There’s no place like home, right? But until you actually buy your home, you’ll have to settle for “there’s no place like my rental!” And that’s perfectly fine too. Some people actually love living in rentals because they like the fact that they’re not financially responsible for the property, outside of minor fixes. But if you’re the creative type and long to make your space your own, then renting isn’t for you… Or is it…
All too often, people get discouraged about personalizing their rental space because they don’t want to violate any rules in their leasing agreement. This concern is understandable but unnecessary because there are indeed ways to personalize your living space despite it being a rental property.
Of course, these cosmetic makeovers aren’t major renovations but they are great ways to add a bit of your own personality a flair to your space without causing any damage to the property, resulting in unwanted “redecorating” fees.
If you’re tired of the same old walls and the general same old look of your rental property, change it up! Bring your rental property back to life, whether it’s an apartment, house, or condo, with these rental-friendly DIY makeovers.
DIY Makeovers That Won’t Damage Your Rental Property
Use Temporary Wallpaper
Rental properties sometimes have a no-paint rule, and if yours has that rule, you can feel relieved to know that you’re not stuck with boring, dull walls. Temporary wallpaper is going to be your solution to bring your walls to life.
The great thing about temporary wallpaper is that they come in types of designs and patterns so you can literally add your own personality and flair to your living space. If you don’t want to do an entire room, simply do one wall in the wallpaper as an accent wall and just watch how that wall will completely transform the look of that room.
Change Out the Hardware
From doorknobs to cabinet and drawer handles, you’d be surprised at just how much the simple swapping out of hardware can change the look of a room. Maybe your apartment is an old building and still has kitchen drawer handles back from when it was built back in the 70s… Sure, that bit of “nostalgia” might work for some tenants, but for you, the hardware needs to play catch up.
A simple trip to your local hardware store will have all the hardware pieces you could ever want. Simply uninstall your current hardware and install the hardware you want to create the desired look. Just make sure you store the original hardware in a safe place so that when you’re ready to move out, you can easily re-install the hardware… No damage done.
Update the Shades on Your Light Fixtures
When you move into a rental property, it’s going to come equipped with light fixtures, whether they’re on the ceiling or wall sconces. It’s not recommended to remove the light fixtures themselves because it’s just too risky and there’s the potential for injury. But if your rental property has light fixtures that simply have a shade around it, you can easily find beautiful shades to transform the look and lighting of a room! Again, store the original shade in a safe place so that you can put it back before moving out.
Use Contact Paper
Contact paper will add that perfect pinch of personality to your walls, countertops, inside cabinet walls, and your refrigerator. There’s even frosted “glass” contact paper you can put on your windows for privacy. This is a great hack to liven up small kitchens and bathrooms.
True enough, these are very simple and minor DIY projects that are rental-friendly. The only reason you probably haven’t taken on any bigger projects is that your DIY capabilities are limited due to being in a rental property. But that’s okay.
If you find yourself truly enjoying working on small projects and working with your hands, it may be time to take this fun hobby and turn it into a lucrative career as a contractor. Through RocketCert, you can receive all the training and study materials needed to pass your exam and earn your license as a contractor.
This can all be done online too! So don’t let the opportunity pass you by. Take the steps needed to turn your DIY hobby into a very lucrative and promising career as a contractor.