So you’re ready to be an Airbnb host, you’ve got a sweet space and you’re ready to list. The first step on your Airbnb business plan: make your home Airbnb ready.
We know that hospitality and guest experiences are the best ways to get great guest reviews and rank better on Airbnb. But how do you make sure your house is ready for the best Airbnb guest experience?
Key Elements to Make Your Home Airbnb Ready
There are some standards to follow to make your home Airbnb ready, but first you want to understand the key elements of creating a hospitable space. Ask yourself these questions:
- How does my space provide comfort?
- How does my space provide convenience?
- Does my space offer information about the neighborhood?
- What are the basics my guests will need during their stay?
- Is there information about common questions and concerns, am I offering a means of problem-solving for other challenges?
- How can I go above and beyond a luxury hotel?
Transforming Your Airbnb Space from Personal to Guest Friendly
Cleaning Your Space
One word: spotless.
This is how your space must be for each and every new guest. You are competing with hotels and luxury brands, even the worst hotels have this basic standard of service. You have to be sure this is done every time. Hiring a professional cleaner may be more your speed if you’re not a fan of scrubbing.
Read my guide for how to clean your Airbnb space
Removal of Personal Items
First, you want to be sure you have removed all personal items that are not functional for your guests. These are items that are not things you would generally share with others. You’ll want to store these in another place, or in a pantry you can lock.
Here’s a list of important things to keep out of the line of guests to make your home Airbnb ready:
- Personal hygiene items
- Clothing
- Valuable items like laptops, cameras, and other gadgets
- Shoes
- Jewelry
- Personal documents
- Personal photos
- Your teddy bear your NaNa gave you when you were five, no one wants to share that
Placement of Personal Items
Here is a list of some things you may want to keep around to make your house Airbnb ready:
- Movies
- Video games
- Books
- Magazines
- Local directory
- Some local brochures or magazines, you can get these all over
- Important numbers
- Instructions for appliances including a list of the TV channels
- A cheat sheet on common translations in your language
How to prepare for Airbnb guests: What Really Makes a Space Hospitable
Sometimes it’s not the glitz and glam that make a place, it’s the convenience, amenities, and peace of mind that make you really enjoy your home away from home.
Even the poshest hotel can bomb terribly if there’s a major inconvenience. Thinking back, the best experiences I’ve had were the hassle-free ones, ones that kept me focused on the objective of the trip and not the lack of hospitality. To make your guest experience stellar, you may want to invest a little dough into your space. A little goes a long way when a guest is happy.
Here is a list of things you may need to buy to make your Airbnb space guest-ready:
- Extra blankets
- Extra pillows
- Extra towels
- A baby crib
- Air mattress
- Alarm clock
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Soft facial tissue
- Shampoo/conditioner and liquid soap
- Hairdryer
- Disposable razors
- Shaving cream
- Toothpaste
- Microwave
- Toaster/toaster oven
- Teapot
- Salt / sugar / oil
- Coffee maker / coffee / tea / creamer / sugar
- Good knife and cutting board
- Pots / pans / cooking utensils
- Cleaning products and air freshener
- Broom / Vacuum
Time for Sleep, Make Sure Your Guests Get Some
Nothing is worse than a terrible night’s sleep. Especially when you’re staying somewhere for more than a couple days. It can totally bomb a guest experience. Be sure not to overlook this major detail with some very minor solutions.
Here are some things you can do to make your home Airbnb ready for a night of zzz’s:
- Install blackout drapes
- Get a pillow top mattress topper
- High-quality sheets (these are awesome)
- Be sure you have adequate blankets for different seasons
- Slippers / eye mask / earplugs
- Place a small fan in the room
Going Above and Beyond Even a 5-Star Hotel
If you want killer reviews, you’re really going to need to put your best foot forward. Be proactive about the traveler’s needs, how can you accommodate their every conflict? How can you “wow” them?
Here are a few things you can do to blow your guest’s mind:
- Provide a cellphone with a local sim and data card
- Provide menus for local dining and delivery
- Leave discount tickets and coupons to local events, attractions, retailers and restaurants
- Provide bikes, kayaks, beach umbrellas, coolers, and other respective local conveniences
- Think of the season – if it’s summer leave fresh fruit, winter maybe hot chocolate
- Bottled water, sparkling water and chocolates
- Public transport cards
- Airport pick-up service
Related Post: Touch Stay Review: Digital Guest Welcome Books for Airbnb
Now You Have All the Items in Place, How to Present the Space
You’ve got everything you need to make your guest happy as can be. Now you just have to be proactive about making everything look nice. from your towel folds to your remote controls, everything should have a finished look and be in place.
Here are a few extras to make your home Airbnb ready and comfortable:
- Shower amenities on top of nicely folded towels
- Chocolates, weather, and welcome note on pillow
- Remote and channel guide on night stand
- Neighborhood materials on table or coffee table
- Six pack of beer in fridge
- Special items on counters, tables
- Fresh flowers
- Air freshener
This is a bounty of information to get you started on transforming your Airbnb space into a welcoming home for your temporary guests. Please, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to use the comment section below. We love hearing from you.