5 Straightforward Gentle Change and Outlet Hacks That Make Life Simpler | Thrifty Decor Chick

Straightforward updates to your shops and lightweight switches that make life simpler!

If you know the way to alter out a lightweight change or outlet, these small updates will
be simple for you. And should you do not, they’re value paying somebody to put in
till you get the grasp of it. 

I encourage you to look at a YouTube video to see how simple it’s (or take a look at
the tutorials I share on this publish). 

You do not want an electrician so as to add these devices in your house! I promise
it is not that onerous to alter out a change or outlet. When you get the grasp
of it, every of those will take 5 minutes to replace.

If you’re inexperienced, have an electrician or different educated
particular person set up these till you’re feeling snug. 


These DIY lighting and outlet hacks are all simple fixes that
make life a bit simpler, save power and lengthen the life of sunshine bulbs!

1. Dimmer Switches

I’ve blabbed on and on about dimmer switches for years for good purpose! They
are my FAVORITE! 

Dimmers permit you to soften the sunshine rooms so they are not so vivid in any respect
instances:

sliding dimmer switch

This publish could comprise affiliate hyperlinks for
your comfort.

I could earn a small fee when you make a purchase order by means of hyperlinks. 

I like them in any room — now we have them in bedrooms, loos (should you get
up earlier than the solar they’re a should!), the kitchen, eating space and residing
room. 

Just about on lighting fixtures all around the home:
cone light small hallway

There’s nothing higher than with the ability to flip down a vivid, harsh gentle
to a mushy glow at night time!

I particularly get pleasure from them for a ceiling gentle over the eating desk: 

large cone shape light over table

They positively create a mushy and comfy temper!

You could find my easy tutorial for putting in a dimmer change right here! (I wrote that publish years in the past — remember to use the directions on
your dimmer for essentially the most up to date tutorial.)

There are a
couple issues to contemplate when buying dimmer switches. First, make
positive your dimmer change works for LED gentle bulbs. Most choices on the
market now work for these and incandescent bulbs, however older variations could
make LEDs flicker. 

Additionally, decide should you’ll want a single or three method pole dimmer. 

In case your gentle operates from one change it’s known as
single pole, if it really works from multiple change it is known as
a three method

Most dimmer switches work for all of those now — that is why they price
greater than they used to. (Again within the day they had been lower than $10
every!)

You could find
my favorite dimmer switches here!

Do you know you may also
add a dimmer to lamps? 

I discovered this little trick final yr and LOVE that I can dim our lamp gentle
now:

foyer table with round mirror

Dimmers not solely modify the sunshine to your liking, however they permit for mushy
ambient lighting that’s actually pretty within the night or on a stormy
day. 😍 

Plus you’ll save power and your gentle bulbs will final
a lot longer!

2. Recessed shops


I’ve shared these
cool recessed shops (and find out how to set up them) as properly. They’re deeper, inset
shops that provide you with a number of extra inches behind furnishings and TVs:

Recessed outlets for behind furniture

Additionally, should you’re having an outlet put in behind a dangling TV, I
suggest these as a substitute of a daily outlet. That method you’ve loads of
area for the plug behind the mounted tv:

Gallery wall around hanging TV

3. USB shops

These
USB outlets are another favorite
as a result of they’re simply so helpful. They nonetheless have two common shops,
but in addition two USB sockets as properly:

USB outlet for charging devices

You possibly can plug something in like a traditional outlet, however do not want the cumbersome
chargers to energy up your gadgets. There’s loads of room to have
one thing plugged into each spot. 

We’ve one in our mud room and it is good as a result of now we have so many gadgets
that must be charged — audio system, watches, telephones, and many others. 

I hold all the cords in a drawer proper there so we will seize all of them:
 

The kitchen island is one other good spot for one in all these!: 

USB outlet on island

I believe they’d be nice in an workplace or bed room (by the nightstand!) as
properly. 

4. Movement sensor gentle switches


I hate when lights are left on round the home! Not calling
my household out or something…I might by no means try this. 😉

I fell in love with
the motion sensor light switch
once I used one in all these in our previous home:

Motion sensor switch turns off light



A movement sensor gentle is GREAT for areas the place
our households we have a tendency to go away lights on. 

They activate whenever you stroll in and you may set how shortly you need them to
flip off whenever you go away the room. It’s also possible to faucet the button to show them
on and off manually.

I believe they’re particularly useful in closets and pantries. I LOVE the one
in my closet (that I
lined in wallpaper scraps!), particularly once I’m carrying a laundry basket:
wallpapered switch cover

These switches take some getting used to — you may nonetheless attain for the sunshine
change for a superb week after putting in it. 🙂 

Movement sensor switches will certainly prevent some cash on {the electrical}
invoice in case you have gentle change offenders in your house.

paintable outlet covers

You simply take off the unique outlet cowl and set up this on high of the
socket. You can also make the colour no matter you need, in order that they they turn into almost
invisible on the wall. 

These covers are additionally nice if you wish to replace discolored shops, however
do not wish to change all of them out. 

For those who’re planning to put in any of those useful switches or shops, you may
wish to choose up
a voltage tester
as properly. It is tremendous easy device that tells you if there’s any energy going to
what you are engaged on. 

I ALWAYS check (along with turning off the breaker) — even when
the sunshine is off, there could also be energy coming from an one other line.

I believe you may discover any of those shops and switches useful across the
home! Have you ever used any of those useful devices?