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50 Things That’ll Help You Realize The Handyman Has Been Living In Your House All Along
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We hope you love our recommendations! While every product is independently chosen by our editors, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. You can read more about how our affiliate partnerships work in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Guide. It’s like When a Stranger Calls, except you find out you’re pretty good with a hammer and screwdriver! Sure, watching a remodeling TV show and scrolling through an IG carousel of before and after home project pics is fun and all. But if you've been intimidated to try out some home DIY or just assume you'd just plain fail at it, now's the time to try your hand at some easy upgrades. You CAN do it! Swapping out your kitchen cabinet pulls, adding some "stained glass" decals to windows, or even installing Roman shades without a drill is totally viable, and you'll be glad you did it. Read on for DIYs and upgrades that'll make your life easier or simply make your home easier to look at. Promising review: "I love WD-40 products and use them for everything. I spray on shovels to keep dirt or snow from sticking, spray around windows and thresholds to deter bugs, clean Sharpies off wood and walls, and, of course, stop squeaky doors. These small direct-point application pens are great. Keep one in the glove box, my kitchen 'junk' drawer, and the house toolbox." —BBP623 Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.49. Promising review: "Adjustable, portable, and lightweight, this window screen is well made. You can paint the wood to match your window. Now I can have nice cool air circulating in the house during the fall and winter months in South Carolina." —Maria Get it from Amazon for $14.93+ (available in 10 adjustable sizes). Promising review: "Where do I start? I absolutely LOVE this product. I wanted to replace our bathroom mirror, but due to the size, it would have cost a lot! I came across this on Amazon and decided to give it a try. The application process was super easy and applied without bubbles as long as you go slow and rub it down as you go. I kid you not. It looks like wood and feels like it, too! You can feel and see the 'wood grain.' It’s absolutely stunning and looks like I bought a whole new mirror." —Taylor Promising review: "Cleaned three items in less than five minutes. Vacuum brush head and two hair brushes that have three girls' long hair. I can’t wait to get the whole vacuum and rug cleaner bristles cleaned. I had to write this review after testing it out. Design is strong, sturdy, and handles great. Highly recommended." —Rob Promising review: "I went in skeptical, I'm not going to lie. We had grease spilled on our brand-new paver patio. The grease had been sitting for a few weeks, and I saw an ad for this stuff. I ordered it to try because why not? Well, I'll be damned because this took the spots right off! No evidence we ever spilled anything! I'd buy it again." —Susan Promising review: "I knew I wanted something to finish off my bench seat windows. These blinds were not only easy to install, but I am impressed with the quality and how easy it is to raise and lower them. I think all four were out of the box and installed in 15 minutes. Offers light filtering, which is perfect for my needs. If I want to take them down for my holiday garland, it will be super easy to remove and put back up after the holiday." —doug huntley Get each panel from Amazon for $58.99+ (available in seven styles and a range of sizes). Promising review: "This bracket is awesome and was extremely easy to install. We were able to hang curtains over our vertical blinds in just a few minutes and didn't even need any tools. Great product!!!" —Amazon Customer Get a set of two from Amazon for $21.95 (also available in a range of colors and designs). Also, built-up lint is a fire hazard! Make this a part of your weekly cleaning routine. Promising review: "This brush is stiff but flexible enough to feed under my dryer's lint filter. Several weeks ago a trouble light came on that indicated the air flow in my dryer was becoming obstructed. I had the dryer vent and area under the lint filter cleaned. (Not much lint was pulled out, so maybe the dryer sensor gave a false alarm.) I felt a small investment in a brush such as this is better than paying for a future vent cleaning. I've been using it once a week and it picks up a little lint each time, but that's lint that won't have a chance to build up in the dryer vent!" —blueskys Promising review: "I wanted to wait until the grass had a chance to grow before leaving my review, and I’m very pleased! The germination rate was quick, the grass came in thick and healthy, and it’s already looking great in my yard. Easy to plant, grows strong, and definitely worth it. Highly recommend if you want reliable results!" —Richard lademan Get it from Amazon for $23.67 (also available in two other bag sizes). Promising review: "After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and dishes just not getting clean. Then, I became aware that the water softener was no longer doing its job so I had the rental company replace it. Dishwasher performance improved somewhat. I decided to do two more loads before deciding to purchase a new one. