13 Insanely Good Apartment Hacks for Renters that’ll Transform Any Boring Rental!

Looking for the BEST apartment hacks for renters? Here are 13 insanely good rental apartment hacks, including rental apartment decorating, apartment hacks diy & rental apartment makeover!

As a renter, I'm familiar with your struggle. I know exactly why you're here: to turn your boring rental apartment into a space you LOVE!

But personalizing a rental is not as easy as it might seem! Your possibilities are VERY limited, you can't do anything without your landlord's permission. 

Of course, without the right resources!

This guide however, was made just for YOU to help you decorate & design the perfect rental apartment & finally make it feel like a true reflection of YOU!

Here are my top tried & true 13 apartment hacks for renters that I SWEAR by! With these, you're guaranteed to achieve the rental apartment makeover of the century -without losing your security deposit!

THE BEST APARTMENT HACKS FOR RENTERS

01. Install bougie curtains one way or another!

Trust me when I say you NEED curtains! Let me accentuate: YOU NEED THEM!! They are honestly some real game-changers!

They are basically the best way to enhance any design you have going on in a very space-saving AND natural way. I feel like they just make any room feel so much more expansive, sophisticated even!

And yes, you can absolutely hang curtains in your rental apartment in a way that makes you get your security deposit back. In fact, there are multiple ways to hang your curtains in a rental apartment without having to drill holes into your walls, check them all out here!

But I'll only be focusing on my favourite, and what I personally SWEAR by. And that is, to use self-adhesive curtain rod brackets!! Since they're self-adhesive, you'll be able to install a curtain rod anywhere in your home & hang your favourite curtains without causing ANY damage to the walls!

02. Elevate your apartment with linens

If there's only one advice you take from this list, let it be this one! Because if you decorate with linens everywhere in your apartment, you'll be able to instantly enhance your apartment design without having to drill, paint, tape or anything like that.

Take a look at the photo above for inspiration. There's a nice linen sofa cover on the couch & the look is complemented with a set of velvety throw pillows, as well as a decorative blanket.

Using throw pillows & throw blankets, even faux fur throws is a good idea everywhere in your home, not just in your living room! So make sure you get a few throw blankets & pillows for your dining room, decorative towels for your kitchen, a big comforter for your bedroom & towels for your bathroom as well!

03. Try a patterned peel & stick wallpaper for an accent wall

Using peel & stick wallpaper is probably one of the few apartment hacks for renters that you already know about. And it's understandable, because they are just THAT good!

If you want to make your apartment look its best, consider getting a nice, patterned peel & stick wallpaper to install on an accent wall behind your sofa, onto the wall behind your home office, in your dining room or even in your bathroom! 

You'll be able to provide such a fun, exciting look for your apartment. BUT! You'll also be able to take it off without a problem when you don't need it anymore / are moving.

Fun home, no angry landlords!

APARTMENT HACKS FOR RENTERS | REMOVABLE WALLPAPER

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04. Get rid of ugly hardware

One of the most subtle, yet impactful changes you can make to your rental apartment is to replace old, ugly hardware with more stylish options!

This will instantly elevate the look of your apartment, even though it's such a small makeover! You can do it all under $30 if you're lucky, but it really doesn't cost much more than that! So it is really one of the BEST rental apartment hacks EVER!

Now, the first thing you'll want to do is check your kitchen or bathroom cabinets. If they already have knobs or pulls installed, that means you can easily get to work without your landlord's permission.

Simply take off those old, dusty knobs & pulls off, and twist the new ones onto the screws. 

However, if your cabinets do NOT have knobs or pulls installed on them, OR you prefer holes over screws, contact your landlord & ask for their permission. Because you'll need to be drilling your own holes to replace the hardware!

APARTMENT HACKS FOR RENTERS | CUTE HARDWARE

05. And while you're at it, change your light fixtures as well!

If you're already DIY-ing like crazy, make sure you change your light fixtures as well! Those flush mount ceiling fixtures nearly ALL apartments have are NOT cute. You'll be better off with something that you ACTUALLY love.

Trust me, new light fixtures can make your apartment look much more homey & personalized, as if it was your own. 

There are lots of options for you to choose from. Go with pendant lights in your dining room & kitchen, swap out a basic light fixture for a statement chandelier in your living room, try track lighting in your bathroom & a ceiling fan in your bedroom.

Ask an electrician friend for help if you're feeling a little lost or take on the job yourself. You'll simply need to unscrew your current light fixture & replace it with the new one. Super easy!

