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Enjoy decorating your home without damaging the property.

Although you may not own the property you live in, you always want it to feel like your own space. As a renter this can sometimes be a challenge, as you have to adhere to the rules that come with renting. Here’s a list of 10 tips to help make your rental feel like it’s yours:

1. Add lots of plants

Greenery can bring so much life to a room. They brighten your house and add warmth. They also can have the added benefit of removing toxins and clean the air around them.

You don’t have to have the green thumb for your indoor plants to flourish, there are plenty of low maintenance greenery out there. For example:

  • Snake plants – filter out nasty chemicals and can survive in almost all conditions.
  • Dracaena plants – can cope with changing indoor temperatures and lighting.
  • Rubber trees – removes carbon dioxide from the air and tolerates lack of care. 
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2. Invest in furniture that has added storage

We always need more space. Buying furniture with in-built storage is a great way for stowing away all the extras that don’t have a place in the home.

You could consider using coffee tables and foot stools that have hidden storage for that extra room. Cabinets can provide more closed off storage, and you can even find bed frames that include storage under the mattress or on the sides.  

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3. Rugs 

Rugs are a great accessory if perhaps you are not entirely happy with the flooring that your rental has. They are also a handy tool for adding your own decoration to a room. Depending on what you need, they can add colour and personality, or could mellow out the room (or hide ugly carpet).

A large rug in the loungeroom could add seating on the floor and create a warmer feeling to the room. If you are lacking colour, then Persian rugs can be a great way to bring a room to life.   

 4. Mood lighting

Make good use of lamps! Whether it is a large, free standing lamp in the loungeroom, or smaller lights for a bedroom, these can create character for any room. Keeping larger lamps in the corners of a room prevents the disruption of moving from one room to another. 

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5. Free standing furniture

Anything that doesn’t have to be attached to a wall or needs external sources to help it stand is free standing furniture that you can add to your home. It is a worthy purchase, as it can be transported to wherever you live next.

Decorative ladders are handy in the bathroom to hang towels, Bookshelves and cube units are handy to display art and to store your belongings. A rolling kitchen bench is a good idea if you need more bench space when cooking.

 6. Pick your favourite bedding

Bring some colour to your bedroom with a lively doona cover, add extra display pillows, and pick bedding that will personalise your bedroom. The Spruce have some tips when deciding on the perfect bedding colour for you.

7. Decorate your existing furniture

Sometimes the things you already own could do with a spruce up. Consider painting or decorating furniture you already own. This will give the house a new feeling without having to spend money on new furniture. Make sure to be careful when moving around or decorating existing furniture that it doesn’t damage or effect the property.

 8. Invest in quality furniture

 Investing your money in furniture could be an option that helps you feel content with the property you are in and is a long-term investment. Although you may not own the house, you can own everything in it! Buy items that can be taken with you when it’s time to move out. 

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9. Accessorize 

Sometimes all you need to do is add a few little extras to a room. Decorative vases and bowls, ornaments and trinkets can finish off the look of a room and can be a cheaper option for personal decoration. Finishing touches like candles, clocks, and cushions are great ideas for any room.  

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10. Take pride in your home

Be proud of the space you live in and look after your property as if it is your own. This will only reflect brilliantly on you as a tenant and will benefit you in the future with great rental history. Taking care of your home also minimises the risk of losing your bond when it is time to vacate.

Focus on investing in the things you can have control over and can be transferred to wherever you may need to go in the future.

Concentrating on the aspects that you do have control over will enable you to create a home that feels like you, and in turn should bring a sense of achievement and happiness.

Anything you can attain that isn’t attached to your property is a good long-term investment as a renter.