We're Revealing the Under-$50 Home Upgrades That Made the Biggest Difference in Our Daily Lives

“I have a small bathroom so my toilet, sink, and shower are all in proximity to one another—so close that there is no space in between for holders of any sort. I didn’t have anywhere to put a hand towel for the longest time (I just opted not to have one and dried my hands on my bath towel), but last month I decided enough was enough. I had seen these suction hooks on Reels a while back and bought them on a whim from Amazon. The hooks are sturdy and don’t look ugly either. I have some more expensive hardware that look only a little nicer than these, but I paid so much more for them. These suction hooks are the best $10 I spent for my bathroom.” —Marina Liao, Senior Commerce Editor

"With two cats in the house, it's not hard to imagine the amount of fur that's constantly floating around and getting stuck to everything. I refuse to become blind to it, so I bought this rug scraper thinking it'd just be a nice thing to use whenever I thought about it, but it's actually such a great find. With just a few scrapes, the fur that my vacuums can't suck up is collected from my rugs and I can easily throw it away. It makes my home look so much nicer and is great to use before guests with cat allergies come over." —Meghan Shouse, Digital Editor

“My houseplants are the most important and vibrant part of my home decor. I often get asked how I keep my fiddle leaf fig and rubber tree looking so glossy. The answer is a steady leaf-cleaning routine, and this starter kit is the easiest way to get started. It comes with a sleek glass spray bottle (and stickers to decorate it!), swedish dishcloths, and a neem oil-forward cleansing spray. It’s a pest deterrent and a leaf polish rolled into one, and the soft yet thick microfiber gloves are gentle on the leaves. Every watering day ends with a healthy dose of this spray, and they’ve never been prettier.” —Janae McKenzie, Associate Shopping Editor

“I love having a scent running in my home at all times, but I can’t keep a candle warmer on overnight, and I’ve spilled my reed diffuser one too many times. When I saw that Drift released a new science-backed “Rest & Relax” scent for their plug-in diffuser that’s clinically shown to support winding down and relaxation, I knew I had to try it.

I’ve made it a point this year to prioritize stress management and get adequate sleep, so it was definitely worth a shot. I sometimes get overwhelmed by scents that are too strong, so having three scent concentration options was a game-changer. The scent—a blend of vanilla, chamomile, and lavender—fills the room even at the lowest setting but isn’t overpowering. I keep the Drift diffuser in my bedroom, which I don’t spend a lot of time in during the day, so when I go to bed at night, the scent association helps my body know that it’s time to unwind. I also have a cat and many diffusers on the market aren’t pet-safe, so I’m thrilled that the Rest & Relax scent is free from harsh chemicals and is safe to use around pets.” —Bianca Bonetti, Social Media Editor

“Opening the cabinet under my kitchen and bathroom sink used to be like opening Pandora’s box. Every time I needed something from those cabinets, cleaning products would fall over, or I’d have to take several random items out and put them back to retrieve the one thing I needed. I decided I’d had enough of this misery and finally invested in some clear stackable drawers and never looked back. These drawers make me feel like I have my entire life together. In the kitchen, one drawer holds cleaning cloths, and another holds small items like sponges and extra gloves that would usually get lost. I have two more in my bathroom, which has limited storage and zero counter space, and they’re perfect for storing hair brushes, medication, and other items I use often in a way that’s easily accessible and doesn’t make me want to tear my hair out.” —Bianca Bonetti, Social Media Editor

“Having color-changing lightbulbs is one of my fave party tricks to pull out when entertaining. We have preset settings that illuminate the space in moody sections, think more low-lit cocktail bar than laser tag arena. There are so many brands out there, but these are surprisingly affordable and have held up for four years (so far!) without me having to replace one of them. It's connected to an app on your phone so you can control the lights from anywhere. It has timers and is compatible with Alexa and Google Home like the fancier smart lightbulbs. And probably my favorite part of all? Turning on/off the lights doesn't require you to get out of bed. Life-changing!” —Heath Owens, Deputy Editor, Commerce

“I have these little Command clips everywhere in my home. We use these to keep our lamp cords against the wall so nothing looks too messy, but it was especially necessary in our room. We have a paper lantern from IKEA hanging from the ceiling, and we use these clips to line the cord against the corner wall so it isn't as obvious and in the way. This is such a small thing my spouse and I do, but I think it makes a huge difference in how put-together our space looks.” —Meghan Shouse, Digital Editor

“I didn’t think my laundry detergent was something that required an upgrade, but that changed after smelling this bottle from The Laundress. It was fresh, but not that bottled freshness you usually get from drugstore detergent. The notes are similar to the ones I love in home fragrance like pink peppercorn and bergamot. Pro tip: I’ll usually mix some of this in a bottle of clear, unscented detergent for a fresh smell that stretches a bit further.” —Janae McKenzie, Associate Shopping Editor

“Unfortunately, my horrible eyesight means that I am a ‘big light’ person, but it's something I'm working on! My spouse and I have slowly been adding more lamps to our space so we can turn the ceiling lights off at night, and when we saw our friends with a paper lantern in their apartment, we knew we needed one in ours. I got this one from IKEA for only $10, but you'd never guess it was so inexpensive by the look and feel of it. You do have to buy the actual cord and lightbulb separately, but you can do so on IKEA's website or do what we did and buy one from Amazon so that it could fit our smart bulb.” —Meghan Shouse, Digital Editor

“I’ve sung the praises of Drew Barrymore’s home collection before, but my most-used product of hers is this electric kettle. I’m an impatient cook, so anytime I need boiled water, I boil it first in the kettle before putting it in the pot. It heats the water in just two minutes, which is a lifesaver on cold days when I need something hot ASAP. The gooseneck spout makes pouring much neater and safer. I have mine in the now-sold-out Wildflower pattern, but any of the available colors add some beauty to your counter.” —Associate Shopping Editor Janae McKenzie

“I love having ultra-personal touches peppered throughout decor, and one of my favorite ways to add that little pop of personality is through coasters! I have several ceramic coasters from Melsy's Illustrations, which specializes in small, handcrafted pieces. They are bespoke, unique, and truly one of a kind. You can even customize some design details to fit your exact style and aesthetic! These have added so much style to my space and have saved my furniture from just about a billion mug rings!” —Alyssa Khan, Assistant Editor

“If strip lights like these make you shudder, I get it. I too was traumatized by removing these from my dorm room wall and seeing patches of paint come off across the ceiling. But instead of defiling my walls, I use this as backlighting. I ran this strip around the back of my living room TV, and it casts a warm glow onto the wall behind it. Even when I’m not actively watching something, it’s part of my home’s ambience. I get compliments on the lighting whenever someone comes over, and it looks like it was way more complicated to install than it actually was.” —Janae McKenzie, Associate Shopping Editor