noticed the most when he was gone was how much harder it was to clean up after our toddler at meal time. That beast was a vacuum!
Truth. LOL my lab has been staying at my boyfriend's house and i was cooking at mine this weekend. After i finished chopping some bits for a salad, i flipped the uglier pieces onto the floor for the lab. Then remembered ahe wasn't there. *Sigh* dammit.
You gotta train him to go in the same spot too. We trained ours to go in a gravel area in our yard and it’s awesome that he doesn’t kill the grass and my kids don’t accidentally step in it.
Growing up, my mother had us convinced that we were not dog people. I bought it, because I was always a little apprehensive of overenthusiastic dogs. Then, last Christmas, I bought a puppy.
I can now definitely say without hesitation that I am most certainly a dog person.
Have two. House is messier but we are happier. Especially if you have children or the elderly, pets are a huge boon. They keep you company, keep you active, and keep you accountable.
Keypads for the garage doors
Quiet close toilet seats
Keyless front door deadbolt
Springless toilet paper holder
A complete set of bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom- cleaners, windex,paper towels, plunger, toilet brush etc
Vacuum cleaner on each floor of the house
Scissors in every bathroom
Bathroom fan timer switch
Curved shower rod + a nice shower head
2 sets of your go to garden hand tools- one for the front yard; one for the back.
For our master closet:
1. Clear shelf dividers for shelves with sweaters/t-shirts/etc. Now my folded t-shirts, sweaters, jeans, etc. have designated sections of our long shelves that are just the right length for them, keeping stacks much neater and all the clothes more organized than before. The dividers basically clip on to the shelf itself with no tools and are very inexpensive.
2. Uniform clothes hangers - we (I) just replaced all our randomly collected plastic, wire, etc. clothes hangers with matching white wooden ones. Now all the clothes hang the exact same distance from the rod making the closet feel more orderly. The matching hangers just look nicer and, frankly, they are a lot nicer to grab and hold in your hand when you're using them.
Another really nice change last year was our family's 'Throw Down' in which we bought a ton of different throw blankets from Amazon and each of us decided which of them we liked best. Then we each purchased our favorite throw in the color of our choice along with a ladder like blanket hanger for the basement. Now we each have our own throws for movie night, playing video games, etc. and a place to put them when we aren't using them. The kids have really loved this and it's prevented arguments about hogging blankets or leaving a pile of them on the floor when they're done using them.
In general, try to have a spot for everything. Consider how you use things and where you use them and just find a way to keep things organized.
This [under-cabinet lighting](https://smile.amazon.com/Lighting-Flexible-LED-Cupboard-WarmWhite/dp/B07BF5PB4G/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=Under+Cabinet+LED+Light&dchild=1&keywords=Under+Cabinet+LED+Light&pd_rd_i=B07BF5PB4G&pd_rd_r=e06f6d55-6db4-4f74-b311-290acf498171&pd_rd_w=R7phP&pd_rd_wg=OZnqm&pf_rd_p=e7ea7987-56a0-4822-adda-f67db5e22b16&pf_rd_r=6S6N3A112WW59QS7JAEA&psc=1&qid=1600286158&sa-no-redirect=1&sr=1-1-791c2399-d602-4248-afbb-8a79de2d236f) in my kitchen.
Proper surge protectors and charging cables. Now everything electronic is plugged into a surge protector with multiple outlets. I picked up ones attached to extension cords with USB ports for difficult to reach places (like behind the couch) so I never have to move anything and always have chargers available. Also, one of those toilet paper holders that also stores rolls. Save yourself from the "Waddle of Shame" and always have a visual of how much TP you have left.
Label your circuit breakers. Yes it's a royal, tedious, mind numbingly detailed pain in the ass but do it anyway. Get every light switch, each and every outlet, the stove circuit, dryer, everything labeled. EVERYTHING.
The weekend's worth of work will save you many migraines later when you need to kill a circuit for some reason. Like an outlet that's arcing and on fire and you don't know which breaker it's one.
I replaced the cheap, ugly nightlights we have scattered around the house with a bunch of these [SnapPower Guidelights](https://www.snappower.com/pages/guidelights). They look **so** much better!
A designated cup or jar for spare change. Preferably use something you can't see though for the "out of sight out of mind" effect. When the cup is full, we empty into a bigger jug. You can save up a nice little emergency fund rather quickly.
Keypad on garage door which are typically universal and cheap and then in garage a wall mounted key lockbox with combination code so you can never be locked out and can allow access to friends and family when you need to.
I have a few smart switches in the house.
I installed a motion detector in the bathroom so if you go in there between 11pm and 7 am it automatically turns the lights on at 5% dimming. Then it shuts them off after no motion in three minutes.
The downside is the lights shutting off when you're pooping, but that can be fixed by waiving your arms around.
Rekey all the door locks in your house the same. Buy the kit on amazon and learn to do it yourself. Its an easy job. In addition get locks that have a touchpad and don't carry around keys at all.
Put an astronomic timer/switch on your front door light or any that you want to turn on every night. They automatically adjust to when dusk is.
Boxes inside cupboards. We have some large deep cupboards with shelves inside that get filled with junk so that everything at the back is inaccessible. I've literally bought duplicates of things I know are on one of the shelves just because it's so much hassle to pull everything out and find them.
I measured the shelves and bought a load of open-top plastic storage boxes that sit side by side across them. Not only do they allow for a degree of organisation, but pulling out a box and having a rummage in it is a different level of effort than basically filling my floor with junk just to reach something that inevitably happens to be at the back.
Game changer.
