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Creating a home out of your house should be a priority no matter how many times you move. Making small improvements to your military home décor can make a surprisingly significant difference, especially during the holiday season. If you’re renting, it can be tough to complete home improvements that are temporary and won’t affect how the house looks when you move. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of four military home décor projects and rental decorating ideas you can do in a rental home.

Spice Up Your Containers

Dress up your storage system by decorating reusable containers. Empty cans, bottles, and boxes can all be spruced up to provide your home with beautiful, homey storage solutions.

Start by picking out a thick, durable wrapping paper that complements the interiors of your home. Wrap the storage containers in the paper and secure them with double-sided tape so the tape doesn’t show. These boxes, jars, and cans can be used as storage in the office, bathroom, garage, or kitchen. You can also use them to wrap your gifts during the holiday season. Regardless of what you use these containers for, they are fantastic to have around as they have so many uses!

Create an Erasable Message Board

Having an easily accessible message board can serve various purposes, including helping to prevent miscommunications within the family, offering encouraging notes and quotes, and reminding the family about important dates and events. During the holiday season, the board can be used as a countdown or to share short holiday quotes and snippets. The easy, simple nature of the message board makes it a fun, interactive décor piece for the whole family.

Start with an old, medium-sized picture frame. Pick out some decorative cardstock or wrapping paper and frame it so that the background is decorative. Make sure the paper’s design is muted enough to where you would easily be able to see the writing on top of it. Enjoy decorating the frame itself with your family, making it an interactive activity. Once you have the frame the way you want it, grab some dry erase pens and an eraser, and have fun writing your first message on your message board!

Add a Gallery Wall

Creating a focal point that consists of family photos and unforgettable memories can help make a house feel like home. A gallery wall is a perfect way to combine these elements into one cohesive piece. Plus, you can use sticky wall hooks to hang the photo frames instead of nails, so you leave the wall undamaged.

Start by collecting photos of favorite family vacations and portraits. Ask each family member which photo is their favorite and include it on the gallery wall. Once you’ve decided which photos to include, it’s time to choose your frames. You can either keep the frames consistent or mix and match the frames for a fun, eclectic look. The easiest way to determine your gallery wall layout is by first arranging the frames on the floor. That way you get a visual of what they will look like once hung on the wall. Have fun arranging the frames in different patterns and designs. Using those sticky wall hooks (you can buy these at your local hardware store), hang the gallery on the wall just like it was lying on the floor. And there you have it! A daily reminder of your family memories.

Embrace the Season

The holidays are the perfect time to put a little extra oomph into your interior design! This season, we’re sharing some of our favorite crafts on our Pinterest board, where you can find kid-friendly activities (like decorating a gingerbread house and making these salt dough ornaments!), unique ways to use traditional decorations, and more! Here at Lincoln Military, we believe in making your house a home for the holidays! For even more ideas, check out fellow residents Marni, Kourtney, and Chippy Paint & Cotton! These Mommy Bloggers are experts in making short-term housing comfortable and homey, all on a budget.

Creating a space that reflects your family’s style is the best way to make it feel like home. Don’t be discouraged if you’re renting – there are plenty of damage-proof home décor projects that you can do to help you achieve this goal. Many of these rental decorating ideas and projects can be fun activities for the whole family to make them even more meaningful.