20 Drill-Free Decluttering Solutions We Discovered in 2023
This year was rife with new product discoveries, whether we’re talking budget-friendly kitchen tools that cut down on labor or an internet-famous drinking tumbler that costs just $5. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been sorting through these 2023 tried-and-trues in order to determine the best of the best, and trust us when we say it has not been easy. By far, one of our favorite categories to test for is renter solutions, especially ones that promise to maximize storage space without damaging walls. As a result, we figured it would be helpful to compile our top drill-free products of the year into one post, so you can quickly sort through them and stock up on what you need for 2024. After all, if you plan on moving in the new year, you’ll want back your security deposit! Below, you’ll find 15 of our favorites, which are guaranteed to make your apartment feel organized, better lit, and more spacious.
KT Best Drill-Free Products of 2023
Bathroom storage is tricky, especially inside the shower. Fortunately, we came across these customer-favorite metal shelves from Amazon, which stick onto walls with a large adhesive strip. They offer plenty of room for soap and shampoo bottles, and they have hooks for hanging towels, loofahs, and razors. "I don’t know how I ever lived without it," wrote one Amazon reviewer. "I’m buying more for my kitchen, my kid’s bathroom, and other areas in the house."
Whether your bathroom drawers are full or you just want a more convenient spot for cotton pads near your vanity, this wall shelf is bound to come in handy. It comes with two adhesive strips that allow you to stick it onto a variety of nonporous surfaces; the strips work well on glass, tile, stone, and metal, but they're not recommended for use on painted drywall or wallpaper. What's more, the shelf is available in three different colors, all of which look totally adorable.
We've seen many different styles of cable managers, but some of those require drilling. With this set of cable management trays, however, your desk and walls will remain blemish-free. Plus, commerce SEO editor Sarah swears by them. "All in all, it probably took me about 10 minutes to complete this project," Sarah wrote for our sister site. "Best of all, when you’re looking at the desk straight-on, you can’t see these trays at all. They truly work like magic!" The trays clamp down around your desktop and can be easily removed at any time.
Sporting a similar design to the previous product, the NONO bracket clamps onto the sliding rail of your vertical blinds, allowing you to conceal them with curtains. After you've installed the brackets, which come in a set of two, just set a curtain rod into the U-shaped holsters and hang drapes that show off your personal taste. “I live in an apartment, I never thought I could have curtains (so sick of blinds!),” one Amazon reviewer wrote. “Now I have curtains up in every room, and I’m not kidding when I say that it changed my life. I feel like my home is so much more homey and comfy, I love the way the light shines through my new curtains.”
This year, we also found a number of great drill-free solutions for the kitchen, including these mixer attachment holders. Thanks to this product, you no longer have to deal with a cluttered, messy drawer full of attachments. You can instead adhere the holders into the bottom of your cabinet using double-sided tape. Although the holders were made with KitchenAid mixer attachments in mind, they're actually compatible with a number of attachments, no matter the brand. The next time you're making muffins or mixing bread dough, you'll have everything you need within easy reach.
If you'd rather not give up the floor space for a standing toilet paper holder, check out this adhesive find from Umbra. This affordable solution can hold both standard and jumbo-sized toilet paper, and you can attach it directly to a convenient spot on the wall via the included waterproof adhesive strips and later take it down if you move, leaving no damage behind. Plus, its built-in shelf can hold your phone and other personal items.
There's no limit to how much extra storage space you can create with these spring tension rods, which are available in a variety of sizes. After all, when you run out of room for utensils in your drawers, you need to get creative. You can install the tension rod in your cabinets or between any nooks in your kitchen (like between the fridge and range hood), then grab some S-shaped hooks and hang your utensils so they're out of the way but still totally accessible. While you're at it, pick up some rods for the closet, too!
Poor lighting is a common conundrum among renters. After all, you can't just install new ceiling lights. Thankfully, there are ways around the issue, including these modern adhesive sconces, which you can certainly place close to the ceiling, as well as by the bed or even in the bathroom. They come in five finishes and look so sophisticared — no one will ever guess you literally stuck them on. Each light has three brightness and color settings and fully rotates to give you illumination where you need it.
There are many reasons why we love this innovative shower caddy, so it'll come as no surprise to learn that it made our sister site's Best List. Although it expands to 9 feet tall, the caddy's height is actually not that daunting when you consider that the pole expands from 6 to 9 feet. This essentially just allows you to prop it upright in your shower so that you can use its three shelves to store your shampoos, shower gels, and more. We also appreciate how slim the caddy is; even if your shower is positively tiny, you'll have no problem incorporating this luxurious fixture into the space.
Maxed out on clothing rack space? Try these adhesive wall hooks, which allow you to mount things without issue. They're essentially stick-on screws that you can use to hang cleaning supplies, cooking utensils, bathroom towels, clothing, and so much more. In other words, if you don't want to risk your security deposit or simply can't be bothered to pick up a drill, we say give these a try.
Even though everyone seems to be aboard the stemless wine glass train these days, we still contend that the classic stemmed glasses look much classier. The only problem? They can be a pain to store if your kitchen doesn't have a built-in under-shelf wine rack. Thankfully, you can just snag a pair of these wine glass holders, which — you guessed it — come with adhesive strips on the back. Simply peel off the top layer, and stick the rack onto the underside of any cabinet. It’ll stay securely in place, even as you load it up with your favorite drinkware. Each rack can hold up to three glasses, so six in total.
If you live with roommates, we'd venture to guess that you don't have enough hanging space for all your bath towels. Enter this three-piece towel holder set, which includes two hooks and a horizontal rack. At 16 inches wide, the bar is narrower than traditional towel bars, so it easily fits in small spaces and on bathroom doors, giving you several options for where you want to place it. Additionally, every item in this set is made of rust-proof stainless steel. You can also snag the bundle in a silver or gold-toned finish.
If you're not into the modern wall sconces, there are plenty of other styles to choose from, including these swanky fixtures. Style shopping editor Blair put up a pair in her apartment, noting that they're dimmable, remote-operated, rechargeable, and, most importantly, drill-free. "Looks-wise, these lights couldn’t be more spot-on," she wrote for AT. "The squiggle arm feels fresh and different from most brass styles on the market, and the base itself hardly takes up much wall space at just 5 inches around. I’ve also discovered that just one remote works across both sconces (from up to 32 feet away), so I don’t have to keep tabs on two separate ones." The sconces also come in two styles, both of which look timeless.
You've nearly reached the end of our list, which means you've now seen enough adhesive wall products to last a lifetime. But these particular stick-on hooks earned the title of Amazon’s best-selling towel hooks, so you already know they're totally worth the buy. The no-frills chrome hooks actually function as suction cups, meaning you can rest assured that once they're locked onto a glass, tile, or mirrored surface, they're not budging. Made with waterproof and rustproof plastic and rubber, the hooks can also easily be removed, and you won't have to struggle to get rid of any adhesive left behind.
If your spice cabinet is overflowing, we highly recommend one or more of these magnetic racks, which you can stick onto your fridge for extra storage. Who are we kidding? We recommend them no matter what, because you'll always find a use for the rack, whether that's holding cooking tools, condiment bottles, or oil and vinegar. Plus, as far as storage racks go, this one is quite stylish with its sleek design and matte black finish.
This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it here: The Results Are In: These Are the Best Drill-Free Renter Finds of 2023
