Seven Home Upgrades That Require Zero Tools

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A lot of folks want to upgrade their homes with a remodel, renovation, or smaller project. But cost is always a factor (and a barrier)—the average renovation cost for a house is over $50,000. Those costs drive a lot of folks to watch way too many home improvement shows and attempt do-it-yourself transformations, but those kinds of DIY projects require money, too—not to mention some basic skills and at least a few tools.

If you’re not someone who’s comfortable swinging a hammer or plugging in a power drill—or someone who doesn’t even own a hammer or a power drill—the idea of upgrading your house might seem impossible unless you’ve got that spare 50 grand. But there are numerous ways you can upgrade your house without the need for any tools whatsoever.

Towel racks

If your bathroom or kitchen needs a place to hang towels and you don’t trust yourself to drill holes, hammer in screw anchors, and drive some screws home, you don’t have to: You can pick up some Command towel racks for both hand towels and bath towels. As you can see in this video, they pop on your walls using the same Command strips you find for hooks and other products (these are water-resistant for obvious reasons). While using a level might make this installation a little easier, you can actually download a bubble level app for your phone that will work in a pinch, or just eyeball it—the good news is that your towel rack will be relatively easy to remove and reset if you mess it up.

Lighting

There are a lot of options for upgrading the lighting situation in your house that don’t require any wiring, cutting, or wall opening. Lights like these rechargeable LED lights have magnets built in so you can slap them onto metal surfaces for instant, no-tool installation, as well as an adhesive backing so you can attach them under wood cabinets or onto walls. They’re motion-activated, so they can act as nightlights, closet lights, or kitchen work lights. And these stick-on lights are programmable and come with a remote control to make your kitchen feel truly futuristic.

You can also find ceiling lights like this one that adhere to the ceiling without any tools, giving you the ability to add an overhead light to any room without hiring an electrician or drilling into your ceiling.

Floating shelves

Need some shelving for light storage? The High & Mighty shelf requires no tools and can hold up to 20 pounds of stuff (there’s also a 25-pound version). It even supplies its own level as part of the installation packaging, so all you have to do is stick the guide to the wall, push the brackets in using just your muscles, and hang the shelf. It’s a super easy way to add some attractive storage to your walls without drilling 1,000 holes.

Grout pens

Is the grout in your shower or kitchen backsplash looking a little dirty? You don’t need a grout saw, float, or even a stiff brush to clean it up or replace it. If the grout’s still in good physical shape, you can brighten it up in no time with a grout pen like this. You can find grout markers in a variety of colors, so you can clean up or transform just about any grout line in your house sans tools. Check the directions before you buy, though—some grout markers only work on unsealed grout, so if your grout has been sealed they may not work properly.

Peel-and-stick everything

Peel-and-stick stuff has come a long way, and are a powerful way to reinvent any space without the need for tools or extensive renovations. Technically they’re not entirely tool-free, as you will probably need a pair of scissors to size these materials to your space, but since most people possess and know how to use a pair of scissors, I'm allowing it.

• Wallpaper is the easiest way to cover up an unattractive wall or just change the look and feel of it. Products like this one are also easily removed, so they’re ideal for rentals or for folks who change their minds a lot—and they can be applied and smoothed using just your hands.

• Floor stickers and tiles can upgrade your floors pretty easily. They can be installed on top of just about any flooring (including existing tile), so you don’t need to do any demolition—just cut as needed, peel, and stick. And these tiles come in a wide variety of styles, from faux wood to porcelain to natural stone.

  Another option to consider is tile stickers/decals, which are designed to be pasted on top of existing tile to give it a fresh new look. They can be cut to size, and then simply paste over your existing floor or backsplash (you can see it done here).

Window treatments

If you want to add some window treatments without drilling and screwing, it’s pretty easy with shades that use a tension system—you simply insert the rod inside the window opening and let the pressure hold it in place. You can add roller shades, Roman shades, and even heavy curtains to your windows in a snap without any tools required.

Faux headboard

If you feel like your bedroom could use a little upgraded classiness, you might think that adding a headboard must require some woodworking and wall attachment—but it doesn’t have to. You can create an illusory headboard on the wall behind your bed by sticking stuff to it. If you have spare wood paneling lying around, grab some Command strips and hang them on the wall. You can also use vinyl peel-and-stick tiles, or literally anything that can be arranged artfully on the wall to create the outline of a headboard without getting any drywall dust on your bed.