Living in a rental in Tempe, Arizona teaches you restraint. You can’t knock down walls or swap floors without a fight, so you start paying attention to the small things instead.
The noisiest problem in my place wasn’t traffic or neighbors. It was vibration. Cabinets rattling when the AC kicked on. Doors humming when someone walked past. Stuff you ignore until it slowly drives you crazy.
One afternoon I added felt pads to cabinet doors, tightened loose hinges, and slid rubber stops behind the headboard. That was it. No paint. No tools. No renovation flex.
The apartment felt calmer immediately.
Renovation doesn’t always have to be visible. Some upgrades are about how a space feels, not how it looks.