Here’s How to Make a Rental Backyard have Some Actual Character

 

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It’s really weird to say, but when it comes to short term living spaces, well, a rental, everything has this uncomfortable attachment. Like, everything has terms and conditions attached to it. Which, technically, that’s true, with most rentals, you’re not allowed to make any holes in the walls, and sometimes you’re not even allowed to paint the walls.

But even the backyard can feel a bit weird, though. All rentals are different, but for most (at least a house) there’s a patch of patio, maybe a sad fence, maybe some grass that’s doing its best, and the whole thing is technically usable, but it doesn’t always feel like somewhere anyone wants to sit with a drink and pretend life is under control for twenty minutes.

Again, there’s this off-putting sort of feeling. But in general, renters usually can’t go wild with permanent changes. No ripping things out. No building, whatever Pinterest project that looks doable, you just can’t do any of that unless you have the best landlord in the world. But does that mean you have to have a boring backyard in the rental you live in? Well, no, no, you don't honestly. Honestly, you can add some character here and there, things that you can even easily pack and take to the next home.
 

Give the Space a Reason to Exist

The first mistake is trying to make the whole backyard “nice” without deciding what nice actually means. Is it meant for morning coffee? Reading? Dinner outside? A toddler running in circles on a sunny day? How about a few friends sitting around after work? Well, believe it or not, here, usually, those are all different spaces.

Once the backyard has a purpose, the choices get easier. Like, you could get a tiny bistro table, and a nice bench with some cushions, and bam, it’s a coffee spot in the mornings, get some toys or even one of those classic green turtle sandboxes, and you've got yourself a kids' sandbox and play area. Even a picnic table is pretty affordable, actually. Right after the summer, outdoor furniture gets pretty cheap. But in general here, it's not hard to buy some furniture and other pieces for whatever the intention is.
 

No, You Don’t Need to Landscape

Plants are usually the fastest way to make a rental backyard feel less temporary, but yeah, digging into the ground may not be allowed. Well, most of the time it’s actually not allowed. But that’s fine, you just need to get some pots and planters, and get the right plants that can go into those. Literally, that's it. Actually, a lot of plants survive in pots. If you want, you can even grow fruits and vegetables inside pots. But be sure to add wheels to them, so when you do have to move them, you can just push them into the moving fan rather than having to carry them.
 

Privacy Changes Everything

And it should, because most rentals don’t feel the most private; it's not like you’re being watched per se, but it’s not like you feel like you’re secluded in solitude either. But of course, privacy doesn’t need to mean building a fence or starting a legal conversation with the landlord. Those probably won’t work out well either. But you might be able to buy a trellis and put it on a planter, you might be able to set up outdoor curtains, depending on the mounting system, you could look into a row of greenery like bamboo, which could even work.

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