Let me tell you about my buddy Mike.
He called his landlord about a clogged sink at 11 PM on a Saturday.
The landlord wasn’t happy.
My other friend Jen had the same problem, grabbed a plunger, fixed it herself in five minutes, and went back to her Netflix show without missing the good part.
Guess which one had a better relationship with their landlord when lease renewal time came around?Look, renting doesn’t mean you need to be helpless when small stuff breaks.
Learning basic fixes saves you time, builds your confidence, and might even save you money on your security deposit.
Plus, your landlord will secretly love you for not calling them because the bathroom design light bulb burned out.
Simple Fixes Every Renter Should Know
Being a renter comes with perks. The big stuff? Not your problem. Roof leaking? Call the landlord. But those tiny everyday issues? That’s where knowing a few tricks makes life so much easier.
Think about it – waiting around for someone to show up just to fix a squeaky door is nobody’s idea of fun.
If you need help finding more resources or understanding what’s expected of renters, platforms like Section 8 Search offer helpful guides and tips.
But right now, we’re going to look at ten super simple fixes that any renter can handle without special skills or fancy tools.
I promise these won’t void your lease or get you in trouble.
They’re the kind of basic maintenance that makes your living space a more comfortable home while showing your landlord you’re a responsible tenant.
Basic Tools Every Renter Should Own
You don’t need to raid a hardware store to handle basic fixes.
Just grab these few things and stash them in a drawer:
A multi-bit screwdriver.
Not ten different screwdrivers taking up space – just one with changeable bits.
A pair of pliers. They grab stuff, twist stuff, and hold stuff. Super useful.
An adjustable wrench. For anything that needs turning but isn’t a screw.
Plunger. Trust me, you want this BEFORE you need it, not during a bathroom emergency.
WD-40. This stuff is magic for anything that sticks, squeaks, or won’t move right.
Duct tape. Temporary fixes until proper help arrives.
These six things will handle about 90% of small apartment issues.
The whole kit costs less than ordering takeout for two, and it’ll save you countless headaches.
Fixing a Clogged Drain
Everyone’s dealt with a clogged drain.
Hair, soap, mysterious gunk that you’d rather not identify – it all builds up.
How does this work? Well, most clogs in kitchen or bathroom sinks aren’t deep in the plumbing system.
They’re usually right in the trap (that curved pipe under the sink) or near the drain opening.
That means you can usually fix them yourself.
For bathroom sinks and tubs, try removing visible hair first.
Those little plastic drain snakes cost like three bucks and work great.
For kitchen sinks, make sure you’re not letting food scraps go down there in the first place.
But here’s the real hero move: baking soda and vinegar.
Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, follow with half a cup of vinegar, wait 30 minutes, then flush with hot water.
The bubbling action breaks up the gunk without harsh chemicals that might damage old pipes.
Only use a plunger or chemical drain cleaner as a last resort. And if water starts backing up into other fixtures, stop right there and call your landlord. That’s a sign of a bigger plumbing issue.
Resetting a Tripped Circuit Breaker
The power goes out in just part of your apartment. Your microwave and air fryer were running at the same time, weren’t they?
Circuit breakers trip when too much electricity flows through them. It’s a safety feature to prevent fires, not an annoying design flaw.
When you run too many power-hungry appliances on the same circuit, boom – darkness.
Finding your breaker box is step one.
It’s usually a gray metal panel in a closet, basement, or hallway.
Open it up and look for any switch that’s flipped to the “off” position or is sitting between on and off.
Turn the switch fully off, then back to on.
That’s literally it. If it immediately trips again, unplug some stuff before resetting it again.
Quick tip: take a photo of your breaker box when everything’s working normally.
Label which breaker controls what area.
Future-you will be super grateful during the next power outage.
Replacing Light Bulbs and Batteries
Changing light bulbs seems too obvious to mention, but you’d be surprised how many landlords get calls about burned-out bulbs.
For standard bulbs, make sure the power’s off, wait for the old bulb to cool if it just died, then twist counterclockwise to remove and clockwise to install the new one.
For recessed ceiling lights, most have small clips you squeeze to remove the cover.
For track lighting, the bulbs often twist and lock.
Always match the wattage of the old bulb.
Using a higher wattage than the fixture is rated for can cause overheating.
As for batteries in smoke detectors, change them when you hear that annoying chirp.
But here’s a pro tip: write the date on the detector with a Sharpie when you change batteries. You’ll know exactly how long they’ve been in there.
Patching Small Nail Holes in Walls
Those tiny holes from hanging pictures and posters might seem small now, but they can add up to a big security deposit deduction later.
Spackling paste is your friend here.
It comes in small tubes perfect for renters and costs next to nothing.
