Whether you live in a dorm or a rental apartment, chances are the space is not exactly how you like it. If its furnished, the colors or style might not go with your personality and it might feel like you are living in someone else’s home. You can decorate your rental apartment and make it feel like home.
We have only lived in rentals that come furnished, so we know a thing or two about decorating a rental to make it feel like home.
All these tips are very affordable, since you don’t want to decorate for someone else, damage and/or pay extra at the end and because some of the things don’t belong to you, so you want to take good care of them.
When we were in college, we changed apartments every year since we didn’t want to pay rent for the summer. That meant we had to decorate to then take it down every 8-9 months, so we came up with easy and quick ways to both decorate and take down in case you have to move sooner than expected. We will share photos from our last 3 apartments so you can compare and get an idea of what we are talking about.
Decorating to your liking and adding your own touch is VERY important and will make you feel better at home. Our best tip is to do it as soon as possible so you can enjoy your space and have people over.
If you also want to learn how to make your home feel like a relaxing place, check out our tips so you can have a relaxing home too!
⇣ Save it to your pinterest decoration board for later ⇣
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Add YOUR personality to the space
In other words make it yours. Put posters, photos, plants or anything that you like. It takes practice to know what you like and not have a cluttered space, but eventually you will be surrounded by your things and that will make you feel welcomed in your own home/space.
We always put up our “altar” as we call it. It’s basically a collection of objects from our trips and things that our friends have given us. We try to make it a focal point in our living room so that we can always see them and think about our adventures and the people we love.
Move the furniture and “refurbish it”
Move things around and see if you can make the space feel bigger, brighter or just better suited for your needs. By moving the furniture you will feel like its a different space and just by that you can add your own touch.
You can also get fabric, tapestries or even colorful bed sheets to change the furniture. Cover the couches with the fabric or tapestry to change the colors or materials. This can have a huge impact on how things look. It only takes a second and it’s easy to take off. You can use pins or even the same cushions/folds to secure the fabric in place.
This also works if you want to hide things in a pretty way.
Make small upgrades
Sometimes countertops, floors, or even walls are ugly not your style. But don’t worry! You can cover them with contact paper, vinyl floor cloths, or even removable wallpaper. We have never used wallpaper because we hang a lot of things on the walls (more on that later) but it could be a great option.
Do you dream of a marble countertop or bathroom sink? Then this contact paper is your solution to decorate your rental apartment! It’s durable, easy to clean, and most importantly easy to remove in case your landlord doesn’t want you to leave it on. You can buy it online or at a local stationery shop. It comes in so many different colors and patterns, you can get really creative.
Another use for contact paper is to cover up windows but still get light. In case your window lacks some privacy, this could be a solution.
Vinyl floors like this one are a durable “carpet” that you can cut to measure so it fits your space perfectly. It’s great if you want to change your kitchen or bathroom floor. It also comes in many patterns so you can give the space the look and style you want.
Make the place come to life
Add accessories, plants, art, pillows, rugs, curtains, and so on. Our favorite way of doing this is by hanging things on the walls. We have a lot of posters, photos, maps and art that we carry with us every time we move.
By carrying key things with you, you can make your rental feel more familiar and yours. When you see your posters and things, you know you are home.
If you are not allowed to make holes on the wall, you can use blu tack. It’s sturdy and can hold your things up on the wall without damaging the paint or leaving a mark when you take it down.
Plants are a great way to bring a place to life. You don’t need to buy a bunch. You can get one or ask a friend to get one with you and propagate it! It’s an easy way to get more plants for free.
Another thing we love to make our apartment feel cozier is by adding weighted blankets! They are a game-changer (there are a lot of articles about their benefits), we absolutely love ours and they make us feel so good. If you haven’t tried them, we recommend Laya’s blanket.
Add storage if necessary
Sometimes rentals don’t have enough room for all your things. That is o.k. You can get bookshelves or cute boxes and get creative. Remember you can always cover them with fabric or some art to make it look better with the rest of the place. You don’t want to have your cardboard boxes or suitcases all over the place, that will make you feel like you are not settled in or that you are moving soon. An unnecessary stress.
Add mirrors
Everyone knows that mirrors make places look bigger, so go ahead and use this trick. It will also bring more light and give you something else to play with on your decoration. A full length mirror is a great addition to any place if your rental doesn’t come with one.
Have photos of your family, friends and loved ones
Nothing makes a home feel more homey than photos. This is a great way to add your own personality, “bring the ones you love with you” and decorate your rental apartment. By having your photos you will be reminded you are loved and all the adventures you have had. Living in a rental (dorm or apartment) that comes furnished can feel a bit cold since most things are not yours. But with photos you are bringing love into the place and that will make things much better!
Hope these tips help you settle into your new place, decorate your rental apartment and make it feel like home. Remember you will probably spend a lot of time there, so might as well make it a place where you feel comfortable and happy!
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