5 THINGS TO CONSIDER IF YOU’RE RENTING YOUR HOME

5 THINGS TO CONSIDER IF YOU’RE RENTING YOUR HOME

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Renting and sick of your space? Trust me… we get it. Rentals aren’t the easiest to work with in terms of design, and finding renter-friendly ways to make your home your own can be way more difficult than necessary.

A remedy? Five tips to help you make your rental a home, straight from my brain to yours.

1. SHOP FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
   As an interior designer, this is probably one of my biggest recommendations — and one people struggle with the most.

   Because renting tends to be “temporary,” it can be tempting to keep future decorating in mind when handling your current place. For example, holding onto that sectional you just bought at your last rental and love but unfortunately doesn’t fit in your new place.

   But we aren’t in the future — we’re in the now. By decorating for the place you have now and not a future place, you can focus on making the most of what you have.

2. KEEP ITEMS MULTIFUNCTIONAL
   Maybe your space is long term, and maybe it isn’t. Either way, collecting home items that are multifunctional can keep you from buying more later. For example, an old steamer trunk can double as a coffee table AND added storage. An IKEA cabinet could be extra pantry space or clothing storage. A bench can work as a place to sit and get shoes on, or it can work as a place to store your shoes.

   Next time you move, it’s one less thing you need to worry about, because you already have items that serve more than one purpose.

3. SWAPS ARE OKAY
   The “boob” light in your hallway that you’re sick of staring at. That ceiling fan that rattles like it will fall off at any minute every time you turn it on. The light that flickers in the bathroom, or hardware that’s just plain ugly.

   Guess what? It’s all replaceable/easy to swap out, and all you need to do is set aside the old stuff to put back on before you move out.

4. CREATIVITY IS KEY
   Rentals aren’t always as well equipped as a home you’d buy. They are oftentimes neglected spaces that aren’t seen as a home by the landlord as much as they are by the renters. And when you want to make a house your own, none of this works in your favor.

   So get creative. Pull in color with rugs over that carpet you hate. Add in beautiful lighting. Throw up a faux accent wall with some wood molding and double-sided mounting tape. Peruse TikTok until you find an idea that blows your mind.

   Trust me — a little creativity in a rental completely changes the game.

5. JUST GET STARTED
   How many times have you moved into a rental, put off decorating completely because “you’ll only be there a year or two,” and then never making it your own at all? Because I’m pretty sure many of you would have your hand up if we were voting right now.

   The absolute biggest mistake renters make is never decorating. If you rented in NYC for your whole life, would you never decorate? Would your house be any less of a home because it’s a rental? The answer is no.

   Just get started. Your house can’t become a home until you get going.

What are your favorite rental home hacks or secrets? Tell us in the comments!