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DO’S AND DON’TS OF DECORATING A RENTAL

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After 2020 riddled with the pandemic that made most Americans adopt the work from home strategy, it wasn’t a coincidence that the need to decorate one’s rental apartment to suit their fashion taste grew significantly. A survey conducted by One Poll found that 55% of Americans made significant changes to their home outlook in 2020, while 71% of Americans said they were planning to make better changes to their apartment in 2021.

Coziness and cleanliness are leading factors given by renters on why they intend to make significant changes to their apartments. With about 40% of renters predicting they’ll never have a home, according to a survey by Freddie Mac, the desire to decorate can be tempting. However, one must ensure that the changes are made within the ambits of the law and do not affect plans.

Here are some dos and don’ts of decorating a rental.

DON’T DISREGARD YOUR LEASE AGREEMENT OR GO BEYOND THEM

The landlord or building manager’s desire is locked up in the lease terms and agreements. While it is very unusual that the agreement will restrict any form of decoration, some agreements specify certain areas which should not be touched or, in the worst scenario, should be touched minimally. Examples of such situations include painting or hanging pictures on the wall.

In cases where the lease agreement is silent about decoration, it is important to request decorating permission before changes are made to prevent you from losing your security deposit.

DO A SURVEY AND DRAW A PLAN

Walking around your rented apartment to decide on a perfect temporary adjustment is crucial. Also, you can decide to explore flexible decorating ideas and photos from different renters online. Make a plan for the replacement of your furniture if there’s a need for it. Check out photos that may guide you online, and make your plan within the limit of your lease agreement.

DON’T EXCEED YOUR BUDGET

There’s always a product with better quality at greater prices. However, it’s important to stick to your budget for decorating your rented apartment. Go for items that are necessary and align with your color scheme. While sticking to your budget, quality should also be a priority, so you don’t have to go through the process of replacement sooner than you anticipated. Discounted decorations or thrifted decorations could be more affordable while enjoying the added benefit of quality.

DON’T PAINT UNLESS YOUR LEASE AGREEMENT ALLOWS

Painting is one complicated part of the process. You probably don’t like the colors, or it’s not as attractive as you’d like, but resist the urge of painting if your lease agreement doesn’t allow it. In situations where your lease agreement allows it, most landlords would still want you to undo the process as part of the agreement.

DO IT YOURSELF

The whole process is about making your rented apartment cozy and convenient, and only you get to define those terms. Ensure you’re at the center of decorating your rented apartment and give it the kind of definition and features you want.

CONCLUSION

With a massive growth in the number of people preferring renting a house to buying one, it is important to keep in mind the do’s to create maximum satisfaction while also being aware of the don’ts to prevent errors.

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