People who stage homes say these are the smartest upgrades you can make under $35

“Simple drapes can do a lot and are an easy DIY project,” Bar Zakheim of Better Place Design and Build explains. These curtain panels are extra long and feature triple weave blackout features that block out up to 99% of light, which also controls the inside temperature, helps reduce fade in furniture and art, and can help reduce sound pollution. Both sides are the same color, and they have built-in silver grommets for easy hanging.

“This throw is cozy and fun, and can truly be used in any room,” says Jennifer Guerin, interior designer and color expert. Between the chic fringe design, ribbed texture, stunningly vibrant color, and ultra soft fabric, the blanket can elevate any space. Place it on the end of your bed or on the back of the couch for a spice of color. Or cuddle underneath it while you’re working from home for some extra warmth.

“Hardware is getting more sculptural and tactile,” explains interior designer Nikki Chu. “Acting as both a visual statement and a practical detail.” These nature-inspired knobs do exactly that — create interest while also being totally functional. The ginkgo leaf design feels modern and elevated with a brass finish, elegant circular sectors, and a slight textured feel to tie it all together.

“Organizing your tech and TV cables will make your home feel less cluttered in seconds,” says Karen Watts, CEO & founder of DomiSource. A hyper organized way of getting your cords in order is with these concealers. They have adhesive tape on one side that mounts to the wall — it basically blends into a white baseboard or trim — and a slide-on lid that can conceal wires that you might need to run from one area to another to create a totally clutter-free home.

Sarah Trop, interior designer and founder of FunCycled, also loves hidden chargers in “nightstands, lights, and even built into kitchen cabinets” to make for a more streamlined and clutter-free space. This side table is a great example; it has a built-in charging station with two outlets, two USB ports, and a 5-foot cord to connect it to the wall. It has one shelf and one fabric drawer that can be moved to whichever configuration you like.

“Potted plants and fresh (or realistic faux) flowers instantly bring life and warmth into a room,” says interior designer Heather Toolin. This live indoor plant adds a relaxing sense of calm to your space, while acting as a natural air purifier in your space. The elevated pot has a drainage hole that prevents water from building up and overwhelming your greenery.

Reya Duenas from Reya Duenas Design loves highlighting artwork with these Fulen picture lights. They have an easy-to-install peel-and-stick design, so you can have them up in minutes. They feature three color temperatures and five brightness levels so you can customize it to the best light to complement the artwork it’s above. Each light has up to 20 hours of power on a single charge and a timer function to automatically shut off after 10 or 30 minutes.

“Appliance garages and counter space savers go a long way in kitchens,” says Sarah Trop, interior designer and founder of FunCycled. “Try this bamboo tray for easily sliding out a coffee station or small appliance.” It’s made of three layers of bamboo with an easy-to-grab handle that makes maneuvering it easy, with quality rubber wheels that won’t damage your surfaces. It has a rounded edge finish that looks high-end and expensive but is secretly so cheap.

Interior designer Sarah Trop of FunCycled loves textured wallpaper for “adding beauty and contributing to the overall feeling you can create with your home.” This peel-and-stick paper comes in two dozen statement-making colors with a textured, embossed design that makes it look incredibly high-end and expensive. And it’s even an option if you’re renting because the peel and stick can be removed

“When its warm outside, and you won’t be using your fireplace, we love placing these inside the fireplace,” says interior designer and color expert Jennifer Guerin. “They are also great for putting in outdoor lanterns to add ambiance to a front porch or back patio area.” Because they don’t have a live flame, these faux candles a super versatile piece of decor that can add some ambiance anywhere. They come in six heights to add some variation and dimension, and they let off a flickering (or non-flickering), warm white glow that’s romantic and subtle.

These jute rope baskets are an essential for interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop because of how versatile they are. With four sizes, they can be used for anything from storing toilet paper and apothecary jars in the bathroom to produce and snacks in the pantry. They’re ultra durable and even have two matching handles on either side for easy transport.

This rectangular turntable that interior designer Nikki Chu recommends is a great way to organize everything from your pantry to your refrigerator to your bathroom countertop. It rotates 360 degrees and features a larger surface area to hold even more essentials, making it easier to see what you have and grab what you need.

“For your kitchen or bath, these hand towels are great quality and add a touch of texture to either room,” explains interior designer and color expert Jennifer Guerin. They’re made of 100% naturally pure cotton in a woven texture that makes them ultra soft, absorbent, and fast-drying. But they’re not just functional, they’re also stylish and cool, adding a nice touch to your space.

