How to Remodel Your Home Buying Second Hand

If you’re living in rented housing, you need to be careful about how you customize your space. More than likely, you would love to paint the walls and install extra shelves in the dining room, but some alterations to the property can result in fines. If you want your security deposit back, it pays to know the rules that your landlord has outlined, so you should use these tips on customizing your space to lessen the likelihood that you’ll do any decorating that will be viewed as damage.

Leftover Paint

If you go to your local hardware store you will find clearance paints that are not only cheaper than buying a new gallon, but they’re usually colors that aren’t the perfect color match to a batch or they were returns so they won’t be sold as new. These will go to the garbage if they are not sold, so you can recycle this paint when you paint your new home. Not only do you save money, but you get to give something unwanted a second life.

Change Out the Light Fixtures

While ceiling fans tend to involve more work to switch out, simple wall sconces and overhead fixtures are actually quite simple to install. Find fixtures that are compatible with the electrical wiring and are representative of your unique taste. You can often find interesting antique light fixtures at garage sales and second hand stores. You can add a touch of something with history as you switch your your old ones with some used ones that won’t end up in a landfill.

Add Rugs

If you’re tired of having beige carpeting just because you live in an apartment, add some color and style to the floors with some rugs. You can get one that perfectly coordinates with your bedspread or creates a conversation area in the living room. Rugs also protect the carpet or other type of floor underneath them, which can even further protect your deposit.

Curtains are a great way to the add color and mood that you want into a space. Whether you get something simple, or a pop of color this will help keep your space as your own. You can use your furniture, throw pillows, and decorations to go from country chic to modern minimalist. Rugs are great because you can throw them away or wash them easier than you could carpet. Many people donate expensive rugs or get sold when older relatives die when they put out an estate sale. A good cleaning can make an good quality rug look like new and you’ll prevent it from becoming garbage.

Check Your Contract

One of the easiest ways to find out what you’ll be fined for is to look at the contract that you signed. Some landlords are actually okay with you painting the walls while others aren’t. Some contracts allow command hooks while some allow holes in the wall since they will be repainted and filled anyways.

When you’re looking through your contract or talking to your landlord, you might find out about some types of decorating that are forbidden. You can also ask the apartment property manager about what is acceptable to do and what isn’t. But there are plenty of ways that you can still add your personal style to a rental property, and you’ll save yourself hundreds of dollars if you take the time to learn your landlord’s rules and get creative with your decorating choices.