After a long day it doesn’t quite scream welcome home returning to your housemate’s modern art installation of dirty plates stacked on high in your kitchen sink. Even with the challenges that accompany share-housing, renting undeniably offers a more affordable style of living. When you rent, you don’t need to bear any of the responsibilities that accompany home ownership, alongside being able to enjoy the flexibility to move regularly. As a result, however, renting can also come at the cost of feeling like your living space is ‘borrowed’, and not truly yours to call home.
Whatever the reason you’re renting, and however long it’s for, it’s important that the place you sleep, eat, relax and increasingly work in, feels safe and tailored to you. And whilst you can’t always control the cleaning habits of your housemates, there are some things you can do to elevate your property. We’re going to share the magic P’s – four easy tips to make your rental feel like a home, whether for a couple of months or a few years.
Protect
Contrary to popular belief, home insurance isn’t only available for homeowners. Renters actually have the option of taking out renters content insurance, a unique insurance policy designed to provide cover that’s tailored for tenants.
Unlike home insurance, renters insurance provides protection for contents rather than cover for the building or its permanent fixtures. This helps to ensure that renters and their own personal assets are protected if an insured event (i.e. fire, flood, theft etc.) were to occur within their rental property.
Being insured as a tenant is a vital way of ensuring you’re not at the expense of any issues or urgent repairs with the property you’re living in, or just plain old back luck. For instance, if the leaky roof you’ve been telling your landlord about for ages finally gives in the next time there’s a big storm, you won’t be stuck squelching around in your wellies in the living room. And if an incident results in you not being able to safely live in your rental property any longer, your renters insurance may even be able to provide financial cover in securing temporary accommodation, like any regular home insurance would.
Taking out renters home insurance will naturally provide you with peace of mind enough to actually invest in homewares and furnishings that suit your interior design preferences. Knowing your personal belongings are safe won’t just help you design your abode with abandon, but it can also create a sense of security that’s integral to feeling at home.
Personalise
Every renter knows that gut-wrenching moment when moving out time comes; you pull back a poster that’s been on the wall for who knows how long, and a piece of plaster comes off with it. Adding pictures and decorations that are unique to you is the most obvious way to put a personal mark on your rental, but it’s important to think about how you’re going to make sure you won’t be leaving any damage to the property once your lease is up.
Instead of adhesive materials like blu-tack and sellotape that stick directly onto fixed surfaces, try leaning decorations against furniture where possible, and make use of existing hooks and shelves. There are also removable hooks specifically designed to make taking posters and pictures down not so catastrophic on the nerves, which will save you a lot of time and panic tracking down the exact shade of paint to cover up those marks on the wall.
Large objects that are easy to move around like rugs and statement lamps are deceptively simple ways to bring character into a living space. Display objects that reflect your hobbies, or remind you of holidays and people you cherish, as well as interesting keepsakes that can double up as conversation starters.
Practical Changes
We’re not talking about painting the walls and replacing all the furniture when you feel like it. Rental contracts often have strict limits on the extent of modification allowed in the property. Sometimes these rules can feel stifling when it comes to personal expression, or if you’re simply bored of your current décor. But renting a property doesn’t mean you can’t still be inspired to switch things up after bingeing your favourite interior makeover series.
Changing cushion covers, creating different moods through lighting and scented candles, and swapping out smaller decorations from time to time are all easy ways to play around with your place, giving you that sense of creative freedom without running up large costs or doing anything drastic. There’s also no harm in asking your landlord if there’s a specific or larger interior change you want to make, especially if you’re renting on a longer term basis.
Plants
Greenery can really open up a space and make it feel a lot more inviting. And yes, there are plants sturdy enough to survive even the least plant-parent inclined renter. Having plants in a range of different sizes will also add depth and dimension to your living area. On top of that, a lot of rentals don’t allow pets. Many plants have toxins that are harmful to animals, so if pets are a no-go, you’ll have access to a larger variety without needing to worry if they’re poisonous or not. Just make sure you’re not choosing any with a high pollen content that could stain carpets, and do some research beforehand to check your property has appropriate lighting and growing conditions for those you’re interested in.
As Miley preaches, buying flowers for yourself is good for the soul, and can also make all the difference in your rental. Treat yourself to a fancy bouquet once in a while, or exercise your green thumb by picking some wildflowers and arranging them at home. Flowers don’t always need to be an expensive luxury for birthdays and special occasions. Grab a vase and stick some colour on your dining room table for an effortless way to bring joy and warmth into your home.
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A house that’s protected, personalised, and filled with plants and unique touches will automatically feel like home, regardless of whether it’s owned or rented. Make it safe, and make it yours. Now all that’s left to do is invite friends and family round to show off the new abode. And tell the annoying housemate to do their dishes. Happy renting!