Whether you love fresh or faux flowers that interior designer Heather Toolin recommends, you’ll need a cool, elevated vase to put them in. This one has a gorgeous geometric design that adds some dimension and height to your space while displaying your favorite finds. It’s made of high-quality ceramic with a frosted feel and uniform texture so your flowers totally shine.

Swapping in new cabinet hardware is one of my go-to upgrades,” says interior designer Nikki Chu. “Sleek silhouettes, sculptural shapes, or textured finishes like hammered metal instantly elevate a space.” With a sleek, geometric design, these handles are made of high-quality aluminum with a rust-resistant finish, making them suitable to use in high-traffic spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. They instantly add a modern touch to your drawers without breaking the bank.

“Multi-functional furniture, like a storage ottoman or a console table with baskets, also adds instant function,” explains interior designer Nikki Chu. This ottoman does everything. It has a ton of inner storage, which is great for blankets, pillows, or pet toys. It has a cushioned top that can hold up to 300 pounds. And unlike a lot of storage ottomans, this one has a pocket on the side for magazines or notebooks. Talk about multi-functional, indeed.

“Many modern homes embrace an open concept layout,” explains Sarah Trop, interior designer and founder of FunCycled. “To help focus areas, use rugs to create definition.” This ultra soft rug has a shaggy surface with a high-density sponge layer that adds extra support to your feet and back while you’re walking. It even has a built-in rubber backing to make it nonslip without having to get any additional rug grippers.

“Basic features like screens, curtains, and blinds will let you harness breezes, sunlight, and shade to make your home more comfortable, beautiful, and livable at any time of year,” explains CEO of Better Place Design and Build Bar Zakheim. These sheer valances add vintage charm to your space while still allowing you to bask in natural light. Each curtain in the set of two measures 38 inches wide and 14 inches long and come with a 2-inch rod pocket to easily hang. They have a sheer composition with a jacquard texture that shapes and reflects the light.

So many home upgrades involve adding clever and useful storage that’s not an eyesore. These magnetic shelves that interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop likes fit that bill perfectly. Each shelf can hold up to 8 pounds, and they’re great to attach to the free side of your refrigerator to make extra room for spices, oils, utensils, and other cooking essentials. They also come with four hooks for oven mitts and hand towels, so it’s no shock they have a 4.8-star rating.

Interior designer Heather Toolin has a smart upgrade secret. “This one might surprise you: the right pillow insert can transform a space,” she notes. “Skip the flat, sad-looking pillows. I recommend 95/5 down inserts (that’s 95% feather, 5% down) and always size up!” These feather and down pillows have a cotton cover with down-proof stitching to prevent feathers from poking out. They look fuller and designer, but are shockingly budget-friendly for the luxe materials.

Interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop recommends this outlet extender for a smart, budget-friendly home upgrade. Not only does it have five outlets, three USB ports, and one USB-C port, but it also has a built-in night-light that automatically turns on in the evening and off during the day. Plus, it has a ton of safety features like surge protection to make sure nothing overheats or over charges.

Karen Watts, CEO & founder of DomiSource, loves using dividers in the kitchen to keep your space organized and clutter-free. This set comes with four expandable dividers (with rubber ends to prevent them from scratching your surfaces), nine adjustable inserts for further customization, and 30 labels so you know exactly where everything is.

“Not everyone can afford a walk-in closet, but having lights to see your clothes at 6 a.m. will make your life richer,” says Karen Watts CEO & founder of DomiSource. These puck lights are battery-operated so they can be installed in places without easy access to an outlet, and they automatically turn on when they detect movement and power off after 20 seconds of stillness.

While it’s important to upgrade parts of your house people can see, it’s also important to upgrade the places they can’t see — like keeping your refrigerator odor-free with this stainless steel air purifier that interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop recommends. It’s the kind of thing you can set and forget that uses advanced decomposition technology to eliminate odors from the source for up to 10 years.

“I also love oversized planters to bring in greenery and height,” says interior designer Nikki Chu. This tall planter has a modern, clean design that’s made to be durable, long-lasting, and weather-resistant. It even has a self-watering tray to keep your plants healthy without much maintenance.

“One of the easiest home upgrades under $35 is to purchase ‘peel and stick’ sconces from Amazon,” explains Reya Duenas, interior designer and project manager at Reya Duenas Design. She loves adding these Kartoosh sconces over nightstands or in hallways to add some accent lighting that you can control with a remote. They work for up to 32 hours on a single charge with a completely adjustable brightness, three color temperatures, and nine color modes. They can even be set on a 30-, 60-, or 120-minute timer.

interior designer Nikki Chu loves a textured finish for cabinet hardware, and these rustic cap pulls have a hammered metal texture. It’s subtle and eye-catching, elevating your space and bringing it to the next level without paying for an expensive renovation. They’re great for cabinets, drawers, closets, dressers — you name it — to transform your home. And they’re really easy to install with the included hardware.

This pleated paper shade can be trimmed to fit the exact width of your window so it looks like a custom fit, giving your windows new life like Bar Zakheim, CEO of Better Place Design and Build, suggests. It’s made of durable paper that filters light, blocks UV rays, and add some privacy to your space. It’s installed with adhesive tape for ease, and it comes with clips to open the shades to make it totally cordless.

“Inside-the-cabinet solutions often get overlooked,” explains interior designer Nikki Chu. And she recommends using turntables like these to organize the inside of your pantry. This set comes with three sizes for the price of one, and they all rotate 360 degrees so you have easy access to all your pantry essentials. Your stuff is at your fingertips so nothing gets lost — and expires — in the back of a shelf again.

“Mount a metal strip inside a bathroom cabinet for tweezers, small scissors, and other bathroom utensils for easy access,” explains Sarah Trop of FunCycled. This one has a strong adhesive tape backing that makes it easy to adhere to nearly any surface — your non-magnetic refrigerator, your desk, your kitchen or bathroom wall. The 118-inch long metal tape can be cut to size so you can have a totally custom fit.

Karen Watts, CEO & founder of DomiSource, loves peel-and-stick backsplash tile, calling it “the renter friendly hero.” With a three-dimensional texture and a staggered edge, this peel-and-stick tile looks as good as the real thing for a fraction of the price. Plus, it’s heat- and water-resistant so it’s great to use in kitchens, bathrooms, and other high-humidity environments.

A way to instantly upgrade your space without paying for a pricey renovation is to swap outdated cabinet pulls for new, modern ones. These ones come recommended by interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop. They have a stunningly high-end black and gold design with geometric angles and corners that are sure to make a statement. Plus, they come with screws and are really easy to install.

Interior designer Nikki Chu is also seeing a lot of gemstone accents that help “people personalize their spaces in subtle, elevated ways.” These geode bookends are 100% natural agate stone, so each pair has a totally unique color, shape, and pattern. They’re smooth to the touch and are slightly weighted to act as functional bookends on your shelf.

To dress up your windows like CEO of Better Place Design and Build Bar Zakheim sughisgest, t curtain rod is a great investment. It’s specifically designed to be used for blackout curtains to get your room as dark as night, a.k.a., it’s heavy-duty. The key is that the rod wraps around all the way to the wall, so there’s no light streaming in between the wall and the curtain, which also happens to look great. And it’s adjustable from 48 to 88 inches to suit your needs.

Interior designer Nikki Chu loves adding under cabinet lighting to kitchens and closets to brighten up the space. These strip lights are especially great because they’re rechargeable so you can add them to spaces that don’t have access to an outlet. They’re motion-activated, too, so you can put them in hard-to-reach spots and don’t have to worry about turning them on manually.

FunCycled interior designer Sarah Trop also recommends adding vertical storage. “Adding floor to ceiling bookshelves across an entire wall can serve as practical storage as well as become a piece of art when styled correctly.” These floating vertical shelves are another way to add storage and eye-catching height to your space. They come with four shelves that can each hold up to 15 pounds. And the four shelves can be installed together or separately to customize your storage options.

Velvet hangers might change your life. At least, that’s what Karen Watts CEO & founder of DomiSource believes. “No more piles of fallen clothes on the bottom of your closet,” she explains. “They are a life saver.” That’s because their velvet texture acts as a gripper to your clothes to keep them securely on the hanger, while the shoulder notches secure spaghetti strap dresses and tops. Each hanger rotates 360 degrees also has a contoured shoulder so they don’t make an impression on your pieces.

