Short Term Rental - Setup

When setting up your short term rental, you want to have in mind the items that each platform (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc) will be asking you if your unit has. The more items that you tell Airbnb that your unit has the higher you will rank in the searches. Airbnb & Vrbo want to promote well stocked and well thought out short term rentals. Below you’ll find lists of those items and lists of other items that we think could be helpful.

If you click on any of the pictures of the items, it will take you directly to the item on Amazon. We got most of our supplies off of amazon and have the packages shipped strait to the STR property.

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Kitchen:

Airbnb will ask if your unit has the following items: (Remember the more you have the better but it think some of these are a little over the top, but definitely be thinking about who your target guest is so you know which of these items will be important for them)

~ Cooking basics (Pots & Pans, Oil Salt and Pepper) ~ Dishes & Silverware (Bowls, chopsticks, plates, cups, etc) ~ Baking sheet ~ BBQ Utensils (Grill, charcoal, iron skewers, etc) ~ Bread maker ~ Blender ~ Coffee ~ Coffee Maker ~ Dining Table ~ Dishwasher ~ Freezer ~ Hot water kettle ~ Microwave ~ Mini Fridge ~ Oven ~ Refrigerator ~ Rice Maker ~ Toaster ~ Trash Compactor ~ Wine glasses ~

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Here’s some things that Airbnb doesn’t mention but guests will surely want:

~ Sponges & dish soap ~ coffee mugs ~ Knives and cutting boards ~ Tupperware, ziplocks, and foil, etc ~ Sugar & cream for coffee ~ Paper towels ~ Dish towels ~ Corkscrew/ bottle opener ~ Potholders ~ Trashcan & trash bags

Bathroom:

Airbnb will ask if you have these items:

~ Towels ~ Soap ~ Toilet paper ~ Hair dryer ~ Bathtub ~ Bidet ~ Body soap, shampoo, conditioner ~ Hot water ~ Outdoor shower ~

Not asked by Airbnb, but you should definitely consider:

~ Trash cans & bags ~ Nothing in the toilet sign (especially in a house with septic or old sewer line) ~ Lotion ~ Soap dispenser in the shower with refill jugs (then people won’t take your soaps) ~ Febreeze spray or plug-ins ~ Q-tips, cotton swabs, make-up removal wipes (make up stains on your pillow cases with become your kryptonite) ~ Tissues ~ Toilet Plunger ~

Bedrooms:

Airbnb asks if you have the following:

~ Bedsheets ~ Pillows ~ Bed Linens ~ Clothing storage ~ Extra pillows & blankets ~ Hangers ~ Room darkening shades ~ TV ~ Ceiling fan ~ Portable fan ~ Mosquito net

These are kind of obvious but don’t forget to plan for:

~ Bed ~ Mattress ~ Mattress protector ~ Nightstand ~ Alarm clock ~ Trashcan & bags ~ multi outlet adapter/ charging dock ~ Night lights ~ Note pad & pens ~ Flashlight ~ Tissues ~ We recommend a quilt with sheets & blankets instead of a comforter because most comforters break down and the fill gets lumpy as you wash it.

Living Room:

Airbnb Asks about:

~ WIFI ~ Entertainment ~ Books & reading materials ~ Game console ~ Piano ~ Ping pong table ~ Pool table ~ Record player ~ Sound system ~ TV ~ Safe ~

Also needed but not asked about:

~ Couches (I would recommend a sleeper sofa to be able to accommodate more guests) ~ Coffee Table & End tables ~ Greenery ~ Air mattress (can allow for increased occupancy)~ Rug ~ TV wall mount (to keep the TV out of reach of kids) ~ Accent chairs ~ We also have a welcome book on the coffee table, it has FAQ about any property features and amenities, as well as a guide to the city, and an area where guests can leave their mark, or suggestions) ~ Throw pillows ~ Throw blanket ~

Laundry Room:

Airbnb Asks about:

~ Washer & Dryer (in unit? coin op?) ~ Iron ~ Drying rack for clothes ~

We think you’ll also need:

~

~Washing machine soap & fabric softener ~ Ironing board ~ Trashcan & bags ~

Family

Airbnb Asks if you have the following: (some of this may be overkill depending on who your “normal” guests are. I would start with minimal baby gear and if a guest sends an inquiry asking if you have an item that you don’t have, let them know you would be more than happy to get one for them)

~ Baby bath ~ Baby monitor ~ Baby safety gates ~ Babbysitter recommendations ~ Board games ~ Changing table ~ Children’s books and toys ~ Children’s dinnerware ~ Crib ~ Fireplace guards ~ High chairs ~ Outlet covers ~ Pack ‘n Play/ Travel crib ~

Other Amenities & Safety Supplies

Airbnb also asks about these following items:

~ Dedicated Workspace (Desk or table with a chair and space for a laptop) ~ Heating & Cooling ~ Hot Tub ~ Pool ~ Carbon monoxide alarms ~ Smoke alarms ~ Fire Extinguisher ~ First Aid Kit ~

We also think you might need:

~ Smart lock ~ Smart thermostat ~ A lockbox on sight incase the smart lock dies (this happened 3 times in a year to us) ~ Extra Batteries for remotes, locks, and alarms ~

Cleaning Supplies