One of the easiest and best ways to make an apartment, dorm room or house feel like your home is to hang things up on the wall! Art, pictures, accessories, décor items and wall coverings all go a long way in stylizing and personalizing blank and boring walls. But when you’re a renter, you might not be allowed to put holes in the walls or don’t want to deal with the hassle of filling them before you move out. If you’ve got a hankering to decorate your walls, we’ve got some excellent renter-friendly solutions to help you get your things up without the tools or the damage!
Adhesive Hangers
Command strips and other adhesive-backed tapes and hooks are a renter’s best friend. Not only do they come in a variety of sizes and weight specifications, but when used properly, they can hold a good bit of weight and really do come off leaving no residue behind! Adhesive-backed strips are ideal for hanging items with flat backings, while the hooks are helpful for non-frame-like items. For best results, mount them onto walls or other surfaces that are smooth and clean, and allow for proper cure time. Here, Command strips were used to mount a meal planning board onto the side of a wooden cabinet that can’t be drilled into! Just be sure to leave a bit of the tab exposed so you can properly remove them when it’s time to go.
Hook-and-Loop Tapes
Hook-and-loop tape, also known as Velcro, is a great solution when you need to be able to quickly and easily remove the item you’re hanging on a regular basis. Be sure to buy the kind of tape that has strong adhesive backing on both sides, and follow the directions for securing and curing before hanging your item. Hook-and-loop tape is great for affixing frames, plaques, window treatments and fabric to walls, and it can also be used to temporarily add table skirts or patterned backings to furniture! Here, Velcro is used for attaching a lightweight wooden monogram to a front door that has no hook or nail!
Tapes and Vinyl
Depending on the weight of what you’re hanging, sometimes simple tape can do the trick! Packing, double-stick and masking tapes, as well as sticky putty, can all be used to hang lightweight frames, wrapping paper, wallpaper and fabric to the walls without risking the paint pulling up. Beyond using the tape to simply hang items, consider using it as part of your art by placing decorative washi and duct tapes on the outside of your art and posters to affix them to your walls. Not only is this method easy to do and easy to move, but the tapes can also add some great color, pattern and texture to your walls! Just be sure to test how easily and cleanly the tape is removed before placing it on your precious papers!
When Holes Are Unavoidable!
Depending on what you’re trying to hang, sometimes putting holes in the wall might just be the easiest and most effective method of getting your items up. Even if holes are allowed by your lease or property manager, limit your need for spackling, sandpaper and paint by using easily-concealed and -filled hanging solutions! Thumbtacks and staples create tiny holes that are easy to fill, but when the item is heavy (like large art or bulletin boards), consider using Monkey Hooks!
Monkey Hooks are J-shaped hooks that can hold up to 50 pounds! They only leave a tiny, easily-filled hole in your wall and don’t require any anchors (or tools!) during installation! These are best for frames and other items with tabs or wires that can attach to the end of the hook once it’s in place. Monkey Hooks are ideal for hanging larger, heavier items with little to no hassle or mess!
Just because you’re a renter, don’t be afraid to put items up on your walls! Decorated walls are one of the key elements to creating a personal, stylized, welcoming and comfortable home. But if holes aren’t allowed or you don’t want to have to fill them, try some of these inexpensive, easy and effective methods for hanging your décor. Need some more renter-friendly wall ideas? Check out these out-of-the-box ways to decorate with art! And if you need other renter-friendly décor solutions, check out more ways to style your apartment without upsetting your property manager!
