Bharat SainiLast Updated on May 15, 2019 by Bharat Saini
A rental contract doesn’t obligate you to live like a vagabond. If you are a renter, then don’t make the habit of spending that period of 12 or 24 months just to live through. It is entirely possible to personalize the place and feel at home when you are a renter—that too without putting in too much effort.
At the end of the day, everyone wants to spend quality time with their loved ones no matter if it’s a rented place or they own it. And it is only possible when everyone can feel at home within these premises. Let’s see what you can do as a renter to make your rented place closer to your aspired abode.
1) Carry out a Small Paint Job
You don’t always get your preferred color scheme in the indoors of a rental. However, you can personalize it to an extent with a small paint job. With a couple of bucks, you can give the interior of your rental a customized look on the lines of your aesthetic taste. There are some paint designs and patterns that you can draw yourself to make the interior more ‘personal’. However, take prior permission from the landlord before doing any such job. Also, promise to restore (repaint) the walls in their original state. If you are unable to get the permission for a paint job, you are always available with temporary wallpaper options that you can use at many of your next rentals if you are a quick mover.
2) Fiddle with Lighting Fixtures
This is another way to mold the interior of rental according to your aspirations. There are many interior themes that you can set with lighting fixtures alone. For a rustic and more earthly look, choose the traditional lantern-style fixtures for the passages and entries. If you want to inculcate an industrial look, then go with modern, more ‘aerodynamic’ designs.
Similarly, you can get luminescent bulbs to create more animated spaces and dim lights to set up an intimate look. In short, there are many intelligent ways to use lighting fixtures to transform any interior as per your own visual style.
Buying all those lighting fixtures might cost you some significant amount. However, it’s one-time spending. You can use these fixtures in every new place that you are going to move to. Extensive light treatment can transform the outlook of any interior and you can easily achieve it in your rental by playing around the lighting fixtures.
3) Get the Renter’s Insurance
If you truly want the peace of mind of living and want to feel like at home in your rental, then it is advised to get the renter’s insurance. Keep in mind that the homeowner’s insurance is not going to cover your personal and private belongings. In any unfortunate case, your landlord or their insurance plan will not be liable to cover your losses.
So, get the coverage for your own assets. This useful review guide about different renter’s insurance plans will help you in picking the right package.
4) Use Pictures and Artworks
The walls in rental places are often riddled with nail holes. Instead of getting irritated by them, you can use them to your advantage. Utilize them to hang all your favorite art pieces, décor articles and paintings. It is really imperative to give any interior an artistic makeover to make it look more personalized. Don’t wait to shift to your own home to exhibit your creative penchant. The ones you are going to buy and craft for your rental can definitely be used in the future too.
5) Have Some Experimentation with Flooring
If you want to transform your rental into an entirely personalized space, then it is essential to have some plans for the flooring as well. Since you won’t be allowed to go for full-fledged floor remodeling, therefore you can use rugs and carpeting to add the layer of your own personality. There are many ways in which you can use these flooring articles to impart your own personal tang to the interior.
• You can get the rugs that offer greater practicality in your unique household setting
• You can also use them to introduce the color of your choice in indoors
• Design-heavy rugs can also be used as standalone art pieces
• Lastly, you can use carpets and rugs to bring in your preferred textural setting in any part of the house
6) Curtains and Blinds to Layer the Walls
If you neither a fan of temporary wallpapers nor want to get in a paint job, then you can ‘treat’ the walls with drapes and curtains of your choice. There are many options that you can use in this regard. However, make sure that the choice of your curtains and blinds is not going to affect the functionality of the space.
7) Indoor Plants
Indoor plants are another inexpensive option to make a personalized statement in your rental. By spending a couple of dollars, you can get the indoor flora that can go well with other elements of the interior. Besides giving your rental a more personalized look, indoor plants will also permeate the feeling of calmness and tranquility— a true expression to feel at home sweet home.
8) Don’t Live with Unpacked Boxes
As mentioned earlier, you don’t need to live like a nomadic in a rental even if you are in for a 12-month contract. It’s a long time and we would not recommend you to live around the unpack boxes. Not only will it give an unfinished and unsettled look to the indoors, but it will also snap up a significant square footage of the interior.
Try to unpack all the boxes within a week or two after moving. If you don’t feel the need to unpack some boxes because you are less likely to use them, then it is better to get rid of them. It will save you spaces and also streamline the next moving.
