Apartment-Friendly DIY Projects to Personalize Your Space

Decorating a rental apartment gives many people the chills as they imagine losing their security deposit, but it shouldn’t. You can make reversible and temporary DIY projects to update your rental space without jeopardizing your security deposit or breaching the terms of your lease. Many of these updates are simple and affordable but help bring some personality and good vibes into your home.

You can also find home decor DIY projects that are appropriate for spaces with limited square footage to maximize your space without making drastic changes. Below, we share some top apartment-friendly DIY projects to make your rental space feel like home and burst with personality.

1. Update Walls and Floors With Removable Stickers

Blank walls can be a missed opportunity in rental spaces. Whether you want to mute the bright and loud colors or liven up your space with some color, you can use removable peel-and-stick wallpaper and flooring. Most are easy to install and require no experience.

Wallpapers spoil you with a variety of colors, styles, designs and patterns you can choose to make your rental apartment feel like your own. You can use it to cover the walls in the apartment or opt for some bold colors or prints to create accent walls. 

If you’re not ready to commit to installing wallpaper on full walls, you can use washi tape to create fun and creative patterns on your walls or appliances. Both are easily removable and shouldn’t leave any residue on the walls. 

Peel-and-stick flooring is also a quick and easy renter-friendly DIY project that protects your landlord-installed floors, adds an aesthetic appeal and ensures low maintenance. High-quality peel-and-stick flooring options also have soft and comfortable underfoot and may have some sound-absorbing properties desired.

2. Soundproof for Immediate Peace

Soundproofing your rental apartment with readily available materials keeps out distracting noise made by your neighbors or busy streets. Temporary soundproofing solutions muffle the noise by minimizing echoes and improving acoustics produced by hard surfaces around the home.

Some top soundproofing DIY projects worth trying include:

• Installing foam mats on floors to draw out the noise from below while providing a cozy surface.
• Installing window inserts made from clear glass or acrylic panels over your windows muffles noise from outside.
• Hanging heavy curtains such as the ones labeled insulated or blackout improves your home’s aesthetic and keeps most of the noise out.
• Adding plush rugs to your rental apartment is an affordable way to absorb noise and minimize echoes.
• Sealing door and window gaps helps prevent unwanted sound and noise from leaking through into your apartment.
• Outfitting your home with soft, plush fabrics on the walls blocks out outside noise and minimizes the sound that seeps outside from your apartment.

Even small decisions, like hanging more wall decor or adding throw pillows to furniture, can go a long way in diffusing noise transfer. 

3. Add Creative Storage Solutions

One of the most significant upgrades for small rental apartments is increasing their storage potential with aesthetic and functional solutions. This also helps you maintain a neat and organized space, which boosts livability by freeing up more floor space and keeping the apartment clutter-free.

There are numerous DIY space-saving storage solutions you can implement into your rental. Please note that most of these options involve drilling holes into the walls, so it’s important to double-check with your landlord if that’s acceptable before you strap on your toolbelt. 

Here are the top creative apartment-friendly storage solutions you should consider implementing:

• Floating shelves: These are a convenient storage solution for tight spaces that you’d typically not be able to utilize, such as corners and nooks. Floating shelves maximize storage space while ensuring the space feels open and airy.
• Low-shelving: Installing low-shelving maximizes horizontal space in a small apartment while also providing easy access to your items.
• Multi-functional furniture: Furniture with built-in concealed storage, like ottomans, TV stands, under-the-bed storage, wall beds and transforming tables help you save space and prevent a cluttered appearance.

4. Make Tiny Bathroom Updates

The bathroom is an easily ignored space when making home updates, although we spend so much time there — it’s among the first places you walk into in the morning and the last one before you retire to bed. Temporary bathroom DIY projects are cost-effective but have a significant impact on your home’s aesthetics. 

The following are some DIY bathroom projects that will help you enjoy your morning and evening routines more:

• Install peel-and-stick wall and floor tiles to hide boring tiles and add some personality to the space.
• Change the shower curtains and window treatments to something new and fresh.
• Endow your walls with some art pieces.
• Increase storage space with creative options such as ladders and floating shelves.
• Replace your old, functional mirror with a statement mirror.
• Add plants to make it lively and vibrant.
• Hang shower storage shelving to keep things clutter-free.

5. Improve Lighting in Your Apartment

Improving lighting enhances the look and feel of your rental apartment. One of the best ways to do this is through natural light. You can start by replacing blackout curtains or substituting them with sheer ones that let more light inside. 

Decorating the apartment with mirrors and other reflective surfaces, such as glass tables and polished floors, also helps bounce the natural light around your home. Changing standard light fixtures for statement pendant lights and chandeliers can also add a stylistic flair. 

Table and floor lamps brighten up dark corners in a room while also functioning as decor. If you’re on a tight budget, consider changing bulbs to energy-saving LED ones that help you save on utility bills. Some smart lightbulbs can even integrate with your phone for custom lighting colors and timers. 

As you update lighting, consider swapping your switch and outlet plates to make a bold statement that’s cohesive with the rest of the apartment style. 

Unleash Your DIY Spirit in Your Rental

Your rental apartment doesn’t need to be bland. There are many easy DIY projects you can take on without breaching your rental lease or jeopardizing your security deposit refund. Try personalizing your space today by adding shelving, soundproofing, changing light fixtures, or updating your walls with peel-and-stick wallpaper. 

Triple Crown Corporation has a wide selection of rental apartments if you’re looking for your next home, and they’re the perfect canvas for adding touches to your personality through these apartment-friendly styling tips. Contact us today to request rental information, or explore our blog for more inspiration on personalizing your rental space.