Hello Friends and welcome to the blog today. 

I’ve been renting for more years than I can count and I’m loving all of the renter-friendly hacks that I’m seeing on Pinterest, YouTube, and Apartment Therapy.

For many years my rental looked as though I was a college student.  Nice furniture, with all the necessities but nothing on the walls, or area rugs, just no personality.  It was Apartment Therapy that opened me to a world of decorating that I never thought possible.

But with that comes the responsibility of everything that goes up, must come down.  I’ve always moved in such haste that going back to re-paint or remove anything has been a hassle thus losing some of my deposit.  This time I want to do this differently and take on decorating in a new way.

These are the things that I’ve found to be the least damaging when it comes to renting.  Some of these I’ve tried and others … I can’t wait to try.  Of course, you will need permission from your landlord but otherwise, you can still make your home look cozy, and wonderful with just a few little tricks.

Walls

PAINT

Paint is the simplest way to update your apartment rental, and the easiest to remedy when moving out.  With thousands of color choices and options, you can find a paint color for every design style.

I’ve found that paint (for me) is easy enough to deal with unless you’re using a darker color which means priming and then painting it back to its original color.  I’m my current unit (the color is Agreeable Gray), I’m not allowed to paint, so check with your landlord, check your lease, and know what you can do before you invest in that gallon.

REMOVABLE WALLPAPER

Removable wallpaper is trending everywhere, and there are so many varieties of colors and styles.  It’s far removed from your 1970s yellows, oranges, and blues … so there’s something for everyone.

I’ve never used removable wallpaper. Since it’s an adhesive I’d be hard-pressed to find out how long you can keep it on your walls before the glue damages the paint.  I’ve seen several YouTube videos of how “easy” this comes off, but I also don’t see a time frame so for me the jury is still out on this one.

REMOVABLE WALL DECALS

Wall decals are another way to accent your walls with no damage to the paint. All you need is a clean dry surface to turn a plain wall into something stylish. Wall decals (or wall tats) can be found at Blik, Amazon, and Etsy (just to name a few). There is no end to what you can create with just a little time and effort.

I’m in love with wall decals and they are by far the best way to accent a room or small space. In my prior rental, I used a wall tat from Blik that was in place for 7 years. When it was time to move the decal came off cleanly with NO damage to the walls.

Lighting

Lighting is one of those things that most people will not be bothered with because it can be a hassle to install.  While it depends on how long your leasing your rental, lighting is an easy way to update any space.

Your landlord may even keep the lighting and reimburse you in return for the update. Since installation can be tricky a service like Task Rabbit or Handy, can do this for you.

If you’re thinking that lighting is expensive, think again.  Amazon and IKEA have turned into your one-stop-shop for everything in home decor and fixtures.

Modern Pendant + Bamboo Pendant + Modern Brass Pendant

Cabinet Fixtures and Hardware

Another way to finish off kitchen cabinets or vanities is with new hardware. You can take outdated, drab cabinets, and give them a custom finish with some new hardware. There are so many varieties and style options to choose from to fit any decor style.

You might go with matte black handles that can give your that modern farmhouse, or boho look. Or glam it up with brass, gold, or rose gold finishes.

The price has also come down in recent years as more manufacturers are cranking out these products. In 2019, 16 handles and knobs would have cost me almost $65. Now you can get an economy 30-pack from Amazon for only $25-$35, which is plenty for your whole kitchen.

This job can be tedious and if you choose a style of drawer pull that’s close to what you have on your existing cabinets you don’t have to make any extra holes.  This way you won’t have to worry about filling the holes and repainting them later.

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Other Decor Accents

There are so many other decor accents that can give your rental that “I’m Home” feel. You can always decorate with rugs. I know rugs are overlooked especially if you have wall-to-wall carpet.

But an area rug in a high-traffic area can help protect what’s underneath, thus saving you from having to shampoo that rug when you leave.

Plants, blankets, and pillows can also be added and changed for the season or your mood.

I can’t forget wall art because nothing makes a blank wall look better than art, and a small gallery wall can elevate your space to a whole new level.

Speaking of wall hangings I know the “world” loves a command strip, but here is the “real”. Command Strips are evil and they WILL most certainly destroy your walls. It doesn’t matter if you have them for a season or reason. Command will take the paint off your walls.

People have told me that … you should take your time when you do this and pull the stick part really slow.  Right…I’ve done all of that and still took the paint off my walls. You’re better off with a small nail hole that you can fill patch and paint. 

This is the year that I’m looking for a reboot. A chance to start fresh, move ahead, and just concentrate on taking care of myself and my family. I have been blessed to have some really great people in my world (present landlord included), and I’m so thankful that divine intervention has put me on the path to happiness.

For me home is everything and I take pride in making my home an inviting creative space for myself (and in the future) for others. I hope my post gave you a few tips on some real renter-friendly hacks. Thanks so much for visiting today, and don’t forget to subscribe. — Peace —