6 tips for making your house a home

By Joshua Chadwick March 11th
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Living in a rental property does not have to feel like you are always coming home to someone else’s house.

You shouldn’t wait until you own your own home to put your own spin on your living environment. There are many things a renter can do to put a little piece of themselves into their temporary space.

Big renovations are not permitted in rental properties without the go ahead from your landlord, if you want to make drastic changes like painting your walls or changing the carpet you must request permission. Sometimes, it is in the landlords best interest to allow you to make a few changes, if the property needs a fresh coat of paint and you’re willing to put in the labour, explain that doing so may increase the value of the property.

If your landlord does not want you to make any permanent changes, you can still add your own touch to those boring old walls.

1. Paintings and artwork

The dirty cream coloured walls in your rental property may not reflect your open and fresh lifestyle, paintings, artwork and pictures can really add a splash of personality to your walls. Landlords will most likely not be too happy with holes in the walls so nails may be a no no, luckily, there are plenty of alternatives. There are a variety of nail-less hooks available for purchase that can be used to hang frames and art on your wall. Try something bright and colourful.

Another option for decorating your walls is to hang a string horizontally at the top of the wall, and then hang pictures vertically down the string, this is a creative and personal touch to the otherwise plain walls.

2. Cushions and more!

Your rental may or may not have come furnished, if it did, there is nothing stopping you from replacing some of the decor with your own (don’t throw out any of the furnishings). Changing the plain old cushions from the couch or the bed can really change the entire feel of the property. In addition to cushions, adding a throw can also add life to the couch/chairs.

As well as the fluffy, comfy chair stuff, another great way of personalising your home is to add a big rug to the living room and/or the bedroom. This can be to either cover the existing run down timber flooring or even just to add a splash of your favourite colour or material under your feet.

3. Lamps/candles

You may not be able to change lightshades in your property, but there are other alternatives to creating a more homey feel to your space. A few lamps scattered in main rooms around the property can create a warm and personal feeling to your home. Candles are another option to create a warm and sensual feeling, they also add a lovely aesthetic to coffee tables, bedside tables and other surfaces.

4. Scent

Ever notice how most homes have a scent? Your grandparents house for example could have a strong scent of lavender like mine does. Scent can be a great way to personalise your home. You can opt for scented candles to fill your home with a delicious aroma. Incense and air fresheners are also a good idea to have hidden around the home.

5. Free standing goodies

Although you may not be able to drill shelves into the walls of your home, you can always place a nice bookshelf or even a nice bar cart to your rooms. This can add to the decor as well as create more space for you in your home! In addition to the space, a full floor length freestanding mirror is also a great idea for your home, this can give the illusion of a bigger space as well which is great for smaller or more cluttered rooms.

6. Greenery

Why not bring your home to life with a pot plant or two? House plants help to fight pollution in the air at home as they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen! Not only are they a really nice addition aesthetically but they can help to keep you calm, concentrated and attentive.

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Joshua Chadwick
Joshua Chadwick
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