Amazon is packed with quick fixes for your home — what to buy, according to an interior designer

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Black thermostat, sage paint
Smart thermostats, gorgeous paint and more are on sale! (Photo: Amazon) ((Photo: Amazon))

If you're in the midst of spring cleaning, then you may be inspired to tackle some home improvements as well. Amazon has got that department covered, allowing you to get started on these small projects in time for the weekend.

It's 2022, and there are plenty of clever life hack products out there designed to improve the way you live on the daily. Items that keep you safer, more efficient, more organized, save you money and simply make life that much easier. As an interior designer, I know this stuff — so I gathered up a few tricks of the trade below. Take a gander and simplify, spruce up or snazz it up completely (with magical TV back lights — on sale!).

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get fast, free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

Country Chic Chalk Style Paint

Tub of sage green chalk paint.
Chalk it up to good taste. (Photo:Amazon) ((Photo:Amazon))

Let me give you some sage advice. No really, that's the shade of this stunning paint color and it's aptly named, because this little jug can revitalize so many things in your home — you'd be amazed at what a coat of paint can do.

That old dresser you inherited from your grandma or the kids' art table that they've grown out of using can all look brand new, saving you money and helping the environment. Repurposing is trending in a big way these days, especially with rising costs. So check out your local thrift and consignment shops — that old wood console that someone gave away can be your newfound treasure. A light sanding and a couple of hours in the sunshine adding a coat of this top-selling Country Chic Chalk Paint will give it new life. This paint has a matte finish that's easy to distress with a little sanding. It's durable and has low VOCs, making it safe to use on wooden toys. Only $26 for 16 ounces, it comes in three sizes and 50 colors.

This DIYer raves: "Phenomenal product. Amazing color. I have a ton of cabinets — I ordered 4 of the largest size and I only used 2 and did 3 coats. A little goes a long way! I will never use another paint for any of my projects! I paint furniture for a living and all my clients love the results!"

$26 at Amazon

Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat, $30 off

black thermostat
Try the Ecobee for eco-friendly HVAC bills. (Photo: Amazon) ((Photo: Amazon))

If you haven't upgraded to a smart thermostat yet, you're paying more on that heating bill than you should be. This Ecobee Smart Thermostat syncs with your phone, so you can control your temps from anywhere. Forget to turn the heat down before you left for vacation? No worries. Just use the accompanying app to fix it. You can sync this gadget to Alexa or Google Home so you won't even have to get off the sofa when you're chilly — just ask it to turn up the heat! Tack on some smart sensors (sold separately) and Ecobee will know when your kid cracked the window, and shut itself off — no more wasting energy. Save $30 right now!

Says a pro: "I purchased this Ecobee3 Lite to replace a [competitor] that was seriously flawed. The Ecobee outperforms it in all respects. I am an architect by training and practice. I am fully tech savvy and fluent in all things related to buildings and their systems... the Ecobee3 couldn't have been easier. There is a little bit of a learning curve with the software, but in a good way... it offers a lot more adjustability and customization — and the schedule is non-intuitive — but spending a small amount of quality time learning the settings is a good thing. It has been operating flawlessly since installation, in fact the increased comfort levels make it seem like a different HVAC unit..."

$149 $179 at Amazon

Dryer Vent Cleaner Kit Vacuum Hose Attachment, on sale for just $15

dryer vent kit
Safety first! Prevent dryer fires with this genius doodad. (Photo: Amazon) ((Photo: Amazon))

If this looks like an odd gadget...well that may be. But this No. 1 bestselling dryer vent hose is a necessity — and not many people realize how important it is. According to FEMA, 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. Failure to clean the dryer (34%) is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires, and you don't want to become a statistic. Even if you're diligent about cleaning your lint trap, particles still get sucked deep into the well, getting compressed every time you put the trap back. The large vent that exits your home is also a lint collector. This can catch fire and do some serious damage.

This flexible hose attaches right to your vacuum and comes with a guide wire so you can control it. It fits into all the places your home vac doesn't, sucking up all of the lint you didn't know you have. It's also great for cleaning under the sofa, behind the fridge, even your keyboard, and any of the other hard to reach places in your home. On sale for less than $15, it's worth it for peace of mind.

