This summer, we tried something new – listing our home on Airbnb while we were on vacation for almost two weeks! In retrospect, getting ready for a big trip AND simultaneously getting our home ready to host was more than a little stressful. But, it did pay for a good chunk of our vacation costs, so the jury is still out on whether or not we’ll do it again!
To make the process easier for YOU if you wish to try this, I’ve put together this checklist of ten ways to prepare your home to host on Airbnb:
1. Consider Your Curb Appeal
This was an area our home lacked. In the days leading up to our vacation, I worked on cleaning up the landscaping and decorating our porch. Weeding and adding some fresh plants goes a long way!
2. Declutter Surfaces
Clear your kitchen counters, your bathroom counters, dressers, tables … as many surfaces as makes sense. Remove any papers and most of the knick-knacks, and relocate appliances to inside the cabinets. Your home will feel more spacious, more calm, and more clean!
3. Empty drawers and closets (at least somewhat)
The goal isn’t to make your home feel like a hotel. If someone wants to stay at a hotel, they probably aren’t looking for Airbnbs! But, you DO want to make sure there’s more than enough space for your guests. So don’t leave your closets packed full, or even dresser drawers.
I emptied my closet completely and only kept a few things in the bottom dresser drawer. Brian kept about half of his clothes in the closet and half of his things in the lower dresser drawers. I emptied the kids’ closet and all but the bottom drawers.
Watch our walkthrough:
4. Create a Photo moment/hangout spot
For us, this was our vintage porch swing. Our guests commented that they loved hanging out on the front porch, so the work I put into cleaning and decorating out there was totally worth it!
Having a unique feature like a backyard grilling set up, or a beautiful garden, or stunning art, or a mural – will make your home memorable.
5. Don’t forget the fridge
Since we were gone less than a month, I didn’t throw out all of our condiments. But otherwise, our fridge was empty except for a summer sausage we left for our guests. Don’t leave any food you don’t want someone else to eat! And make sure the fridge is clean.
6. Ask them about their needs
Double-check to see if they need the crib that converts to a toddler bed instead of just assuming. It’s always better to just ask!
7. Leave a guide
You don’t need to make anything fancy, but recommendations for great restaurants or local attractions is always a great idea! I created a simple PDF in Canva with a photo of our family, our recommendations, and a few notes about our home. I also asked them to take out the trash and leave all the bedding in the laundry room – which they did!
8. Take photos or video
Once your home is ready, take a walkthrough video! It’s great to look back on, but also, its documentation in case something does go south. 99% of people renting on Airbnb are amazing and treat your home like their own. But sometimes, things can happen.
9. Ask for a review
Reviews are so important if you decide to rent on Airbnb again! But most people will forget to leave one without a friendly reminder. Always review your guests as well!
10. Leave a surprise
In addition to breakfast food, we left a summer sausage and a variety of crackers for an easy charcuterie board, a bottle of sparkling lemonade. Fresh flowers, smores supplies, a handwritten note, or something a little extra will delight your guests, hopefully bringing you repeat customers and a five-star review!
Would you ever consider putting your home on Airbnb? Let me know in the comments below!
