PUTTING YOUR TOUCH ON THE NEW PLACE
Adding your own touches helps make the new place feel like home. Just be sure you understand the terms of your Lease before modifying anything. Keep in mind, any nail holes must be patched at move out. Here are some ways to cozy up your rental space without fear of losing your deposit.
FRESHEN UP:
Weird smells happen. Your new home was sitting empty before you moved in and that leaves musty, stuffy smells. There are natural solutions to neutralize odors.
VINEGAR: Put white vinegar in a bowl and circulate air throughout the rental by turning on a fan and opening windows and doors. You can also combine equal parts of water and white vinegar as a neutralizing spray.
BAKING SODA: You can sprinkle baking soda over carpet and other fabrics to help neutralize smells.
LEMONS: Grinding up lemon or orange peels in the garbage disposal freshens up the drain. No disposal or slow drain? Lemon juice or vinegar and baking soda freshen the drain and help clean the drains.
Weird smells happen. Your new home was sitting empty before you moved in and that leaves musty, stuffy smells. There are natural solutions to neutralize odors.
VINEGAR: Put white vinegar in a bowl and circulate air throughout the rental by turning on a fan and opening windows and doors. You can also combine equal parts of water and white vinegar as a neutralizing spray.
BAKING SODA: You can sprinkle baking soda over carpet and other fabrics to help neutralize smells.
LEMONS: Grinding up lemon or orange peels in the garbage disposal freshens up the drain. No disposal or slow drain? Lemon juice or vinegar and baking soda freshen the drain and help clean the drains.
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FIND YOUR STYLE:
Not sure whether you're contemporary, traditional or wild? Decorating sites like Zillow Digs let you explore design trends and find the style that suits you best. An eclectic mix of styles - like sleek modern furniture with vintage accessories - can help strike a comfortable balance and really make your place feel like a home. Mixing styles can also be economical by finding pieces at garage sales and thrift stores. The key is finding what inspires you and incorporating elements of it throughout.
Not sure whether you're contemporary, traditional or wild? Decorating sites like Zillow Digs let you explore design trends and find the style that suits you best. An eclectic mix of styles - like sleek modern furniture with vintage accessories - can help strike a comfortable balance and really make your place feel like a home. Mixing styles can also be economical by finding pieces at garage sales and thrift stores. The key is finding what inspires you and incorporating elements of it throughout.
MAKE YOUR TEMPORARY MARK:
Even if you can't make permanent changes, there are plenty of ways to personalize a rental space:
Add window dressings. Flowing curtains, your signature color or a modern print can transform the look of a space.
Add area rugs. Rentals don't always have new flooring. A fun rug - even laid on top of carpet - can make the space your own and detract the eye from what's beneath it. Use rugs with distinct colors and textures to make them pop.
Simple touches like throw pillows are a great way to add personal flair without a huge investment.
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Even if you can't make permanent changes, there are plenty of ways to personalize a rental space:
Add window dressings. Flowing curtains, your signature color or a modern print can transform the look of a space.
Add area rugs. Rentals don't always have new flooring. A fun rug - even laid on top of carpet - can make the space your own and detract the eye from what's beneath it. Use rugs with distinct colors and textures to make them pop.
Simple touches like throw pillows are a great way to add personal flair without a huge investment.
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MAXIMIZE SMALL SPACES:
There are plenty of simple ways to optimize your space and make it appear larger:
There are plenty of simple ways to optimize your space and make it appear larger:
- Think about flow and furniture placement. Whether you want to apply the Chinese philosophy of feng shui or would just like to create a space that works best for your lifestyle, consider the location and position of your furniture. Resist sthe urge to push everything against a wall and opt instead to place certain pieces diagonally, such as putting a loveseat in a corner.
- Let there be light. Even if your rental doesn't have great natural or overhead lighting, you can brighten up your space (and mood) with a range of lighting fixtures, from trendy colored lamps to minimalist floor lamps.
- Add mirrors. The can do wonders for rooms with limited space or lighting, helping to replicate the feel of a window.
GET SMART WITH STORAGE:
There's no such thing as too much storage, and most rentals rarely have enough of it. Some tips:
There's no such thing as too much storage, and most rentals rarely have enough of it. Some tips:
- Take advantage of unused space. Areas like the back of a door or under a bed are great places for storage. Don't have a bed frame? Use pallets or wooden boxes to hold the mattress and have instant storage.
- Behind the door shoe holders can double as organizers for numerous small items, from make up, jewelry to mail.
- Go tall. The higher the bookcase, the more storage you'll have. Keeping the horizontal footprint small will make your place look larger and save room for the furniture pieces you really want.
- Limit the stuff. Mowing is an ideal time to pare down your belongings and donate or get rid of what you don't need. The less stuff you have, the bigger (and more organized) your home will appear.
PLANT A CONTAINER GARDEN:
Nothing breathes life into a place quite like plants. Container gardening works well in even the tiniest of spaces. Herbs can be grown to cook with. The ideas online are unlimited.
Nothing breathes life into a place quite like plants. Container gardening works well in even the tiniest of spaces. Herbs can be grown to cook with. The ideas online are unlimited.
SHOW OFF YOUR NEW HOME:
Your place won't really feel like home until you open it to friends and family. Hosting a party is also the ultimate motivator to get your space into shape. Worried abut entertaining in tight quarters?
Your place won't really feel like home until you open it to friends and family. Hosting a party is also the ultimate motivator to get your space into shape. Worried abut entertaining in tight quarters?
- Edit your guest list. You don't have to invite everyone you know, especially if you're limited on space. Make sure you will have enough room for guests to move around without stepping on each other. Have another get-together later and invite different friends.
- Keep the space open. If you have multiple rooms, you may want to move some of the furniture to an area guests won't see.
- Assume spills will happen. The smaller the space, the greater likelihood of it. Have carpet? Consider serving white wine or beer, instead of red wine. Have some carpet cleaner on hand for immediate clean up.
WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME!