No matter how much you love your home, after living in it for a while you’re bound to get a bit bored or dissatisfied with how it looks. But redecorating, renovating, and repairing a home can get pretty expensive. And if you don’t own your home, you’re not going to want to invest a lot of money into cosmetic changes. But there’s an answer that has probably never occurred to you: your local dollar store.
Dollar stores can be an amazing resource when you’re trying to save a little money, and home repairs and renovations are no exception. For a small amount of money, you can do a lot to freshen up your home.
Supplies
The first thing to realize is that the dollar store actually has many of the tools and supplies you’ll need for basic maintenance and home improvements. From tools like hammers and screwdrivers to caulk, duct tape, and paint supplies, if you’re trying to get something done around the house or need to fix a broken toilet or door lock for cheap, the dollar store is your answer.
The tools are obviously also made cheaply and won’t last, and you’re not going to be doing precision work with these materials. But if your goal is just to get a project done without having to donate plasma for extra cash, the dollar store will have what you need for basic projects.
Wall tiles
One of the most versatile things you can buy at a dollar store to improve your home is removable wall tiles. These peel-and-stick tiles can be stuck on any wall and will stand up to mild moisture, making them usable as kitchen backsplashes. They can be cut down and used on just about any vertical surface, in fact, and you can get them in many different styles, including some that mimic the look of tile.
Flooring
If you have a gnarly old floor that needs covering up—or warming up—you can source area rugs at any dollar store for $5 a pop. For more coverage, buy carpet mats to cover an entire floor, either as one style to create the illusion of a single carpet, or with a creative pattern created from different styles.
Floating storage
You can find fabric boxes, wicker baskets, and other storage solutions at any dollar store. You can also find Command strips or other fasteners that you can use to attach that storage to your walls, getting all your junk off the floor and onto attractive floating shelves or baskets.
Wallpaper
Like stick-on wall tiles, removable wallpaper can take a boring, plain wall or other vertical surface and jazz it up nicely. As long as you’re careful to line up the sheets accurately, the final result can look spectacular and can be peeled off whenever you need to. For example, you can make your stairs pop by applying some wallpaper to the risers, giving them some artistic dimension for just a few dollars and a few hours of work.
Mirror art
One of the simplest ways to create a striking piece of wall art is to pick up a few sets of cheap mirrors (like these hexagon mirrors, for example) and arrange them creatively on a wall. It’s super cheap and super simple, but the end result is both geometric and reflective, which is a lot of visual bang for very few bucks.
Window treatments
The surest sign that you’re a real live adult who does adult things is caring about your window treatments. Curtains can get pricey, but you can find them at your local dollar store for less than $20, along with the necessary hardware if your windows don’t already have it. You’ll be amazed at the transformation of your room.
Solar lighting
If you have an outdoor space or a small patio as part of your home, some cheap solar lights can make it much more usable after the sun has set. Without adding any extra burden to your electric bill, a few stake lights can make any outdoor area safer and easier to use. Plus, they can double as emergency lighting during blackouts.