Apparently my version of home improvement involves no contractors, but does involve an unreasonable number of soft surfaces.
These five upgrades are not all inexpensive, and none of them are dramatic renovations. They are simply things that make my home more comfortable, functional, or easier to keep clean every single day. That is what I mean by “small”: small in effort, disproportionately good in payoff.
1. The UnHide blankets everyone steals
I have a large UnHide Marshmallow blanket on my couch and another on my bed. Depending on the size, they run roughly $189 to $518, so yes, they are a splurge.
They are also wonderfully soft, cozy, warm, and satisfyingly heavy. Mine get used extensively. The dogs and my petsitters take them over, and everyone who touches one seems to become emotionally attached. I gave one to my niece for her birthday last year, and now her family fights over it. That feels like a fairly convincing review.
2. The floor mattress that turns my couch into a nest
My approximately $180 folding floor mattress spends most of its life folded into an ottoman and pushed against the couch. It effectively extends the depth of the sofa and makes the whole setup feel extra cozy.
When I need room for a workout with my Tempo, I move it out of the way. You can read more about that setup in how I replaced my gym membership with Tempo.
It is also surprisingly useful when life gets weird. During my recent nasty cold, Walt was nursing his back legs and could not jump onto the couch. I opened the mattress on the floor, and we spent the entire weekend lounging together. It was less “stylish living room” and more “cozy recovery camp,” but it was exactly what we needed.
3. Machine-washable rugs that have seen things
My Ruggable rugs have earned their keep. Prices vary widely—roughly $129 to $700 depending on size and style—but the machine-washable design is a major quality-of-life upgrade in a home with messy dogs.
I have a retired Disney design under my dining table with the extra-thick pad. It has survived dog vomit, urine, and muddy paw prints. A different Ruggable in my bedroom has survived blood from the dogs. These are not hypothetical durability claims; my rugs have been through the pet-parent Olympics.
The ability to wash the rug instead of panicking, scrubbing, and hoping is what makes this upgrade feel so disproportionately good.
4. Bath sheets that are actually big enough
I use the white Classic plush bath sheets, which are around $40 each. They are soft, plush, and—most importantly—generously sized.
Standard bath towels can feel absurdly stingy, especially for plus-size people. A proper bath sheet wraps comfortably without requiring strategic angles or unreasonable optimism. It is a small daily luxury that solves a real annoyance.
5. A teak bench for a shower that forgot one
My primary shower came with no bench of any kind, which makes shaving my legs unnecessarily complicated. Adding a teak shower bench fixed that immediately.
My current bench is an older version that is no longer available. I am considering this approximately $100 corner teak shower bench as a replacement. I have not personally tested this exact model, but it is similar in purpose to the one I already use. Assembly is required, but it appears simple.
It is renter-friendly, requires no permanent installation, and gives the shower a useful surface it should have had in the first place.
The common thread: less friction, more comfort
None of these upgrades transformed my home in a dramatic before-and-after way. They simply make daily life better:
- The blankets make resting feel cozier.
- The floor mattress adds flexible lounging space.
- The washable rugs make dog messes less catastrophic.
- The bath sheets are comfortable and actually fit.
- The shower bench makes an everyday task easier.
They are all renter-friendly, none require a contractor, and only the bench needs even simple assembly. Some are affordable and some are definite splurges, but every one earns its space by being used over and over again.
Sometimes the best home upgrades are not impressive. They are the things that quietly make you think, “Why did I wait so long to do this?”
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