My husband, our two dogs, and I moved to Franklin, TN two years ago, from New Jersey, just three weeks after getting married. We rented a home for our first year here and I absolutely loved it! After that we decided we’d move into a rental house for a few short months just up the street. The family we are renting from decided to pack up and go across the country in an RV, in the meantime leaving most of their belongings behind.
The orange and yellow curtains, not my taste, the dolls and children’s books left in the playroom (that is now slowly making its way to being my office), I have no use for, and the brown décor I just couldn’t escape no matter where I was in the house was making me miserable.
After that home we moved to a beautiful high-rise penthouse in Nashville. It was again just a rental because we weren’t sure how long we’d be staying and it came fully furnished with, yes you guessed it, awful looking décor and furniture.
Now we are in a rental in California. Its enough being across the country, but across the country having to leave the place you called home the past year only to move into other peoples homes that feel the farthest thing from “me” or “us” or “my home”. So here are my top tips for making your rental feeling more like home in no time at all!
Pictures – The number one thing that will give you a comfortable home type vibe is having pictures around! Weather its of your friends, your family, your wedding day, mix it up! Be sure to have pictures in each room in frames and hanging on the walls! They will add such a familiar feeling right off the bat! This frame and this frame are two of my favorite picture frames I have in my home!
Lighting- Lighting is a great way to add a personal touch to any space, especially a rental because lighting can easily be removed and taken with you to your next spot. It can be used in every room of your new home. Lighting also helps to create the illusion your space is larger then it really is. Talk about a win/win. I am in love with this chandelier and want it in my new glam room so badly!
Scents- They say the strongest scent linked to memory is scent so I always have tons of candles and scented oils around the house! This is my favorite candle, it lasts forever and I also have the same scent in the reed diffuser and the hand soap I have placed out by my kitchen sink.
Bedding And Pillows- Bedding not only sets the vibe of a bedroom but it is often the focal point! We also spend so much of our time sleeping that when you get into your new bed at the end of the day you just want to feel safe and be extremely comfortable. This is one of my favorite duvet inserts; it’s so plush and comfortable! I’m also obsessed with this comforter set! It’s been with us in three of our homes already and since it has a bit of a grey tone to it Brian didn’t mind much that it was pink.
Bar Cart- Ugh don’t even get me started on our bar cart! I miss it so much! I was so happy to finally purchase one and had the best time setting it up (it literally looked PERFECT!) and somehow on our move from Nashville to California it got lost, the only parts of it to show up were the mirrored shelves. I miss it terribly! It adds such personality and personalization to any and every space. This one is the closest I could find to what we had but I will definitely be sharing pictures with you guys when my new one arrives!
Coffee Table Books- Guys I have such an unhealthy obsession with coffee table books, from my kitchen counters to my living room to my closet I literally put them everywhere! This one I like so much I bought it twice by accident, this one looked pretty and had such great ideas in it i sent it to my girlfriend Nicole, this one, this one, and this one are among my top favorites.
So there you have it! Some great key pieces to invest in if your renting, or even if your trying to make your house feel a little bit more like a home.
Do you have any tips on making a rental your own or making a house feel more like a home? Comment down below and don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for more home decor ideas!
XOX
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