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This article shows 27 Rent-Friendly Home Upgrades Under $100
Most people who rent end up stuck with whatever the previous tenant left behind or whatever the landlord thought looked fine ten years ago. Cream-colored walls that aren’t quite white. Cabinet hardware that feels loose. Lighting fixtures that belong in a waiting room. And somehow it all just stays that way because making changes feels risky. But here’s what most renters don’t realize: you can actually make a place feel like yours without losing money when you leave. Rent-friendly home upgrades aren’t some mythical thing. They exist, they’re cheap, and half of them take less time than cleaning out the fridge.
We pulled together 27 ways to fix up a rental that won’t get you in hot water. Some cost under twenty bucks. A few might take most of a Saturday. None of them involve paint you can’t peel off or holes you can’t fill in five seconds. Everything here comes off clean when it’s time to pack up and go, which means your deposit stays right where it is instead of going toward “repairs” you didn’t even cause.
Here are Budget Friendly Rent Home Upgrade Ideas
Removable Surface & Wall Upgrades
1. Peel-and-stick wallpaper
Wallpaper used to be this whole thing with scrapers and steam and regret. Not anymore though.
Peel-and-stick versions go up fast, come down clean, and honestly the designs have gotten way better. One accent wall completely changes how a room feels. Not subtle, but that’s kind of the point.
When the lease ends, the whole thing peels off in strips like a giant sticker. Beige walls are optional now.
2. Removable backsplash tiles
Rental kitchens all look exactly the same. That cream subway tile or plain drywall doing absolutely nothing for the space.
Peel-and-stick backsplash fixes that without grout or mess. Goes right over what’s there, stays put if you clean the surface first. Peels off clean when you leave.
The kitchen still won’t be perfect, but at least it looks like someone cares about it now.
3. Self-adhesive vinyl wraps for cabinetry, countertops, and furniture
Vinyl wraps sound like they’d look cheap or fall off in a week. They don’t though.
Cover cabinet doors, wrap countertops, redo furniture that’s too beat up to donate but too useful to toss. Trick is getting the surface smooth first because bubbles show up fast if you rush it. Once it’s on, it holds.
Nobody’s thinking your countertop turned into real marble overnight, but it’s miles better than whatever’s there. That matters more than people think.
4. Peel-and-stick floor tiles
Floors in rentals are either scratched laminate or old vinyl that’s seen way too many tenants. Not much you can do about that, except there is.
Peel-and-stick tiles go right over the top. Wood look, stone, geometric patterns, whatever. Clean the floor good before you start and they stay down.
Original floor’s still there when you leave, untouched. Exactly how the landlord left it.
5. Stick-on decals & wall graphics
Wall decals get written off as tacky because everyone remembers the Live Laugh Love phase. There are decent designs now though if you look past the cliché stuff.
Botanical prints, abstract lines, even full wall murals that don’t look like dorm room leftovers. Fastest fix for a blank wall that feels too blank. Stick them up, peel them off when you’re bored.
Room feels empty? Decals fill that without committing to anything you can’t undo in two minutes.
6. Temporary wall moldings with adhesive
Flat walls are boring. Wall moldings used to mean cutting angles with a miter saw and hammering in tiny nails that always split the wood at the worst moment.
Adhesive versions skip all that. Stick on, look surprisingly real, add actual dimension to walls that feel like cardboard.
Peel off clean when the lease ends. Nothing to fill in or explain.
Storage & Organization Upgrades
7. Radiator shelving units
Radiators are ugly. There’s really no way around that, and most rentals have at least one sitting there taking up wall space and contributing nothing except heat.
Radiator shelves sit right on top and turn that useless eyesore into actual surface area. Some designs even hide the radiator completely if that’s what you’re going for.
Suddenly you’ve got a spot for plants or books or whatever instead of just staring at old metal fins all winter.
8. Open shelving ( with renter-safe anchors)
Closet space in rentals is a joke most of the time. Not enough of it, poorly designed, or just flat-out missing in rooms that clearly need it.
Freestanding shelves don’t need permission from anyone. Wall-mounted ones work too if you use those renter-safe anchors that fill in clean. Either way, you get storage that goes with you when the lease ends.
