Make Your Rental Feel More Like Home
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t’s rare to rent a house that is absolutely perfect for you in every way. It might be the right size, but the location is ideal, or it might be a bargain to rent, but you hate the décor. The former I can’t help you with, but the latter, well that’s easy to remedy with a few simple tips and tricks to make your rental home feel more at home without jeopardizing your lease
Create an Accent wall with Stickers
Wall stickers, or decals as they are also known, have gained a huge amount of popularity in recent years, and a big reason for that is the fact that they can completely transform the look of a room without being permanent or causing damage. You simply peel off the backing and stick them on the wall in a design you’re happy with, to make a unique feature in your rental property.
Wall Stickers come in a wide range of colors and styles, so you should have no problem finding some to suit you. The kid’s TV character stickers are particularly cute and great for turning a boring rental bedroom into a fun place for kids to spend time.
Removable Wallpaper
Did you know that removable wallpaper was a thing? So many people who rent a house don’t realize that you can buy removable wallpaper in most DIY stores. It’s a godsend to renters who hate plain white walls and want to add a touch of color or sophistication to their space. In fact, I don’t know why more homeowners don’t use it because it’s a lot easier and less messy to put up, and so easy to take down and put elsewhere when you’re bored with it!
Invest in Modular Furniture
If you want to be able to make any rental property that you move into feel more like home, investing in modular furniture is a smart move because it can be reconfigured to work in any space. Using furniture to add pops of color and design to a rental property is also a pretty smart way of doing things because your furniture will not cause any damage to the property, well not if you’re using it right anyway!
Lots of Occasional Tables
Small occasional tables are not only affordable; they’re very practical in rental properties too. You see, you might not be able to hand artworks on the walls or put up shelves, but you can dot occasional tables around the room and then use them to display your favorite photos, painting, and Knick knacks.
Plant Power
Plants will not only liven up your rental property by adding some interesting colors and shapes into the mix, but they will also help to remove toxins from the air, so if you’re living in a rental which isn’t in the best part of town, due to proximity to the roadside or other polluting factors, they are simply fantastic. Plants that flower are even better because they’ll add more variety of colors to the space, and don’t be afraid to put plants everywhere from the bedroom to the bathroom, to get the most impact from them – just make sure the plants can stand up to the conditions in each room because dead plants ain't pretty!
Add Details with Washi Tape
Washi tape is great because it can be applied to walls, counters and wooden surfaces without any danger of damaging them and it comes in a mind-boggling array of colors and styles. As such, it’s the perfect medium for adding little design details to your rental. Cover the light switches with it, outline the doors, create striped walls without wallpaper – the possibilities are quite literally endless when you have washi tape in your hands.
Use Fabrics
Fabrics, like washi tapes, come in a mind-boggling array of colors and styles, which is good news for you as a renter, because you can make your space feel a lot more homely by draping your couches with fabric throws, creating unique curtains that you love out of high-quality fabrics and putting tactile rugs down on the floor.
Wicker Baskets
Wicker baskets are very homely indeed, but more importantly, they provide plenty of storage space – something many rental homes are lacking. By investing in a number of wicker baskets and placing them in every room, you can more easily keep the place neat and tidy, which will please you, your family and your landlord, I’m sure.
Hole-Free Art
Did you know you can hang artwork without putting holes in the wall? Command strips and hooks are a game-changer for renters who love art but hate losing their security deposits due to tiny holes in the wall. With them, you can hang pretty much anything on the wall without damaging them in any way, and once you’ve got your favorite photos and prints up on the wall, your rental house will well and truly start to feel more like home.
Fragrances
Our sense of smell is well and truly linked to our memory. You only have to smell a certain scent from childhood to instantly be transported back there. So, it makes sense that, if you want your rental property to feel more like home, you should fill it with your favorite fragrances; the fragrances that remind you of your childhood home or a special place. Scented candles and incense are great for this, but if you’re worried about the possible fire-risk, buying an electronics aroma diffuser, and filling it with water and your favorite essential oils, is probably a better move.
Vignettes
If none of the above changes are possible, don’t worry because you can still make your place feel a lot more like home by adding lots of little vignettes. Things like vases, sculptures and beautifully arranged flowers will make your home feel like it’s yours without risking the wrath of the landlord. They will give you a boost every time you stop to appreciate their beauty.
Do you live in a rental home? What changes have you made to make it feel more homely without getting on the wrong side of your landlord?
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