Ways to make your rental feel like home

Living in a rental is a reality for many people. Even though the place is not yours, there are clever ways to make your rental feel like home. That’s why we are here today. Here are some of the best practices and tricks that will help you to beautify your rental and make it feel closer to your heart.

Understand what changes you can make

Speak with the landlord about making changes to the apartment. Some changes require permits, but the rest you can do on your own. Never do any remodels before checking with the landlord. You don’t want to accidentally break your lease and risk losing the deposit. Now that we have technicalities out of the way, let’s start making some real improvements!

Start with decluttering every room

The most significant issue with rentals, especially small ones, is the amount of clutter. If you are not careful, things magically start to pile up. This is mostly because people think they’ll need all of those things once they move into their own homes.

There is no reason to think that way; you need to focus on the present. It is time to declutter and do it with a clear conscience! The priority is to think about improving your living space and creating a comfortable environment. Create a list of everything you want to keep and throw away, donate, or sell everything else.

Paint all the walls

Such an easy change, but a critical one. A good suggestion is to rent a storage unit for a day and empty the apartment completely. Research the current paint trends, and give your rental a new look.

Experiment with the color combinations. The idea is to brighten up and open the place.

Change the layout of the furniture

Once your apartment is clear of clutter and freshly painted, it’s time to play. Change is good, and it is often a necessity. Move around the furniture to find a new layout. This is important to do, even if you end up returning it to its original position. What’s important is the process. You are trying to find the most optimal furniture layout that will positively change your living space.

If you wish to purchase new furniture, ask the landlord if you can throw away the old items. A wise investment is to buy pieces with added storage compartments. This way, you can still keep your apartment clean of clutter, even if you have too many things. Also, get a nice, modern design. Old furniture has its style, and it can be a bit boring.

Improve the lighting in the apartment

If you have large windows, think about removing curtains if they exist. You want to let as much natural lighting inside. This will improve your mood and increase positive energy. If the lighting in the apartment is too dark, you might start to feel depressed, sad, and nervous.

Furthermore, add a few lamps here and there if you want. You want a warm, cozy setting once the sun goes down. Try to maintain the modern environment, and look for minimalistic designs.

Add plants

Adding plants to your rental is another way to improve the mood. The green color is relaxing for the eyes, and having plants close will make you feel better.

You don’t have to create a garden in your rental, but a few carefully placed pots will completely change the feel of the place.

Change your bedroom

Our bedroom is probably one of the most important rooms. This is our private space, where we go to relax and get some rest. Even though people often think that beautifying the living room is more important because that’s where the guests will be, you also need to focus on improving your private space.

There are clever ways to give your bedroom a luxe makeover on a budget. You don’t have to spend a small fortune to make it feel like home. Use YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram to get the best design ideas.

A budget makeover for your rental

Even though all of these changes seem attractive, if you are decorating your rental on a budget, you might not be able to accomplish everything. Nevertheless, there are still budget-friendly ideas that will make your rental feel like home.

You don’t have to purchase expensive things to make the place look better. Here is an excellent idea to try:

• find some beautiful, colorful images on the internet;
• print them out on a glossy paper;
• purchase a nice wooden picture frame;
• combine the two, and you have yourself a beautiful piece of art;

Experiment with different elements that will make your rental look expensive but cozy at the same time.

Think about removing the rugs

A lot of rentals, especially old ones, have rugs or carpets. The wooden floor looks much nicer. Remove the carpets and see how it looks. This might be a visual change you were missing. Again, speak with the landlord about what to do with the carpets. If they don’t need them, you know what to do.

Get a pet

Having pets in an apartment is not for everyone. If you are an animal person, this might be a good idea. Before you do this, check if your landlord allows pets in the apartment.

Put family photos all around the place

The final touch that will make this place feel like home is to place family photos in all rooms. You need an emotional connection with the apartment, and there is no better way to do it. The reason why our home feels like one is because we build long-lasting memories inside of it. Use the photos to trigger those memories, and the place will truly feel like home.

Make your rental feel like home with these essential changes

This seems like a large project, and it is. However, if you wish to make your rental feel like home, you need to make these changes. Take your time and create a plan before you start, do not try to wing it as you go. Also, remember to stay within your budget. It is easy to overspend, and that’s not the point. Best of luck in making this rental feel like a warm and happy home!