A tenant’s guide to DIY

Posted on Thursday, December 14th, 2017

There are plenty of DIY jobs that can improve the look of your rental property without the hassle or the expense of a huge renovation. So why not give your home the lift it deserves with these top tips.

Add a personal touch with upcycled furniture 

Nothing says ‘personal’ quite like a piece of furniture that you’ve renovated yourself. Upcycling has become a huge interior design trend in recent years and it’s a brilliant way to improve the look of your property while being environmentally friendly and not breaking the bank. There are plenty of upcycling tips available online on sites such as Pinterest and Ideal Home.

Change your fabrics 

While it may seem like an incredibly simple thing, changing fabrics such as curtains, cushions and even sofa coverings can give your home a fresh new look. Once you’ve found new fabrics that you love, minimum effort will provide maximum satisfaction and this is something that you can do without any permission from your landlord.

Boost your kerb appeal 

Once you’ve completed all of these DIY tasks inside your home you should move on to the outside. Some tenancy agreements might state that it’s the landlord’s responsibility to keep your garden maintained for you but if this is not the case, there’s plenty you can do to boost your kerb appeal. Most of these things are obvious, for example making sure the lawn is well mowed, that weeds are removed and that bushes are trimmed but you might also want to add an extra flair with potted plants or a DIY BBQ area for when the warmer weather comes around.

Hide unsightly wires 

Another simple yet effective trick is to hide any of those unsightly wires that may be lurking around making your home look untidy. Use things such as binder clips to keep wires out of sight or try something more innovative such as a turning them into creative wall art. Either way, everything will soon start to look a little less chaotic.

Do a full spring clean…no matter the time of year  

When it comes to improving your home sometimes there’s nothing better than a good old spring clean. However, just because spring is a little while away doesn’t mean that you should put it off any longer. Now is a good time to pull out and clean behind all of those bigger appliances that would have collected dust throughout the year and to give your carpets a proper clean to get rid of any stains that might have accumulated. At the same time, it’s good to repair or replace any broken fittings such as handles that might soon become a nuisance or worse…a safety concern.