Christmas is just around the corner, and with the cold weather and dark nights, making your home cosy in preparation for the festive season is a must. However, if you rent a property, you might be a bit apprehensive about decorating your home.
Some landlords have rules or terms written into your rental contract about decorating the property, which can often include seasonal decorations. With that in mind, here are some ways you can make your rental property cosier this Christmas, without breaking your rental agreement.
Make It Smell Nice Without The Use Of Candles
Unfortunately, some rental agreements prohibit the use of candles in properties. Often, this rule applies to the student or shared accommodation, as opposed to private rentals. This can be due to the fire risk that candles pose, or simply down to the landlord protecting themselves against any damages caused by candles, such as burn marks, soot on the ceiling caused by cheap candles or unwanted smells. But, when you live in a rental property, the likelihood is that, during the Christmas period, you’re going to want to make your home smell festive and feel cosy!
If your rental agreement does prohibit the use of candles, there are some alternatives you can use instead. You might not be able to light candles, but you can mimic the effect! Use plugin air fresheners, often available in festive scents at this time of year, or reed diffusers to get the smell you want and then use LED candles, that flicker just like a real candle but without the risk, to create the ambience.
Use The Right Decorations
In rental accommodation, you’re likely to be more apprehensive about hanging up lights and decorations to avoid causing any damage to the decoration. Most tenancy agreements state that, if walls or decor are damaged during the tenancy, then the rental deposit would not be returned, so when it comes to putting up Christmas decorations, it’s understandable if you don’t want to go overboard.
However, there are some ways you can make your home feel more festive and cosy without putting your deposit at risk. Hang festive wall art prints and decorations, such as lights, to make your home feel cosy and festive, using no-mark adhesive strips or hooks that can be easily removed from walls without damaging paint or woodwork. Instead of real Christmas trees and decorations wreaths, that can sometimes cause staining, use artificial decorations instead. This way, you’re not at risk of causing any damage, plus you can reuse them year after year!
Keep It Warm
Making your home cosy in the winter means one thing – warmth! However, the cost for heating in rental accommodation is often very expensive, so you might be looking for alternative ways to make your home feel cosy without costly heating bills.
If you’re looking to cut down on your heating expenses, then why not look at other options to keep your home warm, such as plug-in heaters and hot water bottles, so that you can avoid switching the heating on as often.
In terms of making your home cosy and comfortable, big fluffy throws, comfy cushions, heavy lined curtains and soft rugs can all help your home feel cosier in the winter, plus the materials will help to retain heat in the room they are placed. For some extra winter magic, if you have the space, why not look at getting an electric replica fireplace? Not only are they plug-in heaters, but they mimic the look and sound of a real fire, too!