Lazy Daze Owners' Group

I'm a big fan of lights in cabinets. I hate reaching into a dark space and fumbling around. One way to achieve this is with 12 V LED lights and reed switches, as JOR did. If you do it with LED strips, it can be quite inexpensive. The disadvantage is that you have to run wiring to each place you want a light. But once that chore is done, you don't have to think about them--they just work.

Another way is with motion-sensing lights. The advantage is that installation is as simple as sticking a self-adhesive magnetic strip in the place where you want the light. The light clings to the strip, and turns on automatically when you open the cupboard. Installation takes literally ten or fifteen seconds, because there's no wiring to run or switches to install.

The disadvantage is that these lights periodically need to be recharged. I find that one of these is good for about a month on a charge, depending upon how often I open the cupboard. That's not bad, but when you have them in every cupboard (I have more than a dozen), then you're recharging one or another light pretty often. Fortunately, that's easy: just pull the light off its magnetic strip and plug a USB cord into it. The other disadvantage is that they cost about ten or twelve bucks apiece, so the cost can add up if you have a lot of them.

I chose the lazy way and bought the motion-sensing lights, starting with a few and adding more over time. But either way you do it, lighted cabinets are a Very Good Thing.

While I'm on the subject of lighting, let me recommend one other type. This ten-dollar remote-controlled LED under-cabinet light has been a real boon for night-time trips to the bathroom. It gives a soft, pleasant warm-white light when the mountable remote's button is pushed. Brightness can be increased or decreased from the remote.

I used mounting putty to stick the remote to the wall by my bed, where I can easily reach it; and put the 12" light bar under the bathroom medicine chest. The light runs on three or six AA batteries--I use rechargeable Eneloops--and with occasional use, a set will last a couple of months. Anytime you want a light, but want the switch somewhere else, this is a great way to do it. As with the motion-sensing lights, installation is a snap, because there's no wiring needed.