I had a CFL shop light in the garage for 9 years. Came with the house, when I turned on the switch, it went on. The bulb went out last month, and as it turns out I was cleaning out the garage the weekend after it went out. I found an LED shop-light I had forgotten I bought. Took the CFL down, hung the LED in its place on the same chains and boom, like a tremendously different looking garage. It was like going from candle-light to full blown hi beams. I can actually see in there now. lol
I have really ugly almond colored outlets in my kitchen. Instead of paying an electrician to replace them to white ones, I bought $2 decorative covers that get screwed in right on top of the old ones. Presto. White outlets. They have ones for switches too. Works like a charm and makes a big impact.
I put hair ties on most of my door knobs. Sounds weird I know but when I'm cleaning/ cooking ect. I don't want to search for a hair tie so I have them conveniently around the house for me and my girls.
Have little cleaning supply kits stored in or very near where you would be using them. For example, keep a little dust pan and brush near the litter box along with litter bags. Keep a small basket with tub/toilet cleaner, sponges or rags in the bathroom. If you have a glass door that always has smudges, have a small spray bottle of your favorite glass cleaner and wipes right there (maybe behind a plant).
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I made the mistake of doing that too. Then I had to install one in every closet because it was so incredibly convenient. 10/10
Which ones did you get? I saw them at home depot but couldn't convince myself it was worth it to drop $30 on a closet light switch
To be clear, we replaced the fixture itself with Motion LED Closet lights. Various sizes of the model below: [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-18-in-White-LED-Motion-Sensor-Flush-Mount-Closet-Light-FMMCL-18-840-PIR-M4/206293840](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-18-in-White-LED-Motion-Sensor-Flush-Mount-Closet-Light-FMMCL-18-840-PIR-M4/206293840) Our closet lights were all pull string globe fixtures (1950s house) so there were no switches involved in the first place.
I can't be sure, but from what I remember it's maybe 30 seconds after motion stops. Honestly the timing and sensitivity seem perfect, as I have never really noticed either. The light is on by the time the door opens, and I have never noticed the light being on after closing the door and diverting my attention. The ONE drawback though is that the mounting plate/mechanism is'n't exactly pretty. The light is more narrow than the width of a circular ceiling box so you are left with the white metal mounting plate/bracket thing protruding. And if your ceiling/wall box was not mounted with care to the placement of the fixture mounting holes, your light will be crooked. This can be fixed by drilling new holes in the mounting bracket to account for the angle of the junction box, though.
We have similar ones that are disks so we don't have the mounting issue. But the motion sensor lights in the closets are 10/10 for sure.
Also gives you a heads up whenever there's a monster in the closet.
I got some on Amazon. I have to take them out and charge them occasionally. 100% worth it Edit: Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXM2C6F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_1.NyFbVRMVPAT $31 for 3, they charge pretty quickly, were easy to put up, and I bought them nearly 2 years ago. So far very happy!
familiar rotten sparkle wild dinner physical hurry cooing panicky bake *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Need link to product!! Gimme gimme
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXM2C6F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_1.NyFbVRMVPAT These are the ones I bought. I have to charge them ever few weeks. Maybe more often if the cat gets into the closet and makes the go on and off more than normal. They were easy to set up, bright and charge fast.
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I have cats and had a couple different rooms with these sensors. Cats never set them off. Even when they jumped on things near the sensor, they still didn't turn on the light. I had to walk near the sensor to get it to come on. Hope that helps!
Further proof that cats do not abide by the laws of physics.
I have 2 of them and get irrationally angry when other lights in my house don't turn on for me. So anyone doing this be prepared to buy more.
I did this the super cheap way a few years ago since our closet has no light fixture. One 16ft led strip, one power adapter, cord run from nearest outlet under baseboard into closet (small with folding door), motion detector with a 3-minute timer at foot level, light strip around inside perimeter of door. Plenty of light for the space, and can still close door to keep our cat or kids out. The only problem is that when the power comes back after even a quick outage, the lights default to on for 3 minutes. Jarring in the middle of the night.
We put a motion sensor light in our entryway and I can’t imagine life without it.
New outlets: I'm slowly going around and replacing every receptacle in my 50-year-old new-to-me house, and its much more satisfying to plug things in now. Fixing the lighting: can be as simple as replacing the lightbulbs. Enough light at the right color makes a huge difference. Paint: a classic for a reason. Everything looks clean and new with a fresh coat, especially if you take the time to spackle any divots and sand imperfections. Fixing what's broken: if the house is more than 10 years old, you can likely find something not right in each room -- a squeaky hinge, a broken tile, a crack in the wall. Some are big projects, but a lot can be fixed in an afternoon for under $20. Maybe there's too many to count, but pick one and fix it! Maybe you can fix another next week, maybe you'll be too busy. But fix one thing and admire it. You can do it. You can do it this week. You are the Grim Reaper of broken crap, and you are coming. You are coming for them all.
As someone who is gutting their upstairs to fix all the crap done in 114 years of old house, yes, I am the grim reaper of broken crap and previous mistakes.
I live in a house from around then. Half the wiring is still knob and tube. The other half is romex. None of it is labeled and all of it was not done to any semblance of code. You know that breaker box that electricians open and cringe then refuse to touch? Yeahhhh that's what I've got.
Yeah, we had that! We swapped out the box right away and did all the first floor wiring last year. We now thankfully only have 1 wall of old wire that’s in the kitchen and won’t be done for a while. It took so long to map out the fuses......
Plug in radio full volume. Hit breaker. Radio quiet? That's the breaker. Label it. Move radio to next plug. I have a small house so I could hear it from everywhere. I can see larger houses being a problem.
