9 Renter-Friendly Improvements on a Budget

When you move to an apartment, you might feel like there’s no way to make your new home feel like it’s truly yours. With so many rules in your lease about what you can and can’t do to the aesthetics of the home, it can seem like you’re left with almost no options to decorate your home. Luckily, there are a few renter-friendly improvements you can make that are affordable and allow you to be a good tenant. Here are cheap renter-friendly improvements you can make on a budget.

1. Clean

When you first move in, the home is already clean. However, as you start living there, eventually, dust and dirt will begin to accumulate. Of course, your landlord and previous tenant may not have done the best job of cleaning, so you still might want to clean the floors and walls before you move in heavy furniture. Whenever you choose to clean, a deep clean can make your home feel brighter and fresher to help you come up with the best design plans despite your limited space.

2. Paint

Giving your rental a fresh coat of paint can make a dramatic difference because it makes your rental unique. You can choose to paint one wall or all the walls in your home to brighten it up or give it more personality. Of course, always check your lease agreement before painting. There might be a clause stating that you cannot make any cosmetic changes, including painting, to the home without written consent from your landlord. With some rentals, your lease will state that you can paint as long as you paint your home back before moving out to ensure the next tenant has a blank canvas.

If you’re not allowed to paint at all, there are still ways to dress up your walls. For example, you can use peel-and-stick wallpaper to create a feature wall in your home. There are many design and color options for peel-and-stick wallpaper that can transform any room of your home, and it’s less messy and labor-intensive than painting.

3. Consider Furniture

If your home came furnished, you could save money on furniture by investing in a slipcover that can help keep the sofa clean while also allowing you to add a pop of color to your living room. Of course, many rentals don’t come furnished, so you can also add a slipcover to your old sofa if you don’t have enough money to buy a new one.

If you have the budget, you can go shopping as soon as you’ve decided on the design plan for your home. A new sofa can bring life and a little bit of your personality to a boring living room, and there are tons of options to choose from to help you make your rental feel like home.

4. Upgrade Your Bed

Did you know? Your mattress should be replaced every seven to ten years, depending on the type of mattress it is. If you haven’t replaced your mattress in a while, moving to a new home is the perfect time to get a larger bed to find a mattress that can help you sleep comfortably every night. After you’ve picked out your new mattress, look for sheets, throw blankets, and a duvet that can help add color to your bedroom.

Upgrading your old sheets can help you feel more comfortable, and depending on the types of sheets you get, you can make your bedroom feel like you’re staying at a luxury hotel.

5. Get Rugs

Not every rental will have beautiful hardwood flooring, so you can get a rug to put on top of ugly carpet or stained flooring to help brighten the place up while covering up any eyesores. You can put a rug around your bed and couch to complete the spaces and give yourself and your guests a comfy place to put their feet when standing up.

6. Curtains

Rentals typically come with cheap blinds that don’t keep the sun out and may even break. You can spruce up your apartment on a budget by hanging your own curtains to add a pop of color to your walls, especially if you can’t paint. If you live somewhere that gets hot in the summer, you can get blackout curtains to help keep the sun out so your rental can stay cool, helping you to save money on your electricity bills.

7. Replace the Shower Head

Rentals typically come with the cheapest, least effective showerheads. Replacing the showerhead is easy, and anyone can do it, allowing you to get the water pressure you need to relax after a long day or before work. The best part about upgrading your showerhead is that it’s completely reversible. When you move out, you can put the old shower head back on and take yours with you to your next home.

8. Grow a Garden

If you’re renting an apartment, you likely don’t have a yard where you can grow your own garden. However, you can start a balcony garden by researching what types of plants you can grow based on where the sun hits your home. Then, depending on what you have available, you can use a mix of hanging plants and potted plants to make your balcony feel more like an oasis. A garden can also give you a great view from the inside if your balcony faces a parking lot or street.

9. Add Shelving

Shelving is a great way to save space without having to put your belongings in storage. If you don’t want to hang shelves and potentially cause holes or damage to the walls, you can get standing shelves for your bedroom and living room, giving you a place for all your books and trinkets.