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh. I was ordering some stuff from Amazon anyway so I added that to my order. When it came, I tossed one of the tablets into the bottom of the full machine per the instructions and ran the regular cycle. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I will use this faithfully every month, as recommended. I can even put it on my subscribe and save order so I will get a new pack every six months. I am amazed!" —Sheila Get a six-month supply from Amazon for $8.99. Psst — this insulated strip also stops air conditioning from escaping out of the crack around the door, saving energy and money! Promising review: "Product works really well! I needed a quick fix to my home office situation. I live in an apartment in Manhattan and never noticed how much sound comes in and out, until I had to be on conference calls working from home! This little tape made a big difference, took me a couple of minutes to install." —Sandra Revueltas Get it from Amazon for $7.97 (available in four colors). Promising review: "I wish I had bought this sooner! Fit great, easy to use for all ages, and very convenient if you have little people wanting to wash their hands. 👍🏼 Would buy again, every time." —Choca It can also be used to help discourage smaller animals from hiding under furniture! Promising review: "The toy blocker does exactly what is says it will do. It sticks well to our laminate floor and blocks my son's toys from going under the couch. Only problem is I had to buy two in order to cover the entire length of our couch. I do have to say it was worth the doubled price so I would recommend the blockers to anyone who has kids or dogs!" —amanda c Get it from Amazon for $12.98+ (available in eight sizes). Promising review: "Saw on TikTok (don’t judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you’re left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." —Jessica Hamilton You run your bath, add the cleaner, watch the gunk emerge, drain your bath, and then clean off the gunk! Btw, Oh Yuk is a small biz. Promising review: "It's disgusting to see what comes out of your jets when you use this product. I can't believe we bathed in this! I've run bleach and dish detergent through my jets before, and that combination never cleaned with this efficiency. I highly recommended this product." —Amazon Customer SnapPower is a small biz that specializes in unique and innovative lighting products. Promising review: "I ordered this after seeing it on TikTok. I’m very happy with this product!" —Miss. Harris "Game changer. When I get up, I don’t want to wake everyone up with flipping on lights and all. These provide plenty of walking through the house light. Super easy installation, too." —Monica Martinez Get it from Amazon for $22.98 (available in three outlet styles and four colors). Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products. I used one of these in my bathroom because my hair dryer kept falling out of the socket. It works like a charm and, because it's clear, you don't know it's there. Promising review: "These are SUCH a game changer. We rent, so I can't do much about the loose outlets around the house. These have made several outlets usable again!" —Minerva G. Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99. Promising review: "OMG!!! It works!!! After having this toilet buildup I gave up on everything, but I saw that this product 'worked' and decided to give it a try... with a little elbow grease and some music blasting in the background I managed to remove it all!!! I can’t believe it. I’m so happy, I was so embarrassed when company came over and would see that, not no more... yay!!!" —Asdrubal Orantes Promising review: "My parents have a washer that's a few decades old. I used to make diy 'detergent' by grating bars of soap. We all used to use wayyyy too much detergent. We have a lot of pet hair, etc. Needless to say, we had a lot of buildup, and it stunk so bad. I added 2 tablets to the longest hot cycle and look at all that nasty comes out. So gross but satisfying." —Hannah Oh Yuk is a small biz specializing in cleaning solutions. Their jetted hot tub cleaner is a fan fave! Promising review: "The most important is it cleaned the sensors in the drum. Now, the machine smells fresh and works as it should. Ran front loader on normal setting, hot water." —Lorraine Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (enough for four cleanings). Promising review: "I’ve tried everything I could think of to get my oven clean, then came across this on Amazon. It smells like green apples to me, which is far better than most cleaning products. The picture was taken during the cleaning process of the inside of the glass door. I’m amazed!" —Star Get it from Amazon for $4.86 (also available in a bathroom spray and window and glass spray). Promising review: "It’s a little hard to squeeze but