7 Rental Apartment Hacks to Make You Feel More at Home
As a New Yorker, I’ve lived in my fair share of rental apartments over the years — it just comes with the territory. After a while, the paper white walls become dull, the spotty overhead lights start to hurt your eyes, and the lack of that “homey” feel begins to make homebodies like me feel more and more unsettled. Once I got tired of feeling so “blah” in my own living space, I started seeking out ways to make my temporary home feel more like a “home” home. These are just a few of the many things you can do to jazz up your rental:
Change out any gross fluorescent lightbulbs. Just do it. You’ll thank me later when all of your mirror pictures don’t look shadowed and zombieesque.
Install dimmer switches. They’re perfect for those indecisive moments when you want some light, but not too much light — a lifesaver for hangovers. 🤣 We have a generic dimmer switch in the apartment we’re in now, but you can bet your a$$ that once I am a homeowner, I will be having Lutron dimmer switches installed ALL OVER.
PAINT! Even if your landlord tells you not to. They never have to know if you just paint it back before you move out. 🤫 Trust me, changing up the colors from room to room can truly transform your entire home.
Create an accent wall with peel and stick wallpaper. If simply changing up paint colors doesn’t create enough pizazz for you, temporary wallpaper is a great solution. Summer and I recently installed this wallpaper from the Chasing Paper x New Hat collaboration, and while it was a small feat, it was worth it.
Replace your light fixtures. Whether it’s a vintage chandelier, a multipurpose ceiling fan, or a modern flush mount, personalizing your light fixtures will undoubtedly elevate your space.
Cover up an ugly backsplash with some peel and stick panels. What can I say, I’m really riding the peel and stick train these days — makes for effortless style with easy removal. These are the tiles I put up in my kitchen a few months ago — game changer.
If you have central air conditioning, install a Nest Thermostat. This thermostat helps you save energy, can cool from anywhere with the Google Home app, and is designed for you to install yourself. Need I say more?
