Successfully managing an Airbnb requires a lot of preparation. From complying with local regulatory laws to knowing what to stock for your guests — there’s a lot to consider.
We’ve created this comprehensive Airbnb host checklist to help you get set up and provide your guests with an incredible short-term rental experience. We’ll go over everything you need as a host, including both an Airbnb inventory checklist, as well as a list of things you can do to better manage, streamline, and optimize your vacation rental operations.
Steps for Preparing Your Home for Successful Hosting on Airbnb
Along with having all the necessary furniture, supplies, and amenities for your Airbnb, there is also a lot of preparation required to manage the day-to-day operations of your Airbnb.
If you’re setting up your Airbnb for the first time, check out our vacation rental startup checklist for first-time hosts.
Here are a few things from that checklist you’ll need to do to prepare your Airbnb.
1. Confirm legal and tax requirements
Check your local regulatory laws and codes before starting an Airbnb or vacation rental – seemore from Airbnb.
2. Decorate with Style
Add some cool decorations to give your place its own unique vibe. You don’t need to spend a lot of money – even small, charming touches can make a big difference.
3. Buy Comfy Furniture
Comfy beds and cozy sofas are a must. Think about what would make you feel at home if you were traveling. And make sure to choose the best furniture for your Airbnb. Happy guests mean great reviews!
4. Make Your House Safe and Sound
Safety is super important. Check those smoke detectors, secure the locks, and have a first aid kit handy. We want your guests to feel safe and sound in your home.
5. List Your Property
You cancreate an Airbnb listing, and use achannel managerto list on multiple platforms like Vrbo, Booking.com, and others. More listings mean more chances for people to find your awesome place!
6. Take Awesome Photos of Your Place
Snap some bright and welcoming photos of every corner of your place. These pictures are like a sneak peek for your guests, so let’s make them look fantastic!
7. Write a Catchy Title
Your listing’s title is like a welcome sign. Make it catchy and inviting. Use words that highlight the best parts of your place – like “Cozy Cottage with a Sunny Garden” or “Modern Apartment Right in the City Center.” Here’s how to write the best Airbnb title for your vacation rental (with examples)!
8. Set a Smart Pricing Strategy
Setting the right price is like a magic trick. You don’t want to be too expensive or too cheap. Look at what other hosts in your area are charging and find a sweet spot that works for you and your guests. AnAirbnb pricing toolcanhelp you maximize your bookings and profits. We recommend Wheelhouse for most Airbnb hosts.
9. Get Insurance
Just to be on the safe side, get extra insurance for your Airbnb. It’s a good idea to havehomeshare insurance(we recommendProper Insurance), especially if you want adirect booking websitefor your Airbnb.
Get a comprehensive vacation rental insurance quote in 3 minutes.
Get a quote
10. Find a Reliable Cleaning Service
A clean place is a happy place! Find a good cleaning service to make your Airbnb sparkle after each guest. A clean and tidy space always gets thumbs up from guests. Check out thecleaning checklistwe prepared or consider thesecleaning service options.
11. Manage guest messages
We recommend using software likeSmartbnb(or any otherAirbnb channel managerof your choosing).
12. Get more bookings
Improve yourAirbnb search rankingsand learnhow to market your Airbnb.
Vacation Rental Inventory Checklist: How to Stock Your Airbnb
To put together this Airbnb inventory checklist, we’ve been actively involved in the community, spoken to a lot of Airbnb hosts, and even did a full house walkthrough just to make sure we’ve thought of everything you’d want to offer your Airbnb or vacation rental.
We’ve created a convenient Vacation Rental Inventory Checklist Spreadsheet, including recommended products. To use this spreadsheet, go to File > Make a copy (if you’re logged in to your Google account) or File > Download. Modify as needed and start checking things off! View the Spreadsheet
For your convenience, we’ve included links to the products we recommend.
Here are some of the factors we take into account when choosing the best Airbnb products to recommend for your vacation rental:
- Affordable/available in bulk – especially for items that are disposable or refillable; you want dependable products that aren’t going to break the bank.
- High quality – avoid buying the cheapest option possible for most items. We want items that will last for dozens (maybe even hundreds) of visits.
- Durable and well-made – avoid items that break easily or will fall apart after repeated use.
