Renting a place to stay can be challenging, especially if you can’t make it completely your own. Check out how to make a rental property feel like home.
Whether you plan to stay long- or short term, renting a property isn’t always the most exciting option, depending on your limitations. Some landlords don’t put any limits on what you can do to the place; on the other hand, many property owners put restrictions on what their tenants can do to the interior and exterior of a rental home. With that said, you may need to learn how to make a rental property feel like home, even if it’s on a beach far from your hometown.
How To Make a Rental Property Feel Like Home – Give the Place a Good Cleaning
There’s nothing homier than a clean place, and your rental may not live up to your cleanliness standards when you move in. If that’s the case, giving it a good cleaning is one of the first things you should do. Consider this list of essential cleaning practices before you start making the house your new home:
- Vacuum the floors
- Steam mop the hard flooring
- Clean the bathrooms (toilet, sink, shower, mirrors, etc.)
- Wipe the windows
- Remove settled dust
- Freshen the air
- Clean the kitchen (sink, stove, refrigerator, countertops, cabinets, etc.)
How To Make a Rental Property Feel Like Home – Add Color With Decor
Adding color to your home is necessary to make the place your own; however, many landlords don’t let their tenants put new paint on the walls. You shouldn’t have to settle for white walls and flooring everywhere, but it is a possibility with renting. To make your mark on a new home, add color with decor.
Whether you choose to put vibrant throw pillows on the sofa, hang colorful artwork on the walls, or use patterned sheets and pillows on your bed, knowing a few helpful design tips for your Barbados property is an excellent way to make your rental feel like home. Additionally, you can but temporary wall paper to hang that’s easily removable when the time comes to move on.
How To Make a Rental Property Feel Like Home – Replace Blinds With Curtains or Draperies
Window treatments can help set the tone of a space, and some treatments don’t offer the best design opportunities. In fact, many rentals come with blinds over the windows, which don’t feel like home for many people. If that’s the case for you, consider replacing the blinds with curtains of your choice. Blinds and curtains are generally very easy to switch out—you’ll likely just need a screwdriver.
Pro Tip: Store the blinds in a closet until you’re ready to move out; this will save you from having to replace them out of pocket.
How To Make a Rental Property Feel Like Home – Use Lamps for Extra Lighting
Interestingly, many rental properties don’t include many light fixtures, and you may not be able to add or replace them. However, you can add extra lighting to your new home with lamps. Whether you use table or floor lamps, these lighting options can help set a homey mood.
Overhead lights often produce harsh, bright light, which isn’t suitable for relaxing. While you can utilize natural light during the day, lamps are necessary to provide low lighting for relaxing after dark.
After learning how to make a rental property feel like home, you’ll have greater success transforming your new house into a personalized space. Whether you plan to be there just a few months or much longer, you shouldn’t live somewhere without adding your personality to it.
