We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
I dream of the day when my home is big enough that I can have a floor lamp that is just a lamp. However, until I find a place with significantly more square footage, I can’t rationally give up floor space to something that only serves one function. I need my lamps to multitask — as shelves, storage, electrical outlets, and, of course, light sources — and I need them to do all of this without costing me a fortune. (Kind of demanding, I know, but that’s the truth.)
Thankfully, I found an all-in-one lamp from Brightech (an AT-favorite brand) that can do all of these things (really!), and you can grab one now at 20 to 30 percent off. This hardworking device is not exactly cheap (it’s about $65), but it is well worth every penny and it won’t fall apart on you. Over time, I bet you’ll discover more ways to use it and won’t want to let it go. I found it to be so useful that after getting one for my living room, I got one for the bedroom, too.
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Starting with the aesthetics, I like the wooden look of this lamp and was glad to see that it produces nice soft, yellow light. The fabric lampshade has four walls to completely cover the bulb, which prevents it from ever giving off too much direct light and makes the lamp excellent for reading in bed at night or winding down in the living room after dinner. While the frame is definitely not made from natural hardwood (it’s some kind of “engineered wood product”), it looks enough like wood to not feel cheap or distracting. I have a light gray one and a light brown one, and it comes in two other colors to easily match your decor scheme.
When it comes to functionality, that’s where this lamp really shines. It has three levels of shelves that you can use for storage (like I do) or for displaying decorative vases, picture frames, or any of your favorite knickknacks. In my living room, the lamp has become my secondary entertainment center: it’s filled with board games, playing cards, and all my word games. In the bedroom, the shelves hold books and a small pile of folded clothes; it’s not perfect, but it’s definitely better than draping them on my desk chair.
The top shelf has two USB charging ports and a regular power outlet, which both come in handy on a daily basis. My bedroom lamp is my charging station for my phone, watch, and headphones. I make good use of its built-in dividers, which let me prop up my electronics to free up shelf space for other bedside essentials. My living room lamp is where I plug in decorative string lights (that otherwise couldn’t reach the wall outlet near the floor). And because the entire shelf-lamp-combo only takes up one wall outlet, no matter where it’s plugged in, I always have an extra outlet free for anything else. Being able to power a lamp and charge three devices on a single outlet seems like a pretty good deal to me.
I’ve had my lamps for nearly two years, and aside from the fact that my cats occasionally try to climb the shelves, I have had zero issues. Despite my cats’ best efforts, they’ve never even come close to knocking the lamps over, which is surprising considering how lightweight each lamp is. I initially got one lamp to serve as a nightstand and the other to provide accent light in my otherwise dimly lit living room, but this would also be perfect for home offices that are in need of softer lighting and a few extra charging ports.
When you need a small-space-friendly lamp that does it all — lighting, storage, charging, and shelving — this one has you covered. It’s on sale, so now is a smart time to buy!
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
If you’re renting, live in a small space — or both — it can be a challenge to figure out what to do with everything you own. Renters can’t always make permanent changes to their homes, and small spaces may call for more creative methods of storage so that rooms don’t look cluttered. Kitchens can especially be difficult due to the sheer number of small items that can accumulate from gadgets to snacks, and tossing them into a drawer can’t be the only option. Pantries are convenient, but even those can be tiny depending on where you live.
Fortunately, many pantries have shelves, and where there’s shelving, there may be a solution. Hardware-free storage options are on the rise, which makes it easy to customize how you keep your belongings stored at home since you can make changes whenever necessary. One product that Amazon shoppers have been loving are the Under-Shelf Baskets from Veckle that come in money-saving bundles.
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At 14.1” x 10”, Veckle’s no-drill hanging organizers fit most cabinet shelves that are under 1.3 inches. They slide right onto the shelf, requiring no tools or hardware, and add additional space to maximize storage in any room. “I LOVE these!” said one Amazon shopper, who wished they’d known about the under-shelf baskets earlier. “They saved so much space in the cabinets. I bought one set to try out, then came back to get more in different sizes, and organized all of our kitchen cabinets.” The shelves are available in medium and large sizes, black or white, and even have a stackable option for a multi-level shelving add-on.
In the kitchen, the under-shelf organizers can be used for extra dishes, spices, preserves, and more as long as they’re the right fit. Full-sized cans may be too big to store on it, however, smaller cans, jars, and other containers (like baking powder) clear the 5.2” height with ease. “These are great,” read an Amazon review. “I’ve used all four in the set I got. They add so much space for little snacks that are just thrown in there all willy-nilly. I even got the husband’s stamp of approval on how functional and space saving they are. YAY!”
Based on reviews, the sleek Veckle shelves have also been used in bathrooms, laundry rooms, closets, and home offices for everything from storing important files to linens. “These are useful in so many ways in so many rooms,” said one shopper, who offered this suggestion: “Just gotta think outside the box. It’s a great way to make use of dead space, a good investment, and I’ll definitely be purchasing more.”
