15 Easy Indoor Plants That Anyone Can Keep Alive

So, easy indoor plants have basically saved my soul in my tiny Chicago apartment, where I’m surrounded by coffee stains, crumbling dreams, and the faint whiff of overwatered dirt. I’m not, like, proud of the fact that I’ve murdered more plants than I care to admit, but I’m owning it. My windowsill’s a hot mess of thrift store pots and half-dead greenery, but I’ve finally figured out which low-maintenance plants can survive my chaos. If I can keep these alive, you can too, I swear. Let’s get into my top 15 beginner plants, complete with my dumb mistakes and the stuff I’ve learned while trying not to turn my place into a plant cemetery.

Why Easy Indoor Plants Are My Kind of Vibe

I used to think keeping plants alive was, like, some secret talent—like knowing how to parallel park or not burning mac and cheese. But low-maintenance plants? They’re like that friend who’s cool if you ghost them for a bit. They don’t care if I forget to water them while I’m doomscrolling on X. My pothos is legit trailing across my bookshelf, thriving even when I’m a mess. These plants don’t just make my air less gross (shoutout to NASA’s Clean Air Study)—they make my apartment feel less like a concrete cage. Here’s why I’m obsessed:

• They’re low-effort, big-impact. Water them, like, once in a blue moon.
• They forgive my screw-ups. Overwatered? Underwatered? They’re like, “We good.”
• They make me less grumpy. My snake plant’s just chilling, making my day better.

My Top 5 No-Brainer Easy Indoor Plants

These are the real MVPs—the plants that have survived my questionable life choices. Like, we’re talking plants that don’t care if I’m binge-watching trash TV instead of checking their soil.

1. Pothos (Devil’s Ivy): This thing’s basically unkillable. I’ve got one draped over my shelf, surviving my “I’ll water you later” vibe. Loves low light, barely needs water. Pro tip: Cut a vine, stick it in water, and you’ve got a new plant. Check out pothos tips.
2. Snake Plant: I named mine “Spike” because it’s sharp and dramatic. Lives in a dark corner, doesn’t care if I forget it exists. Water every couple weeks, maybe.
3. ZZ Plant: Looks fake, but it’s real and chill. I forgot to water mine for a month (yep), and it’s still glossy and smug.
4. Spider Plant: Mine’s “Spidey” because it shoots out baby plants like a boss. Great for hanging, loves my dim window.
5. Peace Lily: Okay, it’s a bit extra—droops when it’s thirsty—but it bounces back fast. Those white flowers? Obsessed.

Slightly Trickier Easy Indoor Plants (But Still Doable)

These ones need a tiny bit more love, but they’re still beginner plants. I learned this after drowning an aloe because I thought “more water = more love.” Big nope. Here’s what I’ve figured out:

• Aloe Vera: Loves sun, hates soggy soil. Mine’s on my kitchen counter, soaking up morning rays. Water every two weeks, tops.
• Cast Iron Plant: It’s called that for a reason. Laughs at my dim apartment and my lazy watering schedule.
• Monstera Deliciosa: My “Swiss cheese plant” is my baby, even if I snapped a leaf moving it (oops). Needs bright, indirect light and a little misting.
• Rubber Plant: Glossy, bougie, and a bit high-maintenance. I wipe its leaves to keep it shiny—feels like I’m its personal stylist.
• Philodendron: Like pothos but with cute heart-shaped leaves. Mine’s climbing my bookshelf, and it’s stupidly easy.

Tips for Not Killing Your Easy Indoor Plants

Here’s where I get real about my plant fails. I’ve overwatered, underwatered, and once left a plant by a freezing window during a Chicago polar vortex (RIP, fern). Here’s what I wish I knew:

• Don’t drown them. Stick a finger in the soil—if it’s dry an inch down, water. If not, back off.
• Light’s important but chill. Most easy indoor plants don’t need direct sun. My pothos and ZZ are fine in my shady apartment.
• Get pots with holes. I learned this after turning a cute mug into a swamp for my aloe.
• Vibes matter. I don’t talk to my plants, but I swear they like my lo-fi playlist. No proof, just feelings.

Peep The Sill’s plant care guide for better advice than my trial-and-error nonsense.

My Biggest Plant Disasters and What I Learned

Real talk: my plant journey’s been a dumpster fire. I once bought a fiddle leaf fig because it looked cute on Instagram, only to watch it drop leaves like it was crying for help. Fifty bucks down the drain, and my ego took a hit. Another time, I left my spider plant outside during a cold snap—yeah, it didn’t make it. But these flops taught me that low-maintenance plants are my people. They don’t judge my forgetfulness or my tendency to overwater like I’m pouring my heart out. If you’re new to plants, grab one of these 15 and don’t sweat perfection. They’re tougher than my Wi-Fi during a storm.

Wrapping Up: Easy Indoor Plants Are My Therapy

Look, easy indoor plants have been a legit lifeline. They make my apartment feel alive, even when I’m stressing about work or spilling coffee on my rug (again). My pothos, snake plant, and monstera are like chill roommates who don’t care about my dishes piling up. If you’re scared of killing plants, just grab one of these low-maintenance babies and give it a go. Screw up, laugh, try again. Got a fave plant or a total plant fail story? Hit me up in the comments—I need to know I’m not the only one drowning aloes. Happy planting, fam!