Australia has one of the highest rental rates in the developed world. In Sydney and Melbourne, more than 35% of households rent. Yet the standard rental experience forces people to live in spaces that never quite feel like their own — bare walls, no photos, no personal touches — all to avoid the risk of losing bond money over a few nail holes.
Restickable and magnetic hanging photo frames solve this completely. You get the personal, lived-in feeling of a home decorated with your own photos, with zero risk to your bond when you leave.
The Problem with Standard Photo Frames in Rentals
A traditional framed photo requires a nail or screw in the wall. In Australia, most residential leases explicitly prohibit this without written landlord permission. The penalty at the end of a tenancy is filling the hole and repainting, and if that's not done perfectly, it comes out of your security bond.
The result is a familiar compromise: renters either live with bare walls, use cheap workarounds that damage paint anyway, or simply don't personalise their space at all. For some tenants this means years in a home that never feels fully theirs.
Restickable frames remove this compromise entirely.
How Restickable Frames Work for Renters
Giftovia's restickable photo frames use a pressure-sensitive adhesive built directly into the back of the frame. The adhesive:
- Sticks firmly to standard Australian interior acrylic paint (the most common rental wall finish)
- Peels off without pulling the paint surface
- Leaves no adhesive residue on clean walls
- Can be repositioned up to 50 times without degrading
The net result: you can have a fully decorated home with framed photos on every wall, and when you move out, you peel the frames off, wipe the wall with a dry cloth, and the surface is indistinguishable from the day you moved in.
Magnetic Hanging for Rental Kitchens
For rental kitchens where you don't want to put anything on the wall at all, magnetic hanging frames are the perfect alternative. They attach to the fridge door or any metal kitchen surface with a magnet — no adhesive, no wall contact whatsoever.
A set of magnetic hanging frames on the fridge door is one of the fastest ways to personalise a rental kitchen. Family photos, a favourite holiday snap, a photo of your pet — all displayed without touching a single wall.
What the Lease Actually Says
Most Australian residential tenancy agreements contain language prohibiting "nails, screws, hooks, or other fixtures" that penetrate wall surfaces. Restickable frames don't penetrate surfaces — they use surface adhesion only, similar in principle to a large Post-it note.
In practice, this means:
- Restickable frames comply with the vast majority of standard Australian residential leases
- No landlord permission is required (though you can always ask if unsure)
- No holes to fill, no paint to repair, no bond deductions
8 Renter Decorating Tips with Photo Frames
1. Start with one feature wall
Don't try to decorate every room at once. Pick the wall you see most often — behind the sofa, beside the bed, or in the hallway — and start there. A single well-arranged wall of restickable frames transforms the feel of an entire flat.
2. Use the fridge for the kitchen
Most rental kitchens don't have a wall that's practical for hanging photos. The fridge door is your canvas — a set of 3–6 magnetic hanging frames creates a curated gallery on the most-seen surface in the room.
3. Try the arrangement on the floor first
Lay all your restickable frames on the floor in the arrangement you want before applying them to the wall. Take a photo of the layout, then replicate it. This way you get the composition exactly right before committing, and repositioning restickable frames is easy anyway.
4. Keep a consistent mat colour across frames
Even if you mix frame sizes, using the same mat colour (all white, all natural) gives a gallery wall a unified, intentional look. Consistency in the mat is the quickest way to make a rental-safe display look professionally curated.
5. Update seasonally instead of redecoration
Restickable frames mean you can change the photos without touching the frame position. Swap the prints inside the frames as the year goes on — summer photos in summer, Christmas photos in December — without buying new frames or moving them on the wall.
6. Document the wall condition before applying
Before applying any frame, photograph the wall surface. This documents the pre-existing condition and protects you in any dispute about marks at the end of tenancy. It's good practice regardless of the hanging method.
7. Pack frames carefully when moving
Restickable frames travel well. The adhesive doesn't activate until you press it firmly against a surface, so wrapping them in tissue paper or bubble wrap for moving is all you need. They're ready to go straight back on the walls of your new place.
8. Take frames with you to every move
Unlike nails or hardware, restickable frames move with you. The same frames that decorated your first flat can go directly to your next rental, then your own home. They're a permanent addition to your life, not a disposable solution for one lease.
Restickable vs Standard Frames for Renters
| Feature | Restickable Frame | Standard Frame + Nail |
|---|---|---|
| Wall damage | None | Nail hole required |
| Bond risk | Zero | Filling + repainting |
| Landlord permission | Not required | Usually required |
| Repositionable | Up to 50 times | New hole each time |
| Moves with you | Yes | Usually leave holes |
| Tools required | None | Hammer, nail, level |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are restickable photo frames allowed in Australian rental properties?
In most cases, yes. Australian leases prohibit nails and screws, but restickable frames don't use either. They mount with removable adhesive, leave no holes, and peel off without damaging standard interior paint. In the vast majority of Australian rental properties, restickable frames comply with lease conditions.
Will restickable photo frames damage painted walls in a rental?
No. Giftovia's restickable frames are designed to peel cleanly from standard Australian interior acrylic paint. Apply to a clean, dry surface and allow freshly painted walls to cure for 4 weeks before applying. Removal is completely clean on properly cured paint.
How do I hang photos in a rental without losing my bond?
Use restickable photo frames. They mount without nails, peel off cleanly, and leave no marks on standard painted plasterboard walls. When moving out, peel the frames, wipe the wall, and the surface looks exactly as it did when you moved in.
What surfaces can I use restickable frames on in a rental?
Painted plasterboard (the most common rental wall surface in Australia), smooth painted brick, glass, and smooth painted tile. Avoid textured, embossed, or freshly painted walls (let new paint cure 4 weeks).