Says a true believer, "Best money I have spent on Amazon and that says plenty!! Everyone should have one of these! Our dryer is new — it is only a year old and we clean it after every use. Even with that routine cleaning, this attachment REMOVED AN ENTIRE small garbage can of lint, hair, dust, dirt, etc. out of our dryer!! Talk about fire safety!! Not to mention this thing is also amazing for reaching places that regular attachment pieces can't reach because they are solid and not flexible. So the edges of your car seats and in between them or the little spaces around your cabinets in between your appliances. Honestly, I'm probably going to order a second one just to have and before the prices go up, because I think once people realize just how effective and efficient this little attachment tool is everyone is going to want one and everyone really does need one!"

$15 $17 at Amazon

Govee DreamView TV LED Backlights with Camera — $15 off

TV backlit with rainbow colors
"Alexa, make my home theater extra awesome!" (Photo: Amazon) ((Photo: Amazon))

Looking for something to level up your TV watching experience? We've found what you seek, in the DreamView TV lights, a sweet $15 off right now. Feast your eyes on this LED display that syncs with the colors and sounds right on your screen. Music videos become an instant dance party. Those animal shows you love are enhanced as the shades of nature are reflected across the wall behind your screen, immersing you in a spectrum of color and light (that also alleviates eye fatigue). A clever camera picks up 16 million hues that change with the colors on your screen, or you can set schemes on the app. This thing is a game changer for gamers!

One of over 14,400 fans says: "In my opinion, this by far is one of the most cost-effective bang-for-the-buck upgrades you can make to any decent home theater system with a large enough TV. The overall effect when watching movies is dramatic and priceless. Easy to install and set up with the app. Take your time laying out the light strips before applying the adhesive backing to find their ideal placement... The result of proper camera placement and calibration makes the Govee Immersion mind-blowingly good. Shockingly good. Amazingly good. Eat your heart out Phillips, I'm afraid Govee's pretty much gotcha on this one with just one simple and minor adjustment. Well done Govee, well done."

$75 $90 at Amazon

Glass Rinser for Kitchen Sinks — over 45% off

Glass rinser
Tackle dirty glasses like a pro. (Photo: Amazon) ((Photo: Amazon))

You know that soap pump that came with your kitchen faucet that has failed to work for the last three years? Well we've got a much better purpose for that drilled hole in your countertop: A glass cleaner. If your dishwasher isn't up to snuff, or if you're an avid wine drinker and are constantly hand washing those delicate glasses, this little contraption is going to change your life.

There's a reason why restaurants, bars and wineries install these — it makes cleaning a breeze. Just flip the glass over the sprayer and it'l get rinsed clean as a whistle. Baby bottles? This stainless steel washer will get those little nooks and crannies at the bottom that you struggle to clean with the bottle brush. And you don't have to wait for the dishwasher to get what you need asap. Save an epic 46% right now.

This convert says it all, "My husband‘s buddy has one of these installed in his bar sink. We just had to have one for ourselves. I decided on this model even though it was a little pricier than others...I wanted one durable and designed to last. Two months into installation and happy to report that is exactly what we got. Installation was straightforward; my husband had it done in around 30 minutes. It’s nice to have something functional in the blank hole where the soap pump would have gone. This glass sprayer is pretty awesome. I use it to rinse many of the items that I would normally not put in the dishwasher. Like my delicate stemware, cocktail shakers and oversized flower vases. This thing is powerful! Every so often a cup will come out of the dishwasher with some crud still left on the bottom (this sprayer removes every particle effortlessly). Overall I’m extremely happy with this purchase! Totally worth the price!"

$38 $70 at Amazon

Wall Mount Grocery Bag Dispenser

Bag dispenser
Reuse. Recycle. Reclaim your sanity. (Photo: Amazon)

Despite our reusable shopping totes — and if you don't have one you need to get with the program — we still end up with those ubiquitous plastic bags. If your supermarket hasn't yet banned plastic, then hopefully you're holding on to them to repurpose for trash and other unmentionables. They definitely shouldn't just be tossed but that means storing them, and those things can easily clutter up your cabinets. Behold, the plastic bag dispenser from Simplehuman.

This brand excels at making garbage bins, so why not the holder for the plastic we line them with? Fix it to the back of your cabinet or pantry door and you have a collector for all those flimsy bags you just can't toss. Stuff them into the top, and pull from the bottom when you need one. Easy peasy. This gadget gets over 22,000 perfect ratings. Twenty bucks is worth taming the plastic insanity.

One happy camper says: "There's only a few things that you need to know about something that merely holds plastic bags. Number one: does it hold enough bags that it seems worth it? Yes. Number two: When I jam way too many bags in there, does it fall off the wall? Fortunately, no. Number three: does it look stupid or cheap? Answer no. Overall result: good product, good price, good fasteners so I didn't need to use any screw to install it. Win!"

$20 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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