Blair is Apartment Therapy’s Style Shopping Editor, where she covers the latest brand launches, need-to-buys, and anything related to her two unofficial beats — cane and rattan. Whenever she’s not perusing for the latest home finds (a rarity), you’ll probably find her reading, watching a horror film, or on the hunt for the best tacos in New York (recs are encouraged).
Apartment Therapy received compensation for this post, which was written and edited independently by our editorial team.
For as long as I live, I’ll never forget the incredible inconvenience of my first New York City apartment. Though it was in a great area and I felt like I was living the dream just being a city dweller, there were certain quirks about the old building I lived in that definitely impacted my daily life. Chief among them (besides the drafty window that I swear had to have been made of plastic instead of glass)? The outlet situation in my bedroom.
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My bedroom boasted just a single outlet — yes, just one plug. It may not sound like the biggest deal, but when you factor in just how many things you need juice for on a daily basis just to function and get ready for work, you’ll start to understand where I’m coming from. I couldn’t charge my phone and read a book by a lamp at the same time at night. Pretty much doing anything else while blow-drying my hair was totally out of the question. And don’t get me started on the musical chairs-like rotation that happened between my chargers when I was trying to work on the weekend. Frankly, it was a mess — and while a power bar did solve some of my issues, it was clunky and inconvenient.
What I really needed? This genius 2.4A surge protector from QVC. It transforms a single plug into a convenient four-place outlet, with rotating plugs that turn a complete 360 degrees, so you never have to think twice about what you plug where. In addition to those four outlets, each surge protector (you’ll get two in a set) has a duo of built-in USB ports for convenient charging of tablets, phones, and other portable gadgets. Two plastic prongs on either side of the device offer a convenient place to wrap extra cord up to keep tangles from getting the best of your charging collection.
But that’s not even the coolest part. Each surge protector actually comes with a removable shelf on top, which can be an easy place to stash something small like a phone or tablet while you wait for it to juice up. You can even use the shelf as a way to prop up your device, allowing you to read or watch TV hands-friend as your gear gains power.
These surge protectors are a no-brainer for upping day-to-day function in small apartments or dorm rooms that lack a ton of electrical outlets, but they can be just as convenient in larger homes, too — especially around the holiday season. With the surplus of lights and decorations we all have up during this time of year, it makes sense that a few extra outlets would come in handy by the Christmas tree or in the guest room to ensure weekend visitors don’t have to choose between a glaring low battery symbol and fixing their hair in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
For a limited time, you can snag a set of these 360 Electrical Surge Protectors from QVC for just $39.98 (down from $54). That’s eight extra plugs and four USB ports, all for under $40. Take it from my former self: This is totally a deal worth taking advantage of.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
When living in a small apartment, you’re pretty much required to get scrappy with how you organize home goods and accessories. Sometimes, that can feel like trying to create storage space out of thin air. Fortunately, there are plenty of viable product options when it comes to, for example, expanding your cabinet space, decluttering your closet or organizing your bathroom. With bedrooms and communal areas, shelving is a must not only for storing various knick-knacks, but also for displaying works of art and dressing up your interior style. Even knowing all of this, I can guess that there’s still one facet of most homes that remains vastly underutilized: corners!
One great way to make use of all the storage potential your home has to offer is by installing a corner shelf or two. Currently, Amazon is selling this cool five-tier version by Greenco, and with Prime Day just a couple weeks away, there’s no better time than now to check it out. Although the shelf functions just like any other by offering plenty of room for picture frames, books, or really whatever you wish to place there, its floating nature also makes it totally unobtrusive. Coming in at just under 50″ tall, the corner shelf fits well into tight spaces. Need it to be shorter? This product is actually customizable! “One thing I really like about it is that you can shorten the shelf by a unit or two if necessary, which is what I did,” one reviewer shared.
Adding to its practicality, the shelf comes in eight colors, and its clean design means it’ll suit just about any home style. Whether you mount it in the living room, bedroom, kitchen or bathroom, the shelf is bound to work well and look great. “I am absolutely obsessed with it, and we are planning to buy more to go into the other corners of our master and then the office as well,” one buyer shared. Reviewers also delighted in the shelf’s easy assembly, which reportedly takes about an hour.
One suggestion for this product is to avoid placing heavy objects onto it. Specifically, the description says each individual shelf can hold up to 11 pounds, so maybe find another spot for that large plant or fragile glass vase. Previous purchasers wrote about using the shelf for their perfume bottles, crystal collections and toiletries, in case you’re in need of ideas. But whatever you end up putting there, you can rest assured that with the Greenco corner shelf, you’ll be making the most out of an often overlooked part of the home.
