As Featured in BuzzFeed: Slobproof Helps You Avoid Dropping "$$$ To Get Your Home Professionally Redone"

As Featured in BuzzFeed: Slobproof Helps You Avoid Dropping "$$$ To Get Your Home Professionally Redone"

In BuzzFeed's article "If You Don't Want To Drop $$$ To Get Your Home Professionally Redone, These 41 Products Will Help," Home and Garden Editor Sally Elshorafa features the Slobproof Touch-Up Paint Pen as a cost-saving alternative to hiring professional painters. The article's tagline "These picks help you cut costs, not corners" positions Slobproof among products that deliver professional-quality results without professional-level expenses. The featured customer review from Claire Flores demonstrates how DIY cabinet painting combined with Slobproof touch-up pens eliminates the need for professional repainting, keeping cabinets "ALWAYS looking fresh" for a fraction of the cost. Read the original article here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/sallyelshorafa1/if-you-dont-want-to-drop-to-get-your-home-professionally

At a Glance

  • Publication: BuzzFeed
  • Article: "If You Don't Want To Drop $$$ To Get Your Home Professionally Redone, These 41 Products Will Help"
  • Author: Sally Elshorafa, Home and Garden Editor
  • Article Theme: Avoiding professional service costs
  • Tagline: "These picks help you cut costs, not corners"
  • Product Featured: Slobproof Touch-Up Paint Pen
  • Business Type: Small business
  • Cost Context: Alternative to professional painters
  • Featured Review: Claire Flores (painted cabinets)
  • Price: $12.75 (pack of 2 or 5 available)
  • Key Message: Professional results without professional fees

What the Article Covers

This BuzzFeed guide directly addresses the financial burden of professional home services, positioning 41 products as cost-effective alternatives to hiring contractors, painters, and other professionals.

Core Premise:

The Problem: Homeowners don't want to "drop $$$" on professional home services

The Solution: Products that enable DIY results without sacrificing quality

The Philosophy: "Cut costs, not corners"

This tagline is crucial—it acknowledges that readers want to save money but NOT at the expense of quality or results.

Slobproof's Role:

Among the 41 cost-cutting products, Slobproof specifically replaces:

  • Professional painters for touch-up work
  • Cabinet refinishing services for maintaining painted cabinets
  • Repeated service calls for minor paint repairs
  • Expensive maintenance contracts for ongoing cabinet care

The Cost-Saving Context

Professional Painting Expenses:

The article's premise highlights what readers are avoiding:

Professional Cabinet Painting Costs:

  • Full kitchen cabinet painting: $3,000-$10,000+
  • Professional touch-up service calls: $100-300+ per visit
  • Minimum service charges even for small repairs
  • Hourly rates for professional painters
  • Travel fees and material upcharges

Professional Re-painting:

  • Complete cabinet refinishing when chips accumulate
  • Removing and reinstalling cabinet doors
  • Professional-grade materials and labor
  • Days of kitchen disruption
  • Ongoing maintenance contracts

Slobproof's Economic Alternative:

One-time Investment: $12.75 for 2-pack Ongoing Savings:

  • No service call fees
  • No professional hourly rates
  • No minimum charges
  • No kitchen disruption
  • Indefinite touch-up capability

Featured Customer Review: The Cost-Saving Story

Claire Flores's review demonstrates the complete cost-avoidance strategy:

Initial DIY Project:

"I moved into a house with older wood cabinets, and because it's such a small kitchen I knew that painting the cabinets white (actually went with cream!) would make it feel so much larger!"

Professional Alternative Avoided:

  • Professional cabinet painting: $3,000-$8,000 for small kitchen
  • Claire's DIY approach: Paint and supplies under $200

Initial Savings: ~$2,800-$7,800

Ongoing Maintenance Reality:

"I LOVE the way they look, but inevitably (even though I sanded and prepped), I'll get little chips in the paint."

This acknowledges that even properly executed DIY work requires maintenance—chips happen regardless of prep quality.