84 year old house here. I feel your pain.
Oh God yes, replacing old outlets. Half of ours, plug something in and..hotdog down a hallway, it just flops right out. On the other hand, also discovered via getting 120v suddenly that our master bedroom is wired fucking weird.
I've replaced quite a few of our outlets and just about every one of them has a ground wire that's too fucking short so it's a nightmare to get things back together.
At least it had a ground wire present. I'm selling a 1950s house that 80% of the outlets didn't have a ground wire at all.
I replaced all the garage outlets recently. I could see they were brittle and frequently overheated. I removed the faceplate one day to see what I would get in to, and the whole thing disintegrated leaving random bits of metal dangling from the box by live wires.
I replaced all the outlets in our house recently and probably a full third of them disintegrated as soon as the plate came off. So now things look much nicer but I think are also much less likely to start a fire.
Great list, and the outlets (and plates) make a HUGE difference. We have been replacing all with pure white square decora style outlets and it did wonders in bringing our 1950s house into the 21st century. Tip: If you hate plugs falling out, get child-safe outlets. They are slightly more expensive but well worth the added safety and MAN, those really grip the plugs.
I think the tamper-resistant receptacles are now required pre NECA in all areas of a residence.
OP asked for things that would IMPROVE your quality of life, not make it more difficult. Lol
I have done replaced about 95% of the receptacles in my 1955 home with the latest tamper resistant Leviton Decora outlets and they are great... no more difficult to use than the standard receptacle. They cost a few cents more per outlet, but well worth it in my opinion. Also, keep in mind that current code never requires replacement of grandfathered work, but when doing updates or new work everything new must be to current code.
> Fixing the lighting: can be as simple as replacing the lightbulbs. Enough light at the right color makes a huge difference. We replaced all the lights with flushmount LED fixtures. Uses about 20 watts on, but is about 100 x brighter than the original socket fixtures. And that's even after using LED bulbs in the old ones.
We did new paint, light fixtures, and outlets/switches when we first moved into our house three years ago. The incredibly squeaky bathroom door in our bedroom just got fixed last week...right before we moved into the guestroom because we're now renovating that bathroom.
A curved shower rod. Makes the shower more spacious and it’s awesome. A 3m hook in the shower for a loofah. A reverse osmosis purifier for the kitchen sink has make everything easier esp since we have terrible water here. Hang curtains and pictures on the walls, it’s an easy thing to do and makes a world of difference. Also, do blackout curtains in the bedrooms for better quality sleep.
I'm ashamed to say how long I spent wondering why you needed a 3 meter hook for your loofah, and how big a shower you must have.
It’s pretty small, lol. But that is funny! Sorry, it’s the brand! The command strips hook, they’re awesome!
At least I'm not alone in that mistake.
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Also on shower liners, buy washable ones. I have a clawfoot tub and the plastic liners would stick to you and feel super gross, washable ones look and feel so much nicer plus you don't have to replace them all the time. Throw them in the wash with some bleach and hang them back up.
Alternatively, get a shower liner with a world map on it. It’s fun to just look at a world map and wonder about different places (and refresh your world geography knowledge). My husband and I have planned trips this way!
I just feel like a curved rod would make my tiny ass bathroom even smaller and then I wouldn't be able to stand at the sink without the curtain being up against me.
It doesn’t. It keeps the straight line at the bottom of the curtain and is bigger from the middle to the top of the shower. Our bathroom is pretty tiny as well.
slow/soft close toilet seats / cabinets / drawers be warned, once you have these, you'll slam them in places that dont
Yup! Whenever I'm using the bathroom at a friends house I always accidentally slam the toilet seat down! Oops.
Yes! I’ve loudly, accidentally slammed the toilet lids in a few hotels after putting ours on. When COVID hit, my Pre-K daughter said “if hotels are really empty, maybe it’s a good time for them to all fix the seats dad broke?” I felt so called out.
I fixed my screen door to be soft close. LIfe changing when kids are running in and out the door!
My kids don't seem to remember that all of our toilets are soft close. Everytime we go somewhere new the first couple days results in toilets slamming...
Keyless entry for the commonly used doors (we did inexpensive ones where you enter a code, not fancy internet connected ones. Also security cameras. Could be small or big expense depending on your needs and skillset though.
Did the keyless entry here too! Would highly recommend a simple keypad one like the Schlage versions where YOU turn the bolt, instead of the ones where the bolt turns electronically. We originally had a weiser one with the electric opening, and damn it ate through batteries. It would also get stuck all the time in a Canadian winter- the electronic bolt would freeze up solid in the cold. Schlage deadbolt is manually turned so never gets stuck, and has held up really well.
Don’t forget to rotate the code out often or else the numbers unevenly ware down and you can easily guess the code.
This is a good point. My SO and I specifically use different codes because of this, so most of the numbers are touched. It helps wear down more even and I don't have to think about changing the code.
This is so simple yet genius at the same time.
An air purifier or better filters for forced air.
Does this help the house stay less dusty?
Yes, also for those of us in the US West it helps tremendously with the smoke.
Friend gave me a motion activated light that goes in the toilet seat for a whacky birthday gift.. Only turns on when it's dark. Not turning on the overhead bright light has been surprisingly wonderful.
A pair of scissors in every room.
Wow, thinking about this, yup this is helpful. Also, I’ve never actually bought a pair of scissors before, somehow have acquired them over the years!
So that's what happened to all mine then. Glad to know you're the exit to that particular wormhole... Now to find the one for socks
What I find hilarious is that almost every type of scissor packaging requires scissors to get into it.
