When renting a home or apartment, you typically first think of all the new opportunities you will have in it, but not so much the limitations that come with this newfound sense of freedom. Usually, rentals come with an expectation that no holes should be put into the walls during the lease and that all decor must be temporary. While decorating an apartment entirely damage-free is challenging, it is still totally doable.
Thankfully, the first apartment I rented provided me with the perfect opportunity to figure out just how to do this. It was a small one-bedroom that was made entirely out of brick, and everything that wasn’t brick was flimsy painted wood paneling. I couldn’t put a hole in these walls even if I wanted to.
This meant that I HAD to brainstorm ways to create the wall decor I had been dreaming of without the tools that I was used to. Enter in the Command Strip. A multifaceted tool designed to provide the user with an immediate solution for temporary home decor. These removable (and seemingly magical) strips can be used on metal, glass, wood, tiles, and even painted walls.
My imagination went wild as soon as I realized the potential my apartment had now that I had found a hole-free solution to my problem. These innovative and removable adhesives are perfect for renter-friendly decor, and while Command Brand was one of the first to popularize the strips, many brands now offer similar products, making them easy to find.
Here are just a few of the ways I used Command Strips in making my space both more appealing and more functional.
Into the Kitchen
As one of the busiest rooms in the home, an ideal kitchen features enough storage space to fit all of your cooking necessities. Unfortunately, not all kitchens found in rentals have the ideal amount of storage.
Counter space is one of those things we can’t ever seem to have enough of. When horizontal space is running low, it is time to utilize that vertical space! The first thing I did in my apartment was to move my spice rack from my counter onto the wall in my kitchen. Now, this did require a couple of sturdy Command Strips to hold it up, but once it was up, it held in place until I moved out two years later.
Next, I decided to free up some space next to my oven. This allowed more counter space while cooking. To do this, I used the Command Hooks to hang some of my spatulas and cooking utensils on the wall by the oven.
Not only did it make more space, but it also helped balance the wall with the spice rack. With the help of removable adhesive strips, I created a kitchen wall command center which improved my kitchen’s organization and accessibility.
To the Rescue in the Restroom
Restrooms are meant to be a place for relaxing, which can be hard to do if your space is cluttered and messy. Too many towels hanging on the curtain rod or thrown on the ground are both unsightly and unsanitary. Yuck.
A quick and easy alternative to this is to use a moisture-safe Command Hook to get those towels off the ground and onto the wall. Not only does this help your towels dry quicker and easier, but it also frees up floor space. In addition to bath towels, you can also use Command Hooks to hold up your hand towel if you do not already have a wall-mounted towel ring.
In my small rental bathroom, Command Hooks helped with organizing my hair tools. Not having a lot of counter space means needing to find other ways to store your bathroom essentials. I placed Command Hooks on the interior of my bathroom cabinet’s door so that I could hang my blow dryer, curling iron, and flat iron.
Enter the Entryway
Creating an attractive and functional space for your entryway is key to making indoor and outdoor transitions easy and convenient. Whether you are needing a place for your keys, hats, coats, or purses and backpacks, Command Hooks have just what you need.
I don’t know about you, but unless I have a conveniently designated place for my keys, I always end up losing them. Most of the time, I am not in the mood to play hide-and-seek while I am trying to head out the door. To combat this, I used Command Hooks to create a home for my keys by adding a lightweight key holder. This damage-free option is both renter-friendly and budget-friendly.
For heavier items such as coats, purses, and backpacks, my go-to option is individual removable adhesive hooks that hold at least 3-5 pounds. When placed next to each other, they can offer act as a replacement for a traditional wall-mounted coat rack.
If your apartment is pet friendly, they can also be used to hang collars and leashes!
Office Organization
There is nothing like an organized, clutter-free, aesthetically pleasing space to come home to. For those working from home, getting the items in your office off the ground and onto the walls creates the illusion that the space is actually bigger.
Countless cords under desks are not the best option to play footsies with, making a removable cord clip the perfect accessory to your rental’s home office. A few of these will organize your cords up and out of sight.
Bills and other time-sensitive mail deserve a place to be front and center, where they are easily accessible and can be seen as a top priority. This would be a great place to create a command center where important documents, a calendar, and even a large whiteboard would be stored. Simple Command Strips are perfect for holding up these lightweight items.
Nobody wants to live in a cluttered space. Command Strips offer so many options for both home organization and hanging decor. Because they are so easily removable, you can easily redecorate and don’t have to worry when it’s time to move. What better way to express yourself in your space than to have the ability to put almost anything wherever you want?