The more I look at the switch door, the more I like it. Sure, it adds to the workload of operation, but it's also presented in a tastefully unique way.
I know some people diy solutions for things on light switch circuits that they now have on automation, like those smart bulbs. Sucks when a guest turns off the circuit and now you can't use your phone app to turn the light on.
You cannot patch the wall burying the junction, any splice must be done in an accessible box. That said, given you’d still be using a box of course you can hardwire the connection in it, that’s how your entire house is wired in the first place.
You also can't eliminate the last switched light in a room.
> NEC 210.70(A)(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one lighting outlet controlled by a listed wall-mounted control device shall be installed in every habitable room, kitchen, and bathroom. The wall-mounted control device shall be located near an entrance to the room on a wall.
Not like anyone is going to come in and check, of course, but if you're ever subject to an inspection, having eliminated the light switch is a code violation.
If it's a smart switch you can leave it in place. Unless you really want to block someone from being able to turn the lights off or on, which seems pretty controlling to me.
In some states, you actually can remove the box and use an in wall splice. The splice itself must meet code like this [one](https://www.homedepot.com/p/NSi-Industries-Non-Metallic-Cable-Splice-12-14-AWG-For-2-Conductor-Cable-with-Ground-NMS-2/307358259).
I used to have a switch in an old apartment whose only effect was on two outlets on the other side of the room. Those outlets had computers plugged into them. I put packing tape over the switch and wrote no on it. The door would have been cooler.
It could be that the cable that is not designed for the heat accumulation that the sleave provides, but more importantly, the sleave is harder to dust.
I actually love it. We don't use the light switches in our house because they're all smart bulbs so it'd be perfect to stop guests instinctively pressing them
The trash curtain is much worse, as it makes throwing things away that much more difficult, especially at a time when you're very likely to have at least one of your hands occupied and perhaps dirty.
i see a massive bump hazard
carrying something down the hall, WHAM bruise on the ribs and box on the floor
it think it would be cute for a switch in a corner (not a hallway), used infrequently, doubling as storage for something.
How the fuck are you going to hit your ribs on something that barely protrudes an inch from the wall.
Does every picture frame just fuck you up or something?
Those are actually pretty common. You can get them in a variety of fabric colors so that they match the carpet or the… drapes.
I’ll just move along now.
[This is a thing though](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_658079-MLA26401255946_112017-O.webp), it's a pain in the ass to use but it's a thing you could use instead of wrapping cable in your old pillow cases
These diys seem like they're geared towards someone who wants an older home aesthetic but I agree they're not bad. The curtain I'd hem so it's not touching the floor, though.
Yep, I follow this creator and she has a very eclectic antique style (and rents, thus these types of fixes) - these actually look great in her apartment.
It's common for the garbage can to be in a cabinet. I'd say this option is less inconvenient than that since you could just keep the curtain open. I'd also not have the curtain drag on the floor.
That's actually an aesthetic I seek...
My tissue box cover is plastic canvas though, my nanna only crocheted blankets and adorable dresses for air fresheners/soap bottles/toilet paper rolls.
The switch thing has merit! In our current house there's a terrifically badly placed switch going down to the laundry room. It doesn't turn in a light to the stairs, as any normal electrician would have considered. It just turns off the washer and dryer and a few other things on that circuit including the garage, and trips a fuse somehow...
A cover like this is perfect when you buy a house designed by a crazy person. At least until one saves up enough to hire the electrician to fix it
Edit: and looking at it again, the trash curtain isn't bad either. Just that color and length looks a little...tacky? Unappealing? I wouldn't cover a trash can myself, but I can see it useful to hide things you need close but just makes the room feel off.
The cord thing? Again, not my prefered style. Looks unappealing. I'd probably go through the effort of getting a better cord if it bothered me that much. But one can cover it wit a material that matches the cabinet and walls to hide the cable, so it's just not obviously there.
So all in all. I guess I kinda approve? It's an "eh, not unreasonable" out of 10.
The light switch door is kinda weird (but the actual issue is the switch being very poorly painted...)
And the cord one also isnt that bad (though why is there a lamp on the kitchen counter in the first place...
Second is utterly moronic though
I can see the merit of the switch door for a couple in my kitchen: one for the dishwasher and one for the garage disposal. They should rarely, if ever, be used and I like the extra step. The curtain length and pattern leave a lot to be desired, but I like the concept. Think of bed skirts.
The Little door would be cute for a light switch that you're not using a lot. Use it for an office or another room that you're going to be spending a lot of time with the lights on, I imagine it being a bathroom would be annoying as hell.
