- Karen Lau
If you have acquired an investment property and want to turn it into a short-term rental and list it on Airbnb or VRBO, this is a guide to help you become a five-star host on any platform.
In order to list your property on any short-term rental platforms, the first step is of course to furnish the entire unit to make it functional and comfortable for your guests, whether they are staying for a few days or a few months
If you haven’t yet, use our furnishing cost calculator to estimate the budget you need to furnish your property with quality furniture. The best of thing about the budget range you get is that all the design and heavy lifting with be done for you, if you work with Furnishr.
While we do see a high return on investment of short-term rental properties with an inviting feature image on the listing, creating a comfortable experience for your guests is the key offering you provide. Their stellar experience will be shared as a five-star review and that’s also how you gain traffic from potential guests who are searching for a stay in your area. In this post, we have a complete furnishing guide that tells you what furniture is needed for each room. And to see how to get your listing to the top of Airbnb, read here.
Table of Contents
Imagine the most pampering vacation experience
Quality interior design with premium furniture and decor certainly make a pleasant impression for any short-term rental. As the guests stay and use the space, it is the completeness of the everyday items that adds to the enjoyment of a vacation.
Imagine your guest’s night after a long day of touring or working in a world renowned hotel suite. Can you replicate that experience or, even better, take it up a notch? Think about having a glass of wine after that long day – the glass should be spotlessly clean, all kinds of wine bottle openers should be handy, coasters?
How about a cocktail table by the sofa so you can sink into it and have that first sip? Imagining your guest’s experience can be as simple as that, but repeat for every little thing they would do in a vacation home.
Short-term rental furnishing checklist - by room
Furnishr provides a “move-in kit” to all clients if they choose to add one. It includes all the non-furniture essentials needed to operate a short-term rental. The move-in kit is a simplified version of this complete short-term rental furnishing checklist.
All Rooms
Must have
- Sufficient lighting
- Blackout blinds or curtains
- WiFi connection
- Smoke detector for each floor
Nice to have
- Ceiling fans
- Air Conditioner
- Extension cords to access power outlets
Entryway
Must have
- Secure lock
- Coat rack
Nice to have
- Smart lock
- Welcome door mat
- Shoe rack
Living Room
Must have
- Furniture
- Flatscreen smart TV
Nice to have
- Streaming apps available on TV
- Sound system
Kitchen / Dining
Must have
- Pots and pans (8-piece or more)
- Cooking utensils
- Gourmet cooking knives
- Cutting boards
- Flatware set
- Dinnerware
- Drinking glasses
- Wine glasses
- Baking sheets
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Salt & pepper shaker
- Corkscrew
- Ice cube tray
- Pot holders
- Paper towel holder
- Colander
- Certified fire extinguisher
- Coffee brewer
- Blender
- Dish cloths
- Serving trays
- Serving bowls
- Serving utensils
- Trash cans & recycling bins
Nice to have
- Cocktail making suppliers
- Placemats
- Storage containers (reusable)
- Dish drying rack
- Salad spinner
- Keurig coffee maker
- Hand mixer
- Crockpot / Instant Pot
- Toaster
- Juice pitcher
- Tea kettle
- Meat thermometer
- Kids utensils
- Kids dinnerware
Bathroom / Laundry
Must have
- Waste baskets
- Bath towels
- Wash towels
- Hand cloths
- Bath mats
- Hairdryer
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Hangers for all closets
- Broom & dustpan
- Vacuum cleaner
Nice to have
- Hamper
- Mop & mop bucket
- Toiletry holder
- Toilet brushes
Bedrooms
Must have
- Sheet sets (3 per bed)
- Duvet insert
- Duvet cover
- Pillows (2-4 per bed)
- Mattress protector
- Pillow protectors
Nice to have
- Mirror
- Luggage rack
- Trash can
