Whether you’re converting your primary residence into a rental property or just bought a home that you’re planning to turn into a vacation rental — the prospect of selecting the best furniture for holiday rental to list on Search and Stay can feel overwhelming. Furnishing your holiday rental from scratch is a big job.

Here is a handy furniture checklist to ensure you include all the necessary furniture, accessories, and appliances in your bedrooms, kitchen, living room, and bathrooms, so your guests have everything they need for a comfortable, five-star stay.

Vacational Rental Host Checklist: All the Furniture You Need for Your Entire Property

Regardless of whether your vacation rental is geared toward business travellers or families, you must include certain furniture pieces, accessories, appliances, and decorative items on your vacation rental furniture checklist. We recommend furnishing your holiday rental with the following items to impress potential guests, make your property stand out, and secure five-star reviews.

Bedroom Furniture

You’ll want to have these items in each bedroom for guests. The size or type of items may differ depending on the room — for example, you may be able to include a double bed or storage bed in guest bedrooms, but you’ll want to include a king-size bed in master bedrooms. Likewise, you may include spring mattresses in smaller bedrooms but opt for more comfortable mattresses, like a memory-foam mattress, in primary bedrooms.

Furniture

  • Bedframe
  • Closet or Clothing Rack
  • Nightstand(s)
  • Lamp(s)

Bedding

  • Mattress & Mattress Cover
  • Sheets
  • Pillows
  • Duvet or Comforter

Accessories & Decor

  • Hangers
  • Full-Length Mirror

Living Room Furniture

When looking for a vacation rental, people are drawn to a living room that is clean, comfortable, and cosy. It’s also important to keep the size and layout of your entire house in mind. For example, a three-bedroom or four-bedroom home will likely need an oversized sectional couch to seat all guests comfortably. In contrast, guests in a studio apartment may prefer a sofa that converts to a pull-out bed to accommodate more people.

Furniture

  • Coffee Table
  • Couch or Sofa Bed
  • End Tables
  • Entertainment Center
  • High-Speed WiFi

Appliances & Decor

  • Smart TV & Mount
  • Throw Pillows
  • Area Rug
  • Streaming Services (optional, but preferable)

Kitchen & Dining Room Furniture

You may not realise your kitchen can be one of the most challenging (& expensive) rooms to fill when furnishing your Airbnb. There are many factors to consider, from essential furniture items, like a table and chairs, to practical things, like dishes, utensils, and cookware.

If you’re looking to buy holiday rental furniture for cheap (especially kitchen items), consider IKEA furniture. They’re one of the most affordable furniture stores for furnishing your vacation home, and they have lots of dinnerware and utensils to choose from at amazing prices.

Also, remember you only need to purchase the essentials — like you probably don’t need a toaster oven and a toaster, and you don’t need tons of fancy appliances, like a Thermomix or Nutribullet, unless you want to include them with your vacation rental.

Furniture

  • Dining Table & Chairs
  • Kitchen Table & Chairs
  • Barstools

Appliances

  • Refrigerator & Freezer
  • Cooktop & Oven
  • Microwave
  • Coffee Maker
  • Toaster Oven or Toaster
  • Dishwasher (optional, but preferable)

Accessories & Decor

  • Trash Can
  • Recycling Bin
  • Paper Towel Holder

Cooking Utensils

  • Pots, Pans & Cookie Sheets
  • Plates, Bowls & Silverware

Bathroom Furniture

Unlike the kitchen, bathrooms are usually the most straightforward rooms to furnish in a short-term rental. Smaller bathrooms hardly need any furniture — just a few bathroom mats and a shower curtain — whereas larger bathrooms may require a towel rack, shower rack, storage bins, or decorative items to fill countertop space.

Regardless of the size of your bathroom, it’s essential to leave basic amenities, like shampoo, conditioner, and soap, in the bathroom for guests to use, as well as towels of all shapes and sizes. You can even include a few toiletry options from different brands to give guests plenty of choices when staying at your vacation rental.

Furniture & Accessories

  • Shower Curtain & Liner (if needed)
  • Shower Rack (if needed)
  • Bath Mats & Rugs
  • Bath Towels, Hand Towels & Washcloths
  • Toilet Plunger & Brush
  • Wastebasket
  • Soap, Shampoo, Conditioner & Other Toiletries

Other Items to Consider

While the list includes furniture, appliances, and basic accessories and decor to make each room in your holiday rental livable — you shouldn’t stop your furnishing here.

Think of a decorative item, like an interesting frame or painting, you can add to each room or luxury amenities guests will love, like a towel-warming rack in the bathroom or espresso machine in the kitchen, that will really help your property to stand out from other hosts. Additionally, think about other things guests might need (or want), like spices, coffee, board games, blankets, an iron, laundry detergent, ice trays, and other practical items that will make them feel at home to include in cabinets, closets, and drawers.

Think about the items you expect to find in a hotel or vacation rental when you travel and ask yourself: what would frustrate me if I didn't find this item in a holiday rental booked on Search and Stay - then include that item somewhere on your property!

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