If you have just moved into your first apartment or if this is your first apartment where you have the ability to really change what your surroundings look like, the freedom can be a bit intoxicating. It is tempting to simply grab a paintbrush and start changing everything in sight, but discretion is truly the better part of valor. There are a few things you need to do first to ensure you aren’t stuck with decorating decisions you come to regret.

First off, read your lease. Once you’re finished, read it again. You are responsible for how your new place looks, and that often includes changing it back to the way it was once you move out. While you may think you are going to live there for the next 8 years, you may end up moving out in 8 months, which could leave you a lot of restoration work you don’t have time for.

Next, a lease is often extremely specific when it comes to what you can change and what you can’t. Staying on the good side of your landlord is important and you don’t want to cause any unnecessary friction so be sure you stick with what you can legally change.

Make an effort to work on your decorating during daylight hours as to not cause any noise issues with your neighbours. This can be extremely tough if you work 9-5, but the last thing you want is a reputation as a noisy neighbour when you’ve only been living there for a few weeks.

Finally, if you are going to paint, make use of drop cloths. You can borrow or rent drop clothes from your building manager or from a local business for practically nothing and they can single-handedly save you from forfeiting your security deposit because you trashed your carpet.

With as small as today’s modern apartment is, you wouldn’t think proper lighting would be an issue, but many people put buying lamps at the bottom of their decorating list. If you are having trouble seeing your hand in front of your face once the sun goes down, here are a few general lighting tips you can follow.

When it comes to saving space, the tall, elegant free standing lamp is probably your best choice. These lamps can take either regular light bulbs or they can take the small bar-line florescent style bulbs. These lamps do a great job of projecting light over a large space, but they can get very warm so be careful you don’t have them sitting next to drapes or any kind of hanging fabric like a coat.

Table lamps are another good way to brighten up a space, but there are several things you need to consider before picking out the right lamp for your apartment. First, do you have pets that could knock a lamp over and break it? If so, you may want to go with the tall, free standing lamps or simply choose models that aren’t very expensive. Next, be sure to consider your décor when picking out a lamp. You don’t need a perfect match, especially if you are on a tight budget, but the right lamp can really bring together a space so don’t be afraid to poke around for just the right model.

If you are just moving into your first apartment or if money is tight, try heading to your local thrift store. They always seem to have a large selection of lighting options available for mere pennies. One tip, however, be sure that you plus in the lamp at the thrift store to ensure that it works before you bring it home. Once you cross that threshold, there are no returns.