- Easy to wash or clean – we recommend machine-washable items that have smooth exteriors or are otherwise easy to clean.
- Eco-friendly – many guests appreciate eco-friendly products like those that are biodegradable, plastic-free, or help reduce waste.
This Airbnb host checklist will give you some ideas and help you think about what kind of experience you want to offer your guests. What you choose to provide your guests is ultimately, of course, up to you.
Bathroom
As an Airbnb host, it can be helpful to think about the bathroom amenities you appreciate when traveling, the things you often forget, or the things you love about your bathroom at home.
Your bathroom can make or break your guests’ overall experience since your guests are most likely expecting to find several familiar items in the bathroom. Here’s our recommended Airbnb bathroom inventory checklist:
- Essential accessories
- Soap and shampoo dispensers
- Wastebasket
- Bath mat (machine-washable, absorbent, and non-slip)
- Shower curtain and liner
- Plunger
- Toiletries
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash
- Hand soap
- Toilet paper
- Toothbrushes
- Flossers
- Toothpaste (individually wrapped tablets)
- Maxi pads
- Razors
- Tissues
- Towels (read our post about choosing towels for your Airbnb)
- Nice-to-have amenities
- Instructional signs
Pro Tip: For toiletries, consider leaving just a few of each item rather than the whole box. That way, your guests won’t be tempted to go home with a free box of something. And for towels, a common rule of thumb is to leave 1 or 2 bath towels per guest per stay. You might also consider having a closet with a few extra towels stocked.
Kitchen
Having a full kitchen is one of the perks that make guests book an Airbnb over a hotel. But a kitchen with no supplies isn’t much use. Here’s a list of some items to keep in your Airbnb kitchen:
- Appliances
- Furniture
- Tableware
- Plates and bowls
- Large serving plates and bowls
- Drinking cups
- Cutlery(forks, knives, spoons)
- Steak knives
- Coffee mugs
- Wine glasses
- Cookware & Bakeware
- Foodstuffs
- Salt and Pepper
- Sugar packets
- Spices(this spice rack on Amazoncomes with five years of free refills)
- Cooking oil(vegetable oil, olive oil, etc.)
- Cooking spray
- Coffeeandtea(and coffee filters andcondiments)
- Snacks
- Leftovers & Cleanup
Kitchen items are frequently replaced, so we wrote a separate post on how to stock your vacation rental kitchen and included a checklist of everything you need to restock in your Airbnb or short-term vacation rental.
Bedroom
The number and size of bedrooms in your Airbnb will vary, but these are the essential items most guests expect from a vacation rental bedroom: a bed, bedding, and somewhere to store their clothes. Here’s our recommended Airbnb bedroom checklist:
- Furniture
- Bed frame (or bunk beds)
- Nightstand
- Bedside lamp (with USB charging ports)
- Bedding
- Closet
- Decor
Your Airbnb bedding is another factor that can make or break your guests’ experience. We recommend using a good mattress for your Airbnb, like the Sweet Night Twilight Hybrid Mattress, and quality pillows and sheets. Make your guests feel like they’re staying in a fancy hotel bed, and they’ll be much more likely to leave a positive review. Read our full review on the best mattress for your Airbnb.
Living Area
Of course, depending on your space, the items in your living area will vary greatly. Maybe you have room for a ping pong table or foosball table. Maybe you only have room for a loveseat. Here are some basic items for the living areas in your Airbnb:
- Furniture & Decor
- Couch
- Coffee table and/or end table
- House plants (if you want to use live plants, we recommend low-maintenance ones like ficus tree plants, snake plants, etc.)
- Area rug
- TV stand
- Entertainment
- Smart TV (with Netflix, Hulu, and other subscriptions)
- Games and playing cards
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing Airbnb furniture. Some of the main factors to consider are the design style of your space, price, durability, comfort, stain resistance, and how easy it is to clean.
As for entertainment, having some games and a smart TV with subscriptions to streaming services goes a long way. There are several factors to consider when choosing the best TV for your Airbnb, but we recommend checking out the TCL Smart Roku TV. Read our post on the best TV for your Airbnb.
Outdoor
Like your indoor living areas, your outdoor space may be large or small (or non-existent). If your Airbnb has a yard, patio, deck, or porch, here are a few items to improve your guests’ outdoor experience.
