Furnishing a short-term or mid-term rental takes time and effort. It takes long days and many moments of “oh shoot, we need ______.” As we prepare our seventh property, my husband and I have figured out a system that makes the process quicker. I still make mistakes and miss things, but these few things have made furnishing much more efficient.
Make A Smartsheet
All credit goes to Andrew for this one. He created a spreadsheet for us to fill out when we furnish a property. The sheet has the following columns:
- Category- This identifies the room or area the furniture will go in.
- Name- The name of the furniture hyperlinked to the product. We order almost everything from Amazon and Wayfair because it makes it easier to track products, and they arrive in a reasonable time frame.
- Price
- Count- Tracks how many we need of each item.
- Total Cost- This column calculates the cost of all the items we purchase.
Andrew’s smartsheet makes our lives infinitely easier. If you’ve read my previous article about furnishing, you know that we often use the same staple items (bedding, bed frames, dishes, etc.) across properties and then diversify the decor. Thus, we can easily access our favorite products rather than reinventing the reel. You’ll want to keep an eye on the cost because we find prices can wildly fluctuate even within a year.
Furthermore, we can ensure we keep everything within budget, as the cost is calculated in real-time. Remember that you’ll need to factor in cost and shipping.
Measure Everything
Okay, maybe you don’t need to measure EVERYTHING, but you do want to know the dimensions of each room, windows, and your main pieces of furniture. Nothing is more frustrating than receiving a bed or couch that simply won’t fit the intended area. Of course, it goes both ways. You also don’t want a tiny loveseat to fill a gigantic living room. Do your best to make your furniture proportionate to the space and each other.
Limit Your Suppliers
As mentioned, we buy most of our furniture from Amazon and Wayfair. This way, everything arrives in a decent timeframe, and we don’t lose track of where things are coming from. However, we sometimes buy items in person from Costco, Target, Marshalls, Walmart, At Home, and occasionally Walmart (although we rarely get something from Walmart). I put our preferred stores at the front of the list; the others fill in the gaps if necessary. We used to buy these extra items and add them to the calculated cost without putting them in the spreadsheet. However, Andrew started adding them to our list, which is helpful because it ensures we don’t forget anything and saves us time at the store because we know exactly what we need.
Don’t Forget the Small Items
Furnishing a short-term or mid-term rental is more like furnishing your home (your apex stylish version) rather than home staging. If you’re in an interior decorating mindset, it’s easy to forget little things like a can-opener and batteries. Instead, pretend you’re moving in and what is essential to your daily activities.
If you don’t consider the utility side of your property, you will likely forget something important. On opening day, we realized one of our properties had no microwave. It’s easy to overlook the things we take for granted. Here are some items you want to make sure you have:
- Kitchen utensils and appliances- Many guests will want to cook and bake, so you need to consider measuring cups, pans, whisks, etc. Toasters and coffee makers are essential appliances. We also make sure we have an electric tea kettle.
- Cleaning products- if you don’t provide cleaning products, most guests probably won’t clean. However, if you have a Swiffer or broom, vacuum, toilet cleaner, and all-purpose spray, many guests will put at least some effort into keeping things reasonably clean during their stay.
- Household essentials- You must have towels, dish soap, sponges, toilet paper, paper towels, boy wash, shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent, hand soap, etc.
- Water bottles- We always ensure the fridge is stocked with at least 1 water bottle/person. If you’re like me, you’re perpetually thirsty, and a cold drink of water is always welcome.
You may not need all these amenities if you have an off-grid property type. Some hosts have you bring your toilet paper, hygiene products, etc. We have found these very inconvenient when traveling, so we prefer to provide guests with these essentials. However, if it’s not within your scope to provide these items, clarify that in your listing. It would be wise to include a list of what guests will need in your welcome or check-in message; that way, they can be prepared.
Give It Personality
Ultimately, it’s up to you, but I believe in putting some personality into your furnishing. There’s nothing wrong with a comfortable, predictable home, but adding a little of your personality will help it stand out and make it experiential. You don’t want your property to be forgettable. Otherwise, your chance of gaining repeat bookings is slim.
Your Turn
We’ve learned these guidelines along the way. We’ve had countless trips to the store, realizing we forgot something or an item was too expensive online. It will be worth it if I save you even a quarter of those panicked trips.
Happy Furnishing!
