What's a modest home upgrade with a high return on quality of life?

[saysfaa]

Add a bidet to the toilet.

Replace flexible drier vent tubes with rigid vent ducts. And have a couple of fire extinguishes and know how to use them (aim at the base of the fire, under the flames, and such).

Anti-vibration pads for under washing machine feet.

Not so modest and not probably not appropriate for renters: Attic fan (the whole house, giant fan in the ceiling kind). We ran ours for few minutes most evenings through the warm weather season in the second house we owed. It was so awesome that I thought we would always have one. Then we moved to a climate where the nights didn't cool down.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Magnetic door stops that hold the door open.
Magnetic hand-held shower head.
A tension rod under the kitchen sink to hold all my cleaners.

 

[paintedChix]

Some of these items, I knew nothing about. I now have much research...

Would love both to have/bring in solar power. Especially now that we've gotten used to air conditioning & steady heat. Would really like it with incubating eggs & having chicken brooders. Also, we are filling our freezers w/ meat... Had one go down a few years ago when a fuse blew... lost everything in it - right after filling it w/ processed chicken & about a quarter beef. That was NOT fun.

We have a fire place, but sure wish we could get a wood burning stove that has cook plates on top... Again, for the hurricane times when we've not had electric... or the ice storm that brings down power lines.

I always thought a swimming pool was not worth it. A PITA to care for. Then we moved into a home that had one. The above ground pool has disintegrated, but lasted much longer than it was supposed to. I'm ready for another... When/if we do get another, need want steps w/ railing rather than a ladder. It would have to include at least a partial wrap around deck & some type of double door system to go directly into home. The one we had, since our house sits way back into the "middle-ish" of our 21 acres, used to strip down after working w/ ponies & doing chores, take a dunk, get out more refreshed. But then had to carry sweat soaked & dirt impregnated clothing thru a sticker weed patch (swear it grew up again every night) to get to back steps under carport. At least the washer & dryer were right there to drop nasty clothes in. That pool became a sauna when temps were over 100°, but still was refreshing...

I'll add more later.