Final Thoughts

Even though you can’t do any major renovations on a rental, you can still find affordable ways to make it feel like a home. Before you start redesigning your apartment, consider the current layout. If you don’t have a layout of the apartment, you can ask your landlord for a printout to help you draw out places to put furniture and make the floorplan open and breezy while saving space.

Ashley Nielsen

Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she shares knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, or financial tips. During her free time she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.

How to Fight Silverfish in Your House

We’ve all probably encountered them already at some stage, these small, wingless insects that are nocturnal and eat paper, fabric, and other organic substances. Yes, we are talking about silverfish. They are not exactly harmful but if they are too many it can be disturbing. So, let’s see how to fight silverfish infestations.

One way to fight silverfish is to use a vacuum cleaner to suck them up. You can also use a dustpan or a broom to sweep them up. The next step is to place the silverfish in a plastic bag and seal it tightly before throwing it away in an outdoor trash bin.

The Best Way to Control an Infestation of Silverfishes

Silverfish are one of the most common household pests and can be difficult to get rid of. However, there are a few tried and true methods that will help you get rid of silverfishes for good.

Don’t let an infestation of silverfish take over your home! Follow these simple steps to control them and keep them away for good.

There are two main ways to control an infestation of silverfish: physical removal or chemical treatment. You can use store-bought chemicals like boric acid or diatomaceous earth, or you can use natural substances like vinegar, dish soap, or boiling water.

You can buy traps or make your own traps to capture silver fish and kill them off. Some people use an empty cereal box with sugar or potato peels as a bait to make a simple trap. Others smear some honey on a paper – when the silver fish comes to feed on the honey it gets glued to it and is trapped.

How To Prevent A Silver Fish Infestation In Your Home

Silverfish are famous for their ability to eat through paper, clothes, and other organic materials. They can also survive in areas where there is little water. If you have a silverfish infestation in your home, it can be difficult to get rid of them. However, there are some preventative measures that you can take to keep them from coming back.

You should start by looking for any sources of moisture or food that attracts the silverfish. You should also make sure that your home is well ventilated so the silverfish will not have too much moisture to feed on.

Conclusion: How To Fight Silverfish

Silverfish can be a hard pest to get rid of because they are very resilient. They can go weeks without food and water. Also, they are not deterred by chlorine or most other common household poisons.

To prevent an infestation of silverfish, it is important to clean your home thoroughly. This includes vacuuming all carpets, removing cobwebs from ceilings, and cleaning up all spilled food in the kitchen. Silverfish are attracted to these areas so it is important that you make sure these areas are clean at all times.

One way to fight silverfish is by using a borax-based product in the cracks of your bathroom or kitchen tiles. This will dry out the silverfish eggs and kill them before they hatch. Another way to prevent an infestation of silverfish is by using an organic insecticide, such as neem oil or rosemary oil.

6 Ways to Add Space to Your Home that Won’t Break the Bank

Nobody wants to live in a cramped and congested environment, so making your home as spacious as possible is important. While some can afford a large home or apartment, not everyone can. It’s possible to create more storage in existing areas of your home if you take a look around.

It’s common for people to want to get the most out of their homes. With a limited budget and time, it may seem impossible to transform your space completely. But with these six simple tweaks, you can go a long way.

1. Consider Storing Things on Your Stairwell

With a staircase in your home, you can use it to store items. It’s possible to make good use of the under-stairs space by storing old items there or by designing your own storage solutions. This is an excellent option if you decide to repurpose silo house buildings and give them a new lease on life.

Here are a few ideas for maximizing the utility of the area beneath your stairwell:

Construct A Wine Rack

Install a wine rack under your stairwell if you don’t have the space for one. There is a lot of potential in using an empty staircase to showcase booze.

Create a Stairwell Room

It’s possible to adapt a large staircase into a study or office. You’ll prefer a sedate setting when you want to concentrate on anything, like reading or working.

Make a Cabinet

Adding some drawers, storage racks, and other compartments will help you make the most of your available storage space. You may discover amazing ideas on building your built-in drawers on the internet, or you can purchase one at a home furnishings store. If you have alternate tread stairs, you’ll want to make the space more functional by customizing it to your preferences.

