Let me begin by telling you why I chose this topic. I've been living in a rented house since the last four years and have moved houses twice.  How often has it happened that you are looking for an "ideal" apartment, you then go on to find it and you love everything about it but hate the choice of interiors, the colour scheme and the existing furniture !!??!! Apart from the big mayhem shifting houses causes, the more important question remains how much do we invest in our new rented apartment ? 

My husband had been living alone in a cute little flat before we got married and so when I moved in, though the house was beautiful and cozy, it completely lacked storage options. So we decided to get some custom made wood work done in the house which took almost around three months of our time, peace and money. Eventually things turned out just the way we wanted and a month after that we were told by our landlord that would want us to vacate the house !!! So, all the money, effort and customisation flew out of the window and we now had the new job of finding a new house !!!

As luck would have it, we soon found the house of our choice. This house came with lovely sunlight and beautiful views of the sea form all sides, but the downside was that this was an old construction and not "plush", with some colonial style sofa's already there. We decided to not do much about it and moved in. A few months down the line we realised that the house wasn't making us feel "at home" and the reason was that there was nothing in the house that was personalised or to our taste. 

Looking at our past experience, we din't really want to spend any money on this house but neither did we want to come to a house which we dint feel like ours.

What does your house mean to you and others ?

Your house is the place you go to at the end of a chaotic day. It's your haven, your sacred space where you enjoy your solitude, your joys, your family and friends. Your house is the one place which lets you exist without pretension.

So, Is spending money on a rented house worth it ?

They say your house defines you. What this really means is that when someone walks into your house, they immediately get a sense of who you are, what your personal sense of style is and so your house literally is an extension of your personality, It speaks volumes about how you like to live your life,

Everyone in their house has a special place picked out for unwinding themselves, be it the couch in front of the television, your reading desk, your comfortable bed or for some it may be their balcony. Small changes that you make to a rented apartment will help you create the comfortable nook/spot for yourself that will give you the much needed peace of mind and happiness.

Be smart about how you spend !

The key is to entail small expenditures on things that are movable and can be carried with you when you shift again.

Avoid spending on

1. You should not undertake major structural changes like changing the length and width of your windows incase you choose a house with small windows.
2. Changing the flooring is totally avoidable - It's an extremely cumbersome and tedious project and not to forget, an expensive one too !
3. Do not invest in getting customised woodwork done in your rented house to solve for storage issues. The things you get made might not be movable or size appropriate for your next base.
4. Do not undertake changing the tiles of your bathroom. The plumbing work might go haywire while attempting changes and you might land up doing things much bigger and heavier on the pocket than you anticipated.

Instead, Invest in 

1. Installing pelmets that extend beyond the width of your windows on either side. This gives you the chance to place curtains farther apart and gives the illusion of a larger window.
2. Put up wooden/glass shelves/niches easily available online in the living room and kitchen to create storage spaces. Utility boxes/ laundry baskets are a good addition to solve storage issues in the kitchen and bathrooms. 
3. If you are stuck with an ugly sofa or a sofa that doesn't match your taste, invest in putting up vibrant cushions and curtains in your living room to give a touch of your personal taste and style.
4. Addition of flower arrangements (fresh/artificial) and statement decoration pieces to your centre/side tables adds colour and dimension to your space. Terrariums are a huge rage these days. They are easy to maintain (need to be watered only once a week) and a nicely made terrarium often becomes a conversation starter.
5. Add art to various walls. You can choose a different theme for all your rooms.
6. Place some pretty candles in your not-so-nice looking spaces, the decorative candles attract attention and takes off the attention from a wall with seepage !!

So, what I'm saying is 

Small changes make a big difference ! Spend money wisely, invest in things which you can move and take with you when you shift houses again. adding artwork, linen, upholstery of your choice adds dimension, colour and character to your house without burning a hole in your pocket.