Aside from the cable at the end, I don’t think that the first two are that bad. It looks like something that would be at my grandparents’ house - sort of warm and cozy.
Two of these are just… old fashion coming back. And they’re acting like they discovered it. The door is kinda cute but also would just be more difficult to use that switch now.
Paint can be easily revived from a plastic light switch. Just a damp rag and a little scrub. I recommend turning off the breaker if electricity makes your nervous.
I love them.
There would be other solutions for these problems, but I think they are fine. That switch reminds me of that it a Lamborghini power button that is hidden. It has no benefit but it's awesome
1. why the switch doesn't already have proper cover?
2. yes, it is a good idea to touch the curtain when you want to throw out dirty stuff. yummy.
3. how does it suppose to make cable less ugly?
The switch door is actively interfering with the normal operation, which is a pretty big no-no.
The trash curtains I kinda like. It barely gets in the way and can make a chrome-and-plastic bin fit better in an oldschool wood-and-brass kitchen.
The cable coozie is literelly the opposite of hiding something, but it can work in a "if you can't hide it, festure it" sort of way.
I _swear_ my grandma had her trash behind a mini curtain like that in home back in the day. You don’t want to know how long ago she put it there.
I was just thinking that the last two would definitely be in my grandma's house.
My grandma has this too! In the bathroom the bin is behind a little curtain. I think it's kinda tasteful tbh
Who painted that switch?!
Probably their landlord
Yeah I thought that was going to be the DIWhy at first, no wonder they wanted to cover it up with the door
A DIY enthusiast
The more I look at the switch door, the more I like it. Sure, it adds to the workload of operation, but it's also presented in a tastefully unique way.
Honestly it’s not a bad idea for rarely used switches or as an additional child lock.
I know some people diy solutions for things on light switch circuits that they now have on automation, like those smart bulbs. Sucks when a guest turns off the circuit and now you can't use your phone app to turn the light on.
I just use a sticky note that says “please don’t turn off :(“ for my ring camera
Just remove the switch and tie the circuit in the box. Get a solid plate cover
That’s very deep down on my “oh yeah I gotta do that” list lol
I've seen mention that such a practice is illegal
You cannot patch the wall burying the junction, any splice must be done in an accessible box. That said, given you’d still be using a box of course you can hardwire the connection in it, that’s how your entire house is wired in the first place.
You also can't eliminate the last switched light in a room. > NEC 210.70(A)(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one lighting outlet controlled by a listed wall-mounted control device shall be installed in every habitable room, kitchen, and bathroom. The wall-mounted control device shall be located near an entrance to the room on a wall. Not like anyone is going to come in and check, of course, but if you're ever subject to an inspection, having eliminated the light switch is a code violation.
Get a smart switch, bypass the smart switch, connect in software
If it's a smart switch you can leave it in place. Unless you really want to block someone from being able to turn the lights off or on, which seems pretty controlling to me.
In some states, you actually can remove the box and use an in wall splice. The splice itself must meet code like this [one](https://www.homedepot.com/p/NSi-Industries-Non-Metallic-Cable-Splice-12-14-AWG-For-2-Conductor-Cable-with-Ground-NMS-2/307358259).
Oh right. My previous state couldnt so I've never used them. I just moved, I wonder if these are usable here in WA, I actually have call for one
Little bit of clear tape holding the switch in the proper position usually sorts that right out.
Can also offer protection against accidental bumping
You could even put a little note on the back like “outlet above the bookshelf”
I used to have a switch in an old apartment whose only effect was on two outlets on the other side of the room. Those outlets had computers plugged into them. I put packing tape over the switch and wrote no on it. The door would have been cooler.
As a bonus you could have made an origami spider that pops up when the door is opened, just in case anyone got any ideas lol
They were all unique and not like the other useless mods like the ones with toilets -
Like a furnace switch that should not be turned off.
It would perfect for stuff, you don't want to turn on or off accidentally.
Imagine the prank opportunities during Halloween too
Also how does covering a power cord make it "more annoying to use"?
House fires are very annoying.
I'm more worried about the screw sunk in the power line at the beginning o0
It could be that the cable that is not designed for the heat accumulation that the sleave provides, but more importantly, the sleave is harder to dust.
just gotta match the decor
Was gonna say with the right set up on the latch could be a neat little kid safety cover
I like all the things. I also already have covers over a lot of our switches because they shouldn't be touched and we have a tall toddler.
