13 Temporary & Removable Adhesive Products All Renters Should Know About

Renters like nice things too! And, thankfully, each year more and more products emerge that are removable and won’t jeopardize your security deposit when you move out. So, you can fix up your space temporarily and not sacrifice style. Here are ten rental-worthy products—all adhesive—to consider.

Audrey from This Little Street swears by this product and uses it as a liner on the wall, before applying the second layer of decorative wallpaper. She says it smooths out any uneven surface and is strippable when you move out. It also seems like a good solution when you want to use regular non-removable wallpaper but can’t in a rental.

Use this adhesive tape to hold down temporary flooring (as Daniel tried with rubber sheets in his kitchen, above), or for carpet tiles, and stair treads. There’s also a product called Hold-It Adhesive, specifically for rugs on hard floors.

→ Temporary But Effective: 5 Ideas for Hiding or Minimizing an Ugly Floor

I spotted these at Home Depot, and thought they looked interesting — especially the white subway and hex designs. You can install them over other tiles and, when it’s time to take them down, you aim a hairdryer in their direction, and the heat helps pry them off. There are tons of reviews over on the website, so read those first to see if they are right for you.

→ We Tested Adhesive, Removable Smart Tiles

You can be as plain or as decorative as you want to be with static cling or adhesive film for privacy and decoration. Less-expensive basics are available at Lowe’s and Amazon, and more decorative versions can be found at Emma Jeffs.

→ Emily Henderson Tested Temporary Window Film So You Don’t Have To

We used this for Joseph’s budget bathroom makeover, and it made a huge difference in the look and feel of the room. It comes in long strips, which look more like a real hardwood floor versus tell-tale square adhesive tiles, and stick to each other and float on top of the existing floor. Read more about this vinyl adhesive flooring, along with installation instructions here:

→ This $50 Temporary Flooring Floats Right Over Rental Bathroom Tile

If you aren’t familiar with these, you should be. Inexpensive and strong, they are a great way to hang artwork and mirrors, without damaging the wall or leaving holes.

→ You’ve Been Using Command Strips All Wrong

→
14 Ways Command Strips Can Make Your Kitchen More Organized

→
12 Clever & Beautiful Uses for Adhesive Strips & Hooks You Might Not Have Thought Of

There are all sorts of contact paper and shelf liners out there, but this one lets you turn any surface into a chalkboard. Use it as a sheet, or cut out shapes as wall decals, and reposition if needed.

→
Five Ways to Customize Kitchen Cabinets with Colored Contact Paper

→
Stacy Covered Her Rental Countertop With Contact Paper & This Is What Happened

Temporary decals are for unsightly or boring tiles designed specifically for kitchens and bathrooms. They come as solids or decorative patterns. You can buy standard sizes from places like Stick Pretty and Etsy. There are also Beautiful Wall Decals and Spin Collective for the Brits.

And for smaller jobs, don’t forget the little Japanese marvel that is washi tape. It’s inexpensive and bold, and totally fun. Use it to dress up furniture, your walls, or anything else you can think up. And it peels off in no time.

→ 10 Bright Ideas for Decorating With Washi Tape
→ This Is How Much It Costs to Cover Your Rental Cabinets in Washi Tape

We’ve written about removable wallpaper before as a way to get in on the fun without the frustration that comes with stripping it off later. Popular sources are Spoonflower (which you can also customize with your own design and get just the amount you need), Betapet, Hygge and West, and Tempaper. It’s also great for kids’ rooms.

→
12 Removable Wallpaper Companies to Know

→ Shopping Resources: Decals, Removable Wallpaper, Washi Tape & Contact Paper

→
What You Need To Know About Removing Temporary Wallpaper, Before You Hang It

This product is from Tempaper, who sells “Tempaper By You” for around $56 per roll. The label says it’s a “self-adhesive, repositionable, removable, wall canvas,” so we tested it out:

→ Is Paintable, Removable Wallpaper Too Good to Be True?

If you’ve got a Cricut or Silhouette, you can make custom-shaped wall decals using removable vinyl sheets. Megan from the Homes I Have Made used this technique to create a colorful, temporary backsplash.

Use this stuff to hang wrapping paper or fabric as wallpaper on an accent wall or in a small space like a closet. If you’re worried about it leaving a residue and don’t want to repaint, use it to line one of your bookshelves instead, which is a nice spot for a shot of pattern and color. Plus, you can take it with you when you move.

So, those are some of our favorites. Do you have any other go-to products to add to the list?

Re-edited from a post originally published 7.21.2014 – DF