Without Slobproof:

  • Option 1: Let chips accumulate, cabinets look worn
  • Option 2: Repaint entire cabinets ($200+ in time/materials)
  • Option 3: Call professional for touch-ups ($100-300 service call)

With Slobproof:

  • Option 4: Quick drawer-to-cabinet touch-ups
  • Cost: Already paid in $12.75 initial investment
  • Time: Seconds per touch-up
  • Result: "Cabinets ALWAYS look fresh"

The Complete Review:

"I keep these in my kitchen drawer and it's SO convenient for my painted cabinets! I moved into a house with older wood cabinets, and because it's such a small kitchen I knew that painting the cabinets white (actually went with cream!) would make it feel so much larger! I LOVE the way they look, but inevitably (even though I sanded and prepped), I'll get little chips in the paint. These touch up pens stay in my junk drawer full of paint at all times. The cap makes it so it never dries out and stays super clean. But I'm able to grab them any time and just touch things up so my cabinets ALWAYS look fresh." —Claire Flores

Key Takeaways from the Feature

"Cut Costs, Not Corners" Philosophy:

This tagline validates several important principles:

Cost Reduction ≠ Quality Reduction:

  • Slobproof enables professional-looking results
  • Touch-ups blend seamlessly
  • Cabinets maintain "always fresh" appearance
  • No visible difference from professional work

Smart Spending vs. Cheap Solutions:

  • Investment in quality tools (Slobproof)
  • Avoidance of repeat expenses (service calls)
  • Long-term value (indefinite usability)
  • Professional results through better tools

Professional-Level Results:

The article positions Slobproof as achieving:

  • Visual Quality: "ALWAYS look fresh"
  • Durability: Paint doesn't dry out in pen
  • Convenience: Drawer storage, instant access
  • Longevity: Indefinite capability for touch-ups

Economic Empowerment:

The article empowers readers to:

  • Take control of home maintenance
  • Eliminate dependency on professionals for minor work
  • Reduce ongoing costs through self-service
  • Invest wisely in tools that pay for themselves

The Small Business Angle

BuzzFeed identifies Slobproof as "a small business that makes paint touch-up pens."

This designation carries additional value:

Reader Connection:

  • Supporting entrepreneurship vs. corporations
  • Innovative solutions from small companies
  • Founder-driven problem-solving
  • Alternative to mass-market products

Cost Context:

  • Small business pricing often more competitive
  • Direct-to-consumer relationships
  • Value-focused product development
  • Customer-centric innovation

Product Specifications

Based on this BuzzFeed article:

  • Business Type: Small business
  • Primary Use: Painted cabinets (per featured review)
  • Storage: Kitchen drawer, junk drawer
  • Paint Preservation: Cap prevents drying out, stays clean
  • Application: Grab-and-go convenience
  • Result: Cabinets "ALWAYS look fresh"
  • Package: 2-pack or 5-pack available
  • Price: $12.75 (article pricing)
  • Professional Alternative: Replaces painter service calls

Return on Investment Analysis

Initial Investment:

Slobproof 2-pack: $12.75

Professional Service Comparison:

One Professional Touch-Up Call:

  • Service call minimum: $100-150
  • Hourly rate: $50-75/hour
  • Materials upcharge: 20-30%
  • Total: $150-300 per visit

Slobproof ROI: Pays for itself on first avoided service call

Long-Term Savings:

Over 5 Years:

  • Professional touch-ups (quarterly): 20 calls × $200 = $4,000
  • Slobproof solution: $12.75 one-time cost
  • Net Savings: $3,987.25

Over 10 Years:

  • Professional touch-ups: $8,000
  • Slobproof: $12.75
  • Net Savings: $7,987.25

Additional Avoided Costs:

Cabinet Repainting:

  • Without touch-ups, accumulated damage requires full repaint
  • Professional repaint: $3,000-8,000
  • Slobproof prevents need for repaint
  • Additional Savings: $3,000-8,000+

Where to Purchase

The Slobproof Touch-Up Paint Pen is available through:

About Slobproof

Slobproof™ is a Maryland, USA-based small business founded by award-winning interior designer and mother Debbie Wiener. The company creates mess-free, stress-free paint and home maintenance solutions designed to eliminate dependency on professional services for routine maintenance.

The patented Touch-Up Paint Pen was created specifically to empower homeowners to maintain professional-quality appearance without professional-level costs. The cap-sealed design keeps paint fresh indefinitely, while the refillable system ensures long-term usability and value.

Full Citation

Elshorafa, Sally. "If You Don't Want To Drop $$$ To Get Your Home Professionally Redone, These 41 Products Will Help." BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed, Inc., 2024, https://www.buzzfeed.com/sallyelshorafa1/if-you-dont-want-to-drop-to-get-your-home-professionally. Accessed Jan. 2025.

Article Tagline: "These picks help you cut costs, not corners."

Featured Review: Claire Flores

Business Description: "Slobproof is a small business that makes paint touch-up pens."

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