You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.

Hey, it's Mariel.

A couple weeks ago, I bought something at an antique store.

It was labeled as a vintage Japanese porcelain stool and set up next to a makeup table.

And it's gorgeous, white with a blue and pink floral design.

Now, though it was labeled as a stool in my apartment, it's an end table.

I put down drinks and snacks on it when I'm watching TV.

That's what we call repurposing.

And if you rent your space, repurposing is a great way to go,

especially if you start with the stuff you already have.

Don't get hung up on what something is supposed to be for. Think about what you could turn it into

instead. This is how bread baskets turn into side tables and tomato cages can become plant

stance. Like many Americans, reporter, Adjua Gemma Bremong, rents her apartment. And she says,

just because you don't own your home

doesn't mean you need to accept drab walls and harsh lighting. There are lots of changes you can make

that your landlord probably won't hate and that won't require you to invest buckets of money

into a space you're going to leave. On this episode of Life Kit, how to make your rental feel like

home. Adjua's got lots of tips for us. By the way, she first reported this On this episode of Life Kit, How to Make Your Rental Feel Like Home.

Adjo's got lots of tips for us.

By the way, she first reported this episode in 2024 when she was living in a one-bedroom apartment in Lisbon, Portugal.

She's since moved to Porto and tells us that she's loving her new rental

and is thinking about buying a base for her coffee table

...