One of the first things you will notice on an apartment lease is that you can’t make non-reversible modifications to the rental property. That means no painting, no making holes in the wall, no installing new floors, and many others.
While it’s possible to make major renovations to your apartment with your landlord’s approval, not all of us have landlords that will be open to the idea. That said, how can you customize your apartment without violating the terms of your lease?
Here are some ideas that you can consider:
1. Install peel-off wallpaper
For tenants who can’t install regular wallpaper in their apartment, peel-off wallpaper is the best option for you. These removable wallpapers can come in many different colors and styles to choose from. There are even trendy decal wallpapers that can give your rooms a touch of creativity. The best part? You can remove them easily when you move out and they will leave little to no residue: easy instalment and clean-up.
2. Change cabinet knobs
Changing cabinet knobs is generally allowed for rental units. If you want to give your cabinets and drawers a new look, swap out the knobs and keep the old ones in a safe place. Before you move out, you can easily swap the knobs out again.
3. Decorate the walls
If you can’t paint your walls, find other ways to customize them. You can hang lots of wall art, utilize the space for shelves, or hang up the tapestry to take attention away from the boring paint that your landlord insists on keeping.
4. Get new faucets and showerheads
You might want to get your landlord’s approval before doing this, but most will probably agree to it. Faucets and showerheads are easy to install and replace, and you can even do it yourself if you’re confident with your DIY skills.
5. Lay down floor stickers or linoleum
Do you have an ugly kitchen floor? Cover that up with some floor stickers or easy-to-remove linoleum. Apart from being inexpensive, these floor coverings are very easy to take off when you have to move out.
6. Use removable hooks
Most apartments don’t allow tenants to drill holes into the wall, and for a good reason. If you want to hang pictures and shelves on your walls, you can use sturdy stick-on hooks instead.
7. Swap out bad light fixtures
In general, anything that can be unscrewed and screwed back into place can be modified in a rental. That rule applies to light fixtures. If you want your lights to be more in tune with your style, replace the current fixtures with your own.
8. Take off the kitchen cabinet doors
If you want to give your kitchen a bit of a more open vibe (especially if it’s cramped), you can take off your cabinet doors with a screwdriver. Just be sure to store the doors and screws somewhere safe, so you can put them back when needed.
Customizing an apartment can be a daunting task because you don’t actually own the place. But with these tips, you can make your apartment your own space without violating your lease and pissing off your landlord.