Debbie Lewis joins us again today with some easy and doable projects for making the most of your rental living spaces.

5 Budget Friendly Projects

For Your Apartment

Living in a rental can leave you feeling a bit restricted when it comes to updates. If you’re looking for a way to ditch the cookie-cutter feel of your apartment, try these affordable upgrades that you can tackle over the weekend.

Add Geometric Interest to Walls

Painting isn’t always an option for renters, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with boring walls. Update your apartment with a geometric stick-on solution instead. Purchase sticky vinyl in your chosen color, and use a manual die cutting tool to create your desired shapes. Go for a colorful array of polka dots, chic stripes, or series of retro starbursts. Your options are limited only by your imagination and willingness to trace and cut the pieces. Once you’ve prepared the shapes, just stick them up. They’ll peel right down again when it’s time to move. Check out this Vinyl Wall Art of the Eiffel Tower that Lorelai did in Rory’s bedroom.

Create Custom Storage Spaces

Image via Flickr by prettyinprint

Storage space is typically at a premium in an apartment. You want to make smart use of every available inch without giving your place a cluttered look. DIY storage can offer a versatile solution that’s custom made to fit the available dimensions. Make your own plywood rolling drawers to fit perfectly under your bed or beneath hanging clothes in your closet. Build shoe storage from PVC pipes for a wall-to-wall piece that lets you make use of every bit of available closet space. The options are endless with a little DIY ingenuity.

Opt for Open Storage

Is your apartment lacking some of the desired cabinet space for your kitchen essentials? Turn to open storage that doubles as a decorative element instead. Mount two or three shelves to any open wall and keep your most colorful cups, plates, bowls, and serving ware here. Add hooks to the bottom of the lowest shelf for your collection of mugs or a few bright dish towels.

Upgrade Your Showerhead

Many apartment fixtures are too troublesome to change, but your showerhead is something that you actually have a great deal of control over. Changing out the showerhead is a matter of quickly screwing the standard installation off and adding your sparkling new fixture. You can dramatically improve your morning routine with an adjustable showerhead with multiple settings. If you want to reduce your water bill, a low-flow showerhead is an investment that can help you save in the long run.

Change the Doorknobs

Doorknobs are another apartment feature you can easily swap out with minimal effort. Upgrading to new knobs can instantly give your apartment a fresher look. You’ll also enjoy the benefit of knobs that lock properly if that’s something you’re struggling with. Have kids you don’t want isolated in their rooms? Switch to knobs that don’t lock at all. Just keep the old ones so you can change them back before you leave.

There’s no need for rental restrictions to leave your unit feeling dull. Get creative with the available space in your apartment and make the most of what’s available with these smart solutions.

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~Lorelai

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