(Image credit: Kirsten's Bluebird of Happiness House) Here’s the unfortunate truth about 99% of all living spaces: every house and apartment - large or small - likely has something that's weird, oddly placed, or just plain ugly. These persistent little problems (cords, vents, pipes, outlets) might drive you nuts, but stay they must, especially if you are a renter. The only solution is to get creative…. Here are 10 common household eyesores, and DIY projects and ideas to help you disguise them: (Image credit: Julie Blanner) 1. Appliances: Not everyone is as entranced by your mustard-colored stove as you are. If you are staging your house to sell, or your partner can’t handle the color anymore, try a quick makeover using stainless steel sheets. (Image credit: Ana White) 2. Bathroom Fans: I have yet to see an attractive one of these. Ana White has plans available for a vent cover that you can build. A larger version is good for wall vents as well. (Image credit: Fred Beck)

3. Litter Boxes: Yucky. I don’t think you have to be persuaded to hide your litter boxes. Here are a multitude of ideas for a very common pet problem.wall ac unit power consumption (Image credit: The Lettered Cottage)how to reset window ac unit 4. Popcorn Ceilings: The Lettered Cottage covered up their speckled finish with white wooden planks.york furnace ac unit (Image credit: Paula Grace) 5. Flat Screen Televisions: This modern problem can be fixed by installing folding screens on a recessed wall in front of the tv. Open them up at night, and shut them when you aren’t watching the Real Housewives. (Image credit: Chez Larsson) 6. Radiators: Radiator covers mask what’s underneath and become almost an added piece of furniture.

Chez Larsson made this very streamlined one. (Image credit: Manhattan Nest) Of course, if you don’t want to build a cover, or are worried about heat loss, paint it instead. Here are five strategies to choose from. (Image credit: One Kings Lane) 7. Wall Outlets: One Kings Lane used a hinged painting to cover up an ugly control panel. Do the same for any alarm, outlet, wall safe(!), or phone jack. It’s stylish, yet readily accessible. 8. Electric Cords: There are infinite ways to hide unwieldy cords, plugs, and other tech-y stuff, but I particularly like the look of books. (Image credit: Canadian House & Home) 9. Sink Plumbing: If you have exposed pipes, either under a pedestal sink, or in a laundry room slop sink, a sewn skirt is an easy fix. It also is a another curtain behind which to hide cleaning supplies on the sly. (Or, hey, you can paint your lines lime green as in the lead photo above.) 10. A/C Window Units: Hot weather is coming, believe it or not, and that means your wall unit will make its way into your window soon (if it’s not there already).

A simple fix is to hang cafe curtains on the lower part of your window, using a tension rod.Keep the unsightly out of sight! Use an old book cover to conceal your router. Or stash it away in a decorative box. A hinged painting will conveniently cover a fuse box or wall outlet. The same concept can be used to tidy up your entertainment center if you’re handy enough to cut a storage shelf into the wall. Or you can simply use a hollow wall mount to hide the cords. Use a staple gun to dress your exposed box spring in tasteful fabric. Install a pegboard underneath your computer desk and organize all your cables and boxes. Or simply use drapes to cover up the mess. Use the same trick on open storage shelves. Cover your wall-mounted AC unit with an adorable chalkboard cover. And a simple curtain will do the trick for your window unit. Turn your grimy balcony into a backyard with astroturf. Or go all-out with some blinds, wicker fencing, decking slabs and stones.

Hide your dog’s crate under a desk and conceal it behind a set of curtains. And keep its food and water bowls off the floor by hiding them away in a secret drawer. Similarly, disguise your cat’s litter box as a small cupboard or end table. Install electrical outlets in drawers and charge your devices out of sight. Turn wires into wall art. Use cutlery trays to declutter your bathroom counters and cabinets. Tuck your printer away behind a hinged-drawer. Click here for the how-to. Shutout ugly utility meters with shutters.22 Creative Ways To Hide Ugly Household Items. Even if you've cleaned and organized your home, you've still got a few eyesores here and there.  Some of them can be taken care of just by taking the plunge and asking yourself, "do I really, really need this?" If the answer is no, then into the Goodwill pile it goes. But what about the stuff that you do need? Here are 22 of the most brilliant ways to cover up your home's ugliest stuff.1.

Keep the dog food and water in a drawer. Hide an unsightly AC unit behind a chalkboard or wall hanging. Rather than hope that nobody notices the cords along the wall, bring out a whimsical side with pretty vine clips.This Bob Marley fan found an awesome way to turn loose cords into Bob Marley's hair.buzzfeed6. Desk drawers aren't just for dog food. Hide eyesores, like apartment fuseboxes or defunct switches, behind a painting. Dress up your TV when it's not in use by laying a lightweight canvas painting over it. Basically, you can hide anything with a painting. Cords trailing along the wall? Keep them contained with an adorable picket fence.Kitty's bathroom isn't a great conversation piece. Hide it in a special cabinet. 18. These rocks look heavy, but they're super lightweight and hollow. The space under the stairs is great for seasonal storage or cleaning products.The invisible shelf lets you stack books without needing a heavy bookshelf.These cute decals give you and your family a constant reminder about your carbon footprint.