Moving into your own apartment is a big step for a lot of people. I know when I first moved out on my own, I really wanted to make my little apartment feel homey. Even though it wasn’t much, it was something I was really proud of at the time. Since I didn’t have a ton of money right out of college to purchase furniture and other home décor, I was looking for other ways to make my apartment feel like home, without breaking my budget.
One option I considered doing was painting my apartment. Not every apartment allows you to paint the walls, but my first apartment did. However, this came with quite a few stipulations. Ultimately, after talking with people who have painted their apartment before, I ultimately decided against it, and I’m glad I did. Here’s why you shouldn’t paint your apartment.
You Have to Paint it Back
Painting your apartment isn’t a bad idea – but many people forget you typically have to paint it back to its original color.
If you’re only in an apartment for a year, this is a lot of extra work and money. Since I’ve moved around quite a bit, it wasn’t ever worth it for me to paint an apartment.
It’s Expensive
While you can usually purchase paint for cheap at a hardware store, you might not get so lucky when it comes to painting your apartment back to its original color. Most times, apartment complexes contract out the painting, so you may be suckered into buying paint through them at a much higher cost.
Since purchasing the original paint may be more expensive, you will probably want to take the time to prime your apartment before you paint it back. While primer will help to save you money, it adds an extra step and can take more time.
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It Slows your Move-Out Process
Finally, one of the biggest drawbacks of painting your apartment is how it will slow down your move-in process.
Moving is incredibly stressful in itself. Whether you’re moving into another new apartment or into a house, you will have a short period of time where you are essentially paying two rents. Because having two rents is expensive, you ultimately want to have as little overlap time as possible.
So when it comes to moving out, you want to pack up and move in as soon as you can. Packing can take weeks of preparation alone. And then you have to deep clean your apartment before you move out, all while trying to get situation in your new apartment. Trying to squeeze in time to paint your old apartment would just add to that stress. Not only does it create more emotional stress for you, but it also requires money to paint your apartment. When you’re moving and paying two rents (plus the cost of moving supplies or help), painting your apartment just adds to the cost.
Alternatives to painting your apartment
- Use colorful curtains. If you want to add a pop of color to a wall or two, hanging fabric is a great alternative to paint. Curtains are affordable, and are easy to hang. Once you move out of the apartment, you can bring them with you without having to worry about the damage left behind.
- Go for a minimalist style. Since our apartments have always been white, we decided to just go with it instead of fighting it. We opted for more modern furniture and took advantage of the clean, minimalist look.
- Hang canvas paintings. As long-term apartment dwellers, we have purchased a ton of affordable canvas paintings to put on our walls. We prefer them to picture frames because they are light enough that you can hang them with Command strips instead of having to put nails in the wall. Plus, canvases are cheap to purchase. Stores like Hobby Lobby often have them on sale, or you can check out icanvas.com for a huge selection at an affordable price.
- Use wall decals. Wall decals are a great alternative to paint. Essentially, they are just peel-and-stick designs you can put on your walls. They can be removed without causing damage to your walls. While you probably can’t put decals on every wall, they are a great way to create an accent wall.
Related:
Have you ever painted an apartment? Why or why not? What tips do you have to decorating a home or an apartment on a budget?
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Don’t put tin foil up in the windows because you’re too cheap to buy blackout shades. I worked 3rd shift at the time and wanted completed darkness to sleep in the daytime.
My leasing office called about three days later gently asking if I would remove the foil ASAP.
Haha! Well, you can’t always get everyone to see eye to eye with your frugality! :)
When we were tenants, we usually decorated our walls with our children art. Some of was done in school as a project while the other was just for fun. although some pieces looked silly, they made the children feel proud and we encouraged them to continue painting.
That’s a great (and sweet) idea!