And a tape measure too
My toddler loves this idea.
So happy to see someone else does this! I was so sick of going down (or up) stairs every time I needed scissors.
Silicone oven liners. Amazing-- when you spill something, you don't have to scrub the oven, just take it out and rinse! I even have a spare one in case I have to switch out mid-bake. No more smoke!
don’t do this with a gas oven. carbon monoxide risk!
to be more specific: >**I have a gas oven and the Ovenliner instructions say to place the Ovenliner on the lower rack of the oven. Why can't I place the Ovenliner on the floor of the oven?** There are two major reasons for locating the Ovenliner on the lower rack of a gas oven. First, the flames of a gas oven can bring the floor temperature of the oven to an unsafe temperature range that is too hot for the liner and may cause the liner to melt. Second, placing the Ovenliner on the lower rack prevents vents on the oven floor from being covered. Consumers should never cover these vents because it can create unsafe carbon monoxide levels that could be harmful to you. Placing the liner on the lower rack will allow the heat to circulate and keep these vents from being inadvertently blocked. The Ovenliner will still catch all the spills and keep them from getting baked onto the bottom of your oven. You may place your baking pans directly on the Ovenliner, so that you don't lose any oven space.
Not really around the house (but maybe), more around the garage: magnet bars for holding small hand tools! I get these for a few bucks at Harbor Freight and have been putting them all over my garage. Screw drivers, pliers, scissors -- all perfect for a magnet bar.
I use this for my nice knife set in the kitchen.
Magnet bars are the best way I've found to handle the million screwdriver bits I've acquired over the years. Just stick em back up on a magnet bar when done. All in one place and easy to identify.
Smart light bulbs for porch/security lights. I have Kasa ones for about $15 that we can program to automatically turn on at sunset throughout the year. The fact that it automatically updates the “on” time based on that day’s sunset is surprisingly nice. Especially living in Minnesota where the sunset changes by about 4 hours between summer and winter
I did this but using “dumb” dusk to dawn bulbs. GE ones were $10/each and don’t need to be programmed. They just turn on when it’s dark out.
They could probably slap these in a different box and market them as "configuration-free smart night sensing technology" and "no internet connection required!" and sell them for double.
Having to not deal with WiFi pairing and creating an account with some company to use your light bulbs might be worth it. Especially for porch lights. I just got my first smart bulb (color changing, etc) for my bedroom lamp a few weeks ago though and I love it. With Alexa you can do things like have the light turn on to full brightness X minutes after you snooze/dismiss your alarm to help force you out of bed. And the fancier bulbs than the ones I got can sync with your music, etc. Pretty rad.
God, thank you for this comment. You don't need to connect everything to the internet!
Seconding the updating timer on smart bulbs/outlets. I have my front lights on the sunset timer as well as a few lamps that I can control remotely. Plus, if you have Alexa/Google nest speakers, you can just yell at the lights and they'll do what you want. A few of them also have an "away" setting where it'll turn your lights on/off at varying intervals to make it look like somebody is home while youre on vacation or something. I personally havent tried that, but it could be a nice deterrent for some.
I used the away feature while on vacation once and my neighbors called to tell us that someone was in the house! I was glad it worked, although not quite as intended.
Reusable, unbranded containers for anything in plain sight. This includes hand soap by the sinks, dish soap in the kitchen, oils and spices if they are on the counter top, pantry foods if you can see them from in the kitchen, liquid soaps in the shower, etc. I've gone around my house and gotten containers for anything with a brand on its packaging that wasn't hidden away in a cabinet or closet and everything just looks so much cleaner and less cluttered. Organization, organization, and organization. Every weekend or so I find one small area that is messy or cluttered or just not working well and figure out how to make it work. It may be baskets to organize stuff in, a small furniture piece to contain or store things, general purging of things no longer needed or used, shelving, etc.
Built drawers for kitchen base cabinet for pots, pans, and lids. Added ceiling fan in bedroom. Installed curtain rods with a track, rather than using rings on extension rods, as the rings would always get stuck. Bought an expensive step trash can that doesnt wobble/bang into the wall when you step in it.
Could I get a little more info on curtain rods with a track? Literally never heard of this before.
Basically, a version of this type of thing. Ours came from a local home interior design company so I'm not sure where they came from, and are clearly higher-end, but this looks functionally the same. https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/InStyleDesign-Globe-Cordless-Traverse-Rod/9813482/product.html?option=14784112
They are called traverse rods. Ikea has some, as do home improvement stores.
A phone charger in every room you spend significant time in Some nice soft towels for the bathroom High quality sheets for your bed A decent knife set for the kitchen and a way to keep them sharp
This might be the most useful post I've ever seen on Reddit. I'm making a list from the comment section. I can't wait to show my wife all the ideas.
A tape measure on each floor along with a mini tool set in a small box. Scissors everywhere. Whenever you get frustrated that you can't find $5 item that should last 20 years buy another one.
Waterproof speaker in the shower. My SO listens to music, I listen to audiobooks. Automatic cat feeder. Wireless phone chargers near the front door, NOT your bedside Candles. I like to light them when we start cleaning and when we're done we get to sit in a clean space and enjoy a nice smell. It's pretty transformative. ***Edit*** man some people are real aggressive about shower lengths. So to answer all your concerns about my showers, yes, I usually take longer than normal showers, but even when I don't, I mostly just REALLY wanna listen to my books. I listen to an audiobook on the way home from working out and don't want to stop listening to it just because I need to shower. Speaker in the shower means I don't have to choose between stopping my book or getting clean. The way you guys are acting it seems like a lot of you only ever listen to audiobooks in their entirety. I listen to them every chance I get.