The process is super simple: clean any loose paint or debris from the hole, squeeze a tiny amount of spackle onto your finger, press it into the hole, and wipe away the excess so it’s flush with the wall.
Let it dry (usually about 30 minutes), then lightly sand with fine sandpaper until smooth.
If you have white walls, you might be done right there. For colored walls, touch up with matching paint if you have it.
One mistake people make is using too much spackle.
You want just enough to fill the hole, not create a bumpy mess that draws more attention than the hole did.
Unsticking Windows or Doors
Nothing’s more annoying than a window that won’t open on the first nice day of spring, or a door that makes you body-slam it to get it closed.
Windows stick because of paint, humidity, or the house settling.
For painted-shut windows, run a utility knife between the frame and sash to break the paint seal.
For windows stuck due to humidity or swelling, a dehumidifier in the room might help.
But the magic fix for most sticky windows and doors? That WD-40 I mentioned earlier. Spray a little on the tracks, hinges, or anywhere there’s friction.
Work the replacement window or door back and forth to distribute the lubricant.
For doors that stick at the top, check if the hinges are loose.
Tightening the screws might solve the whole problem.
Just avoid using too much lubricant on doors, or you’ll have a different problem – slippery, oily doorknobs and possibly stained carpets.
Quieting a Squeaky Door or Cabinet
That 3 AM bathroom trip shouldn’t wake your entire apartment with horror-movie door creaks.
Squeaks happen when metal parts rub against each other without proper lubrication.
The fix takes literally 30 seconds.
Spray a tiny bit of WD-40 directly onto the hinges, then open and close the door several times to work it in. No WD-40? Rub the hinges with a bar of soap or even a candle.
The wax works as a temporary lubricant.
For cabinet doors, the fix is usually the same.
But sometimes the problem is loose screws. Check and tighten any loose hinge screws first.
A quick prevention tip: avoid hanging towels or robes on door handles.
The extra weight pulls the door out of alignment and can cause both sticking and squeaking over time.
Fixing a Running Toilet
A toilet that keeps running can waste hundreds of gallons of water and make your water bill spike.
Most running toilets have one of three problems: a bad flapper, a broken fill valve, or a misadjusted float.
The flapper is that rubber thing at the bottom of the tank that lifts when you flush.
If it’s worn out or not seated properly, water leaks from the tank into the bowl.
Replacing a flapper costs about $5 and takes five minutes.
Turn off the water supply to the toilet, flush to empty the tank, unhook the old flapper, and hook the new one in the same way.
The float controls the water level. If it’s set too high, water spills into the overflow tube.
Most floats have an adjustment screw you can turn to lower the water level.
If neither of those fixes work, you might need to replace the fill valve.
This is still doable for beginners, but you might want to watch a quick video tutorial first.
Cleaning and Maintaining Air Vents or Filters
Clean air feels good.
Dirty vents and filters make your heating and cooling less effective and can even make you sick.
Those return air vents on your walls or ceiling? They get clogged with dust and pet hair. Remove the vent cover (usually just a couple of screws), vacuum inside as far as your attachment can reach, then wipe the vent cover with a damp cloth before replacing it.
For HVAC filters, check your lease.
Some landlords handle this, but many expect tenants to change them.
These filters usually slide into a slot near your furnace or air handler.
Turn off the system, pull out the old filter, slide in the new one making sure the arrow points in the direction of airflow.
Most apartments need filter changes every 1-3 months.
Write the date on the edge of the new filter so you know when it was last changed.
A clean filter can lower your energy bills by up to 15%. That’s a pretty good return on a $10 filter.
Preventing Pest Issues
Nobody wants roommates they didn’t invite.
Bugs and mice find their way into even the cleanest homes.
Prevention beats extermination every time.
Seal food in airtight containers. Take trash out regularly.
Don’t leave dirty dishes overnight. Wipe counters after preparing food.
Check for entry points – gaps around pipes under sinks, spaces between baseboards and floors, tears in window screens.
Seal small gaps with caulk. Stuff steel wool into larger holes (mice can’t chew through it).
If you spot pests, don’t wait to report serious infestations to your landlord.
That’s usually their responsibility to fix.
But for the occasional ant invasion or spider sighting, keep some basic pest management products on hand.
Conclusion
Think of these fixes as your renter superpowers.
They make daily life smoother and show your landlord you’re not the tenant who calls at midnight because a lightbulb went out.
Start with the basics. Learn where your circuit breaker box is before you need it in the dark. Buy a plunger before the toilet overflows.
Small preparations prevent big headaches.
Remember, there’s still a line between DIY fixes and landlord territory.
Anything involving major plumbing, electrical work beyond resetting breakers, or structural issues still needs professional attention.
But for those little everyday annoyances? Now you’ve got this.
Your home will run smoother, and you might even get back more of that security deposit when you move out.
