Find out how to easily freshen your Airbnb up for visitors so that you’re ready to get incredible visitor reviews in the coming months.

 

If you have an Airbnb that has been out of action for a while, you may well be now thinking about freshening it up ready for rental.

It’s important to do this so that the home remains of a high quality, so when guests stay they have the best possible experience and hopefully reflect that in those all important reviews.

To help you get your accommodation visitor ready with ease, follow these 6 steps:

1. Clear It Out

If you have been using your Airbnb as a storage space out of season, it is probably full of items that your guests definitely don’t want there when they arrive. There might also be extra pieces of furniture that don’t work in the space, as well as broken or tired pieces that need replacing. Pop everything into affordable self storage for now, then sort it out later. Budget self storage is the perfect extra storage space to use for situations like this, where you need some extra time before you can get around to sorting out clutter.

If you’re not too good at sorting out clutter, consider using the three bag method. This is where you have one bag for rubbish, one for selling/ giving away and one for keeping. Everything you have put aside then has to go into one of those bags so it is sorted out.

The Minimalists offer lots of tips on how you think about different items. Even though these items have been in your Airbnb, you can still apply minimalist ideals to how you deal with them. For example; it does make sense to keep a few items for use in multiple Airbnb’s, or to use again in the future when you renovate your place again. However, it doesn’t make sense to keep items broken beyond repair, items that have never been useful in the Airbnb, or items that you just don’t like.

Remember, the more streamline you are with your Airbnb clutter, the smaller your budget self storage unit can be, and the easier it will be to utilise what you do have when the time comes to freshen up your unit again.

2. Do Repairs

Now your space is clear, you can check what you are working with. Are there any loose bathroom tiles? Are there any leaks that have occurred over winter? Now is the time to get those basic repairs complete so you have a solid foundation to work from.

You might also wish to make changes that relate to the green appeal of the property. With energy bills increasing, it makes sense to upgrade boilers, insulation and windows if you can afford to so that you can keep as much of the profit as possible from your Airbnb. Whilst you’re not in peak season, it is a good time to consider renovations and upgrades like this.

3. Decorate

Decorating your Airbnb could simply be a case of freshening up what is already there. A new lick of paint, a polish of the floor – quick and easy. It may be that you’re going down a new route of decoration. Some bright colours perhaps? How about a gorgeous feature wall?

One easy and cheap way to upgrade any Airbnb in line with recent trends is to add some houseplants. A large monstera in the corner, some dangling pothos plants from the shelves – why not boost your Airbnb with plants that are a very inexpensive aesthetic boost to any home?

The only thing to be careful about is pet-friendly plants. Some plants, like lily’s are not pet friendly at all. You’ll want to have those kinds of plants out of reach of any children and pets, or consider only choosing pet friendly plants, which you can find out more about from plant expert Planterina.

Another great area of focus for an Airbnb this year is the garden. Everybody wants to enjoy a little slice of the outdoors, even on their holidays. So why not add a cute egg-chair, some beautiful new seat cushions, or even some new fresh pot plants by the front door to welcome guests in? Green appeal is officially a thing and is an affordable way to boost the image of an Airbnb and its outdoor space.

Whatever redecorating route you do go down, just make sure it has the timelessness to last until you can decorate again.

4. Furnish

Furnishing an Airbnb is tricky because the furniture has to look great, whilst also being practical and built to last. It should also stay in keeping with the overall style of your property, so that the aesthetic is of a high quality, which boosts the pictures of the home that get you plenty of bookings.

The best thing to do is focus on the functionality of a room first, and then work on how it looks.

For example; the kitchen needs a dining table so you choose a table that fits the space well, and seats six, to suit the capacity of the property. You then make it a light wood, cottage style table to suit the rest of the kitchen.

As long as you furnish with practicality in mind before style, you can’t go wrong.

5. Detail

The detail of an Airbnb comes down to the areas where your guests see that you stand out from the crowd. They are the Instagrammable planty corner with the swing seat. They are the super soft bed sheets. They are the beautiful retro kitchen accessories that make the whole room pop.

The best news is that these details are so easy to replace without much cost at all. So if you are literally just freshening the place up without painting or repairing, this is the area to focus on.

6. Finishing Touches

The finishing touches of an Airbnb are where you add just a few little extras to make your guests feel special. Here are some examples:

• Fresh flowers
• A handwritten welcome note
• Fresh milk and bread
• A little welcome cake or chocolate bar

They are tiny details but they are the finishing touches that get noticed, and mentioned in those all important reviews.

“Staying at Airbnb listings gives me the opportunity to truly understand and experience the local culture of the countries I visit.” – Joe Gebbia

The steps above can help you get your Airbnb ready for the rental season. With a little effort, and some creativity, you’ll have amazing reviews from guests pouring in.