Investing in your windows like CEO Bar Zakheim of Better Place Design and Build recommends can be as easy as hanging up these sheer curtains. They are a great way to add privacy without blocking light, while also making your space feel cozy, and inviting. They come in over two dozen colors and 30-plus sizes to fit your aesthetic and they have large rod pockets that make these curtains easy to hang and slide.

“Texture on walls and ceilings are huge right now,” notes interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop. This vinyl wallpaper has a stunning baroque-inspired design with a raised pattern that looks incredibly expensive but is under $35. It has a half drop match style which helps hide creases and lines so it look completely organic and original to the space. Plus, it’s paintable so you can create exactly the vibe you’re looking for.

Interior designer Nikki Chu is seeing “a return to natural materials, wood, stone, stitched leather, and soft metals like pewter and brushed nickel.” This wooden tray fits that criteria perfectly. Made of 100% solid wood, the handcrafted tray has a rustic-inspired design that’s slightly elevated on crisscrossed legs to give it an upscale feel that really enhances your space.

“Nostalgic patterns and maximalist style are both strong with an emphasis on what brings joy into our lives for our overall well being,” says Sarah Trop, interior designer and founder of FunCycled. These magnetic curtain ties are made of colorful, bright, and smooth agate beads that feel so ‘90s nostalgic. They have a strong magnetic buckle that wraps around to keep your curtains in place while also adding a pop of fun color.

Karen Watts, the CEO & founder of DomiSource, loves these rectangular cabinet pulls to upgrade your kitchen or bathroom. “You won’t see sticky fingertips on them,” she says. The matte black finish and slim design also help keep your kitchen looking sleek and fresh. They’re designed to be long-lasting, and they come with everything you need for a quick and easy installation.

Interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop loves this nature-inspired wall art that comes in minimalist wooden frames. The set of three can be installed individually or set up as a gallery wall to totally enhance your space. They’re made with fade-resistant ink on an eco-friendly canvas that bring some natural colors and textures inside.

Faux plants like these tulips are “an easy and affordable way to add texture, color, and a welcoming vibe,” according to interior designer Heather Toolin. They have soft-touch PU petals with natural looking leaves and stems that offer a high-quality and realistic-looking plant without the maintenance. Each of the stems are made with bendable wire to shape and trim them to the size and shape you want.

Interior designer Nikki Chu loves adding adjustable drawer dividers to keep the inside of your drawers looking as nice as the rest of your space. These bamboo dividers have a spring-loaded end that allows them to expand from 17 to 22.25 inches depending on the size of your drawer. And they have a rubber end that’s nonslip and prevents them from scratching the inside of your cabinetry.

“One of the simplest ways to make your home more functional is to invest in your windows,” says Bar Zakheim, CEO of Better Place Design and Build. One thing he recommends investing in is new screens. This magnetic screen can be added to any window to keep bugs out but let the breeze and light come in. It seals with bendable magnetic strips so it won’t damage your window trims. Made of fire-retardant fiberglass mesh, the screen can easily be pulled off of the window to make cleaning a breeze.

Interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop recommends these rug grippers, which stick to the bottom corners of your rug and use a cool vacuum seal-like technology to firmly grip the floor, keeping the corners of your rug from curling or turning into a tripping hazard. They’re only 1/10-inch thick so you won’t even know there there. And they make a big difference when it comes to keeping your rug firmly in place.

“Organizing is as important as choosing the right couch,” says Karen Watts, CEO & founder of DomiSource. “Cables are not just an eyesore, but a tripping hazard.” These cable management boxes are a great option because of how low-cost and low-maintenance they are. Simply put a 12- or 15-inch power strip inside each box, wire all your cords through the front and rear entry points, and everything is plugged in but completely out of sight. Plus, they have wooden tops that can double as a storage shelf.

Adding curtains like these long linen ones to your windows creates a cozier, more lived-in feel in your home, and interior designer and founder of FunCycled Sarah Trop is a fan. They’re not completely sheer, so they add privacy without fully blocking light. They have a textured surface to add some dimension to the space, and they have three options for hanging: back tabs, rod pockets, or ring clips.

“Label your junk drawers and arts & crafts boxes,” Karen Watts, CEO & founder of DomiSource, recommends. With this label maker, that’s easier than ever. It connects via Bluetooth to an app that gives you access to thousands of frames, symbols, and fonts to customize your labels every way you want. It has a compact and portable design, and it uses ink-less printing so you don’t need to replace anything.