Spend here first
If your budget is finite, and it is, these four items return more than anything else you can buy.
- The mattress. More reviews mention the bed than mention any other object in the property. Buy the good one.
- Blackout window coverings in every bedroom. Cheap, and the difference between a five and a three.
- Genuinely fast, reliable internet, with the network name and password printed somewhere visible. Business guests will not rebook without it.
- Lighting. A single ceiling fixture makes a nice room photograph badly and feel worse. Layer it: overhead, a floor lamp, bedside.
Bedroom
- Bed frame with a headboard, and a mattress protector
- Three sets of sheets per bed, so a turnover is never waiting on laundry
- Two pillows per guest, one firm and one soft
- Blackout curtains or blinds
- Bedside table and a reachable lamp on each side of the bed
- Power outlet or USB socket within reach of the bed
- Hanging space with real hangers, plus a few drawers
- Full-length mirror
- Luggage rack or a clear surface for a suitcase
Bathroom
- Two bath towels, one hand towel and one face cloth per guest
- Hooks as well as a rail, since a rail alone never holds enough
- Hair dryer
- Toilet paper, well beyond what one stay needs, and somewhere obvious to find more
- Shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand soap
- Non-slip bath mat and a separate floor mat
- Plunger and a toilet brush, discreetly placed
- Good mirror lighting
Kitchen
- Full cookware set, including one large pot and one good pan
- Plates, bowls, glasses, mugs and cutlery for two more people than the property sleeps
- Sharp knives and a cutting board
- Kettle, toaster and a coffee maker, plus whatever the coffee maker needs
- Can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew, tongs, ladle, peeler, measuring cups
- Mixing bowls, colander, baking sheet, oven mitts
- Dish soap, sponge, tea towels, dishwasher tablets
- Salt, pepper, oil, and food storage containers
- Bin with liners, and a clear note about which day collection is
Living space
- Seating for everyone the property sleeps
- Coffee table and at least one side table
- Television with the streaming apps already signed out of
- Wi-Fi details displayed, not buried in a message
- Throw blankets
- A dining table that everyone can actually sit at
- Somewhere to work: a desk or a table with a proper chair and a nearby outlet
The items that quietly save your reviews
None of these photograph well. All of them appear in complaints when they are missing.
- Iron and ironing board
- Drying rack
- Umbrella by the door
- First aid kit, and a fire extinguisher
- Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, tested and dated
- Spare light bulbs and batteries
- Snow brush and ice scraper in the winter, kept where a guest will find them
- Fan for summer, and an extra blanket for winter
- A printed house guide covering the heating, the bins, the parking and the Wi-Fi
What to leave out
Skip anything fragile, sentimental or expensive enough that its loss would bother you. Skip heavily scented products, since a meaningful share of guests react badly to them. Skip the personal photographs. Skip a hot tub unless you have honestly costed the maintenance, because a neglected one is worse than none.
If you are furnishing a property now, our full service plan includes setup coordination, and we will send you the checklist in a form you can tick off. Start with a free consultation.