Renters can struggle with making their property more personal to them. After all, it’s not like you make dramatic changes to make the house fit your lifestyle. I’ve been lucky in that the landlords in all of the homes I’ve rented have been very relaxed regarding decorating and making changes. Although even if you’re in the same boat, you’re always going to be somewhat limited to what you can do. I know in some rented houses you’re not even allowed to hang pictures on the walls! Thankfully there are still ways you can make your home feel really personal to you. Here’s how you can go about it.
Redecorate
Have a word with your landlord and ask if you’re allowed to redecorate. Many will be happy to agree (providing you’re not planning on using a bright or wacky colour!) and it’s a quick way to instantly make the space feel more like yours. Lots of rented properties are painted with magnolia throughout, if you’re happy with this then you’re already good to go. If not, even changing this to white or another light neutral will make a significant difference. Hanging some wallpaper on the accent wall will again bring in your tastes to the room, you could always agree to remove it at the end of your tenancy if the landlord is unsure. In newer properties you might find there’s a clause in the tenancy agreement which forbids you from decorating. But if you don’t have this in yours, it’s worth asking and finding out what you can do.
Change The Fixtures and Fittings
If you’re planning on renting your home for a long time, these kind of changes are worthwhile. You’re not going to be able to change the the bathroom or kitchen suite, but you can make a significant difference by switching up the fixtures. Drawer handles and taps, for example, can transform how it looks and you can keep the old ones to put back if you move later down the line. You could check out a place like Tap Warehouse for bathroom taps and kitchen taps, they have budget lines too. But would still look significantly better than older style taps if you live in an older house. Another thing you could change too is the light fixtures. I’ve added proper wired-in light fixtures like chandeliers to mine. Just keep hold of the original basic light fixture to put back if you move.
Add Personal Items
Finally, even if you’re not allowed to redecorate or do anything else you can still make a blank canvas feel homely with your furniture and personal stuff. Bring in lots of soft furnishings like throws, cushions and rugs. Hang new curtains and put pictures on the walls. If you’re living in a property which is very strict and can’t put holes in the walls, you could use things like Command strips to hang them. Plants and fresh flowers also make any room look more homely and bring it to life, and displaying personal photos again makes the space more personal to you.
How have you made your rented property feel more personal?