APARTMENT HACKS FOR RENTERS | STATEMENT PENDANT LIGHTS

06. Cover run-down flooring with peel & stick floor tiles

Peel & stick "wallpaper" can go a long way! It's actually super beneficial if you apply onto run-down flooring!

Not only will you be able to cover any stains, scratches or discoloration on basic, boring linoleum or vinyl flooring. BUT! You'll also be able to make your rental apartment feel much more like you!

There are two options for you to choose from: you can either use actual wallpaper to put on your floors, OR peel & stick floor tiles, that are just like wallpaper, but were made specifically to use on floors. Of course, the latter is better, but you can easily make it work with peel & stick wallpaper as well!

APARTMENT HACKS FOR RENTERS | FLOOR TILES

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07. Freshen up those boring wall cabinets!

One of the most important apartment hacks for renters on this list is to freshen up your old cabinets! 

There are TONS of ways to beautify unappealing cabinets both in your apartment kitchen and apartment bathroom.

Apart from painting the cabinets with your landlord's permission or applying contact paper onto them, you can also take a few doors out to create an open shelving unit! And just like you could replace the nasty hardware on your base cabinets, it's highly advised that you get rid of old knobs on your kitchen wall cabinets as well!

The possibilities are basically endless, you get to decide -of course, you'll need to ask for your landlord's permission in every case!!

APARTMENT HACKS FOR RENTER | CONTACT PAPER FOR CABINETS

08. Use rugs to achieve a put-together look

I bet you didn't know how much of an influence your rug choices can have on your apartment interior! But now I'm here to tell you that using rugs is one of the easiest way to make any rental apartment look cozy, without having to sacrifice your security deposit!

Take a good look at the photo from above! The design looks stunning, doesn't it? That faux fur rug on top of that white boho area rug is just *chef's kiss*! 

As you can see, choosing the right types & right sizes of rugs for every room in your apartment can have huge benefits when it comes to aesthetics! And when you layer them, it becomes even more eye-catching!

09. Don't forget to add mirrors!

Mirrors have always been & will always remain staple items in apartment interior design! 

So it's no wonder that you'll need to be using them in your apartment design! Especially as a renter! Since you don't have too many options that don't require you to drill, tape or paint, you'll have to resort to using mirrors to your advantage!

Not only do they make your apartment feel much larger, but they also make it seem airier & brighter as well!

So go ahead, get a few floor mirrors to prop them against your living room or bedroom wall. Or use double-sided tape to hang wall mirrors onto your bedroom, bathroom, entryway or dining room walls!

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10. Don't love your sofa? Get a velvet sofa cover!

The FIRST thing I wanted to tackle in my new apartment was the couch! It was an absolute NIGHTMARE, especially since it's all white & the previous tenants were messy. You can image how that poor sofa looked.

If you're struggling with the same problem, but can't seem to find the perfect solution, stay tuned because I have it!! You'll just need to get a velvet sofa cover!

Not only does it help you cover anything nasty, BUT it also lets you personalize your space more! There are TONS of colors to choose from, so you'll be able to find something that resonates!

11. Set the mood with lighting

If you've been looking for the most affordable, yet impactful apartment hacks for renters / rental apartment hacks, here you go!

With proper mood lighting, you can instantly elevate your whole apartment design in a way that won't create tension between you & your landlord!

Through installing string lights onto the ceiling with double-sided tape or command hooks, you'll be able to lend your rental apartment a little more personality!

12. Invest in a large tufted headboard

If there's anything from this list you HAVE to get, it's definitely a large tufted headboard!

Of course, if you only have a mattress as a bed, you'll need a bed FRAME with a large tufted headboard. However, if the bed in your rental apartment already has a frame, but not a headboard, make sure you pick a large tufted one!

This will instantly elevate your apartment bedroom without you having to run around in circles with your landlord about what you're allowed & not allowed to do!

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13. Replace nasty faucets ASAP!

Another easy project for your rental apartment is changing ALL the faucets! If you're anything like me, you want to get rid of them ASAP!

Well, good news: you can absolutely do that! However, you'll NEED to ask for your landlord's written permission, since most leases don't allow you to make such changes. 

BUT! I do think it's worth it!! You won't EVER have to look at those nasty, grimy faucets ever again! You'll be able to personalize & modernize your space with a nice stainless steel, brass or brushed gold faucet in your kitchen or bathroom. 

I know,  it's such a small change, but it REALLY is a game-changer!

And if you're looking for the cutest faucets, apart from this staple brass / brushed gold one, definitely check this post out!

This post was all about the best apartment hacks for renters.

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