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ContinueThis vacation rental inventory checklist provides you with a baseline of the amenities and furnishings you need to provide.
Written by
Ben Luxon
PUBLISHED ON
13
Sep
2022
If you are new to the world of short-term rentals, you may find yourself wondering what you can do to give your guests the best possible experience. While some things are out of your control, such as the location of your property or host fees, you can shape your guest’s stay and make their vacation memorable by ensuring that you follow a vacation rental inventory checklist.
Keep reading for our checklist of everything that should be at your short-term rental.
Perhaps most obviously, an inventory checklist will provide you with a baseline of the amenities and furnishings you need to provide. Especially when preparing a property that has not been previously used as a short-term rental, it can be easy to forget certain essentials. The checklist, therefore, can help you keep track of what you have and what you need.
Another benefit to having a checklist is that it can aid you during your rental property inspection in between guests. If you are operating with a high guest turnover, you may not always have a lot of time to prepare the property for the next guest.
A good checklist will help you manage your vacation rental by helping you keep track of the condition of everything in your property. The last thing you want is for guests to complain that there is no toaster (when there is one showing in the photo online) or that the lamps on the bedside tables are not working.
Following your checklist will allow you to give your guests the best possible stay. This will then lead to great reviews, helping your vacation property to stand out from the competition.
Related: Move-in and move-out inspection template for rental properties
It is worth keeping a few things in mind when furnishing or decorating your short-term rental:
Each room in your property will be used for different purposes, and so will have different requirements when it comes to inventory.
If your rental is located in a busy downtown area that is surrounded by a plethora of restaurants, cafes and bars, the kitchen may not get much love. Even if your property is not in the city center, the kitchen may only get light use at best, as guests who are visiting may want to explore the new (to them) area through the local food culture.
However, if the vacation rental is in a remote location or somewhere that welcomes big group stays, you may find that guests do use your kitchen. This is where some basic utensils and appliances can go a long way. And thoughtful touches like a juicer with easy clean up and basic ingredients such as oil and seasonings (though entirely optional) will elevate your guests experience.
It goes without saying that you should provide enough beds per person. Be clear in your listing about pull out beds, sofa beds, bunk beds and other alternative sleeping arrangements so guests know exactly what to expect.
Depending on the location of your property and the current season, you may want to consider providing blankets and heaters (if it’s cold) or fans and air conditioning (if it’s hot). Bear in mind that everyone has different preferences and comfort levels. The goal is to make as many people happy as possible, within reason.
Everyone knows that you need to provide enough towels per person (the standard is often two towels per guest) but another thing to consider is the color. Some hosts prefer to offer small, dark-colored towels that can be used specifically for removing makeup. This way, you can save your fresh white towels from being streaked with hard-to-remove stains.
The living room is an area where guests will expect to be able to relax. Make sure you provide enough seating, so there is sufficient room for each guest. Most guests will expect a TV in the living room. Although it doesn’t need to be a smart TV with built-in streaming features like Netflix or Disney+, this can be a great way to add value.
One or two board games or card games can also be a nice addition. They also do not take up much space and are relatively inexpensive.
The dining room table should be big enough to eat around with enough seating for each guest. If you are tight for space or renting out a small apartment, a small table or a clutter-free kitchen island may be sufficient.
When furnishing your dining room (and even the rest of your house for that matter) consider placing coasters down to prevent the surfaces of your furniture from getting marked or stained. This can save you time when cleaning and money when it comes to damage.
Related: First-Time Landlord Checklist: 9 Things To Follow For Success
Basic ingredients
It goes without saying that you can add further value to your property with tasteful decor. Decor like wall art, throw pillows or indoor plants are a great way to add personality to a space and can be inexpensive too.
Related: 10 Amenities That Will Increase The Value Of Your Property
As every property, host and guest varies significantly, one size does not fit all. Therefore, when it comes to furnishing your vacation rental, not everything on this list will be applicable or appropriate.
Do not be afraid to add or remove things to the list as you see fit. If you notice that two reviews in a row point out the absence of a pizza cutter, add one! Chances are that if one guest notices something is missing, others will too.
However you decide to furnish your property, our vacation rental inventory checklist is a great starting point that you can easily reference. Finally, be sure to mention all of the amenities in your listing and capture them in your photography to really help your property stand out.
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