2. Make the Most of Your Bedroom’s Available Space

You may not have a lot of space in your bedroom, but there are a number of creative and easy methods you may arrange your belongings. For small homes, this is the case. You make sure to maximize every square inch of space so that you don’t waste any of it.

Use the Extra Closet Space You Have

There may still be unused spots in your cabinets. You may need to reorganize your clothing and other possessions to free up some space.

Utilize The Space Under Your Mattress

Making use of the space under your bed is an excellent method to maximize the space in your room. By burying your belongings beneath the bed, you may clear up space in your cupboards and drawers. As an option, you may buy storage boxes that are designed to fit, have drawers under your bed, or get a bed that can be partitioned. With this idea, it’s time to move into your small home or silo structure and enjoy the new space you created.

3. Maximize the bathroom’s storage capacity.

In most cases, only one person at a time uses a restroom. Hence it’s usually sparsely stocked. No matter whether your bathroom is large or small, the following suggestions will help you make the most of your available space:

Add Mirrors to the Room

Adding mirrors to your bathroom will provide the illusion of more space and lighten the atmosphere. Excessively large mirrors should be avoided. It’s enough to have a medicine cabinet and a mirror on the sink to get by.

Unclutter the Floor

Towels and toiletries may also be hidden in clever ways. To free up space, you might place it beneath the vanity. The appearance of a larger bathroom may be created by increasing the amount of floor space.

Add Hooks for Mounting

You may hang your towels on mounting hooks installed behind the bathroom door when not in use. It would be ideal since it is concealed while the door is open.

4. Take Advantage of the Corners

If you’re tight on room, make use of the corners of your home. With built-in shelving or a desk in an awkward corner, you’ll be able to utilize the space you already have better. For those who don’t need storage space, consider a comfortable seating area in a corner. Your house will seem more practical and roomier due to using this previously underutilized area. If you want to live in a space-saving home, you need to make the most of every square inch.

5. Make Use of The Rooms That Aren’t Frequently Used for Storage

You can store stuff in your basement or attic if you have one. You may utilize this shelf unit to keep groceries that don’t fit in your kitchen cupboards. It’s also where you keep your old goods and furnishings.

To ensure that you can easily locate an item when you need it, be sure to arrange and identify your belongings carefully. Getting rid of stuff you no longer need might also assist.

Clear the Way to the Front Door

The personality of a family is reflected in their front door. Overcrowding the entryway can make the place seem claustrophobic. When entering, everyone in your party should be able to walk about freely.

When your house is cluttered, it will seem out of date. Furthermore, it will accumulate dirt, making your whole house seem much older than it is.

You may make the most of this space by setting up a waiting area where you can sit and store your children’s backpacks before they go to school.

6. Be Consistent

Even while this isn’t a space-saving trick, it will give the impression that your room is much more significant. You must stick to one color palette in a small room or house. If you maintain a unified aesthetic across the area, it will seem to be much bigger than it really is. You may use whatever hue you choose, as long as it’s not too dark and stays neutral or quiet.

You don’t want to make a room seem smaller and more confined by painting it in a dark tone. Certain home renovation ideas may not be a good fit if you have a limited area. For example, your desire for a smaller house may be hampered if the current fashion is for dark woods and gloomy colors.

Conclusion

If you use these easy suggestions, you may get a better sense of how much space you really have. The stairs are a great location to start, since they provide various storage options.

The attic or basement might be used for storage if you have the space. Colors on the walls, kinds of shelving, and even the placement of mirrors may all be utilized to make a room seem more significant. If you don’t have the time to create your own organizations, you may utilize these tricks or purchase pre-made ones.

When it comes to getting rid of your belongings, a strategy is vital. To prevent becoming sidetracked and quitting up in the midst of a job, focus on one area at a time in your house. Whenever you’re debating whether or not to retain anything, try it out first and see whether it makes you happy. It’s okay if it doesn’t, just say thank you for the experience and go on.

Author: Bob Kappas