MakingYourRentalYoursWithoutBreakingtheRules

Home renovations programmes are alwaysa source for inspiration, giving you ideasof what your dream home could be.Needless to say, if you are a renter, your ability to renovate your home is limited.

Although you might not be able to make drastic changes to your rental, there are ways you can personalise your home to make it feel like your own.

Update window treatments

If you have outdated plastic blinds, or curtains that just aren’t reflective of you, go out and find something that suitsyou.Remember, don’t throw out those old blinds as you will need to reinstall them when the time comesto leave. And of course, make sure you don’t make any new holes in the wall when installing your new blinds.

Window shutters might be something your heart isset on, so it might be worth approaching your property manager and asking whether the landlord would be prepared to go halves with you to install the shutters.In thisinstance, you get to enjoy them while you are there, and they get to keep them when you leave.This is a great win/win situation.

Introduce plants

New pot plants and flower give an instant lift to any space –so add them to your kitchen and living room to brighten these communal spaces and boost the mood of you, your familyand yourguests.Whileitmayseemclichétosayplantsbringlifetoaroom,thereisalotoftruth toit.Plus,theyhavetheaddedbonusofhelpingtocleantheairandremovetoxins.Cleaning theairandrevitalisingyourrentalwithindoorplantsandflowersisanicefeeling,especially ifloadsofotherpeoplehavelivedtherebeforeyou.

Think beyond the living room when adding plantsto your home.Find a place for a plant in your bathroom too.Many plants, like cactuses, love the climate of a warm room and thrive in bathroom spaces.If you have little outdoor space, indoor plantshelp bring a bit of nature inside.You also introduce new texturesand coloursto your home interior and that can add intrigue to a blank or unusable space like a room corner.

Decorate walls

While you may not be able to change the wallpaper or the colour of the paint on the walls, have you considered peel and stick vinyl stickers?Decals are super popular and can be found at many home improvement stores and online.The range of coloursand designs are vast and they are relatively inexpensive.They can be easily added and removed and are a great way to add details to your wall without damaging the paint underneath.

Another trick is to use removable wallpaper to create a feature wall.Made out of selfadhesive wall sticker fabric, it looksand feels like traditional wallpaper but you can easily DIY it as it requires no glue, no water, and no tradesperson.Then when it is time to move, the removable wallpaper will peel off without leaving any residue or damaging the surface –making it a landlord-friendly option.

Storage

Storage space can be hard to come across, so furniture that can double up as a space to help declutter and reduce any mess is an added bonus.

Some of these storage solutions could include:

• Atelevision cabinet with added storage for electronics, accessories, DVDsand knick-knacks

• Acoffee table with a lid and storage inside to place itemsthat you don’t use a lot

• Afree-standing bookshelf to help balance decoration with storage

• Portable clothes racks or freestanding wardrobes to place your clothesor to even double as pantry storage

• Under-bed storage boxes to store personal items discreetly