Make Your Rental More Like Home

It's very common to rent an apartment or home before buying, but this doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style and decor. Here's how you can personalize your rental and make it feel more like home:


Replace mini-blinds with fabric, woven shades, or curtains. You can even sell them to the next tenant.

Paint. Many landlords don't mind painting, but may require you to paint the unit back to its previous color (commonly white) when you move out. Better yet, some will let you keep the color so long as it is approved by the new tenants. 

Upgrade light fixtures. Select modern light fixtures to give your rental a classier look. Keep the old fixtures so that you can replace them when you eventually move out.

Use the space above kitchen cabinets. Consider placing baskets above kitchen cabinets to keep extra items, such as dish soap and paper towels. This will serve both as storage and decor.

Embrace adhesive paper. If there is an eyesore in your rental, for example a rusty fridge door, you can cover it with adhesive paper that is stylish yet easy to remove when it's time to move out.

Ask your landlord. While these tasks require landlord approval, there is room for negotiation. For example, you could offer to split the cost of new kitchen appliances. This adds value to the rental and will make it nicer to live in. Finally, some landlords have policies in which upgrades made to the apartment are permitted so long as they stay. In other words, you can add curtain rods so long as they remain with the unit in the future.

If you're feeling exrta artistic...

Remove kitchen cabinet doors, and paint the back of the cabinets an accent color. This will give the illusion of depth, and will also make the space more cozy. If you're hesitant to make such a big change, try it along one wall. You can also use a spray adhesive to attach decorative paper to the back of bookcases in order to make them more interesting.


For more more tips on how to decorate a rental, click here.