Decorating your rental home can be a tricky situation. Even though you are living in the unit and paying rent each month, the property still belongs to someone else. As a renter, this means that you are limited in what you can do to modify your surroundings.

While some landlords may be pleased with the new flooring, light fixtures, or paint jobs you may wish to install when making the space your own, many landlords will not allow you to make those changes to the property. Every property owner is different, but they all have expectations for their property and limitations on the modifications you are allowed to make to it.

So how do you find the right balance between putting your own personal touch on your rental home and keeping your landlord happy?

FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN’T DO

Before you do anything, you need to find out what your landlord does and does not allow. There should be plenty of information to guide you in your rental agreement. For example, your lease may specify that you can hang photos, paintings, and décor on the walls using nails; however, there may be a limited number of wall hangings allowed.

Most rental agreements require the property to be in the same condition at move-out that is was before you moved in. This means you probably won’t be able to do things like put up wallpaper, drill countless holes in the wall, paint the exterior and interior of the property, replace the flooring, or install permanent fixtures.

To avoid damaging your reputation as a renter, do not lie to your landlord about changes you have made to the property if you have done so. Your landlord can always perform interior and exterior inspections of the property, and will know if an unauthorized modification has been made.

If you’re not quite sure the change you want to make falls within the rent agreement, ask your landlord for permission first, before you have to ask for their forgiveness.

FIND UNIQUE WAYS TO TURN THE PROPERTY INTO YOUR HOME

Even though you may be limited in what you can do with the rental property, there are still innumerable options for decoration that can make it feel like home.

Here are just a few ideas for personalizing your rental without upsetting your landlord:

• Change your window treatments.

• Use self-adhesive removable hooks to hang wall décor.

• Change the lamp shades or decorative rugs.

• Add accessories like throw pillows and art work to the furniture.

Options abound for decorating your rental home without creating conflict with the owner.

When planning changes to the property, always be sure that the modification is something that you can remove or take with you when you decide to move out and that the landlord approves.