Rental Inventory Checklist for New Hosts to Ensure Perfect Guest Experience

Owning a vacation rental is a great way to earn extra income, but getting started in the hospitality industry can feel overwhelming. While many of today’s travelers prefer to stay in vacation rentals instead of hotels, they have high expectations about customer service.

It’s your job as a host to ensure your guests have an enjoyable experience. That’s why you need to prepare your property for STR guests and stock it with the essential items necessary for a comfortable stay. You should also consider providing some extras to help you stand out from the competition and attract more travelers.

To ensure that nothing gets overlooked and your home is fully equipped to meet the needs of your guests, it’s smart to create a vacation rental inventory checklist. It guarantees you cover all the basics to meet your guests’ preferences.

Inventory Checklist for Vacation Rental: Why Do You Need One for Your Property?

There’s so much to do before listing your property on Airbnb and other OTAs and start welcoming guests. You need to transform your home into a guest-friendly space where they can relax and enjoy their stay. Keep in mind that guests expect at least the same comforts and amenities they have at home, and probably a little more since they are on vacation.

Make sure your property is safe. Fix any loose steps and exposed wires, and repair or replace appliances that don’t work properly. You should also install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and provide a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit.

Furnish and decorate your home to make it comfortable and inviting. Buy durable short-term rental furniture and invest in artwork, vases, plants, mirrors, throw pillows, and other home décor items to make your rental space visually appealing to your target guests.

Give your house a deep clean and plan how you’ll handle cleaning your property in between bookings. Hire professional cleaners and provide them with a detailed cleaning checklist they should follow during each turnover. Managing your cleaners and assigning tasks to them will be easier if you automate this process using vacation rental software like Hospitable.

Equip your property with amenities to ensure a comfortable stay for your guests. Modern travelers are demanding and can filter their searches on Airbnb and other vacation rental listing sites according to the amenities they like. So ensure you can offer as many of the most popular amenities as possible, including WiFi, kitchen, TV, washing machine, and air conditioning.

Remember that you need to ensure that your rental space is well-furnished and well-stocked with all the items that will make your guests feel comfortable, welcomed, and at home. That’s why having a comprehensive rental inventory checklist is crucial for the success of your STR business. It will help you meet and exceed guests’ expectations, keep track of the items, and ensure that you never run out of essentials.  

Rental Inventory Checklist: Stock Your Vacation Rental Like a Pro

To help you set up your vacation rental for the first time, we’ve created a comprehensive short-term rental inventory checklist that you can rely on. It covers all the items and amenities you need in your STR property, including furniture, appliances, linens, and other supplies.

Kitchen

A well-stocked kitchen is an essential amenity itself, so you should equip it with everything your guests might need for a home-cooked meal. Think about all the kitchen items that you use daily to make simple meals for your family, and ensure you have:

• Refrigerator and freezer
• Microwave
• Dishwasher
• Oven with stovetop burners
• Blender
• Coffee maker
• Pots, pans, baking sheets, and other cookware
• Plates and bowls
• Coffee cups
• Wine glasses
• Cutting board
• Knives
• Food storage containers
• Tea and coffee
• Salt and pepper
• Basic spices/seasonings
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Flour
• Cooking oil
• Can opener
• Kitchen scissors
• Kitchen towels
• Dishwashing soap and sponges
• Paper towels
• Trash cans and bags

Bathroom

When stocking the bathroom, consider the items you use and prioritize quality toiletries and cleanliness. Your guests will expect that your bathroom has the following items:

• Hand, face, and bath towels for each guest
• Toilet paper
• Liquid hand soap
• Towel hooks
• Hair dryer
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Body wash or shower gel
• Toothpaste and disposable toothbrushes
• Small garbage cans and trash bags

Pro tip: Buy toiletries in bulk in larger containers and invest in refillable dispensers to reduce plastic waste. Many eco-conscious travelers are looking for sustainable options, so you may also consider alternatives like soap bars, shampoo bars, and conditioner bars to align with their preferences.

Bedrooms

In this room, you need to provide everything that your guests need for a great night’s sleep and create a comfortable atmosphere so that your guests can relax. The essential bedroom items include:

• A double bed with a cozy mattress
• High-quality pillows
• High-thread count bedding
• Extra blankets for cold nights
• Bedside tables and lamps
• Thick curtains that can block the light in the morning
• Alarm clock
• A ceiling fan or air conditioning system
• A full-length mirror
• Plenty of clothes hangers

Living room

Make sure that your living room is spacious and inviting, and since it’s a high-traffic area, investing in durable, long-lasting furniture makes sense. To ensure your guests can enjoy this amenity, you must equip it with a functioning entertainment center and stock it with a few rainy-day activities.

• Couches and chairs
• Entertainment system
• Smart TV
• Lighting and lamps
• Side tables and a coffee table
• Décor (vases, artwork, green plants, throw pillows)
• Books
• Board games
• A deck of cards
• Pens and pencils

You can use these ideas as a starting point to create your own rental inventory checklist. Make sure to share your inventory checklist for vacation rental with your cleaners so they can quickly notice what your property has and what it needs during turnovers. This way, you can ensure that everything meets your guests’ expectations so they will be more likely to leave you positive reviews.

To build a successful STR business, focus on marketing your rental property and providing a memorable guest experience to make your guests happy. You’ll have more time for that if you automate your hosting routine using short-term rental software like Hospitable, making your business more efficient.

Outdoor area

If you have an ample outdoor space, consider equipping it with some of the following items and amenities to enable your guests to relax and enjoy their time outside fully.

• Outdoor furniture: a table, chairs, an outdoor couch, or a hammock
• A sun umbrella
• A barbeque grill
• A private pool or hot tub
• Outdoor lighting
• Outdoor games
• Decorative low-maintenance plants and landscaping

Creating an inviting outdoor space can help you attract more guests and ensure they have a memorable stay. So you may want to check out our blog article where we share some Airbnb backyard ideas that can help you transform your outdoor area into a cozy oasis.

You should always take into account the needs and wants of your guests and equip your rental space with items and amenities according to their preferences. Hospitable users can get instant insights about desired amenities by talking to Copilot, their personal AI assistant. It’s as easy as asking a question. So you can ask Copilot about the amenities your guests mentioned as missing in their reviews. Watch the video to get a better idea of how this feature works.

Miscellaneous

You’ll want to include some basic items to ensure safety, cleanliness, and convenience.

• Vacuum cleaner
• Washer
• Dryer
• Laundry detergent
• Cleaning supplies
• Broom
• Dustpan
• Flashlight
• Extra phone chargers and headphones
• First aid kit

Bottom Line

A comprehensive vacation rental inventory checklist should cover every aspect of your property. It can help you create a welcoming atmosphere when making your property ready for your guests and ensure that all the items are still in place after your guests leave. This can help you improve the guest experience and build a successful vacation rental business.