We have been in our wonderful furnished rental for a month now, and we are truly loving it. You can see it here. We especially love the part about calling the landlord when the faucet leaks. (Wink, wink!) Although it doesn’t truly feel like home, we have added a few touches to make it feel homie and cozy while we hang out here. Even if you aren’t in a rental, you might want to share this with anyone you know who is. That could be college students, new singles, older folks who have downsized, and family members in assisted living. Some people even fluff up a beach rental when they’re on vacation. Here are some of my tips on how to make a rental feel cozy.
Add Fresh Flowers
I think having fresh flowers around is such a simple way to make a space cozier. If you have a favorite color, then buy flowers in that color. If you have a favorite flower, then buy them. If you want to take it with you when you move, then buy a potted floral plant like hydrangeas, potted roses, or potted azaleas. My local grocery store sells all of these, and they are pretty darn cheap. Flowers are an easy way to cozy up your space. I like to use seasonal flowers likes these tulips when I know it’s tulip season. I will use blooms like hydrangeas, zinnias, daisies, and roses in the summer and switch to mums, asters, and sun flowers in late summer and early fall.
Bring Some of Your Favorite Items
Mike and I each brought our favorite pillows so we would be sure to get a good night’s sleep. We also brought our own towels, bath mats, area rugs for in front of the kitchen sink and entry, and two favorite blankets. I have one on the bed and use another at night when watching television from the sofa. We also brought some throw pillows to add some color to the neutral furniture.
Burn Your Favorite Candle Fragrance
I am a lavender girl through and through, and I love the scent of a burning lavender candle. You can buy the one I use here. I truly think that lavender is a fragrance that can calm me down and mellow me out. When dealing with a new construction project like we are, I need all of the zen I can get. I love having this familiar fragrance around me as much as possible.
Bring Some Favorite Kitchen Equipment
The kitchen in our rental is new, and I love working in it. In order to make the most of this space, I brought my own coffee maker, pots and pans, cooking tools, blender, cutting boards, kitchen towels and dish cloths. I even brought my favorite cup and a few of our own dinner plates. Using these items when preparing a meal for the two of us is a real treat. We even brought our tea kettle, slow cooker, blender, and food processor. Cooking, for me, is a labor of love, and I enjoy having my own items.
Bring Some of Your Art to Your Rental
We have all of our good art here in the apartment because we didn’t want it sitting in storage with the rest of our things. Even though we are using a climate controlled storing facility for our furniture, I just didn’t want to take the chance of having a piece of art get a puncture, a scratch, or get bent. We have some of the large pieces leaning against the walls in the living room and dining room, and I love walking by and seeing them.
Put Away the Landlord’s Things You Don’t Need
If the landlord has left items in the apartment that you don’t need, just put them away for the duration of your stay. Or better yet, ask the landlord to remove them before you move in. I told the landlord that we would be using our own towels, wash cloths, etc. so they removed theirs ahead of time. If their art or knick-knacks don’t appeal to you, just put them out of sight. You will feel much more relaxed with less things sitting around.
If you have any good suggestions to add to the list, please let us know. Remember, I’m living it now. Thanks for stopping in.
Take care.
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