Tips to make rented house feel like home

[Searchingforhome]

We're moving into our new rented house in 2 days. After 25 years in our own (mortgaged) properties, it will be strange. We're feeling positive as this is a good move after several years of health and financial issues. How can I make the new house feel like home for my two teenagers without spending too much or losing my deposit?

I live in rented properties, and it always feels like home to me! Plus when things are going wrong/rotting/falling off, I just think 'must phone the agent' and don't have to deal with them myself.

There could be issues if they want to do something drastically outside the tenancy, such as paint rooms black (we also have had property and a tenant did once do this). But other than that, just let them live in it. Don't fuss over the odd marks on the wall, you can repaint/wear and tear is expected. Put all your own stuff in it and live in it as a family home, then it will be one.

Nice cushions, vases, your own furniture and lamps, curtains.

Rented always feels like home to me, once all my stuff is in :-)

Plants.

Your own cushions, throws, nice bedding.

Throw a house warming drinks party, or several dinner parties to get fun and happiness injected into the house.

familiar things from the old house where you would expect to see them

same photos on mantelpiece, same books near each other, dc's 'desk zones' set up the way they're used to, pen pot / shopping list / key tray where they usually are.

my dcs wanted their beds in the same place relative to the windows as in the old house even though that wasn't how I had envisaged arranging the rooms.
In fact now I think of it, dd has used a bookcase as room divider to replicate her (tiny) bedroom from the old house inside her (frankly huge) new room .

Posters are my favorite. It doesn't feel right looking at blank walls all day

Thanks everyone. MrsBadger, thanks for reminding me that the new house has bigger bedrooms for both of them so that's going to go down well. They haven't actually seen the house as they were doing exams and refused to take time off to come viewing with me (a novel attitude which I wasn't going to jinx by persuading them). Luckily it's unfurnished so we will have our own things. Has anyone tried removable wallpaper? I've seen some amazing murals online that would brighten up their rooms to break up the magnolia but I don't want to make an expensive mistake.

I think wall stickers can add a lot to a room. You can buy personalised Ines now online as well.

Nice accessories that add colour and character if your in a very magnolia place

(Both our old and new house were very magnolia buttermilk but that's how we like it)
I wouldn't go mad with wall stickers yet unless you had very vibrant walls in the last place - you'll be surprised how homey it'll look once all your stuff's in.

As a LL if it was a family moving into a family style house I'd let them paint the walls on the proviso that if the walls were not a neutral (eg grey, soft colours) they'd re-neutralise prior to leaving. It may be worth asking if your LL woukd allow this. Again as a LL a tenant is more likely to stay longer and look after the property if it feels like home rather than just a rental.

Unfortunately my teens looked at me when I suggested stickers. My daughter is very excited at the idea of shopping for bright new accessories and my son asked if he could use the money to buy a new game on steam. Love the idea of new bedding so I've ordered good quality white sheets and duvet sets. A party with pizza and takeaway Chinese food for all my lovely family who are helping us move sounds like a good plan too and the kids can invite their friends. All your lovely ideas are getting me excited about our fresh start. Thanks so much.

Meant to say to Allthebest that I hadn't thought of asking LL for permission to repaint. My daughter would love to do this and the agent says LL is "a very decent sort" so may be worth asking as she won't want anything too drastic - like black.

@Searchingforhome nice update, i'm sure it will feel like home in no time :-)

We live in rented and always repaint a few walls/rooms to break up the magnolia. When it comes to moving out we repaint them -bloody- magnolia. We always scuff the walls and put pictures/shelves up so we'd have to repaint them anyway to get the deposit back.

We live in rented and always repaint a few walls/rooms to break up the magnolia. When it comes to moving out we repaint them -bloody- magnolia. We always scuff the walls and put pictures/shelves up so we'd have to repaint them anyway to get the deposit back.

Will you be there longer than 6 months?

I would put pictures / ornaments up on the walls straight away. We move a lot and used to spend ages deciding, working out what went best where and then once we had it looking perfect it was time to move one. Now we decorate quickly, repaint when we leave and settle in quickly.

My children are not teenagers but we have used wall decals to great effect.

We have a 12 month contract but hoping to stay for at least 3 years. The contract says nails can be used for a reasonable number of pictures etc as long as the holes are made good when leaving. I have pictures and mirrors that I would love to put up. I think I'll show the teens some of the decals I found. They would be very bright and individual- and very age appropriate.