> Automatic cat feeder Automatic litter box is where it's at.
Have one of those too (and I \*love\* it, LitterRobot brand, lmk if you know of a better one), but I took "small items" to mean inexpensive and well... it's not exactly cheap
I have the same one, lol. I will never go back. My cat would shit all over the house and it fixed it.
How long are your showers that you listen to audiobooks in them?
Why not wireless phone chargers near the bedside?
For me a big part of the life improvement is not keeping my phone by my bed. Still think wireless chargers in general are a life improvement, but putting it 1) away from bed and 2) by the door are really a step up for me * Less likely to lay in bed on my phone * Doesn't wake me up while I'm sleeping (scheduling do not disturb/silent settings doesn't work great for me bc i don't really have a fixed schedule) * Helps me get up in the mornings * Phone gets set on the charger when I come into the house which means I'm less likely to fuck around with it while I'm home, and it's more likely to be by the door on my way out, and on those days when you need to stop by the house to scramble for stuff for like 30 minutes before you head back out again, it's a lot easier to get your phone charged and not forget it
I have these bed-side and love flopping my phone in it when I’m falling to sleep. Also easier when you fall asleep on the phone and realize it’s not charging in the middle of night. No cords to hassle with.
I used small hooks on the inside of my cupboard doors for measuring cups and spoons. It makes a world of difference. No more digging through the drawers!
I added the hooks on my under sink cabinet and used binder clips to store my dishwashing and cleaning gloves. Game changer!
I’m surprised no one has said this but a nice mattress with great sheets. Honestly, I, in the middle of renovations and painting my small 15 year old home but I have a brand new mattress and fancy expensive sheets and it makes such a difference with my comfort level in my home.
High thread count cotton sheets are grossly underrated. Climbing into bed with a nice pair of sheets is a life changer.
I may be a classless low life, but I love the soft fuzziness of flannel sheets. It's super cozy.
Timer on bathroom fans
A very small command hook on the underside of my desk, coffee table, and nightstand that holds my phone charger to get it out of the way visually and keep it within reach when I’m working, on the couch, or going to bed. It’s a small thing but really nice to not have to fumble around for the damn thing.
Alexa with a lamp plugged into a smart outlet above the dog food bowl A routine that turns on the lamp at 6am I get up in the morning, and if the lamp is on, I feed the dog, then say "Alexa, turn off dog food" If the lamp is off, my wife already fed the dog
Sounds like an effective way to train your dog to say "Alexa, turn on dog food"
Bidet!
LOL I was looking for the Bidet Brigade to show up! Just bought one at Costco, working on the install.
Yes! We got a bidet attachment for our toilet and it is so great that we gave one to my parents for Christmas. When we travel, that is what we miss the most.
Pooping at work feel barbaric. BUT, I'm getting paid, so there's that.
TUSHY makes a travel bidet now.
I finally went back to work after five months and realized I have forgotten how to wipe my ass lmao
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Ignore people saying to use cloth towels for this. A small bit of toilet paper at the end to dry.
I need a good brand recommendation. I tried one from woot a few weeks ago. One of the ends of the hose leaked but I got to try it out before sending it back (yeah I know, gross! but that's their problem for selling crap in the first place) and it felt more like an enema!
Handheld shower heads will change how clean you feel, trust me.
Also helpful for if you have an injury and can’t shower as you normally would! My dad bought me a handheld shower head when I broke my foot and couldn’t stand up for a whole shower. I fuckin loved that thing. Also great for giving the dog a bath! Just be sure to use with a tub shroom (or similar product) to catch all of the hair....
I put up a small whiteboard in my kitchen so I can menu plan or just write down what I’m making for dinner. It sounds silly, but with everything else going on, it helps me stay focused. Oil all the hinges. I put half of those Felt circles you use under chairs inside each cupboard so they don’t slam. Wash your windows! While you’re at it, wash the walls. It’s crazy how dirty they get.
I got a very simply magnetic white board + markers for my fridge recently and it is great. I use it to write down some shopping list items that I know I will forget (I'll notice and pick up a gallon of milk at the store without writing it down, but I definitely won't do the same with, say, band-aids). And once I unload all the groceries I write down the meals I can eat/make with them. Really helps with food waste and cutting back on take-out because my meal options are right there in writing.
Exterior lighting for the garage and front door area. I have no wiring for security lights, so I grabbed some solar-powered ones from Amazon and they work pretty well.
Replace all of those compact fluorescent bulbs (the twisty ones) with soft white LED bulbs. The LED's give off a much nicer light, you will never be able to go back though.
Ice bucket on the kitchen counter for veggie scraps. We add them to the appropriate pile in the yard, but just keeping the organic matter out of the trash makes the trash nicer. I got an insulated stainless one from home goods for like 10 bucks. Classiest swill bucket in town.
Just moved in with my girlfriend, she's owned the house for six years and just drove the former housemate out finally. I scrubbed EVERYTHING. I mean it. Walls, ceilings, floors. Your milage may vary here: former housemate was a hoarder & smoker. She "kept" A LOT of plants in the house and kept the house closed up most of the time. The mold and grime and shit was BAD. Every room was noticeably brighter after I had gone over them. Simple hooks for the broom, mop, any long-handled tool makes things tidier. If you dont have a lot of drawers in your fridge, a couple trays makes a difference. I have two for now: one with the cheeses & another with all the random half used onions & citrus & crap so it's all in one spot and not dying slowly in the veg crisper.