that totally makes up for the AMAZING results. I was embarrassed about our tubs because the people we bought our house from didn’t caulk or seal them properly and this resulted in mildew buildup. I tried EVERYTHING until I saw this on TikTok, I believe — MIRACLE FREAKING WORKER. I will be buying more, the only complaint I will ever have is the shipping got mixed up but that is not a problem and was fixed very easily!" —Brooklyn Nguyen Promising review: "Wished I upgraded my showerhead sooner. Installation was very simple, and it even came with a guide if needed. It comes with an extension arm that connects to your existing water pipe. No leaks whatsoever, and I did not need any other tools. Took less than five minutes to install. It feels really nice standing right under the showerhead, and it covers your whole body with nice pressure and looks nice! Definitely recommend it to those looking for an upgrade!" —Vincent Horng Get it from Amazon for $40.99+ (available in two sizes and three finishes). It's from a family-run business that specializes in cleaning products, especially ones for homes with pets! Promising review: "After reading the reviews I thought I could at least try it, and holy smokes, this is a miracle cleaner!!! I think I have tried every cleaner on the market for pet stains and nothing ever really works on my carpets. Even if I get it off the top, it somehow comes back up. My crazy dogs hate the rain and they have one spot that they always go on when they decide they are not going outside. I have cleaned the spot probably 100 times. I cleaned this area one time with this cleaner and my spot steam cleaner and it is completely gone! The stain and smell are 100% gone, not just covered up like before, completely and absolutely gone. Miracle cleaner for sure!" —PLLane Promising review: "Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet related) and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." —MC Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $26.11. Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to made weeding easy. Grampa's Weeder is a small business! Promising review: "Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." —JG My colleague Sally Elshorafa invested in this tool and LOVES it: "After moving to the East Coast, I quickly learned that the stone pathways around my home are basically a spa retreat for moss and weeds. The cracks collect moisture, trap organic debris, and offer *just* enough shelter to help unwanted greenery flourish, especially with all the shade and rain we get. I didn't want my outdoor space to turn into a jungle, so I grabbed this tool and got to work. It's weirdly satisfying — kind of like flossing, but for your stone paths. The bent tip slides right into the cracks and pulls weeds out from the root, which helps keep them from coming back anytime soon. I've used it on my pathways, driveway, and anywhere else something tries to sprout where it shouldn't. The handle is comfortable, and it doesn't take much effort to use. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites. If you've got hardscaping, you need this in your toolkit." Promising review: "Living in Hawaii you have to select wise items that are weather-, salt-, and red dirt–proof, etc... In total I ordered 11 boxes to complete my yoga deck. I have a few left over to make steps on the back. Very pleased and happy. May order more for an outdoor shower project!" —Adazzle Promising review: "Leaving mine out, so I did use landscape fabric and pea gravel under it. It keeps dogs from tracking in mud when it rains and from trampling my plants. Sturdy and convenient! I bought a second one. I love it so much." —Kindle Customer Get an 8-foot path from Amazon for $74.95. Promising review: "Perfect plunger for sink. This plunger fit the bathroom sink with ease. Doesn't take much effort to plunge the sink. You have to plunge a few times but it is so effortless and definitely clears a clog. I would recommend this plunger." —C. Lorenzo My bathroom sink tends to stop up far too easily and this does a drastically better job of clearing the gunk than Drano or Liquid Plumbr. I also love that it's noncorrosive (I live in a pre-war apartment building with old pipes) and odorless (no one loves feeling like a bug being fumigated in their own home)! Promising review: "OK... So I have to do a little review on this product BECAUSE I have had a stopped-up kitchen sink and have LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING down to the industrial products with NO luck. I decided to go on Amazon and read a few reviews. This is the one I decided to go with. I only used one chamber, let it sit for an hour, and then used boiling water. My sink is NO LONGER stopped up!!! I saved a plumber bill and this was $11.97. HUGE win for this woman!!" —Tabpeach Promising review: "These are great lights, we use them in our front and backyard. They are long lasting and create a resort-like appearance." —Michele Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in packs of four or eight). Promising review: "This faux mulch border was just what I was looking for. I wanted