Open shelving shows everything though, so it either looks intentional or like a mess. No in-between on this one.
9. Pantry and kitchen organizers
Cabinet space never makes sense in rental kitchens. Too deep, too tall, no dividers, everything just shoved in there hoping for the best.
Tiered shelves let you see what’s in the back without digging. Drawer inserts keep utensils from turning into a tangled mess. Spice racks mean you’re not hunting through fifteen bottles to find the one you need.
Small fixes, but they make cooking way less annoying when you can actually find stuff.
10. Multi-functional furniture
Furniture that only does one thing is a waste of space in a rental. Storage benches give you seating plus a place to shove blankets or shoes or whatever needs hiding.
Ottomans with lids do the same thing but take up less room. Coffee tables with shelves underneath. Beds with drawers built in.
More storage without adding more furniture. That’s the whole point here, and it matters when square footage is tight.
Hardware & Fixtures
11. Swap hardware (knobs & pulls)
Cabinet hardware in rentals is almost always builder-grade boring. Brushed nickel from 2008 or worse, those flat wooden knobs that feel like they’re going to fall off.
Swapping them takes maybe twenty minutes and a screwdriver. Keep the old ones in a bag so you can put them back before moving out.
New pulls or knobs completely change how cabinets look without touching anything permanent. Cheap fix, big difference.
12. Replace showerhead with a stylish, efficient model
Rental showerheads are terrible. Low pressure, weird spray patterns, or just plain gross looking after years of use by strangers.
Unscrew the old one, screw on a new one. That’s it. Landlords don’t care as long as you swap it back before leaving, and most people don’t even bother because showerheads are cheap.
Better water pressure makes every shower less disappointing. Small upgrade that you notice every single day.
13. Non-wiring lighting upgrades
Overhead lighting in rentals is usually one sad fixture in the center of the room. Not enough light, wrong kind of light, or positioned where it helps nobody.
Plug-in pendants hang wherever you need them. Clip lamps attach to shelves or headboards. Battery LED strips go under cabinets or behind furniture without touching a single wire.
No electrician, no landlord approval, no permanent changes. Just better lighting wherever the builder forgot to put it.
14. Smart LED bulbs
Light color matters way more than people think. That harsh white builder bulb makes every room feel like a dentist’s office.
Smart LED bulbs let you change warmth and brightness from your phone. Want it cozy? Warm it up. Need to focus? Make it brighter and cooler. They also use less electricity, which helps when you’re paying utilities.
Same socket, way better control over how the space actually feels.
15. Wireless lights & LED puck lights under cabinets
Under-cabinet lighting is one of those things that seems fancy but really isn’t. Battery-powered puck lights stick underneath, no wiring involved.
They light up countertops so you’re not chopping vegetables in your own shadow. Some come with remotes, some are motion-activated, all of them peel off clean when you move.
Extra task lighting without calling an electrician or asking permission. Done in ten minutes.
Decor That Changes the Feel
16. Large floor mirrors
Small rooms in rentals feel even smaller when the windows are tiny or facing a brick wall. Floor mirrors bounce light around and trick your brain into seeing more space than actually exists.
Lean one against the wall or grab a standing version. No mounting required, no holes to explain later.
Best spots are narrow hallways or bedrooms that feel like you’re living in a closet. Suddenly everything opens up.
17. Add houseplants (real or realistic faux)
Plants make rentals feel less like temporary housing. Real ones if you remember to water them, faux ones if you can find versions that don’t look obviously plastic.
Empty corners, bare shelves, windowsills doing nothing. Toss some green there and the whole vibe shifts without much effort.
Big leafy plants make way more impact than tiny succulents. Small stuff disappears from across the room.
18. Window film
Privacy in rentals is hit or miss. Blinds that don’t close all the way, or windows staring straight into someone else’s kitchen five feet away.
Window film sticks right on and fixes that without killing all your natural light. Frosted looks, patterns, even fake stained glass if that’s your speed. Peels off when you’re done.
Bonus: it softens that harsh afternoon sun that makes everything look washed out and too bright.
19. Rugs and textiles
Floors in rentals are never the selling point. Stained carpet, beat-up hardwood, vinyl that’s been there since the 90s. Rugs hide all that and make spaces feel separated at the same time.