- Furniture & Decor
- Lawn games
- Pool
If you do have some outdoor space, you can significantly enhance the experience of your guests by providing some of these amenities. An enjoyable, relaxing outdoor space can help you get some great positive reviews.
And if tennis courts are nearby, consider leaving some tennis gear for your guests. You probably don’t want a tennis ball machine, but you might consider having some cheap tennis rackets and tennis balls available (or some pickleball gear, if there are pickleball courts).
Any activities you can provide or facilitate can go a long way to improving your guests’ experience.
Security & Convenience
Self-check-in and free WiFi are two features many Airbnb guests have come to expect these days. In addition to these conveniences, there are other security measures you may want to take as a host, such as noise monitoring and security cameras.
Here are some items that will make your Airbnb more secure and convenient for you and your guests.
- Free WiFi (we recommend StayFi)
- Security cameras
- Noise monitoring software
- Lockbox or smart lock (for guest self-check-in)
- WiFi thermostat
- Signs for your Airbnb guests
- WiFi sign
- House rules sign
If you don’t go for anything else, we recommend providing free WiFi — this is something almost all Airbnb guests will be expecting.
We recommend StayFi, which offers reliable WiFi with the ability to collect your guests’ email addresses.
Additionally, using a smart lock (or at least a lockbox) is a great way to allow your guests to self-check in.
Cleaning Supplies
If you’re hiring a professional cleaning team to do your Airbnb turnovers, then you won’t need to stock as many cleaning supplies yourself. Here are some basic cleaning supplies that come in handy for keeping your Airbnb sparkling clean between guests.
- Washer and dryer set
- Cleaning spray
- Paper towels
- Gloves
- Duster
- Comet powdered cleanser
- Magic eraser
- Drano
- Broom and dustpan
- Vacuum
- Air Freshener
Depending on your space, you may require additional cleaning supplies. For instance, if you allow pets, you may want a lint roller or other pet-specific cleaning supplies. Again, if you’re using a cleaning service, these supplies may be unnecessary.
Welcoming Different Types of Travelers
Hosting on Airbnb means meeting all sorts of wonderful people from different walks of life. Each type of traveler might need something a bit different to make their stay perfect.
Here’s a handy list of items to offer, depending on who’s coming to stay at your property.
Leisure Travelers
For those coming to relax and have fun:
- Local travel guides and maps.
- Comfy lounge areas with entertainment options like TV and board games.
- A list of your favorite nearby restaurants and attractions.
- Beach towels and umbrellas if you’re near the beach.
Business Travelers
For the work-focused guests:
- High-speed Wi-Fi and a dedicated workspace.
- Iron and ironing board for keeping business attire neat.
- Coffee maker with coffee and tea supplies.
- Easy access to power outlets for charging devices.
Families with Kids
To make families feel at home:
- Portable crib and high chair.
- Safety covers on outlets and child-proof locks.
- A small selection of kid-friendly games and books.
- Information on family-friendly activities nearby.
Pet Owners
For guests bringing their furry friends:
- Pet bowls for food and water.
- A list of local pet-friendly spots like parks and cafes.
- Pet bed or designated sleeping area.
- Extra cleaning supplies for any pet messes.
By thinking about the specific needs of each type of traveler, you can make sure everyone has a fantastic stay at your Airbnb!
Managing your Airbnb or vacation rental can be a lot of work. Fortunately, there are more and more software platforms and services popping up every day to help. Check out our list of the best vacation rental software for ideas on the kinds of software you can use to maximize profits and streamline your operations.
Do you have other advice or suggestions for this Airbnb hosting checklist? Let us know in the comments!
Vacation Rental Inventory Spreadsheet
We’ve created a convenient Vacation Rental Inventory Checklist Spreadsheet, including recommended products. To use this spreadsheet, go to File > Make a copy (if you’re logged in to your Google account) or File > Download. Modify as needed and start checking things off! View the Spreadsheet
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Written by Johanes Godoy
Johanes is the Head of Content at Floorspace. She expertly blends her diverse expertise in travel blogging, marketing, and real estate to create high-quality content for vacation rental hosts. Her experience as a travel blogger, involving collaborations with Airbnb, resorts, and hotels, has provided her with substantial knowledge in promoting vacation rentals.