something simple (not elaborate) to keep my bark in place. It looks good and now I need to order more : )" —Eva Get a 1'' H X 120'' W X 4.5'' D roll from Wayfair for $33.20 (also available in a tree ring or pathway). Reviewers have successfully used this on fences, mesh outdoor chairs, Sunbrella chair cushions, decks, vinyl siding, and cedar siding. Promising review: "I first used this product about two years ago on the awning on my RV. That awning was so bad that I thought I was going to have to replace it. After using this Scott's product as directed, the mold and mildew completely disappeared. This product definitely works and it works GREAT! What more can I say — it saved me nearly $500." —R. Latreille OK, so painting your concrete patio may not sound like the easiest upgrade but if you're no stranger to painting and want a big impact, give it a try! Promising review: "Excellent, easy to use and clean up. My outdoor patio is a little rough and it took a full gallon to cover 200 square feet." —RLB Get it from Amazon for $35+ a gallon (available in two shades of gray). Promising review: "Great product for a great price. Very sturdy, but lightweight and small — under my bathroom sink is *very* small, and the metal frame is thin enough that it doesn't take up much space, and of course it allows me to utilize the empty vertical space instead of shoving things all the way to the back wall. I might rearrange the shelves, but it's just held with screws on each end so that's easy enough to do-comes with two supports for two shelves, but you can choose from four heights/positions. 👍🏻 Might need to order a second for under the kitchen sink..." —Jennifer Mowry Get it from Amazon for $22.87 (available in three finishes). Promising review: "Was ready to throw out my couch. Bought covers for my upholstered dining chairs. This machine brought all my upholstered furniture back to life. My dog puked on my rug, and this cleaned it right up and left no stain." —Kristen White Get it from Amazon for $109.59+ (available in six configurations and in a mini size). Promising review: "I’ve been wanting to upgrade our garage door for a long time and now I have no idea why I waited! The magnets are super strong. Purchased two sets but only used one set of 'handles,' I wasn’t a fan of how close I had to place each set next to each other with the narrow spacing on the door itself. Paired with the magnetic 'windows,' it looks like a brand-new door!" —MrsPirate Get them from Amazon for $15.06+ (available in several sets and variations). See how it works in this TikTok. Also, it was featured on Shark Tank! Promising review: "This is a great little product! It took us no more than 30 seconds to install on our wall- and the baseplate has a built-in level, so there is no question the base plate bracket is perfectly straight — incredible! It has a USB-C rechargeable battery pack, and the packaging was thoughtfully designed. The attention to detail in the packaging alone tells me the product was designed with the same detail, intention, and quality. 10/10 would recommend to a friend." —Kendra S. Get it from Amazon for $99 (available in seven colors). Tulip is a small biz from Lori Smyth. Her inspiration? The drab lighting in a college dorm! Her innovative design requires no re-wiring, no power tools, no nothing! Check out the different styles and how easily they install via Tulip's TikTok. My colleague Chelsea Stuart has tried and loves this: "I just had a chance to try one of these and I am simply OBSESSED. I live in NYC in a rental and I have a really drab light in my kitchen that even an electrician couldn't get off of the ceiling without breaking... so I gave up on replacing it right after I moved in. Alas, fast forward a year and I found Tulip on TikTok! Instantly, I thought 1. This is absolutely genius and 2. How has no one come up with this before?!?! "Installing" it (installing makes it seem way more involved than it is) took all of 10 minutes and that includes removing it from the box, Command Strip-ing the ring to the ceiling, and then popping the magnetic shade in place. (Honestly, the thing that took me the longest was fishing my step stool out of the depths of my junk closet.) Not only is the shade itself beautiful, but the diffused light is just so soft and pretty. I can't wait to get another one for my entryway!!!" What's included: Ceiling mount, Tulip shade, 12x removable tape, and 3x screws (as needed for textured ceiling applications). Get it from Tulip for $149 (check out more styles). Promising review: "I have a finished carpeted basement that my dog peed on… mix in that horrible smell and basement smell. I’ve tried so many products, and nothing worked. Then I tried this and it is the only thing to actually neutralize the smell. For the comments saying that the spray bottle sucks, I think they are using it wrong? Mine worked perfectly fine. Just turn it to a mist setting, and it was perfect for the carpet." —Damian velez This kit comes with separate-to-apply elements, so it'll work on a variety of window dimensions. If this isn't quite your style, there are lots of other stained glass window