Renting gives many people a sense of freedom to pursue exciting employment opportunities. If you want to change jobs every few years, which the younger generation tends to do, you can move wherever the best opportunity takes you and not have to worry about whether or not your home will sell in time. Plus, there is something to be said about never ever having to mow a lawn or shovel snow.
Whether you plan to rent within a particular apartment community for six months or two years, you likely still want to make your space feel like home. There are many temporary ways to work within the framework of your lease to individualize your apartment while keeping a good relationship with your property manager.
Create an Entryway
Add a personal touch to your apartment from the moment you walk in the door by creating an entryway. This doesn’t have to be an expensive project. You just need a place to hang your coat and keys. Adding a small table gives you a space to organize mail and to place items you need to bring with you the next day. An entryway also makes your apartment feel bigger, almost as if it were a separate room. This is a great strategy for apartments of all sizes, especially studios. A small rug creates even more room separation and keeps dirt at bay!
Via Apartment Therapy
Skip the Frames — and the Holes in the Wall!
We love a good gallery wall and typically recommend them as a way to inject color and style into a room that you can’t paint. Another great option is washi tape, which can help you personalize your space (in a really unique way) without leaving tons of holes in the wall. Washi tape is highly decorative, so you can choose a pattern you love. Plus, it comes off of walls easily and leaves no permanent marks. You can tape off a pattern or create faux — and may I add very affordable — frames. You can find it at craft or scrapbooking stores or online.
Via HerCampus.com
Welcome to the World of Removable Wallpaper!
We’ll admit it: We are obsessed with this stuff. This is not your grandmother’s wallpaper! The pattern selection is incredible, and it comes in small, easy-to-adhere sheets — no soaking in water. To remove, wipe with a damp sponge. It’s easy-peasy and so stylish! You can find removable wallpaper almost anywhere these days. Shop around online or look at patterns in person (and maybe get a quick tutorial) at stores like Lowe’s and Urban Outfitters. We love this faux wood wallpaper.
Via Delightfully Tacky
You can even use removable wallpaper on your appliances!
Via AuntPeaches.com
Personalize Light Fixtures — Just Not Forever
Add a lampshade to a light fixture that may not be exactly your style and you’ll completely change the look of the room without having to do any rewiring.
Via Young House Love
While We’re Discussing Light, Why Not Forgo Overhead Lights Altogether
Using lamps throughout your home not only allows you to make style choices that are cohesive with your furniture and other design choices but also brings a great warmth to the apartment.
Via Apartment Therapy
Change Your Showerhead
It sounds very simple, but changing your showerhead can directly impact the quality of your life. Most apartment showerheads can easily be removed and stored for re-installation before you move out. In the meantime, enjoy a luxurious rain-style shower to help you start your day on the right foot or wind down after a tough workout. Swapping out your showerhead is fairly easy. It typically doesn’t involve any tools, just some elbow grease. You can find great new showerheads at your local hardware store for $20 and up.
Via Modernize
Live Large in Your Bedroom With a DIY Oversized Headboard
Creating a headboard out of an unexpected object, like a tapestry or curtain as shown here, creates a point of interest in the room. It makes a bold statement and allows your style to take front and center.
Via Decozilla
Maximize Your Outdoor Space
If you are fortunate enough to have a patio or balcony, make the most of it. This is living space you don’t want to let go unused, especially when the weather is nice. Place a comfortable table and chairs outside to give you a space to cuddle up with a book, share great conversations with friends and even have an impromptu but still very romantic date night.
Via DigsDigs
Via DigsDigs