Y’all I am really getting the hang of this “post from a hotel room” thing… it’s so weird not being able to go home at night! I can’t pull out my projects or plan posts ahead of time… I am literally living in a hotel! Luckily moving brings up plenty of topics to make my head spin… I feel like my brain is in overdrive! Yikes!
The one question I’ve been asked on repeat ever since arriving at my new store? “Are you moving to town”… followed quickly by “are you buying or renting?” Well y’all we are renting… for various reasons! #Aintnobodygotmoneyforadownpayment. Of course that doesn’t really bother me because… well we’ve always been renters! I’ve spent my adult life in apartments and rental homes… while growing up we were the ultimate renters! I’m talking military housing y’all!
So while we have to be respectful of our landlord I have learned so many tricks to making a rental feel like home. There’s so many little things you can do to take your place from House to Home! Plus there’s always the old standby “ask for forgiveness… not permission!” 😉
Add a Rug!
A rug can add so much personality to a room! If you aren’t allowed to paint adding a large amount of color and texture on the floor can go a long way. Even if you have wall to wall carpet a great area rug can cover that builders basic beige carpet right up! And if your house has horrible poop brown carpets like our new house does? Well let’s just say it’s a good thing we have area rugs for almost every house.
Want an extra tip? If you have a large room but don’t want a rug with a large price tag try searching the remnant pile. Plenty of carpeting stores will sell you large carpet remnants… you can often get a large piece to cover up dingy wall to wall carpeting at a low price! Pay a small price tag for the remnant and a bit to have the edges bound… now you have a large area rug for a fraction of the cost.
Add a Feature Wall!
Growing up army we weren’t allowed to paint… but something my mom did at every single house was to decorate the walls with wallpaper boarders! They helped to make the house feel like ours… and the walls to feel a little less stark white. Now I know wallpaper boarders aren’t especially “in”… but there are so many ways to make your walls feel more like home. I love the duct tape, washi tape, any kind of tape, trend that is going on right now! Don’t you love the duct tape diamonds in this bedroom? Want a bolder pattern? Try a removable wallpaper like the arrow pattern below!
Spackle Costs Eight Dollars
Don’t be afraid to put pictures up on your walls! Add a gallery wall, hang those wedding pictures… don’t be afraid to put up an entire collage of 89 picture frames. Filling holes is so easy and having blank walls is so depressing. Add a bit of home to your house by putting your family on the walls. When I moved into my very first apartment I was a young single girl without a big budget for big art pieces… that’s ok a can of paint can fix anything. I made my very own pallet art for the cost of picture hanging hardware ($4) and it makes such a big impact in the room!
Switch it up… Literally
Invest a couple of dollars in new cabinet hardware. You might not be able to paint the cabinets that perfect shade of white or to install your dream farmhouse sink… but you can have your dream drawer pulls. Just make sure that you pick pulls and knobs that will fit in the holes for the existing drawers… you don’t want to drill holes for new hardware! That would completely defeat the point!
Extra hint? Put all of the old hardware in a baggie and duct tape it inside a cabinet that isn’t used often. Now you know exactly where it is when you need to put the old hardware back!
Want to go the extra mile? Switch out your boring, standard light chains for new ones… preferable blingy ones! Make sure you use my first extra tip to corral all of the original light chain pulls in a location where you can easily find them… I put mile in a baggie right over my washing machine in the garage.
Make it YOURS!
Accessorize accessorize accessorize. Put your things on the walls and in the rooms. The number one sin I hear every single time (and that I am completely guilty of) is failing to take your things out of the boxes and put it in your house! Maybe you’re not sure how long you’ll be there… decorate anyways. Maybe you hate the green kitchen or that your rental doesn’t have the fabulous chandelier and crown molding your heart yearns for. Decorate anyways. You might not have the perfect house… it’s a rental… but don’t let that stop you from being happy for however long you call that rental home. Make it yours.
This post contains affiliate links to completely helpful products!
Get Your FREE Wedding Binder
Trying to plan your perfect wedding?
Here's 42 FREE printables to help you get organized!
Rubi says
June 5, 2015 at 11:42 amThat first image is literally my dream home. Im weeks away from moving into a new apartment and I’ve decided I need a rug but theyre all so crazy expensive. I hadnt even thought of just going to a carpet store though!