decals and window cling styles. Promising review: "These 'stained glass' decals worked great on the fireplace windows in my early 1900s bungalow. If you get up close, or look at them from the outside, it's pretty obvious they aren't real, but you'd have to be looking really closely. Don't forget to buy one package of caming lines for each set of decals, you'll need it. If you're someone who gets stressed about applying sticky things, or making things straight, don't worry too much about it. I am really bad at that stuff typically and I found it really easy. Wash your windows first, measure so you have a rough idea of where to put the center decal, and keep some scissors on hand to cut the caming. It's easy and so cool! Our house already has a lot of 'old house charm' so these fit in perfectly." —Linds You can check out the full TikTok showing how easily these go on. BTW, they're from ReVent Covers, a small biz! Promising review: "My DW panel was a poor grade of stainless, impossible to clean streaks, and had a dent to boot! This solved the problem and looks great. I'm very happy!" —Laura Berger Get it from ReVent Covers on Etsy for $49.99+ (available in four designs and many sizes). Psst, if you're all but ready to give up on your stainless-steel appliances ever looking clean, try out this holy-grail Therapy stainless-steel cleaner. Reviewers attached these in different ways, with some just using mounting tape in apartments for no damage to walls. Others installed them on doors and kitchen islands! Promising review: "Moldings came in well-packed and quickly. It was super easy to install. Used White Lightning Speed Grip to adhere the panels. These panels gave a high-end look to an otherwise drab wall and peninsula. So classic and affordable and it will never go out of style!" —JM Get a single panel from Amazon for $10.15+ (available in sets and 17 sizes). Promising review: "Easy to install. Lights provide ample lighting; USB allows lights to be a standalone fixture without tying up another wall socket. The USB interface also acts to turn the lights on and off with the TV. Backlighting also seems to make the screen seem sharper." —Shaun Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in sizes L–XL). This uses three AAA batteries and includes a remote that lets you set the light to different brightnesses and schedule a timer for 15, 30, 60, or 120 minutes. Promising review: "For the price, you can’t beat it. Super easy to install and lightweight. The gold had a slight orange tint to it, so be mindful of that. I actually just taped over the light and spray-painted ours with gold spray paint I had left over and then they were absolutely perfect." —Paris Seder Get it from Amazon for $28.99 (available in three colors). Just make sure to measure your cabinets before ordering, because pulls come in different sizes and depths! Promising review: "The handles are made with high-quality heavy metal so they will stand up to everyday usage. I am very happy with how they look and showcase my kitchen cabinets. They will make your cabinets look like a high-end, very expensive item...a 10 out of 10 for sure." —Amazon Customer Get a pack of 2 from Amazon for $12.99+ (be sure to clip the 20% off coupon; available in six styles and 11 finishes). Promising review: "Great product! I bought it for my backyard picnic table. I think the table and bench covers are well made for the price I paid." —Maria Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes and eight patterns). Promising review: "Scummy water bugging you? I just got this gem of a product last night. Popped it into my hot tub and from the picture I attached, you can see that in just about 12 hours, this little Scumbug ate up all the oil and filth in the hot tub. The water not only looks better, but smells better too! Highly recommended!" —Mickey D. Promising review: "We moved into our new home, and the shower had a really yellow grout. Cleaning didn’t do anything, and I saw this grout pen online. What a saver! Otherwise, I would have just hired someone to replace my shower. I used this grout pen, and my husband was so impressed :D The tip loses its shape fast, but just pull out the TIP AND FLIPPED IT OVER, and you’ll have a new tip." —jennifer Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in more colors and pen widths). * Things To Make Any Closet In Your House, Well, Better * Spend A Little, Get A Lot: Home Upgrades That Won't Break Your Budget * Things To Make Your Rental Kitchen Feel More Like A Custom Job * Tips For Hiding All The Parts Of Your Home That Make You Go "Ugh" When You See 'Em * If You’ve Been Toying With The Idea Of Starting A Garden, These 27 Things Will Help * Outdoor Finds That’ll Help Your Backyard Feel Pulled Together *Fast* Plus, finds from Article, Etsy, Ikea, Walmart, and Wayfair. BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way. Elizabeth Lilly is a deputy editorial director with more than a decade of lifestyle journalism spanning a range of subjects under her (tool) belt that includes four and a half years at a home improvement magazine. Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.