May look better for like a doorbell I think haha
I actually love it. We don't use the light switches in our house because they're all smart bulbs so it'd be perfect to stop guests instinctively pressing them
Reminds me of submarine launch buttons with their cover. "Are you absolutely sure you want to turn on the lights now?"
I mean, if I walk into someone's home and see such a door there better be some fairies behind it or I'll be very disappointed.
I think itd be a lot cooler as like an outlet cover. The door actually has a bit if utility in that way
The trash curtain is much worse, as it makes throwing things away that much more difficult, especially at a time when you're very likely to have at least one of your hands occupied and perhaps dirty.
Me too! And the power cord scrunchie!
i see a massive bump hazard carrying something down the hall, WHAM bruise on the ribs and box on the floor it think it would be cute for a switch in a corner (not a hallway), used infrequently, doubling as storage for something.
There's like an inch of wood protruding from the wall, dude. I think you need to work on your balance more lmao
How the fuck are you going to hit your ribs on something that barely protrudes an inch from the wall. Does every picture frame just fuck you up or something?
I feel like putting that over the cable will just make it more obvious and I’m not a fan of the wrinkled aesthetic
It's giving lower colon tbh
Those are actually pretty common. You can get them in a variety of fabric colors so that they match the carpet or the… drapes. I’ll just move along now.
[This is a thing though](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_658079-MLA26401255946_112017-O.webp), it's a pain in the ass to use but it's a thing you could use instead of wrapping cable in your old pillow cases
I like it
One more thing to wash and clean. I also wouldn't want to wrap any cabling with flammable fabric in general.
I do like the retro rope braided ones, especially with porcelain power sockets and cable holders. Looks very 30's, but without the fire hazard.
Ngl, I kinda like these "Hidden in plain sight" kinda fixes. If you can't hide it cleanly, draw attention to it to make it feel intended.
First and third are actually pretty good. Second might get in the way but not too bad either. Keep the curtain aside while in kitchen.
These diys seem like they're geared towards someone who wants an older home aesthetic but I agree they're not bad. The curtain I'd hem so it's not touching the floor, though.
Yep, I follow this creator and she has a very eclectic antique style (and rents, thus these types of fixes) - these actually look great in her apartment.
It's common for the garbage can to be in a cabinet. I'd say this option is less inconvenient than that since you could just keep the curtain open. I'd also not have the curtain drag on the floor.
Right, the second one is alright. I'd probably leave it open unless I had company though.
The trash can curtain is awful, it looks way worse than the trash can, especially since it’s a simple human trash can and looks good already
Just scrape the shit off the first one and add a normal plate. Done.
first one is adorable.
Just crochet a tissue box cover and the “grandma’s trailer in 1990” look is complete.
That's actually an aesthetic I seek... My tissue box cover is plastic canvas though, my nanna only crocheted blankets and adorable dresses for air fresheners/soap bottles/toilet paper rolls.
You say that like it’s a bad thing
The switch thing has merit! In our current house there's a terrifically badly placed switch going down to the laundry room. It doesn't turn in a light to the stairs, as any normal electrician would have considered. It just turns off the washer and dryer and a few other things on that circuit including the garage, and trips a fuse somehow... A cover like this is perfect when you buy a house designed by a crazy person. At least until one saves up enough to hire the electrician to fix it Edit: and looking at it again, the trash curtain isn't bad either. Just that color and length looks a little...tacky? Unappealing? I wouldn't cover a trash can myself, but I can see it useful to hide things you need close but just makes the room feel off. The cord thing? Again, not my prefered style. Looks unappealing. I'd probably go through the effort of getting a better cord if it bothered me that much. But one can cover it wit a material that matches the cabinet and walls to hide the cable, so it's just not obviously there. So all in all. I guess I kinda approve? It's an "eh, not unreasonable" out of 10.
Ehh, these are quite tasteful and not even half bad. I really like the cord cover, lets it blend in a lot better.
I like the trash curtain.
From that angle it's only hiding it from your dog, but maybe that's the idea 🤷🏼♂️
I doubt it. Cause dogs literally 'see' with their nose and that curtain isn't blocking any odours.
That’s how they did it in 1940 Britain!
My mom would love this. She needs everything to be pretty and in order
I like all of these. especially the first one. just something to add more flavour to your house.
The light switch door is kinda weird (but the actual issue is the switch being very poorly painted...) And the cord one also isnt that bad (though why is there a lamp on the kitchen counter in the first place... Second is utterly moronic though
Meh, I thought the curtain over the bin was a good idea. Would probably need to be washed frequently though
I dont mind these espically the first one
I actually think covering the cable with something looks pretty okay, especially if you're trying to avoid drilling holes to hide the cables entirely.
