15 Things You Should Always Buy For Your Home And 5 You Better Skip Buying
Your home isn’t just a place to crash—it’s your personal sanctuary, style statement, and the backdrop for life’s best moments.
Making smart purchasing decisions can transform an ordinary space into something that feels uniquely yours while saving you from costly regrets. Ready to upgrade your nest with must-haves that deliver serious bang for your buck, while avoiding the trendy flops that’ll have you facepalming by next season?
1. Quality Mattress: Sleep Kingdom’s Foundation
Nothing says ‘adulting success’ quite like investing in a mattress that doesn’t feel like sleeping on packaged ramen noodles. Your back will thank you, your energy levels will soar, and those dark under-eye circles might finally take a permanent vacation.
The average person spends about 26 years sleeping during their lifetime—make those years count! Skip the bargain options and consider this the foundation of your wellness kingdom.
2. Proper Kitchen Knives: Culinary Game-Changers
Trying to slice a tomato with a dull knife is like attempting brain surgery with a spoon—frustrating and potentially dangerous. A solid chef’s knife, paring knife, and serrated bread knife form the holy trinity of kitchen tools that transform cooking from chore to pleasure.
Professional chefs aren’t knife snobs for nothing! Sharp, well-balanced blades make prep work faster, more precise, and infinitely more satisfying than wrestling with flimsy dollar-store alternatives.
3. Statement Mirror: Spatial Illusionist
The secret weapon of interior designers everywhere, a gorgeous mirror pulls double duty by reflecting light (making rooms appear larger) and serving as wall art without the gallery price tag. Position opposite windows for maximum brightness boost.
Beyond function, a statement mirror acts as your outfit-checker, confidence-booster, and the backdrop for approximately 42% of all selfies taken at home. Choose one that makes you do a double-take—in a good way!
4. Real Plants: Living Decor Champions
Fake plants might not need watering, but they also won’t purify your air, boost your mood, or give you that smug feeling when you keep something alive for more than two weeks. Even notorious plant-killers can handle a hardy snake plant or pothos.
Studies show houseplants reduce stress and increase productivity—basically, they’re therapy that also looks cute in that ceramic pot you splurged on. Start with one easy variety and watch your green confidence grow alongside your new leafy friend.
5. Quality Sheets: Bedroom Game-Elevators
Life’s too short for scratchy sheets that pill after two washes and make you wake up looking like you’ve been through a static electricity storm. Good bedding doesn’t require mortgage-level investment—just know what you’re buying beyond the thread-count hype.
Cotton percale for crisp hotel vibes, sateen for silky luxury, or linen for that perfectly rumpled, effortlessly cool European look. Your skin touches these fabrics for hours every night; make it a relationship worth committing to.
6. Versatile Dutch Oven: Kitchen Workhorse
That gorgeous, enameled cast iron pot isn’t just pretty—it’s the multitasking superhero of cookware that’ll outlive your current kitchen (and possibly you). From crusty bread to Sunday stews, stovetop to oven, this heavyweight champion delivers results that make you look like you actually know what you’re doing.
Yes, they’re an investment, but break it down by the thousands of meals it’ll help create, and suddenly it’s cheaper than a coffee habit. Bonus: they come in colors that make your stovetop Instagram-worthy.
7. Proper Lighting: Mood Architecture
Harsh overhead lighting is the fluorescent enemy of good vibes and flattering selfies. Strategic lamps at varying heights create atmosphere, highlight your best features (both facial and architectural), and transform spaces from clinical to cozy with the flick of a switch.
Layer your lighting with floor lamps, table lamps, and dimmable options. The right lighting plan can make even a Monday night Netflix binge feel like an occasion worth dressing up for.
8. Plush Bath Towels: Everyday Luxury
Nothing kills post-shower bliss faster than drying off with what feels like sandpaper sewn into a rectangle. Quality towels transform your bathroom from functional space to personal spa, wrapping you in cotton clouds after every shower.
Look for 100% cotton with enough weight to feel substantial but not so heavy they never dry. White hotel-style towels give that clean, classic look, but jewel tones can add personality to neutral bathrooms. Your future self will thank you every single morning.
9. Comfortable Couch: Living Room Cornerstone
The humble couch hosts movie marathons, unexpected naps, heart-to-hearts, and those nights when the bed seems too far away. This isn’t where to cheap out—your back and guests deserve better than particle board and polyester that pills after one wine night with friends.
Test before buying (awkwardly lounging in showrooms is your right as a consumer). Consider depth if you’re a dedicated lounger, firmness if you need support, and stain-resistant fabrics if pets or kids are in the picture.
10. Artwork You Love: Soul Snapshots
Generic mass-produced canvas prints from big box stores scream “I have no personality and my space was decorated by algorithms.” Instead, invest in pieces that make your heart skip—whether it’s an original painting, a limited print, or even a beautifully framed vintage map.