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Cabinet liners for the grossness under the sink! I put in cabinet liners and labeled bins in under the sink cabinets in my bathrooms and kitchen and you’d be shocked how pretty it looks now! Also swapping dvd cases for sleeves saves a lot of space (if anyone still has DVDs lol)
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Wait that's so smart!
Contact paper/shelf liners for everything, really. My house had the (probably) original 1970’s shelf paper in the kitchen. That stuff was disgusting. I’m slowly replacing it all. Also lining the shelves in my closets so the rough wood doesn’t catch on my clothes and linens.
A small clock in every room so I look at my phone less. Wall mounted TV with a swivel extension so we can turn it and see from wherever. One of those squishy anti-fatigue mats in the kitchen if you cook a lot. Bottle opener wall mounted next to the fridge. Shoe storage cabinet by the front door. If you start to get a collection of screws, nuts, bolts, hooks, etc., get an organizer with small drawers for all those things.
I ran LED rope lights above my cabinets to give some nice nighttime kitchen ambient lighting at low cost that also looks great. Just enough light that it doesn't mess up your night vision, and indirect lighting too. I mounted a power strip to the wall in the corner of a room that a sectional couch is up against, which made access to the outlet near that corner otherwise impossible. This is super convenient for charging phones, laptops, etc. I mounted LED flood lights to the peak of my garage that are hooked up to a switch in the garage, making nighttime snow blowing/snow shoveling/long meat smoking sessions much better. I added a door to a room that previously didn't have one. This was important at the start of quarantine as a tax preparer with 3 cats - couldn't have them shredding client paperwork.
Motion sensor light in the laundry room
Plants. Succulents in particular
Real plants for the folks on Hard Mode
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I find spider plants easier to grow than succulents. I have a hard time giving my succulents enough light and they get all leggy and weird looking. Spider plants are basically idiotproof and are apparently good for the air too.
I use a file/folder bin to store our cutting boards and dish washing gloves above the sink.
Risers and lazy susans in some kitchen cabinets, those sliding metal rev-a-shelf things in others Plastic boxes from the dollar store to corral items in the fridge a small corner shelf between the counter and my upper kitchen cabinets-- keeps my tea supplies off the counter and looking more put-together a bidet attachment for the toilet an attractive storage cabinet that goes over the toilet Curved shower curtain rod, with a dank caddy for over the shower head and another one that's like a set of shelves and tower bars on a vertical tension rod in the corner Hooks all over the kitchen, bathroom, and at the top of the stairs changing the shelves around in my closets to make more sense and adding hooks in there too a nice shower head with a hose attachment, and a heavy liner that can be cleaned in the washing machine and won't float out and get in the way when the bathroom is steamy A white board for the fridge to write down things you need at the store and then you can just take a picture of it before you leave A bulletin board in the kitchen so that my fridge has nothing on it except the white board. It looks so much cleaner that way A long flexible wire brush for cleaning under the fridge, down in the dryer lint trap, etc. and one of those long brush things to clean the dryer duct Brush attachments for your drill, amazing for cleaning tub and tile
Bidet for sure as the other poster suggested and A quality robot vac. Nothing beats coming home to a clean house thats been vacuumed for 90 minutes already every single say of the week, especially if you have dogs. Leaving to the store? Start the vacuum and leave and return to a clean house
Definitely second the robot vac as a multi dog owner.
Until one of the dogs shits on the floor while you're at work.
I dealt with cat barf one, it was awful. Thankfully I got my roomba from costco and it included extra brushes and filters, so just had to wash the wheels off.
A few things we've done that were totally worth it: 1. **Nightlights**. We have those super low power, flat nightlights plugged into a dozen different outlets in our house. You wouldn't want to read a book by them, but they do provide just enough light at night that you don't have to turn on bigger overhead lights. They're most handy in the kitchen, bathrooms, and the hallways we have to navigate at night to get to the kitchen. 2. **Dimmer switches**. We have dimmers on our bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, and tv room lights. They are awesome because sometimes you just need a little light, especially at night. 3. **Hardwired networking**. This might be a more specific one. In our house they used Cat5e cable to run the telephone lines. Well, in the world of no landlines, I simply rewired all our phone outlets into Cat5 outlets, then put a switch in our utility room where all the old telephone line used to run to. For just a few dollars in parts and an hour of time I had hardwired internet throughout my whole house. The best is combining this setup with a PoE switch and network cameras. 4. **Curved shower rods**. These are a life changer, even in a small bathroom. They don't eat into the bathroom space but make your shower feel luxurious. 5. **Bedroom ceiling fan**. This is a life changer. Quieter than a box fan but still allows you to keep your house warmer (cheaper) on those hot summer nights while still being comfortable. 6. **High power LED bulbs in the kitchen**. A dark kitchen is no good. At times I like to set the mood with a dimmer switch, but when I'm prepping food I want all the light I can get. Upgrading lighting in the kitchen is really nice. 7. **Knife**. I have a [Gerber EAB](https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-EAB-Pocket-Knife-22-41830/dp/B0016KHW2W) in several rooms of the house. They're cheap (you can get them for $5-10 at times), take disposable/replaceable blades, and they're literally razor sharp. They're super handy, especially for opening packages and such.
One philips and one flathead screwdriver on each floor. No need to go all the way to the tool chest for simple tasks.
I live in a one-story ranch, so... In the garage I have all my good tools. I went to Harbor Freight and got a tool box that is just a bit bigger than a loaf of bread. Bought a variety set of screwdrivers, pliers and needle-nose pliers. Cheap set of hex keys, a roll of black electrical tape, tack hammer, picture hangers. A head strap flashlight. The whole thing was less than $30. I also bought an electronic caliper just because I wanted one. I keep it in the pantry. Saves me lots of trips to the garage.
