Renter Lighting: Fixes That Need No Wiring

Most rentals give you one flush-mount fixture per room and a landlord who would rather you not touch it. All of the following are reversible.

Swap the bulb, not the fixture A 2700K dimmable LED in the existing fixture is a two-minute fix and the highest-impact one. Keep the original bulbs in a bag for move-out.

Plug-in sconces ### Where to place them Flanking a bed at 60 inches, or beside a sofa where a side table will not fit. Route the cord down the wall in an adhesive channel painted the wall color.

Swag a pendant A ceiling hook and a plug-in swag kit let you hang a real pendant over a dining table that has no junction box. Use a toggle anchor rated well above the fixture weight.

Shade swaps Replacing a yellowed drum shade with linen changes the color of the light itself. Measure the harp height before ordering.

Cordless and rechargeable Rechargeable table lamps and puck lights solve shelves, closets and hallway corners with no cord to hide at all.

Keep every original part Box the bulbs, the shade and the hardware. Reversibility is what makes all of this landlord-safe.