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Simple renovations that make your rented property feel like home

By Jamil Allouche

When you move into a new home or apartment one of the first thoughts you'll have is, "How can I make this my own?"

Though if you're renting, that can become a double-edged sword. Ideas about how to modernise your kitchen and update the bathroom will swirl around your head. Unless you have explicit permission from the landlord, then you're better off putting the paint brush away. But, just because you're a tenant doesn't mean you can't personalise the home.

Leave no marks

The cardinal rule of renovating a rental as a tenant: Your improvement can't leave a mark. Thankfully, there are useful tools and products being invented every day that are easier than ever to remove with little adhesive residue left behind.

Wall colours, for example, can be a major point of contention, especially if the landlord hasn't painted them in a while. One option would be to ask him or her for permission to paint them, and reapply the original colour when you leave. If that doesn't work, there are many varieties of wallpapers being produced now that can be easily peeled when you're about to leave. Then, all that's left is to use a cleaner and gently scrape away anything that's left over.

Quick fixes

Sometimes it's the details that make a rented property feel like home. You may want to upgrade some of the fixtures in the home, like lights, mirrors or cabinets. As long as there isn't anything in your lease explicitly stating they can't be touched, there are ways to personalise them without damaging them.

Hanging mirrors can replaced for your own and stored until you leave, as long as there's no harm done to the room. The same goes for light fixtures – find one you like, have an electrician install it and swap them out when your lease is up. Cabinets can be a little trickier. If the doors are able to be removed, carefully taking them off could provide a fresh new look for your kitchen.

Other small improvements, like adding a rug to cover up an outdated floor or some plants to hide any previously existing marks on the wall, go a long way towards making it feel like home.

Above all else, communicate with your landlord. If he or she doesn't want something changed then there's likely a reason behind it. But, some property owners may welcome the improvements as long as they have a say in what's being done. For more information on rental real estate in Brunswick, contact a Ray White representative today.

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