Your home is lonely. It’s crying out for company. And only you, its current occupant, have the power to provide it.
Okay, that’s a bit of an overdramatization. Your home isn’t really lonely, because your home doesn’t actually have feelings (despite what your overactive imagination might tell you in the middle of the night).
But your home does deserve an occupant willing to keep up with the Joneses — at least on the accessories front. These seven practical accessories will help you and your home do just that. They cost less than you’d imagine, and some might even save you money in the long run. Let’s dive in and find out what your home (and you) are missing right now.
- A Learning (Smart)Thermostat
Exactly how much you can save with a learning thermostat is a matter of some debate. It’s also a function of factors beyond your direct control: your home’s size, local utility pricing, local climate and weather patterns, and more. But it’s safe to say that a properly calibrated learning thermostat will pay for itself after several years of use (and probably sooner).
- LED Light Strips
These aren’t your parents’ light strips. Modern LED light strips are power-sipping, aesthetically pleasing home accessories with a vast portfolio of practical and party-forward uses. If nothing else, your home’s staircase is crying out for this key safety accessory.
- Smart Lighting
Sick of groping along the wall for the light switch in a dark hall or entryway? With smart lighting, you no longer have to. Download the vendor’s app and control your home’s interior and exterior lighting from afar.
- A Chest Freezer
A chest freezer isn’t the sexiest home accessory in the world, but it’s one of the most economical for sure. Use it to store low-cost frozen packaged foods and home-cooked freezer meals, plus other bulky items (like ice packs) you can’t fit in your regular freezer.
- Filters for Your Furnace or Air Handler
Okay, this one isn’t exactly fun or colorful or anything other than resolutely practical. But it’s certainly better for your health than smart lighting. Home air filters strain out indoor pollutants, like dust and pet hair, leaving your home’s atmosphere as clean and fresh as the mountain air. Your furnace and air conditioner won’t work as hard in a low-contaminant environment, which could reduce your maintenance costs and power bills over the long term.
- A Second Fridge
Not in lieu of organizing your main kitchen fridge. That’s your responsibility, not your second fridge’s.
No, your second fridge is for holding non-perishable cold storage items in reserve: your soda pop, your bottled water, your adult beverages, and what have you. It lives in your garage or basement. It’s fun. Don’t overthink it.
- A Countertop Drying Rack
Not every kitchen accessory is dishwasher safe. For those items that must be washed by hand and left out to dry, a countertop drying rack with absorbent undermat is a superior alternative to a two-towel spread.
Accessorize Like Your House Depends on It
Each of these accessories adds to your enjoyment of your home, if not necessarily its market value. Several pay for themselves over time, and those that don’t aren’t expensive to begin with. The message is clear — it’s time to stop lusting after others’ home accessories and get them into your own life.
