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Holiday Decor Tips for Renters

3 min read

Holiday Décor Tips for Renters

If you rent your home, it’s important to know how you’re allowed to decorate for the holidays. Your best bet is décor that doesn’t cause permanent damage to the rental.

Get the Do’s and Don’ts of holiday décor for your rental.

Do: Swap Screws for Suction Cups and Adhesive Hooks

Screws, nails and other permanent wall mounts leave holes in the wall when you take your decorations down. Try using suction cup hooks instead of screw hooks to hang lights around your window.

You can also swap screws for adhesive hooks and clips. Be sure to check that the adhesive doesn’t leave a mark on the wall.

Don’t: Leave Candles Unattended

Candles offer a great way to get in the holiday spirit. Choose your favorite holiday scent and enjoy the ambiance from the gentle flicker of the flame.

Candles also pose a huge fire hazard when left unattended. If you’re going to light a candle in your rental, never leave the room when it’s burning. You should also make sure to keep the open flame away from anything that’s flammable.

Do: Use Window Clings

Window clings and removable decals can be applied to any glass surface to make it a little more festive. Static helps hold the cling in place till you’re ready to take it down. They also come right off your windows after the holidays. There’s no residue to clean up and no damage to fix.

Don’t: Overload the Outlets

A lot of holiday decorations take electricity. If you plan to decorate with a lot of lights or other electronics, make sure you’re following the proper safety protocol. Never overload an outlet. Not only is this a fire hazard, but you could end up blowing a fuse and causing a loss of power to your unit and your neighbors. Be sure to unplug all electrical decorations before you leave home or go to bed.

Do: Check with Your Landlord if You’re Unsure

There’s a good chance your lease will tell you exactly what you can and can’t do to decorate your rental. If you’re unsure, however, always check with your landlord.

For example, you may want to decorate for Christmas with a real tree. Many apartment complexes have rules that prohibit real trees. As the holiday season wears on, real trees dry up and pose a fire risk.

Don’t: Stray from Good Neighbor Etiquette

It’s hard to stay quiet when you’re in the holiday spirit, but make sure you are being courteous of your neighbors. Anything that has a motion-sensor for sounds and lights should be left out of your rental holiday décor if you frequently have neighbors passing by. You should also remember to keep music and merrymaking to a minimum noise level late in the evening.

Go Ahead and Get Festive

There’s no reason to keep your apartment plain over the holidays. As long as you can decorate without causing damage to the rental or disturbing your neighbors, you can get as festive as you like.

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Disclaimer:

The above content is for informational purposes only and is not a direct representation of coverages offered by Wawanesa or its policies. The information does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions, provisions, exclusions or limitations expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. All references within the above content are illustrative and may not apply to your situation. The terms and conditions of the actual insurance policy or policies involved in a claim are determinative as to whether an accident or other loss is covered. To understand the coverage under your current policy, please log into the account management platform to review your policy or contact an agent directly.

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