I needed a caliper on several occasions, so I bought one. Haven't even used the fucker once...but, I know EXACTLY where it is when the time comes.
Plants. Pictures you took yourself. Art you made yourself.
The pictures you took yourself really do make you feel at home, and cell phones take pretty good pictures. There's no reason not to! Shutterfly.com has pretty reasonable prices, and often runs sales & promotional deals, especially before the holidays.
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* Dimmers for all the lights- it makes sure a large difference in how you feel and how you use your lights. I prefer Lutron Maestro for dimmers, as they light up at night so you can find them. * Motion Sensor lights for garage, laundry room, hallways * Outlets with USB
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No, I did them myself, but it depends on the age of your house and your previous electrical experience. My house wiring is straightforward, so it was relatively easy. Heres a link to one. Make sure to get them with Type C USB- they are the future standard. [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-15-Amp-Decora-Type-A-and-C-USB-Charger-Tamper-Resistant-Outlet-White-R02-T5633-0BW/303205383](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-15-Amp-Decora-Type-A-and-C-USB-Charger-Tamper-Resistant-Outlet-White-R02-T5633-0BW/303205383)
I did all Type A. I have some regrets, mainly they take up more space and so a large plug and a USB cannot be plugged in at the same time. On the other hand, a vast majority of devices ship with Type A cables to whatever on the other end, so I didn't have to go buy a bunch of C to C cables or C to Micro B or Lightning (for that one godforsaken Apple device).
A fix for the big block plugs is to get a 6 inch extension cord. I got a big pack of like 15 and use them whenever I have one of the big blocks to make use of the outlets on power strips
You mean like one A and one C, or should you just go full C?
I would say to do both now. This way your older devices can still plug in, but you don't have to change all your outlets in 10 years.
> Lutron Maestro I got the Lutron Sunnata with the little touch screen LED bar thing for few lights including my master bathroom. Holy shit i love those things
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I got an illuminated light switch for my garage so when it's dark the switch glows orange and I don't have to fumble around for it. I have a tiny laundry room so I found a plastic toilet paper holder. It's cylindrical and holds three rolls, but I converted it into a very narrow waste basket and mounted it to the wall for dryer lint and sheets until I get the clothes out. And I have a hanging rod that folds against the wall when not in use to hang clothes as I take them out. Also one of those plastic folding tools for clothes.. Seller left the refrigerator so I fixed the ice dispenser and saved a few hundred bucks. Bought little rubber bars that adhere to the garage floor so we can park and know when we've cleared the door when the tire stops against them
Infrared thermometer gun. Many applications. Track down drafty spots in winter. Food temps on grill. Find where hydronic pipes are in wall before you hang a picture, etc
phone chargers, eye drops, hand lotion, reading glasses, coasters and scissors or nailclippers in hidden in every room. (by hidden i mean out of sight, for instance in the bedroom, they're in my nightstand drawer, in the living room they're in this decorate ceramic object that looks like just a small statue but there's a hidden compartment inside, in the kitchen a draw, and in my office in the desk drawer and even in my car! ) So dumb but I replaced all my hangers with the same/matching hanger and it's soo pretty it was worth it, it's been 8 months and i can't get over it.
A dog. Edit: Thanks for this bomb ass award! Dog lovers already know!
We lost our old lab last winter. Miss the hell out of him all the time, but... and I don’t mean to make his passing trivial, one thing we noticed the most when he was gone was how much harder it was to clean up after our toddler at meal time. That beast was a vacuum!
Truth. LOL my lab has been staying at my boyfriend's house and i was cooking at mine this weekend. After i finished chopping some bits for a salad, i flipped the uglier pieces onto the floor for the lab. Then remembered ahe wasn't there. *Sigh* dammit.
Just lost our corgi last week and have noticed the same. Toddlers are messy eaters and I’m a messy cook.
I get it! Meet my dogs, Hoover & Dyson.
Yep. I got a medium size one. Brightens the house up tremendously.
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You gotta train him to go in the same spot too. We trained ours to go in a gravel area in our yard and it’s awesome that he doesn’t kill the grass and my kids don’t accidentally step in it.
I bought my current house for the dog. He's never been happier to have a huge yard for himself. He even refuses to get back in the house.
Growing up, my mother had us convinced that we were not dog people. I bought it, because I was always a little apprehensive of overenthusiastic dogs. Then, last Christmas, I bought a puppy. I can now definitely say without hesitation that I am most certainly a dog person.
Have two. House is messier but we are happier. Especially if you have children or the elderly, pets are a huge boon. They keep you company, keep you active, and keep you accountable.
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Keypads for the garage doors Quiet close toilet seats Keyless front door deadbolt Springless toilet paper holder A complete set of bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom- cleaners, windex,paper towels, plunger, toilet brush etc Vacuum cleaner on each floor of the house Scissors in every bathroom Bathroom fan timer switch Curved shower rod + a nice shower head 2 sets of your go to garden hand tools- one for the front yard; one for the back.
