Renter-Friendly Upgrades

With a new school year right around the corner, I thought it’d be fun to share the renter-friendly upgrades I helped my sister and brother-in-law make to their apartment last year. These tips are perfect for making a dorm, apartment, or any temporary space feel like home, because you deserve to love where you live, even if it’s just for now!

My sister lives in an apartment in the city, and it was, well… colorful. She wanted to update it, but in a way that when she moved out, she could return it to the colorful glory it was when she moved in. Naturally, she called me and we got to work figuring out creative ways to update it temporarily. Here are the renter-friendly upgrades we did in her apartment!

Renter-Friendly Upgrade #1: Paint

Obviously, this one is something that you need to get approval for before doing it. Her landlord said she was allowed to paint it, but they had to paint it back to the original color before she moved out. While there was a lot of space to paint, we decided that painting it white was worth the effort. If you want to make painting a whole lot easier, these are some of my favorite tools!

Upgrade #2: Tile Update

The tile floors in her apartment were giving “Christmas all year” vibes. It was not exactly her favorite part of the apartment. I got vinyl contact paper, cut it to the size of the colorful squares with a straight edge tool and knife, and carefully put it on each square. I was not sure if this would work, so before committing to the entire space, I put a few down and let them live with it for a few weeks. After finding that it would work, we committed, and I covered ALLLL the colorful tiles. It took a while, but it was completely worth it!

Image shows how to change tile in a rental, a simple and effective renter-friendly upgrade!

Upgrade #3: Hardware

This is one of the simpler renter-friendly upgrades. Switching hardware is quick and high-impact! Just make sure to keep the original hardware and screws in a safe place so when it’s time to put them back, you have them all! THIS is the hardware I used. All you need is a screwdriver to install it!

Upgrade #4: Mirror Frame

Framing your mirror looks permanent and complicated, but is quite the opposite! I used 1x4s and cut them to the size of the mirror. I used a nail gun—NOT glue. Nails are easy to remove and even easier to fill and cover when it’s time to put everything back to how it was.

I did add a little decorative trim to the side of the 1×4, but I did not attach that to the wall, so the glue worked just fine for this part. You can also use Command velcro strips to attach the frame. This is even more temporary and easy to undo.

Renter-Friendly Upgrade #5: Towel & Toilet Paper Holders

Just like the hardware, changing your towel and toilet paper holders is so simple. They do not impact anything permanently, but can make a big difference. Again, be sure to hang onto the originals so you can put them back before you move out.

Upgrade #6: Shelves

I added shelves in her bathroom because they have a shortage of storage. These required larger screws, which means bigger holes to fill later, but it’s okay. We have to paint it anyway. I used THESE brackets and a 1×12. I stained the 1×12, then hung it all up. Then, I added a few baskets for additional storage!

Upgrade #7: Lighting

While I did not update the lights in my sister’s apartment, this is another simple update that is easy to do—and undo. Replacing light fixtures is not hard! Check out THIS post to learn how to update a light fixture in four easy steps! In addition to updating your light fixtures, you can easily replace the outlet covers super inexpensively!

Upgrade #8: All the Little Things

I think when you are renting, people get worried about spending too much money making the space feel like home because it is not YOUR space, so you don’t want to spend the money. But there are so many ways you can add to a space to make it feel like home that you can take with you later. Things like the shower curtain and rod, decorations, live or faux plants, rugs, furniture… the list goes on! Your place, regardless of whether it is rented or if you own it, should feel like HOME. It should feel warm and cozy—whatever that means to you. So take the time to add little things to your space to make it feel like YOURS, even if it is still a rental.

The Final Reveal

These simple updates completely changed the feel of the space! I love how it turned out, and my sister does too.

I hope this gave you more ideas on how you can do some renter-friendly upgrades. Let me know if you try any and how they turn out!

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