Just like most working class folks, I’ve been under the pressure of the rising cost of well… Everything! That’s why I decided to let you in on some of my cost saving investments. So in this article, I’m going to tell you about some affordable home improvement gadgets that genuinely made life better for me.
Let’s take a tour!
Fabric Chair Covers
Starting with the dining room, I’d like to introduce you to these fabric chair covers.
Here you can see a side-by-side comparison of my vinyl-topped dining chair without and with the stretchy fabric cover. It’s like a totally new chair, isn’t it?
I purchased these chairs second-hand on Facebook Marketplace. They have a metal frame with vinyl-covered padded seats. I absolutely love metal chairs — especially if they’re vintage — because they’re sturdy and difficult to break.
However… When you take a closer look at the white vinyl, it’s plain to see these chairs were very well loved. The vinyl is scratched, discoloured, and torn in a few places. So you’d think the solution would be to replace the vinyl, right? Nah. That’d cost more than buying new chairs… probably!
So I went and sought a more affordable improvement to these dining chairs. Chair covers!
Why they’re good
The fabric chair covers are great for a number of reasons:
- The store had a number of colour and pattern options, to suit a range of styles.
- These chair covers are stretchy, so you don’t need to worry about to-the-millimeter fitting.
- It’s fabric! If they get dirty, they can go in the washing machine.
- They’re affordable! Not only do they cost less than replacing vinyl or getting new chairs, but if they’re ever damaged, they’re easy enough to replace.
This is a closeup of what the fabric on my chair cover looks like.
Where to buy fabric seat covers
You can find fabric seat covers like these at most places that sell furniture.
Here’s the exact one I bought from AliExpress.
Bottle Gap Cleaner
Bullet blenders are a wonderful thing to have. But you know what sucks about them? Cleaning! Especially in between the cup threads, and the blade assembly.
That’s why I enlisted the help of this nifty little bottle gap cleaner. It comes with a swap-able head for different tasks. The brush tip is great for getting in around the lip of the blade assembly, and around the blades themselves.
The bottle gap cleaner in half-twist. Looks a tad like a one-eyed beast, hey? Well, it does a fantastic job for a little weirdo.
I’ve had it since October 2025, and so far, it’s holding together nicely. No fading, or bristles falling out as of March 2026. It’s definitely one of my must-have, affordable home improvement gadgets.
This is the bottle cleaner gadget I got from AliExpress.
Reusable Fabric Bowl Covers
So, I got the idea for to acquire a food bowl cover from my partner’s parents. They had these things in their kitchen drawer, which strongly resembled shower caps. But they are not for the shower! They are for covering food.
I find these to be excellent for transporting a salad or dessert from your house to another’s.
My partner’s parents had them in plastic, but I decided to get fabric ones, so they can be washed.
These in particular feel like cotton, so that’s a tick on the sustainable box too!
Convenient as it is, I just feel a bit awful every time I rip off a sheet of cling wrap. I’m super glad someone decided to create and sell these.
Here are the ones I got from AliExpress.
I hope you’ll appreciate learning about these handy, life-improving gadgets. Which one most impressed you?
Stay tuned for more reviews!
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