Furnishing a home takes time, money and a lot of consideration. Furnishing your vacation rental is no different.
The first rule of thumb is that your furnishings should be congruent with the quality of the home itself. If you have a luxury chalet, your accouterments should be reflective of its surroundings as well as the price point you ask per night. Showing up to a high-end home only to find poor quality linens, kitchen gadgets or appliances will leave your guests disappointed and dissatisfied in their decision to rent your home. Which will also likely lead to a poor review.
Remove items of high value, both emotional and monetary. While Grandma’s tea set might not be worth much and looks great in the china cabinet, the heartbreak of someone accidentally breaking it could be devastating to you or a family member. Keep family heirlooms or anything with high sentimental value locked away. You can always bring these items out when enjoying your vacation rental yourself, but be sure to put them away prior to a guests arrival. You will thank yourself later when you have these goods for years to come.
Set yourself apart from the crowd. Having a well equipped kitchen is one of the best ways to accomplish this. One of great things about staying in a vacation rental is that you are not reliant on eating out for every meal like you are in a hotel setting. Plus, memories are made in the kitchen! You wouldn’t want to open up a nice bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir only to find that you are relegated to drink it out of a coffee mug. While it might make for a funny story down the line, your guests might not feel that way in the moment.
A rule that is wise to follow is that if you use it in your kitchen at home, your vacation rental should likely have it too, within reason of course. Surprising and delighting your guests with a well equipped kitchen, not wanting for anything will lend itself to happy, repeat customers.
Two main factors to consider when making purchasing decisions for your vacation rental is durability and longevity. If you go with a less expensive item that is prone to breaking after multiple uses you might find yourself replacing it a few times per year. Therefore, what is the actual cost of that item on an annual basis and how much money did you actually save by going with a more economical option? Replacing a $20 item 3 times per year has an annual cost of $60, where perhaps the $45 option could last multiple years. Be sure to really crunch the numbers when making these decisions.
Don’t forget the games! Having board games, dice, decks of cards are an appreciated and welcomed touch for your guests to enjoy during their stay. It is important to ensure all game pieces / components are present. Nothing is worse than sitting down to play a riveting game of Yahtzee only to find 4 dice. While this might seem like a small thing, it could set a poor tone for your guests. They might find themselves wondering, what else is missing?
At the end of the day the most important consideration is to remember that you aren’t just providing lodging, you are helping create memories that will last a lifetime.
