These Are Our 15 Top Renter Remedies of 2023

Although many people do it, renting is not for the weak. You might be tempted to drill holes in your walls — both to put up cute artwork and to spite your landlord — but unfortunately, such forms of personalization could cost you your security deposit. The good news is that there are plenty of renter-friendly home solutions that promise to declutter and decorate your home without causing permanent damage. We know this because we kept a running list of them all throughout 2023. Out of the 50 products we ended up including, many of them are editor-tested picks. So, now that it’s come time to narrow them down to our 15 favorites, you could say we struggled a bit. To see our top drill-free picks, specifically, check out this post. Otherwise, consider the roundup below your list of go-tos, regardless of whether you’re a seasoned mover or renting for the first time.

AT Top Renter Remedies of 2023

I own this slim rolling cart, and it's been a game-changer for storing hot hair tools, cosmetics, and other miscellaneous objects. If you, too, aren't able to drill shelves into your walls, you'll also appreciate it. Because it's so, well, slim, the cart can simultaneously hold a lot and fit neatly between furniture and appliances. Use it to hold laundry supplies, pantry items, shower products, and whatever else its four sturdy tiers will accommodate. And because the cart has wheels, you'll have no problem transporting it from one room to another.

Speaking of shelves, managing commerce editor Tamara loves these adhesive ones, which stick right onto walls. "As a pro shopper, it takes a super-innovative product to blow me away, so when I say I’ve never seen a product like this, I’m not joking around," she wrote. "Now, everything is within arm’s reach, and I can spot what I need in just a few seconds." Although Tamara has been using her shelf to hold spices above her stove, you can place yours on any tiled surface.

If you rent, chances are you also move frequently. For this reason, we recommend opting for modular furniture whenever you can. Best List editor Britt loves the modular Kova sofa from Albany Park, which you can pull apart to create two separate seats. "One of the things I dreaded the most the past few times I’ve moved, even when I transferred to a nearby apartment in the same complex, was moving the couch," she wrote. "It’s always been an ordeal and everyone complained the most about it. However, being able to break down this sofa into parts that are so much easier to handle will make moving it a breeze."

Just because your rental has limited cabinet space doesn't mean you can't create extra pantry storage with the right products. Just pick up a pair of these baskets, which slide onto shelves and turn unused cabinet space into modular shelving. They're available in a bronze finish and can quickly be relocated. “I have a pantry with well-spaced shelves for placing tall items," one Amazon reviewer wrote. "Not everything in my pantry requires tall spacing, so these hang down and fill the empty space while creating additional storage so that everything isn’t in one big cluster."

A lack of in-unit (or even in-building) laundry is an age-old renter struggle, but with this portable washing machine, you can have the convenience of doing your laundry whenever you want from the comfort of your home. "You can fit about a week’s worth of underwear, socks, shirts, and maybe a pair of jeans for good measure into one 28-minute load," wrote contributor Molly. "It is not built for towels and sheets, but we all have our flaws, don’t we?" You might also have to do a little work to find the best way to fill and empty the machine with water, but it's a great way to do laundry on demand.

Implementing corner organizers is a great way to make use of overlooked areas, and this is of course also true of corner garment racks. We like this rack from Wayfair, which would make a wonderful addition to even the tightest of entryways. It holds coats, hats, shoes, purses, and more, plus its two-toned wooden construction is quite chic. You'll also find this piece to be supremely sturdy, regardless of how many things you load it with.

Depending on where you rent, your apartment might not have a pre-installed faucet sprayer. Tamara wished for one in her kitchen before coming across this $17 drill-free attachment on Amazon. After adhering it to her faucet, she instantly came to love the gadget. "Once you get it installed, you’ll be on your way to washing dishes like a pro," she wrote. "In addition to washing the dishes, this attachment is also a game-changer for cleaning my sink and getting all those corners (and the bits of food that hang out there) I could never reach with my standard faucet aerator. Long gone are the days of putting in extra elbow grease to clean my dishes (especially when food has stuck on overnight)."

