5 Ways To Give Your Rental Personality

It’s sometimes frustrating for those of us who rent because we want to put our stamp on the space we are living in. Usually that means painting or making even more drastic changes that aren’t allowed in your lease agreement. Here are a few ways to add personality to any rental property. Make your home feel like you!

 

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Curtains – I honestly feel like curtains can make a bigger impact than anything else in the room. They can add color and pattern. They make a room feel more polished and complete. But not only that, they also add function by being able to control the light in the space. Even the white curtains I chose to put in my family room make it feel so much cozier.

 

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FLOR TilesFLOR Tiles are a nice alternative to getting a rug. What’s great about these is that they are small squares that can be easily replaced if they get stained- instead of replacing a whole rug. Another benefit is that you can put them together to suit the shape of your room. Some of the styles are even designed to be able to create different patterns. They are so versatile!

 

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Rugs – Oftentimes people forget about rugs- especially if their home has carpet. But this is an easy way to infuse tons of style all at once. I feel that as long as you don’t have long, shaggy carpet, that it is perfectly acceptable to put a rug over it. This is actually very helpful in rental properties where the carpet isn’t usually in ideal condition. Just make sure that the rug is big enough that at least the front legs of all your furniture fit on it.

 

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Removable Wall Decals – This one may sound a little odd. Putting stickers on your wall doesn’t sound all that sophisticated. But take a look at the Etsy shop TheLovelyWall and you might just change your mind. There are some very stylish options available that aren’t too precious. The first place I imagine using these is in a child’s room, but they could really be used in any space. They give the appearance of wallpaper- without the commitment.

 

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Art – Most everyone hangs art in their home. But I believe that most of the time it is the art that was most readily available or the cheapest. In my opinion, you may as well not even hang the art that every other person has hanging in their home as well. Only choose pieces that really speak to you or show off your unique personality. This doesn’t mean it must be the most expensive. Some of the most meaningful art is homemade. This same idea pertains to the things you put on display in your home. Decide how you want your home to feel and then find or create items that match that.

It’s a Dry Heat: 10 Creative Ways to Save Water

With the continuing drought, it is time to start conserving water. Here are 10 Creative Steps to save our beloved H2O

Though most of the tips in the links below will need to be done at your place of residence, there are a few here that a landlord can do to promote water conservation, even with a tenant occupied property. I will start with five steps a landlord can take to make their home more water efficient, and follow that up with five more ways both landlords and tenants can reduce water consumption by changing a few daily habits.

5 items you could install to reduce water consumption:

  1. Install water-efficient appliances. A high efficiency toilet can save 20-25 gallons of water per day while a high-efficiency washing machine can save up to 20 gallons of water per load. As a landlord you may want to look into high efficiency items when it is time for a replacement in your income properties.
  2. Install low flow showerheads and faucet aerators. This can reduce water consumption by 10-15 gallons per day.
  3. Fix any water leaks as soon as they are noticed. Not only will this reduce the chance of water damage and mold growth, but it will also conserve the water that would be wasted. Even a small leak has the potential to waste gallons of water each day.
  4. Install water efficient landscaping. Use “water-wise” plants. Reduce the size of the lawn with water-free items like bark, rocks, cement, or stone.
  5. Install drip irrigation systems for your plants and shrubs. Drip systems could reduce water usage by 20 gallons of water per day.

5 daily habits to reduce water consumption:

  1. Take quicker showers. By reducing your shower time by just 5 minutes you can save 15 gallons of water.
  2. Turn off the faucet while cleaning dishes, brushing teeth, and shaving. Only have the water running while you are using it.
  3. Only wash full loads of dishes or laundry. Only washing half a load at a time could be wasting 20 gallons of water per load.
  4. Water your lawn early in the morning and only when needed. By monitoring the time and amount of water used on the lawns you can save 20-40 gallons of water and still keep your lawn green and healthy.
  5. Use a broom to clean your sidewalks and drive way. Avoid gaziantep escort using the hose to clean off these areas whenever possible.

So there are just a few easy tips to conserve water. There are many more ways to conserve water. Below are a few links discussing water conservation where I found the tips I listed above and other ideas.

 californiahome.me  marinwater.org
 blog.horizononline.com  losgatos.patch.com