DIY privacy fixes you can tackle with your housies

A few clever additions to your share house can make a big difference when it comes to privacy. And yep, you can grab it in one Bunnings run.

Some things only really hit once you’ve lived with other people for a while.

Like how sound travels everywhere. How the lights are never off when you want them to be. Or how “just passing through” somehow turns your space into a thoroughfare.

Privacy in a share house isn’t a given. You’ve got to carve it out for yourself - and when you’re renting, that usually means making it work without doing anything that’ll mess with your bond.

It doesn’t take much, though. A few simple, renter-friendly tweaks can make shared spaces feel way less chaotic (and a lot more liveable).

No tools, no stress.

With a bit of planning (and minimal group chat back-and-forth) here are some easy DIY privacy fixes worth trying, with a little help from our friends at Bunnings.

Break up shared zones without closing them off

Not every space needs a wall, but most share houses could definitely use a bit of separation.

Open areas tend to carry everything: noise, movement, distractions… all of it.

Which is fine… until you’re trying to work, relax, or just not be part of whatever’s going on in the living room.

Even a small visual barrier can help signal that different parts of the home have different jobs.

And that’s where freestanding pieces come in.

Something like the Rapid White Decorative Privacy Screen can quickly split a room into two zones, particularly handy if your “home office” is currently just… the end of the couch (aka the least productive office setup of all time.)

If your layout changes a lot, a Room Divider Folding Privacy Screen gives you that same separation, but you can move it around or pack it away whenever you need.

Let your storage do more than just store things

Storage in a share house is already doing the most, so you may as well make it work a bit harder for you.

Instead of lining everything up against the walls, try using storage to actually shape the space.

The Flexi Storage Clever Cube Oak Storage Unit works really well as a divider that still feels open, especially in bigger rooms that need to do more than one thing.

For smaller spaces, the Flexi Storage Clever Cube White Compact Storage Unit gives you a similar setup without taking up as much room.

Create subtle boundaries

Privacy isn’t always about putting something physical in place. Sometimes it’s just about making things clearer.

When spaces aren’t defined, they tend to overlap. And in a share house, that’s when stuff (and people) start creeping into areas they probably shouldn’t.

Using a mix of screens, storage and furniture placement can help set boundaries that actually stick. Even small tweaks, like shifting a unit or angling a screen, can change how a space feels and how people use it.

Keep it flexible as your house evolves

If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed in a share house, it’s change.

People move in, people move out. Rooms get swapped. The living room randomly becomes a bedroom for a bit.

So whatever you set up needs to be easy to move with you.

Freestanding screens and modular storage units are ideal because you can shift them around, repurpose them, or completely rethink the layout without much effort.

So there you have it: you don’t need to go full reno to get a bit more privacy.

Because when shared living works, it really works.

And when it doesn’t… well, you’ll know about it.