Just because you are renting doesn’t mean you can’t make your place feel like home. There are many easy ways to upgrade your rental without spending too much or making permanent changes. Read on for easy tips to help transform your rental property into a space all of your own.
Add greenery
Use plants to create features around your house. Some indoor plants can transform a room and bring the outdoors indoors. Stylish planters and pots also add a splash of colour or flair. Just make sure that the pots are leak proof, so you don’t damage the floor.
Greenery doesn’t have to be entirely decorative. You can create a herb or vegetable garden at any property without digging up the garden. Boxed herb or veggie gardens can even do well on balconies and patios. You don’t need a large area to create your own garden at home and the added bonus is that you can take your plants with you if you have to relocate.
Fittings and finishes
There are a lot of inexpensive options to decorate and transform a home without making any permanent changes. These might include:
– Unscrewing cupboard and door handles and replacing them with your own
– Replacing ugly flooring with peel and stick alternatives
– Replacing the light shades with something more to your taste
– Changing the light switch plates
– Replacing taps and showerheads
– Putting in a new toilet seat
Most landlords prefer to maintain their property rather than be landed with a big bill later on, so it’s always worth asking your property manager about any repairs and maintenance that need to be done, and what your landlord is prepared to cover.
Paint or wallpaper
A feature wall can change a bland room into a bold statement in a flash. Small repaints or wallpaper jobs can also completely restyle your home.
You will need to ask permission from your landlord or property manager before you make any permanent changes with paint or wallpaper. However, you may be able to come to an agreement where one party pays for the paint and the other does the work.
If the place is desperately in need of some fresh paint anyway, speak to your property manager about what’s possible.
Furniture and rugs
It may seem like the most obvious solution, but you can not discount the importance of furnishings. A rug will cover the drab rental carpet and make a room feel like your own. The right furniture will also make your house more like a home. A furniture restoration project can be a fun hobby and create a piece to be proud of.
Bookshelves can be another perfect way to upgrade your rental. You can play around with book arrangements and displays to make the room reflect your personality. You can even paint or wallpaper the backs of bookshelves instead of the walls. Some colourfully backed bookcases along a wall can feel like you have creatively painted walls.
Decorate the walls
The days of hammering nails into the walls or using globs of Blu Tack that leave greasy marks are over.
Removable adhesive strips are the perfect way to hang personal art and decorate your rental home. You can even get removable picture rails now that you can place them around the walls of your rental property. With a picture rail, you have the freedom to hang pictures and move them around whenever you want to.
However you hope to make your rental property feel more your own, make sure to communicate with your landlord or property manager. If you are open and friendly with them, then odds are they will be happy to make compromises and help you have more of a sense of ownership.
Looking for more advice to enhance the value and appeal of your property? Contact Mount Gambier’s favourite local real estate agency, Complete Real Estate.
