I’m a classic twenty-something-year-old, whose plans change every week. I need to easily move in or out of a place, without too much unnecessary effort, or financial commitment.
If this sounds like you, you probably want cheap, hassle-free methods to make a (temporary) house a home.
Below are some of my own landlord-friendly tips and tricks.
Let’s get started…
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Pallets
Unfurnished flat? Pallets are your new best friend. A lot of shops tend to give them away for free, or you can buy them next-to-nothing.
Their versatility means they’re a perfect budget-friendly option to use for furniture, if you don’t mind a touch of DIY.
Ways you can use pallets…
- Bed frame: Place your pallets under a mattress. Stack to make the bed as high or low as you want.
- Sofa: Stack some pallets against a wall. Place a futon on top, folded into an L shape against the wall. Can double up as a sofa bed if you rearrange the pallets, lay the futon flat and add bedding.
- Coffee table: Simply stack 2 pallets, voila. If you’re good with DIY, you can add some wheels on the bottom so it’s easily moved around your home.
- Plant holders: stack sideways and grow plants in the rectangular grooves.
You can even paint your pallets if you want to really personalise them!
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Command No Nails™
Command No Nails are strong double sided adhesive strips, that can be removed without leaving a trace. Your landlord will never know!
No place to hang up your favourite picture? Wish there was a hook for you to hang your coat next to the door?
Ways you can use Command No Nails
- Stick framed pictures to the wall
- Stick a hook to the wall, to hang various objects (plants, storage baskets, bags, clothing, bathroom towels)
- Hold fairy lights in place
- Stick a mirror to the wall
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Lighting
Turn that big light off. Every room should have a mixture of lighting, to create layers of illumination. The colour and placement of lighting can have a huge effect on our emotions, and how we utilise the space around us.
- Fairy lights: Hang them in an otherwise bare corner of the room. Drape them between your pallets or around your bed frame.
Get creative.
- Mood Lights: Mood lights allow you to change the colour of the light, based on the vibe you’re going for.
- Wireless lamp: No plug socket by your bed? Use a rechargeable wireless lamp. For example, a moon lamp.
- Corner lamp: Draw attention to a specific corner of the room. Maybe it’s a chair you read in, or where
- Natural light: make the most of what you’ve got. Make a conscious effort not to block it.
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Plants
It goes without saying that plants liven up any space. They also improve air quality, and help us to feel relaxed.
I find that spider plants are my favourite, because they’ll grow pretty much anywhere you put them, and they produce little clone babies that you can cut off and pot (more plants for less money!).
Just be careful how many you accumulate, as they’re not the easiest to pack when it comes to moving house.
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Bean Bags
Much cheaper than chairs, and much easier to get in the removal van.
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Storage Cubes
Cheap and stackable storage. Use them in your wardrobe to organise clothing, under your bed, or in the bathroom to neatly store toilet roll.
The best thing about these is that when you move, your items are already in a box ready to be moved.
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Diffuser
Not allowed candles? Use a plug in diffuser to keep your home smelling good.
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Heated clothes dryer rack
A lot of rentals suffer with damp, and usually there’s not a lot that landlords will do about it. This can mean your clothes will dry smelling not-so-fresh. Heated clothes dryer racks can help to avoid this, without spending ££ on heating.
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Cushions!!
A bed or sofa without any cushions just isn’t as comfortable, and frankly… sad. G
o wild on cushions, I say.
I hope you found this useful.
Comment with any other tips below!