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
June 11, 2015 at 3:59 pmIsn’t that a great idea?! Rugs eat up your budget so fast! Remnants are the best way to go when you need a large area rug on a budget!
Austen Tosone says
June 6, 2015 at 4:34 pmI just got a new rug and you’re totally right, it really makes the place feel like home!
keepcalmandchiffon.com
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
June 11, 2015 at 4:00 pmIt’s amazing how it can pull the whole space together!
Rachel says
June 11, 2015 at 3:34 pmLove your blogs Betsy! They make me smile! Also I think I need to go home and decorate!
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
June 11, 2015 at 3:58 pmThanks Rachel! I’m so glad you stopped by! Decorating is a compulsion for me… Looks like it’s spreading!
Veronica Marks says
December 21, 2015 at 12:56 pmThanks for the tip to not be afraid of hanging things on the walls. I actually am always afraid I’ll ruin walls in rentals because I change my mind so often about where and how I want things displayed. I usually use the 3M hooks and other hanging supplies, but it would be a lot easier to just put a nail in the wall!
Laurie says
January 21, 2016 at 8:05 pmThe most I do is hang a few things on the wall, since it’s a rental. I’ve never thought about doing the drawer pulls, that is an excellent idea! Thank you for sharing.
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
January 21, 2016 at 8:14 pmAnytime! A rental is still a rental… but it’s your home for the time you’re there! Make it yours! Thanks for stopping by Laurie!
Paul Langley says
January 29, 2016 at 1:38 pmThis is some really great advice for anyone renting a home. I can’t believe so many people forgo hanging things for fear of leaving holes. Like you said, spackle is very inexpensive, and it’s worth it to brighten the place up. Wall hangings really do a lot to make a place seem less depressing. Thanks so much for writing!
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
January 29, 2016 at 9:21 pmI completely agree Paul… spackle only takes 2 minutes to dry! You’d be surprised how many people live with blank walls for fear of a tiny hole! Haha! Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah Anderson says
March 16, 2016 at 1:36 pmUsing a rug to add personality to a room is a really good idea, plus there is no reason why you wouldn’t be able to put a rug in a room unlike painting the place, as mentioned in the article. The rug can easily be placed, removed, moved, and replaced whenever you need a change.
Jorge McMillan says
April 4, 2016 at 4:16 pmMy wife and I are newly weds that are living in a rented house. We do enjoy it, but we want to make it more homey and enjoyable to live in. This article has some great points on how to do this and I think will start by adding a feature wall and switching things up a little bit.
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
April 4, 2016 at 11:48 pmThe hubs and I live in a rental too… and it’s definitely worth making the place your own! I’m so glad you found a little inspiration… I can’t wait to see what you do with your new space. I know you’ll make it your own!
Hazel Owens says
April 14, 2016 at 8:15 amI like your tip to put pictures all over your walls. Like you said, blank walls can be depressing. Pictures are an easy way to decorate your home or apartment without doing anything permanent. Pictures are an easy decoration that you can take with you to any new place you rent. Thanks for the article.
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
April 14, 2016 at 7:54 pmThanks for stopping by Hazel! I’m so glad you liked my tips… pictures are such an easy way to personalize your space! Plus spackle dries in 2 minutes… just saying! 😉
Westly Smith says
April 14, 2016 at 2:48 pmThanks for the tips to help make my apartment a home. I love my little apartment and I like that I don’t have to pay a big rent. I’m going to take your advice and add a rug. I don’t have a single one in my whole apartment. I think that it will help.
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
April 14, 2016 at 7:56 pmRugs definitely help! I almost picked up a new rug at Dirt Cheap last week… it was an 8 x 10 for $50! Let me know what you find… the search is half the fun! Good luck hon!
Vivian Black says
May 16, 2016 at 4:26 pmI am living in an apartment and finding ways to make my apartment feel homey is really important. I loved the advice to not be afraid to put pictures up. My pictures and artwork are so important to me, so I want to be able to decorate with those items. Remembering that spackle to fix the holes only costs eight dollars really puts things in perspective.
