I transformed my home with these 3 DIY projects — they’re all on sale for Prime Day

(Picture source: Tom's Guide)

In search of affordable methods to revamp your house? Well, you're in for a treat because Amazon Prime Day offers a plethora of fantastic bargains, including discounts on a few gadgets that I personally utilized in my own do-it-yourself endeavors.

While you might be searching for the top bargains on TVs or laptops during Prime Day, there are numerous fantastic deals available for under $50 that can greatly enhance your household.

If you have a little extra cash but still want to save money, all of these projects can be done for under $200. They have greatly simplified my life at home, particularly when it comes to managing the mail, organizing my family's agenda, and even sprucing up the house during festive seasons.

Although a stylish and advanced television or laptop may seem impressive, these do-it-yourself (DIY) endeavors can be finished within a few hours. Even if you are currently short on time, Prime Day presents an ideal opportunity to acquire all the necessary materials to carry out these projects independently.

All-in-one Display For The Family

When it comes to the top smart displays like the Google Nest Hub Max or the Echo Show 8, there is a wide range of choices available. Nevertheless, the Echo Show 15 stands out as the only smart display that can effortlessly be mounted on any wall in your house.

While I personally have my own Echo Show 15 set up in a vertical position in my kitchen, it is also possible to mount the smart display in a horizontal orientation. In fact, this could be a preferable choice as it allows you to make use of Amazon's latest Fire TV Mode feature. With this feature, you can transform your smart display into a television and enjoy a wide range of content from top streaming services. This can be done easily using either an Alexa Voice Remote or the advanced Alexa Voice Remote Pro.

One thing I really appreciate about having the Echo Show 15 installed in my kitchen is that it is accessible to the whole family. Every member of your household can create their own customized account, and it is convenient to view everyone's schedules quickly. Additionally, I utilize the Echo Show 15 along with one of the top-notch baby monitors to monitor my little child during the nighttime.

In contrast to the Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max by Google, the Echo Show 15 offers the embedded Silk browser from Amazon, enabling you to visit any desired website. For instance, whether you wish to stream YouTube videos or explore the most recent articles from Tom's Guide on your intelligent display, the Echo Show 15 allows you to do so.

In the image shown above, I utilized the Silk browser to enter my digital control panel, which appears quite impressive on the screen. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that there is no possibility of operating the Echo Show 15's browser in the mode that covers the entire screen.

Ideal Holiday Lights: Smart & Versatile

The finest intelligent lighting fixtures have the ability to create the perfect ambiance for any event, regardless of whether they are installed inside or outside. However, if you frequently spend time outside, it is highly beneficial to consider purchasing smart lights specifically designed for your backyard or patio.

Since I had a patio attached to my residence which had worn-out string lights installed when I relocated, I opted to swap them out with Govee's Intelligent Outdoor String Lights. These string lights come in 24, 48, and 96-foot sizes and are considerably more budget-friendly compared to Philips Hue lights. Additionally, they boast a remarkable lifespan of 20,000 hours.

I set up the Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights by using hooks instead of using staples. This allows me to effortlessly replace the lights with new ones whenever necessary.

Govee's Intelligent Outdoor String Lights are resistant to water and breakage, making them the perfect option if you have inquisitive kids roaming your yard. By installing the Govee app on my smartphone, I have access to numerous pre-set settings, such as "Autumn," "Summertime," and "Christmas" for festive occasions. Nevertheless, it is also possible to customize your own scenes or even synchronize your string lights with top-notch music streaming platforms via your phone's microphone.

I needed nearly 200 feet of fairy lights to adorn my entire porch, spanning from one side to the other. However, the outcome has truly exceeded my expectations. It has been a whole year since I hung up these dazzling lights, and they have served me flawlessly without encountering any glitches.

Don't Miss Mail - Check Regularly!

If you're similar to me, you probably feel uneasy when it comes to checking your mailbox. Personally, this is because my own mailbox is frequently inundated with invoices, unsolicited mail, and even mail addressed to my home's past occupants who neglected to redirect their mail after relocating.

Once my son came into the world in the previous year, our household became quite chaotic. During this busy time, I assumed that my wife was responsible for checking the mail, while she believed I was taking care of it. To our surprise, none of us were actually checking it, resulting in such negligence that the USPS made the decision to cease mail delivery to our residence. Realizing there had to be a brilliant smart home gadget to tackle this issue, I chanced upon the remarkable Ring Mailbox Sensor.

The Ring Mailbox Sensor, as its name implies, is an intelligent sensor that you can put in your mailbox to notify you whenever it senses movement. If you already possess a Ring doorbell or Ring Smart Lights, incorporating the sensor will be a breeze. Nevertheless, if you don't, you will need to purchase a Ring Bridge as well. Luckily, you have the option to purchase both devices together as a package at a reduced price.

If you possess a plastic mailbox, you simply have to attach the Ring Mailbox Sensor to the rear of your mailbox or on the front entrance. Nevertheless, in case you own a metal mailbox similar to the one displayed previously, it will be necessary to create a hole in the rear to extend an antenna from the sensor. By doing so, your Ring Mailbox Sensor will effectively link up with your Ring Bridge without encountering any disruptions.

I've been using the Ring Mailbox Sensor shown in the photo for about a year now, and I recently moved it to my new plastic mailbox without any trouble. The person who delivers my mail now recognizes me since I always check for mail as soon as it's delivered. Additionally, I've configured an Alexa Skill on my Echo Show 15 that announces "You've received mail!" whenever the sensor detects movement.

Maximizing Prime Day

Purchasing a few high-value items might appear clever amidst Prime Day, but with proper planning, you can acquire all the essentials for various domestic undertakings. Even if you currently lack the opportunity to address them, you can always gather all the required materials in preparation for when you eventually have some leisure time.

I spent the complete amount for all the things mentioned earlier, but if I had only waited for Prime Day, I could have saved a significant amount. In the same way, Black Friday and other major sales events offer a more affordable opportunity to acquire your home upgrades at a reduced cost. No matter which option you choose, make sure you allocate some time to carefully plot out your upcoming home improvement project before proceeding to complete the purchase.

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Anthony Spadafora works as the editor responsible for security and networking topics at Tom's Guide. In his role, he discusses a wide range of subjects, such as data breaches and ransomware groups, password managers, and methods for extending Wi-Fi coverage throughout your entire home or business. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, Anthony contributed articles to ITProPortal while residing in Korea. After returning to the United States, he wrote for TechRadar Pro. Anthony is currently based in Houston, Texas, where he enjoys spending his free time experimenting with PCs and game consoles, organizing cables, and enhancing his smart home setup.