How to Decorate a Student Apartment

If you have an apartment you want to rent it out, it's important to make sure it's clean and well-decorated to guarantee you have tenants year after year.

Got an apartment you’re not using? Thinking about renting it out to students? If so, you might have a few questions about how it all works. In this article, we’ll give you some tips and advice for decorating a student apartment.

Normally, a university city will offer people with empty apartments the opportunity to rent them out to students and earn themselves a bit of extra income.

The idea is to help landlords make as much money as possible. However, to do so, they need to offer students a well-furnished and high-quality home.

Decorating a student apartment – what not to do

Let’s start with the basics: the first thing you have to do is make sure the apartment is in perfect condition. Check what kind of furniture you have, the state of the walls, floors, domestic appliances, and so on.

There are many landlords who simply furnish their rental apartments with old furniture from their own house, regardless of whether it’s worn out or damaged. Some even provide old domestic appliances, which quickly break due to old age and a build-up of dirt.

It’s important to avoid renting an apartment that isn’t in optimal condition. This will only cause problems with your tenants, and lead to additional expenses and stress for everyone involved.

Living room furniture

The living room is the most high-traffic area of any student apartment. While you don’t need to spend thousands furnishing and redecorating it, it is important to supply the basics.

• Shelving and television stand: don’t choose anything too fancy or expensive – simple is best.
• Two armchairs: the average apartment usually accommodates 2-4 people, so it’s best to provide at least two armchairs where your tenants can relax.
• Table and chairs: for eating, socializing, or other tasks.

Bedroom furniture

If you want to ensure the furniture is evenly distributed throughout the bedrooms, it might be a good idea to have the same decoration in each one.

• Bed: it’s best to buy new mattresses and a high-quality bed frame. Don’t reuse old ones from your own house – remember, it’s all about quality.
• Desk, chair, and desk lamp: these items are essential for any student. You’ll find a huge range of products at IKEA at a reasonable price.
• Closet: whether built-in or free-standing, it’s good to invest in some small closets, complete with drawers and plenty of coat hangers.
• Bare walls: your tenants will probably want to hang their own posters and photos. This is pretty much inevitable, so be sure to paint the walls with this in mind.
• Simple lamp: in many cases, tenants bring their own lamps for their bedrooms, but it’s always a good idea to provide one of your own just in case.

Kitchens – quality furniture and appliances

We always recommend buying new appliances for the kitchen. If you’re using secondhand items, make sure they’re in perfect working order. There’s no point in leaving your tenants with broken or faulty appliances.

• Refrigerator: a simple one-door refrigerator with a small freezer section is ideal for students. Try to choose a narrow model so that it’ll be sure to fit in your kitchen.
• Microwave: this is essential for any student. It’ll probably be used on a daily basis, so it needs to be in perfect condition.
• Washer: although it won’t be used every day, it’s always a good idea to buy a high-quality washer with a long lifespan to avoid any issues.
• Vitroceramic cooktops: in terms of safety, a vitroceramic induction cooktop is better than a gas stove. Always try to avoid any potential fire hazards as far as possible.
• Oven: if you don’t want to spend a huge amount on appliances, you could buy an all-in-one microwave oven.

Basic house rules for your student apartment

The students that live in your apartment need to know how to take care of it and leave it in the same state they found it at the end of the year. In other words, they need to keep it neat and tidy, take good care of the appliances, and (hopefully!) not destroy the place.

It’s important to make sure these rules are clear from day one. Ensure the contract states that if there’s any damage to the apartment, you won’t be returning their full deposit.

When it comes to advertising your apartment, the important thing is for people to see that it is clean and well-maintained. This will help you gain a good reputation, and ensure you have tenants year after year. So there you have it! Decorating a student apartment isn’t too difficult after all.