Happily Ever After, Etc. says
May 21, 2016 at 10:11 pmI know it’s important to have pictures of my friends and family around me… I love to have my own things on the walls! Enjoy your space while you can and fill the holes in before you leave… easy peazy! Thanks for stopping by Vivian!
Silas Knight says
June 15, 2016 at 2:19 pmYou have some great ideas here to make our rental place feel more like home. My wife and I had drawn a blank thinking of how to decorate, but I like your suggestion about adding a rug. We will definitely check out the remnant pile, thanks for the tip!
Nelson M. Castilloo says
July 9, 2016 at 2:14 amHey Betsy!
First of all I want to mention that you have made it extremely beautiful.I agree with you that putting picture stuff on the walls is really fascinating and equally appealing .Also it makes us connected with our loved ones.This is the prime way one can make their rental house look like their home .Thanks for this lovely share.Keep posting .I will look forward to it. 🙂
Regards
Nelson
Jennifer says
July 15, 2016 at 1:40 amHii..!!
It’s really important to give a “homey” feeling for yourself or the visitors whenever we rent a new house. This can be only done if we decorate our rental house in a decent way.
Buddy, you have highlighted really useful points in this post. I loved the images you have shared.
Keep posting. Cheers.!!
Daniel M. Jones says
November 8, 2016 at 5:57 amHi Betsy,
Wao, that was a stunning tour through all your decors. Well, my wife and I are looking a luxury apartment in New York and my search landed me up to your post. Luxury apartments do cost much. But the amenities it provides are incomparable.
I am definitely going to use your suggestions in making our apartment like putting up cabinets 🙂
Thank you again:)
Regards
Daniel
bergencounty says
December 10, 2016 at 1:18 amHii Betsy !!!
It’s been great to read such blog i really appreciate it.The content of your blog is appreciable.While living in someone else’s property can feel impersonal, there are ways to make it your own without compromising your lease agreement.Don’t wait until after signing the mortgage contract to unleash your personal style. With these tips, you can turn your rental property into the home of your dreams.
Keep posting
Warm regards
Christina says
December 13, 2016 at 12:10 pmA removable wall paper seems like a really easy way to add flair, as you’ve shown in the photo. And the rug definitely goes a nice way toward adding a touch of home.
Daniel M. Jones says
January 12, 2017 at 4:20 amHello,
Amazing post!!
I always wanted a home so that I can decorate it with full excitement. But with this post you have changed my opinion. I will start decorating my rental house.
You shared such an amazing images. It’s surely gonna help me.
Thanks buddy.
Keep posting.
samantha says
March 27, 2017 at 11:08 amThis is what I’m looking for over past one month. Thanks for sharing the Tips. Keep up the good work.
Estelle Wood says
May 8, 2017 at 4:04 amIt’s Great. I like these pictures that you have added above. They are really beautiful. It provides me good ideas about wall designing. These different rugs are very pretty to see. I just love your post.
Keep Sharing !!
Daniel M. Jones says
May 10, 2017 at 4:12 amHey,
Great post.
Making your rental feel like home, whether you are there for two months or 17 years, is essential to your well-being as well as the adjustment we all have to make when moving into a new place. I’ve found that as I’ve moved through rental properties my entire life- 9 in the last 6 years, to be exact- the thing that has made each of those places feel a bit more like home has varied.
Your tips are really useful for me.
Thanks for sharing!!
Heather says
May 25, 2017 at 9:56 amAwesome tips! I’ve also made the mistake of keeping decor packed away because it was “just a rental,” but if you live there then you might as well have a house worth coming home to. Thanks for sharing!
Robert Meyer says
July 5, 2017 at 5:26 amWow!! Indeed a nice post to have come across, I must admit that you have done a great work. I like the idea to add a rug in the room. When your front door opens straight into the room without a designated foyer, you can build the illusion of one with an area rug.
I like you your post and the things you have covered through your post. 🙂
Cheers!
Ivy Baker says
August 8, 2017 at 6:17 pmMy parents are considering getting a rental property to use for some extra money. They really want the apartment to look nice so it attracts good tenants. So, I liked your advice about using wallpaper as a border around the walls. That could be a really simple way to make the apartment look modern and new.