Easy Ways to Customize Your Apartment

Apartments can be cozy, but they can also be drab and without personality. There are lots of ways to stamp your personality onto your apartment without risking the return of your damage deposit.

Change out the Kitchen Knobs and Handles

It’s likely that the kitchen cabinet knobs, pulls and handles in your rented abode are standard, bottom of the line stuff. But these things just screw into the drawers and cabinets. You can easily arm yourself with a screwdriver and replace all the hardware with anything of your choosing. Maybe you want to upgrade or go vintage. You can find brand new knobs, pulls and handles at hardware stores, and cool vintage ones in antique stores and online auction sites. When you move, just screw the original hardware back in place.

Install Decorative Outlet Plates

Those putty colored plates over your wall outlets are hideous by anyone’s standard. You probably have some in plain sight on the kitchen backsplash and on the light switch as you enter the kitchen. These plates screw off really easily with a standard screwdriver, and you don’t need to fuss with any electrical wiring.

You can find super cute outlet plates at hardware stores that will fit any outlet configuration you have, including single light switches and double and quadruple outlets. Some home crafters even sell decorative outlet plates on sites like Etsy.

When you leave, take your cute outlet plates with you to install in your new apartment and leave the landlord with the putty ones.

Install Under Cabinet Lighting

Under cabinet lighting is usually only found in high-end kitchens, but you can enjoy it in your apartment dwelling, too.

First, measure the length of your cabinets where you want the under cabinet lighting. Then head on out to your local hardware store and check out the options for LED under cabinet lights. These can get very pricey, but you’ll be able to find some less expensive options, too. Options include hardwired lights that stick with adhesive underneath the cabinets. These will have a little plug on the end that goes into a standard outlet on the backsplash.

Another option is to get a short length of white LED Christmas lights. You can screw a succession of cup hooks underneath the cabinets. (Your landlord won’t mind about a few screw holes on the underside of the kitchen cabinets. Just remember to remove the cup hooks when you move out.) Pull light string taut and plug in.

Apply Window Cling Film

If you apply window cling film properly, you will be able to achieve really cool effects, depending on what look you’re going for. Window cling film can add add privacy to your apartment dwelling, add decorative flair or both. You can find rolls of decorative cling film at hardware stores. Don’t leave without buying a squeegee, which you’ll use to press out the air bubbles in the film. The film removes easily without any damage or residue on the window itself.

Create a stained glass effect with cling film, apply frosted glass cling film on the lower part of a window for privacy purposes, or press it onto kitchen cabinet glass for additional customization in the kitchen.

Replace the Showerhead

You don’t have to get stuck with a rusty old, trickly showerhead. With absolutely no knowledge of plumbing, you can install a brand new showerhead of your choosing. You don’t even have to turn the water off at the main. Pick up a showerhead starting at $10 from a discount department store like Target.

To install, wrap a washcloth around the connection for the old showerhead. The washcloth will prevent you from scratching the finish. Use a wrench or large pliers to unscrew it. (Store the old one under your bathroom sink so you remember to replace it when you move.) Now, just screw on the new one, using the same method.

These personalization ideas are so easy that you don’t have to be a plumber or an electrician or a carpenter to implement them. And, the best thing about these is that you can use them wherever your future home is.