Make Ugly Light Switches Way Cuter With An Affordable Dollar Tree DIY

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Light switch plates — unless you've purchased some of those designer numbers, yours are probably off-white, plastic, and, well, kinda boring and maybe even a little homely. Sure, they protect your walls from fingerprints and your hands from contacting electrical wires, but that's about it. They add no pizzazz to your decor scheme whatsoever. However, if you adorn those same switch plates with some peel-and-stick paper from Dollar Tree, you can give your light switches a designer look at a fraction of the cost. It's an easy-peasy DIY project that'll have a surprisingly positive effect on your home's overall aesthetic.

At the heart of this affordable Dollar Tree DIY project are the switch plates themselves. Usually, they're found in the home or tool sections of the discount store. Peel-and-stick wallpaper sheets are next on your supplies list. Dollar Tree stock can vary from store to store and over time, and the supply of wallpaper patterns can differ. In light of that, you may have to shop around to find a design you like. There's also something else to keep in mind while you're shopping.

People seek out creative ways to spice up their light switch covers for a number of reasons. A good number of people do so to make the accessory prettier. However, some people make the change because their off-white plates look unsightly next to a room's wallpaper. If you're in the latter situation and you have some scrap wallpaper leftover from your last renovation project, you can those instead of Dollar Tree products. Finally, you'll need just a few tools for this craft: scissors or a set of Crafter's Square Scrap-tility Knives, a pencil or pen, and a ruler or tape measure.

It's likely that you're starting with a piece of wallpaper that's larger than the switch plate. If so, trim the paper down until you have a piece that extends about a half an inch past the edges of the plate. Next, lay the plate over the middle of the piece of wallpaper and mark the light switch hole. After that, cut a diagonal line in each corner of the piece of wallpaper. Fold the edges of the paper over the edges of the switch plate and cut or punch through the paper in the center of the plate to accommodate the switch. Finally, hang the finished plate on the wall.

You don't have to be done with this Dollar Tree DIY project just yet; there are ways to level it up. For example, embellish your switch plate with trimmings — think Dollar Tree's Crafter's Square Washi Tape, Crafter's Square Paper Flowers, or other crafty adornments from the discount store. There are other ideas worth mentioning, too. Since the raw materials for this DIY are so cheap, you can afford to upgrade boring light switch covers with an easy photo frame hack or replace them with Thanksgiving- or Christmas-themed covers, something like this Uiamve Fall Leaf Print Self-Adhesive Wall Cover. Once the holidays arrive, hanging up the seasonal plates is a simple Dollar Tree DIY that elevates your kitchen space for fall — or any room in your home. After the holidays are over, you can simply remove the switch plates.