Setting up a short-term rental for the first time is stressful! Between finding the perfect property, writing the best listing description, and setting everything up…there are countless decisions to make and an endless list of things that need to get done.

One of the most important things you’ll do when setting up your short-term rental is choose all your furniture and supplies. While these items might seem like no big deal, making the right decision on every single item is hugely important for your new business. If you choose items that are too high-end and expensive, you’ll likely end up wasting money when they inevitably get damaged or broken. If, on the other hand, you fill your short-term rental with super cheap items, your guests will be turned off and you’ll often end up paying to replace these items when they inevitably don’t hold up to all the wear and tear of a short-term rental.

Save yourself tons of time, money, and stress by knowing exactly which items are worth splurging on and which you should save on all throughout your short-term rental. With the 10 items below, you’re sure to have a fantastic short-term rental that both you and your guests will love for years to come!

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High-Impact Items Worth the Splurge at Your Short-Term Rental

When it comes to splurging on your Airbnb, a little bit of money needs to go a long way. Don’t be tempted to splurge on that high-end console table that will inevitably get scratched before your first guest even arrives. Instead, put your hard-earned money to good use by investing in high-quality items that will help guests enjoy their stay and really feel like they’re getting their money’s worth for years to come. The five items worth the splurge below will help you do just that.

1. 75″ Smart TV

This may or may not surprise you, but Airbnb guests care a lot about the TV at your property. The TV is what they’ll gather around at the end of a long day enjoying everything the area has to offer. It’s where they’ll plop their kids down for a little entertainment while the parents cook up dinner. And, if highlighted well on your listing, it may even help your short-term rental stand out from the crowd when guests are deciding where to stay.

That’s why the importance of a modern, high-quality 75″ Smart TV can’t be overlooked. This Roku TV looks great, has great picture quality, and you can easily download any apps your guest might want to stream on.

Pro Tip: If you’re willing to spend a little more, consider this Samsung Smart TV. I love it so much I have it both at my short-term rental and at my home. It looks stunning, the picture quality is fantastic, and it’s easy for Airbnb guests to download any apps they might want to stream. Plus, it comes with tons of free channels and you can even download apps for guests to stream additional shows and movies for free.

2. High-Quality Seating

Your TV is just one part of your living room that can really help your short-term rental stand out from the crowd. The other most important item in your living room is, of course, the seating. Unfortunately, comfortable seating is where I see almost all Airbnbs drop the ball. Investing in plenty of comfortable seating in your Airbnb living room is important because this is one of the very few rooms that all your guests will spend time together in, so it’s important they all have a great experience there.

That’s why a comfortable couch with plenty of room for everyone to pile onto and spend time together at the end of the day is absolutely worth investing in. That said, you don’t want to spend too much on your couch, because it’s going to get tons of wear and tear and you don’t want to stress about every little spot. That’s what I love about this beautiful sectional–it checks alllll the boxes without breaking the bank. Make sure to opt for a darker fabric to hide those pesky spots between cleanings.

3. Memory Foam Mattresses

When I first started my short-term rental, I was shocked by how many people commented on the mattresses in their reviews! Getting a great night’s sleep on vacation is one small detail I totally overlooked as a first-time Airbnb host. As it turns out, whether your guests have a great night’s sleep or not, you’re bound to hear about it one way or the other.

So, ensure your reviews stay 5-star by opting for memory foam mattresses in every bedroom (king size, when possible!). But not all memory foam mattresses are created equal. Some are way too expensive, some are way too firm, and some don’t hold their shape over time.

THIS memory foam mattress solves all of that. It’s inexpensive, so you can happily buy one (or two!) for every single room in your short-term rental. Many people love this mattress (check out the reviews!) AND it holds up well over time–win, win, win.

Plus, a memory foam mattress is a strong signal that your guests will have a great night’s sleep when they stay with you, making it another great amenity to highlight it on your listing!

Pro Tip: While this perfect low-cost mattress is the way to go for most short-term rentals, I personally have this high-end mattress in the primary bedroom at my Airbnb and it gets rave reviews. This isn’t a must-do, but investing in a super high-quality mattress for the primary bedroom could be worthwhile since it’s likely that the guests planning the trip, paying for the trip, and leaving you a review will sleep in that room!

4. Household Supplies

Don’t skimp on the basic necessities and household supplies at your short-term rental. Stocking every bathroom with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, q-tips, and cotton balls is a super nice touch that costs very little but goes a long way with guests!

In your kitchen, small touches like tea, coffee, ziploc bags, food storage containers, spices, oven mitts, and cutting boards are all hard to come by in most Airbnbs but are very much appreciated by guests and are another way to really help guests feel like they’re getting their money’s worth when staying with you.