One under the couch creates a living area. One under the bed means your feet don’t hit freezing floor first thing in the morning. Doesn’t need to cost a fortune to work either.
Throw blankets, pillows, different shower curtain—textiles change how a place feels fast. No walls involved.
20. Curtains mounted high & long
Hanging curtains right above the window makes ceilings look lower. Mount the rod way up near the ceiling instead and the room suddenly feels taller.
Let them touch the floor or puddle a bit. The long vertical lines pull your eyes up and the space stops feeling so cramped.
Takes thirty minutes and works in literally every room. Simple trick, big difference.
Windows & Outdoor Space
21. Window boxes & patio planters
Outdoor space in most rentals just sits there. Small balcony, shared patio area, window ledge wide enough to hold something but currently holding nothing.
Window boxes hook on without drilling holes. Planters sit wherever. Fill them with herbs, flowers, tomatoes, whatever grows and doesn’t die immediately.
Makes that forgotten concrete slab feel like actual outdoor space you’d want to use.
22. Temporary privacy screens for balconies or patios
Balconies are nice until you sit down and realize your neighbor’s ten feet away watching you eat breakfast. Not exactly relaxing.
Lattice panels lean against railings without screws. Fabric screens attach with zip ties or command hooks. Either way blocks the sightline without permanent damage.
Now you can actually sit outside without feeling like you’re performing for an audience. Makes the space usable again.
Art & Ambiance
23. Gallery wall with removable hooks/adhesives
Blank walls just sitting there doing nothing. That’s the rental look nobody actually wants but most people end up with anyway.
Gallery walls fill that space with prints, photos, whatever matters to you instead of staring at beige for another year. Command strips hold everything without wrecking walls or risking deposit money.
Mix frame sizes, arrange them however feels right, done. That empty wall becomes the spot people actually look at now.
24. Framed art & mirrors with removable hardware
Walls need stuff on them or they feel unfinished. Art and mirrors do that job without taking up floor space like furniture does.
Removable hooks mean hanging things stops being this risky gamble with your deposit. Even cheap prints look decent once they’re framed and actually up there.
Mirrors bounce light around too, which helps in rooms that feel dark or cramped. Where you put them matters way more than how big they are.
25. Accent cushions & throws
Want to change how a room looks without spending real money? Grab some new cushions or a throw blanket.
Most renters are stuck with whatever couch or bed they already own. Can’t just replace furniture every time you’re bored. Accent pieces switch up the color and texture without that commitment.
Change them out seasonally if you want. Different vibe for winter, lighter stuff for summer. Keeps things from feeling stale.
Kitchen & Bathroom Chic Touches
26. Contact paper for countertops
Rental kitchen countertops are ugly. That weird speckled laminate, or plain white that’s somehow stained in spots you can’t even clean anymore.
Contact paper sticks right over it. Marble patterns, wood grain, solid colors, anything’s better than what’s probably there now. Takes patience to apply smooth but peels off clean later.
Nobody’s getting fooled up close, but from where you’re actually standing while cooking? Huge improvement over builder-grade whatever-that-is.
27. Temporary drawer & shelf liners
Opening kitchen drawers to see scratched-up, stained surfaces from whoever lived there before you is just depressing. Nobody wants to put their clean dishes on that.
Liners cover it up fast. Cut them with scissors, stick them in, everything looks and feels cleaner. Some have that grippy backing so stuff doesn’t slide around either.
Small thing, but it makes a difference every time you open a cabinet. Suddenly storage doesn’t feel gross anymore.
Final Thoughts
Upgrading a rental really doesn’t have to mean risking your deposit or spending money you don’t have. These ideas work because they’re designed to peel off, unscrew, or pack up when the lease ends instead of becoming a problem later. Pick one to try this weekend or spread a few across the next couple months – whatever makes sense for your budget and free time. None of these take forever to finish, so your place gets that upgrade without turning into a massive project. Your rental can feel like actual home even when you know the landlord’s name is still on the deed.
So which upgrade are you actually going to try first? Tell everyone in the comments which rent-friendly idea caught your attention. Pin the ones you like so you can find them later when you’re ready to start, and send this to whoever keeps complaining their rental feels boring right now.