How to Hang Decor in a Rental Without Damaging Your Walls

How to Hang Decor in a Rental Without Damaging Your Walls

Introduction

Bare walls are one of the biggest complaints renters have — and one of the easiest problems to solve once you know what actually works.

The fear of damaging walls and losing your deposit keeps a lot of renters from hanging anything at all. So they live with empty walls for years, in a space that never quite feels finished or personal.

Here’s the truth — you can hang art, mirrors, curtains, shelves, and gallery walls in a rental without putting a single permanent hole in the wall. You just need to know which products to trust, which walls they work on, and what to avoid.

The most important thing nobody tells you — test your walls first

Not all walls respond the same way to adhesive products. Before you hang anything in your rental, test the product on an inconspicuous area first — behind a door, in a corner, inside a closet.

Here’s what matters:

Painted drywall is the most common rental wall type and works well with most adhesive products when the paint is in good condition. Freshly painted walls — anything painted in the last few weeks — are trickier because the paint hasn’t fully cured.

Textured walls are harder. Adhesive strips and hooks need a flat surface to bond properly. The more texture your wall has, the less surface area the adhesive can grip and the more likely it is to fail.

Old or peeling paint is the biggest risk. If the paint isn’t properly bonded to the wall, an adhesive strip will pull the paint off when you remove it. Check the condition of your paint before you trust it with anything heavy.

When in doubt, start with something lightweight and low stakes in a hidden spot. Give it 24 hours before you trust it with anything you care about.

Command Strips — the gold standard for rental walls

Command strips are the most reliable no-damage hanging solution available and the one I trust most in my own rental.

They work by using a stretch-release adhesive — you remove them by pulling the tab straight down parallel to the wall, which releases the bond without damaging the paint. Done correctly, they leave zero trace.

What they’re good for: Framed art and prints up to the weight limit on the package. Lightweight mirrors. Small shelves. Hooks for bags, keys, and light items.

The rules that matter: Always check the weight rating on the package and stay well under the limit — don’t push it. Clean the wall with isopropyl alcohol before applying and let it dry completely. Press the strip firmly against the wall for 30 seconds. Wait the full hour before hanging anything.

The removal rule: Pull the tab slowly and steadily, straight down, parallel to the wall. Never pull outward. Pulling outward is what damages paint. Slow and parallel is what keeps your deposit.

Picture hanging strips vs adhesive hooks — know the difference

These are two different products that do different jobs.

Picture hanging strips work in interlocking pairs — one side on the wall, one side on the frame. They’re designed specifically for flat framed art and prints. They hold well and remove cleanly when used correctly. Use these for your gallery wall.

Adhesive hooks are single-piece hooks that stick directly to the wall. They’re better for items that need to hang from a hook — bags, hats, lightweight wreaths, small baskets. Not designed for frames.

Using the wrong product for the job is where things go wrong. A frame hung from an adhesive hook instead of picture hanging strips is more likely to fall and more likely to damage the wall on removal.

Gallery walls in a rental — how to do it right

A gallery wall is one of the highest impact changes you can make in a rental, and it’s completely achievable without touching anything permanent.

Plan before you hang anything. Lay your frames out on the floor first. Arrange them until you’re happy with the grouping. Take a photo. This saves you from sticking and repositioning multiple times, which is what damages the adhesive bond.

Keep frames lightweight. Heavy frames push the limits of what adhesive strips can safely hold. Stick to lightweight frames — thin metal or plastic rather than thick wood. Print your art at home or use digital downloads from Etsy to keep costs and weight down.

Consistent frames, varied sizes. A gallery wall with consistent frame colours but varied sizes looks intentional and curated. All black frames, all white frames, or all natural wood frames in mixed sizes is the formula that always works.

The invisible line technique. Choose one visual line that all your frames align to — either the top edges or the centre line. This creates order in the arrangement even when the frames are different sizes. It’s the difference between a gallery wall that looks designed and one that looks random.

Hanging curtains without drilling

This is one of the most common questions from renters, and the answer depends on your window situation.

Tension rods work in window frames where the rod can press against two opposing surfaces. They’re completely damage-free and hold lightweight to medium-weight curtains well. They do have limits — very wide windows or heavy curtains need more support than a tension rod can provide.

Command hooks for curtain rods — place two Command hooks rated for the weight of your curtains and rod, one on each side of the window at ceiling height, and rest the rod in the hooks. This is how you hang curtains high and wide in a rental without drilling. It works well for lightweight to medium curtains.

Adhesive curtain rod brackets are specifically designed for this purpose and are available from most home stores. They hold more weight than improvised Command hook solutions and are designed to remove cleanly.

What I actually use in my rental

Command Large Picture Hanging Strips for all framed art — I’ve hung gallery walls in three rooms with these and removed them without any paint damage.

Command Medium Hooks are rated for 3-4kg for bags, wreaths, and lightweight items on doors and walls.

Adhesive curtain rod brackets for the rooms where I needed curtains hung high without drilling.

A tension rod in my kitchen window for a lightweight café curtain — completely removable and adjustable.

The Splurge or Save verdict on wall decor? Wall decor falls in the Save category — you don’t need to spend a lot on frames or art to create a beautiful gallery wall. Spend your money on the rug and the lighting first. Get the free cheat sheet for the full breakdown. Get the free Splurge or Save Cheat Sheet →