You haven't known misery until you've powered through the summer in an apartment without central air conditioning. Thankfully, window ACs exist. This ultra-stylish, TikTok-famous model is a solid cooling option. Style shopping editor Blair recommends it for people after a small, noiseless unit, writing, "I love that it touts three different modes — fan, cool, or eco — as well as three fan speeds — low, medium, or high — depending on my preferences and the outside temperature." She went on to add that the unit was incredibly easy to install and can be controlled from the Windmill app, which is convenient if you want to save on energy costs but still come home to a cool apartment.

What looks like it requires drilling at first glance is actually a fully adhesive set of storage hooks. When contributor Amy added the spinning hangers to her kitchen, she was able to nearly clear out her utensil drawers. Their secret is a small piece of clear adhesive that sticks safely to the bottom of wooden cabinets (or on tiled walls) and supports a rack that holds up to six tools. "Right off the bat, I was impressed with how ridiculously easy these hooks were to install," Amy wrote. "When I stepped back to admire my work, I was an instant fan. My counter was clear of all the clutter, and every utensil had its designated place."

Landlords are notoriously quick to raise your rent but slow to fix things when they inevitably break, so you're usually better off repairing them, yourself. It's really not that hard in most cases, but you will need a good tool kit. Ian, our sister site's senior commerce editor, said this one comes with every tool he could possibly need as a renter, including a hammer, wrench, scissors, hex keys, screwdriver set, and more. "[It] has everything I need to hang a painting, install shelves, put together furniture, tighten lids on pots and pans, and pretend I know what I’m doing with a pair of pliers," he wrote. "As far as its footprint, it’s super compact, which means I can store it pretty much anywhere."

Honestly, your kitchen's lack of a dishwasher could be a blessing in disguise. After all, it means more cabinet space. Plus, this compact countertop dishwasher means you don't have to resort to washing dishes by hand. It has multiple different wash cycles, a small enough footprint to fit on most countertops, and a refillable water tank so you don't have to worry about connecting it to your sink or some other permanent water source. "The machine could easily fit about three dishes, three cups, and a wide assortment of kitchenware," said shopping director Jada, who calls the NOVETE a game-changer for people on the go.

Moving mattresses can be just as difficult as moving furniture. That's why we recommend renters pick up a boxed mattress, such as this memory foam pick from Serta. It boasts cooling materials and is designed to minimize movement disturbances from your partner. But, most importantly, the mattress arrives in an ultra-small box, so you won't struggle to haul it into your walkup.

We haven't touched on the common lack of power outlets in rented apartments yet, but make no mistake — we know the struggle. If you find yourself frequently wishing that your studio had more plug-in spots, look no further than this ingenious side table, which has a built-in charging station. Not only is this piece incredibly compact, but it also lets you charge all of your devices at once. "The side table comes with two outlets and two USB chargers, which means that my boyfriend and I no longer jostle over the two available outlets," wrote senior commerce editor Alicia. "We now have a total of six — we more than doubled our charging space. It’s game-changing."

Let's face it: White appliances aren't the most visually appealing. There might not be much you can do about your fridge, but you can at least prevent your dishwasher from being an eyesore with the help of this brilliant magnetic cover. It's available in 17 pretty prints and fits most standard-sized dishwashers. (You can also cut the PVC material to make the cover fit.) Say goodbye to an ugly surface and hello to a mood-boosting image that you can later remove without causing damage.

It's great when landlords let you have pets in your apartment, but accidents can leave permanent stains and odors if you don't clean them properly. That's where Dirt Devil's portable spot cleaner comes in. This powerful machine works on carpets and other upholstery to tackle tough spots with ease. Alicia's sister Bre, who owns two dogs, swears by it. "I have owned several spot cleaners, but the Dirt Devil is by far my favorite!" she said. "It is a LIFESAVER when it comes to cleaning pet stains off the carpet and couch. It removes the stain in around 5-10 seconds. I deep-cleaned my couch cushions and I was shocked by how much dirt it pulled out!"