In your laundry room, you can’t go wrong with detergent, stain remover, bleach, and dryer sheets. All of these details are sure to get noticed by your guests and earn you reviews like this, “Full laundry set up with everything you need. Coffee and tea to get your morning started. We were very satisfied with the rental and would return again!”

5. Porcelain Dishes (and plenty of ’em!)

Have you ever been to a short-term rental with so few dishes that you have to wash them after every meal? Don’t let your guests feel that same frustration. Better yet, skip the plastic Ikea dishes altogether and pick up this beautiful set of porcelain plates, bowls, and mugs instead.

Buy at least twice as many dishes as your maximum occupancy to ensure no one goes plate-less at dinner time. My guests LOVE that I invested in plenty of high-quality dishes for them. One guest said, “What an amazing place! My teens were impressed, and that’s hard to do. Very clean, kitchen had all you needed to cook as well as many plates, cups, etc. so you were not washing dishes after every meal to prepare for the next one.”

Items You Can Safely Save On at Your Short-Term Rental

Now that we’ve got all of those fun splurges out of the way, let’s talk about five important items that you can safely save on and still create a wonderful 5-star Airbnb for your guests. These items are all high-quality without the high price tag and I believe that spending any more on the items won’t meaningfully improve your guests’ experience, so it’s safe to save you can save a little here!

1. Dining Chairs

I don’t know about you, but the cost of most dining chairs absolutely blows my mind. Extravagant and beautiful dining chairs might be worth the splurge at your home, but they’re going to get so scratched, dirty, and banged up at your short-term rental that they’re simply not worth overpaying for.

That said, you don’t want to skip on quality all together. Your dining chairs are going to be used multiple times by every single guest that stays with you. So, you’ve got to ensure your chairs are high-quality, durable, stylish, and inexpensive.

Sound hard to find? Don’t worry, I’ve rounded up three great options for you:

1. These faux leather mid-century modern dining chairs look great, hold up well over time, and are a GREAT price.

2. Another great option is this set of sleek, durable, and low-priced dining chairs (these chairs have quickly become some of the most popular dining chairs for Airbnbs – I see them everywhere!).

3. If you have an outdoor dining table (and you should!) or just love a beautiful farmhouse design, then these are the dining chairs for you.

2. Towels

What’s another thing that will undoubtedly get used multiple times by every single guest? Your bathroom towels. And, unfortunately, bathroom towels aren’t treated gently at short-term rentals. Your guests will grab them when the kids come inside covered in mud, when they’re wiping makeup off their faces, and so on.

Avoid the stress of throwing out costly towels by opting for these inexpensive bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths from Amazon. They get the job done are and not too expensive.

3. Bedding

Finding the BEST sheets for your Airbnb can feel like an impossible task. Your guests expect them to be high-quality, comfortable, and soft. At the same time, you need them to be inexpensive so that replacing your sheets when they inevitably get stained is stress-free. Thankfully, this perfect sheet set checks ALL the boxes. Trust me, I get compliments on these exact sheets all the time!

And, since short-term rental sheets get stained easily, you should expect to replace them several times a year. I highly recommend having three backup sets, so your cleaners can quickly swap ruined sheets with new ones.

Pro Tip: A 5-star bed includes a lot more than just sheets. Get everything you need to create a luxurious bed in this blog post.

4. BBQ Grill

When it comes to buying a grill for your short-term rental, fancy just isn’t worth it. Traegers and Webbers can easily run you $1,000+. Instead, consider this Dyna-Glo 4-burner propane grill. It’s not too expensive, holds up well overtime, and will undoubtedly get used often!

5. Nightstands

Lastly, when it comes to short-term rentals, expensive nightstands just aren’t worth the investment. Think about it–your guests are guaranteed to put water glasses and other drinks down on their nightstand every night. What they’re guaranteed to not do? Go searching for a coaster before they put their glass down.

So, your nightstands needs to be super durable. At the same time, no one is going to miss a high-end nightstand if you have a great inexpensive one. So, skip those expensive wooden nightstands with drawers and opt for these super inexpensive yet durable, stylish, and waterproof nightstands instead.

Recommended:

• The Best Room-By-Room Airbnb Checklist: 100+ Essential Items
• 5 Airbnb Decor Ideas For A 5-Star Living Room
• 5 Budget-Friendly Airbnb Bedroom Ideas That’ll Leave You Drooling

Which items are you going splurge on and which are you going to save on? Let’s chat in the comments!

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