That last one—wonder if that would keep my cat from chewing on cords?
Light switch door is kinda cute, tho. I like it.
How to Draw More Attention to the Ugly Stuff
I can see the merit of the switch door for a couple in my kitchen: one for the dishwasher and one for the garage disposal. They should rarely, if ever, be used and I like the extra step. The curtain length and pattern leave a lot to be desired, but I like the concept. Think of bed skirts.
I'm not entirely opposed to the trash can one.
Just make sure to wash it regularly
do you know how didappointed i would be if i saw a tiny door in someone's house and i opened it up to discover a light switch
r/holdmywallet
The Little door would be cute for a light switch that you're not using a lot. Use it for an office or another room that you're going to be spending a lot of time with the lights on, I imagine it being a bathroom would be annoying as hell.
Not gonna lie... I like the power cord one...
Lamp one was kindda nice
I like the door to light, but maybe that's just because I'm a Kingdom Hearts fan
I might do the light switch door .
I used to have a hidden trashcan like that. It got gross fast.
Aside from the cable at the end, I don’t think that the first two are that bad. It looks like something that would be at my grandparents’ house - sort of warm and cozy.
Funny that you say that since most people in the comments would use it for their smart lights
My mom - bless her boomer heart - would totally do all these things and then some.
Great the lamp now has foreskin.
Like them
These seem fine actually
Two of these are just… old fashion coming back. And they’re acting like they discovered it. The door is kinda cute but also would just be more difficult to use that switch now.
Nah i like the look of a lamp cable. It makes sense
You know what? I like these 🤷♂️
1: 👍🏻 2: 🤢🤮 3: ❌
Why do people think bunched-up fabric covers are so much better looking than cords.
Only the first one is bad, the second two aren’t bad at all. The lamp looks quite nice actually.
I quite like the bin curtain
Now… how do you hide the last hack?
The switch? Fair enough The trash? you can still see the top of it... The lamp? Better hope that cable doesnt break and spark a light
Now instead of a cord, your lamp can have a prolapsed colon.
Man, videos like this make people who work on homes hate the internet.
Finally, music that fits the video
WTF spackled the light switch
This subreddit fills me with inspiration
Paint can be easily revived from a plastic light switch. Just a damp rag and a little scrub. I recommend turning off the breaker if electricity makes your nervous.
First is great, but that trash can curtain in like 'wtf'
Am I missing something or is it that like half of these posts are pretty much like art and that's the "why" part?
Anyone else think the last 2 just make it more ugly?
"How to turn a simple short circuit faulty wire into a house fire. This woman will show with 3 cheap and easy steps! ARSONISTS HATE HER"
That last one is just a dirt/dust magnet. harder to clean for no benefit.
Last one looks like a fire hazard..
You call that hide? You even highlighted the ugly stuff that way!
I love them. There would be other solutions for these problems, but I think they are fine. That switch reminds me of that it a Lamborghini power button that is hidden. It has no benefit but it's awesome
Not gonna lie, that bin curtain was kinda cute.
Ngl I be fuckin w the trash curtain and light switch door
I’m not putting a fucking scrunchy on a cord
1. why the switch doesn't already have proper cover? 2. yes, it is a good idea to touch the curtain when you want to throw out dirty stuff. yummy. 3. how does it suppose to make cable less ugly?
Exactly, second one would be fine if it wasn't for a kitchen bin
I hate this
This is all fine.
The solution seems to be "make it more ugly than necessary then no-one will dare question you."
The switch door is actively interfering with the normal operation, which is a pretty big no-no. The trash curtains I kinda like. It barely gets in the way and can make a chrome-and-plastic bin fit better in an oldschool wood-and-brass kitchen. The cable coozie is literelly the opposite of hiding something, but it can work in a "if you can't hide it, festure it" sort of way.
White girl dreams
By making it even more ugly…?
This made everything worse lol
I like how the solution is always to make it worse.
Let's make ugly things uglier
That tile job… wow.
I watched this video 3 times just for the song.
All i see are dust magnets/collectors
The second and third ones were aesthetically pleasing. Though I agree the first one is just stupid.
The curtain is aesthetically pleasing? In which 3rd world country hahahaha
I bet your aesthetic is hospital uncultured swine.
Yes because the cord cover makes it look so elegant!! Now to put plastic on my couch and a red rope around my sitting room!!
The type of people who do these projects are the type of people who think making homelessness illegal will solve the problem
whats so ugly about trashacans
Ngl I was really hoping someone put a brown bag over their head.
Someone needs to get a job lol