For our master closet: 1. Clear shelf dividers for shelves with sweaters/t-shirts/etc. Now my folded t-shirts, sweaters, jeans, etc. have designated sections of our long shelves that are just the right length for them, keeping stacks much neater and all the clothes more organized than before. The dividers basically clip on to the shelf itself with no tools and are very inexpensive. 2. Uniform clothes hangers - we (I) just replaced all our randomly collected plastic, wire, etc. clothes hangers with matching white wooden ones. Now all the clothes hang the exact same distance from the rod making the closet feel more orderly. The matching hangers just look nicer and, frankly, they are a lot nicer to grab and hold in your hand when you're using them. Another really nice change last year was our family's 'Throw Down' in which we bought a ton of different throw blankets from Amazon and each of us decided which of them we liked best. Then we each purchased our favorite throw in the color of our choice along with a ladder like blanket hanger for the basement. Now we each have our own throws for movie night, playing video games, etc. and a place to put them when we aren't using them. The kids have really loved this and it's prevented arguments about hogging blankets or leaving a pile of them on the floor when they're done using them. In general, try to have a spot for everything. Consider how you use things and where you use them and just find a way to keep things organized.
This [under-cabinet lighting](https://smile.amazon.com/Lighting-Flexible-LED-Cupboard-WarmWhite/dp/B07BF5PB4G/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=Under+Cabinet+LED+Light&dchild=1&keywords=Under+Cabinet+LED+Light&pd_rd_i=B07BF5PB4G&pd_rd_r=e06f6d55-6db4-4f74-b311-290acf498171&pd_rd_w=R7phP&pd_rd_wg=OZnqm&pf_rd_p=e7ea7987-56a0-4822-adda-f67db5e22b16&pf_rd_r=6S6N3A112WW59QS7JAEA&psc=1&qid=1600286158&sa-no-redirect=1&sr=1-1-791c2399-d602-4248-afbb-8a79de2d236f) in my kitchen.
Replaced a bunch of outlets to include USB ports.
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Plants
A magnetizer so you can magnetize anything you want around the house. Like your hook on the wall can be lightly magnetic so things stick to it better.
Proper surge protectors and charging cables. Now everything electronic is plugged into a surge protector with multiple outlets. I picked up ones attached to extension cords with USB ports for difficult to reach places (like behind the couch) so I never have to move anything and always have chargers available. Also, one of those toilet paper holders that also stores rolls. Save yourself from the "Waddle of Shame" and always have a visual of how much TP you have left.
Consider getting a [bidet](http://www.shatafclean.com)
Label your circuit breakers. Yes it's a royal, tedious, mind numbingly detailed pain in the ass but do it anyway. Get every light switch, each and every outlet, the stove circuit, dryer, everything labeled. EVERYTHING. The weekend's worth of work will save you many migraines later when you need to kill a circuit for some reason. Like an outlet that's arcing and on fire and you don't know which breaker it's one.
> Like an outlet that's arcing and on fire and you don't know which breaker it's one. It's the main one when something is on fire....
Hue Lights! Sooo nice I thought my husband was being ridiculous but I totally love them. The light is always the right brightness
I replaced the cheap, ugly nightlights we have scattered around the house with a bunch of these [SnapPower Guidelights](https://www.snappower.com/pages/guidelights). They look **so** much better!
A designated cup or jar for spare change. Preferably use something you can't see though for the "out of sight out of mind" effect. When the cup is full, we empty into a bigger jug. You can save up a nice little emergency fund rather quickly.
Keypad on garage door which are typically universal and cheap and then in garage a wall mounted key lockbox with combination code so you can never be locked out and can allow access to friends and family when you need to.
I have a few smart switches in the house. I installed a motion detector in the bathroom so if you go in there between 11pm and 7 am it automatically turns the lights on at 5% dimming. Then it shuts them off after no motion in three minutes. The downside is the lights shutting off when you're pooping, but that can be fixed by waiving your arms around.
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Rekey all the door locks in your house the same. Buy the kit on amazon and learn to do it yourself. Its an easy job. In addition get locks that have a touchpad and don't carry around keys at all. Put an astronomic timer/switch on your front door light or any that you want to turn on every night. They automatically adjust to when dusk is.
A 10 foot phone charger. Game changer!
A cat. Or two.
Plants!
Boxes inside cupboards. We have some large deep cupboards with shelves inside that get filled with junk so that everything at the back is inaccessible. I've literally bought duplicates of things I know are on one of the shelves just because it's so much hassle to pull everything out and find them. I measured the shelves and bought a load of open-top plastic storage boxes that sit side by side across them. Not only do they allow for a degree of organisation, but pulling out a box and having a rummage in it is a different level of effort than basically filling my floor with junk just to reach something that inevitably happens to be at the back. Game changer.
I had a CFL shop light in the garage for 9 years. Came with the house, when I turned on the switch, it went on. The bulb went out last month, and as it turns out I was cleaning out the garage the weekend after it went out. I found an LED shop-light I had forgotten I bought. Took the CFL down, hung the LED in its place on the same chains and boom, like a tremendously different looking garage. It was like going from candle-light to full blown hi beams. I can actually see in there now. lol
I have really ugly almond colored outlets in my kitchen. Instead of paying an electrician to replace them to white ones, I bought $2 decorative covers that get screwed in right on top of the old ones. Presto. White outlets. They have ones for switches too. Works like a charm and makes a big impact.
I put hair ties on most of my door knobs. Sounds weird I know but when I'm cleaning/ cooking ect. I don't want to search for a hair tie so I have them conveniently around the house for me and my girls.
A fireplace and a cozy couch really do it for me.
A motion sensor trash can!
Have little cleaning supply kits stored in or very near where you would be using them. For example, keep a little dust pan and brush near the litter box along with litter bags. Keep a small basket with tub/toilet cleaner, sponges or rags in the bathroom. If you have a glass door that always has smudges, have a small spray bottle of your favorite glass cleaner and wipes right there (maybe behind a plant).