I Transformed My Rental Kitchen Into a 'Magic Space': Only Spent $45, It's So Good My Landlord Said 'Don't Remove It'

The apartment I rented before had an 8-square-meter kitchen. So small that two people couldn’t even turn around in it at the same time.

But I transformed it into a “magic space” with just $45, and my landlord said “your renovation is more practical than my own home!”

Today I’m sharing my renovation plan for all you girls in rental apartments!

Core Strategy: Vertical Space

The biggest problem with small kitchens is insufficient floor space. So let’s get space from the walls!

Specific Plan:

1. Non-drilling wall-mounted shelf ($12)
   I bought a non-drilling shelf that hangs directly on cabinet doors. Perfect for seasoning bottles, plastic wrap, paper towels. Everything used to堆 on the counter, now all mounted on the wall, counter space freed up.

2. Tension rod + hook combo ($6)
   Installed two tension rods inside the cabinet, with a mesh storage bag hanging on them. Great for dish rags, brushes, cleaning cloths. Everything used to堆 by the sink, now all “hung up,” better ventilation too.

3. Sink strainer bags ($2 for 100)
   These are so worth it! Used to have to scoop out the drain by hand, now just pull and toss, clean and easy. Highly recommend!

4. Collapsible dish drying rack ($9)
   A bit pricier but truly useful. Put washed dishes directly on it to air dry, folds away when not in use, saves so much space.

5. LED motion sensor light ($15)
   Biggest expense but also most worthwhile. Rental kitchen lighting is usually so dim. The LED mounts under the upper cabinet, waves to turn on, auto-off after use.

Total: $45

Used for over half a year. Landlord asked “can you take all this when you move?” I said “everything sticks, can be removed anytime.” Landlord said “then don’t remove it when you leave, I’ll buy it from you” — gave me $20 “subsidy” in the end.

So my actual cost was only about $25!

What rental renovation tips do you girls have? Comment below to share!