Art you genuinely connect with transforms rooms from staged to soulful. Don’t worry about matching your sofa; worry about finding pieces that make you smile every time you walk past them. That’s the difference between a house and a home.
11. Quality Vacuum: Dust Destroyer
That $49 vacuum might seem like a deal until it starts blowing dust back into your face while making a noise like a small aircraft taking off in your living room. A good vacuum is the unsung hero of adulting—powerful enough to actually remove pet hair instead of rearranging it across your floors.
Modern options offer HEPA filters, cordless convenience, and enough suction to make cleaning almost (almost!) enjoyable. Your allergies, guests, and future self will appreciate this practical splurge.
12. Solid Cookware: Mealtime Foundation
Those suspiciously cheap pans that warp after two uses and coat your eggs with mysterious black flakes aren’t doing your cooking skills any favors. Quality doesn’t mean the most expensive set with 27 pieces you’ll never use—it means thoughtfully chosen pots and pans that conduct heat evenly.
Start with a few workhorses: a stainless steel skillet, a non-stick pan for eggs, and a heavy-bottomed pot. They’ll last for years and make even boxed mac and cheese feel like a culinary achievement.
13. Fire Extinguisher: Unglamorous Hero
Not sexy, not Instagram-worthy, but potentially the most important purchase on this list. That ambitious flambé attempt or questionable electrical outlet won’t wait until the fire department arrives to escalate from “oops” to “oh no.”
Keep one under the kitchen sink and another near potential fire hazards. Models designed for home use are surprisingly affordable and compact. It’s the purchase you hope never to use but will be eternally grateful to have if needed.
14. Quality Router: Digital Lifeline
That basic router your internet provider supplied is the digital equivalent of trying to hydrate your entire household through a cocktail straw. A quality router distributes stronger, more reliable Wi-Fi throughout your home, eliminating those maddening dead zones and buffering wheels of doom.
With everything from work to entertainment depending on solid internet, this tech investment pays dividends daily. Look for dual-band or mesh systems for larger homes where connectivity matters in every corner.
15. Food Storage Containers: Kitchen Sanity System
Mismatched takeout containers with warped lids and mysterious stains are the chaotic evil of kitchen organization. A cohesive set of quality food storage means leftovers actually get eaten instead of fossilizing in the back of your fridge.
Glass options might cost more upfront but won’t absorb smells or stains, can go from freezer to microwave to table, and make meal prep look satisfyingly adult. Your future self will appreciate this small but mighty upgrade during late-night fridge raids.
16. Skip: Unitasker Kitchen Gadgets
That avocado slicer, banana hanger, and electric pickle fork might seem revolutionary during 2AM infomercials, but they’ll soon join the graveyard of rarely-used gadgets cluttering your drawers. A good knife and basic tools handle most kitchen tasks without the single-purpose clutter.
Before buying any kitchen gadget, ask yourself: “Will I use this more than twice a year?” and “Can something I already own do this job?” Your future cabinet space and wallet will thank you for your restraint.
17. Skip: Fast-Fashion Furniture
That suspiciously cheap bookcase might seem like a bargain until it wobbles like it’s had too many martinis after six months of normal use. Particle board covered in plastic veneer isn’t built to last—it’s built to land in a landfill after your next move.
Instead of disposable furniture, save up for solid pieces or hunt secondhand for real wood that’s already proven its staying power. Vintage pieces often cost less than their flimsy modern counterparts while bringing actual character to your space.
18. Skip: Oversized Appliances
That massive bread maker that requires Olympic weightlifting skills to move from cabinet to counter won’t transform you into Paul Hollywood if you use it twice before relegating it to appliance purgatory. Kitchen real estate is precious—don’t waste it on aspirational machines that mock you from dusty corners.
Focus on versatile workhorses that earn their keep through regular use. Nobody needs a dedicated hot chocolate maker when a saucepan works perfectly fine for those three times a year you crave cocoa.
19. Skip: Trendy Accent Pieces
Remember when everyone had “Live, Laugh, Love” signs and chevron everything? Trend-chasing decor becomes dating evidence for when you last updated your home—like carbon dating but with throw pillows. The home equivalent of that regrettable tribal tattoo from 2003.
Instead, invest in classic pieces and express personality through meaningful items with staying power. If you must follow trends, do it through inexpensive accessories you can change without feeling like you’re throwing money into a style time capsule.
20. Skip: Massive TV
That wall-swallowing television might impress initially, but it quickly becomes the black hole that sucks all design energy from your room. Living spaces should facilitate conversation and connection, not just passive entertainment aimed at a dominating screen.
Consider a reasonably sized TV that serves its purpose without becoming the room’s focal point. Or explore projector options that disappear when not in use. Your living room should feel like a thoughtfully designed space for humans, not a Best Buy showroom.
