5 Things You Can Do to Customize Your Rental

It seems like every rental is outfitted with the same small shower head that spews water in all directions. Fortunately, the solution is a lot easier and inexpensive than what you may think, When it comes to shower heads the choices are endless. It all boils down to, ‘What is important to you? Do you prefer the vigorous water flow of a pressure jetted shower head or do you prefer just the soothing feel of a rain type shower head? Do you want it to be adjustable?’ Once you have selected the perfect one for you, changing it is at the most, a 10-minute project.$-$$$.

Updating the towel bars and paper holder in your bathroom is also something that will dramatically change the look of your bathroom. Before selecting a replacement, measure the location of the mounting brackets. Depending on what you select, you might not even need to drill new holes. But if you do, make sure they are in the same location so the new holes and old holes are covered by the new accessory’s flanges. It avoids problems with your landlord when it comes time to vacate. Keep in mind that most towel bars can be cut to match the existing dimensions. 1-2 hours, $$-$$$.

This is an area where you can get creative and really show your personal style. If your kitchen or bathroom has pulls (handles), make sure to measure the distance of the 2 holes so that you can match the size accordingly. After that it’s a pretty simple process to swap the cabinet hardware. 1 hour, $-$$

If you love to cook and entertain, you will most likely be very frustrated with the faucet that your landlord installed in the kitchen. Fear not. Changing out a kitchen faucet is not as difficult as it may seem. Very likely, this is a project you can tackle yourself with the help of a friend for emotional support. Before purchasing the kitchen faucet, it might be a good idea to take some time to watch our kitchen faucet buying guide. Make sure to keep your old kitchen faucet so you can replace it when it’s time to move out. 1-2 hours, $$$

This project is one that you can accomplish with a small investment and it will give your kitchen your own touch of whimsy elegance. If you want to be frugal, you can try Contact™ Adhesive Shelf liner. Be sure your wall is fairly smooth and even as it will show any imperfections. If you want to go a step up, you can try Peel ’n’ Stick tile. There are many styles and patterns available, anything from Subway tile to mosaic to mirror tile. However, there are some manufacturers whose adhesive is stronger and may leave some marks when it comes time to remove the tile. You might need to do some minor spackling. 2-3 hours $-$$