Posted 3 February 2023 by
Keith OsborneAs the cost of living crisis continues to affect households across Britain, many people are keen to find extra ways to boost their income; also known as a side hustle.
One potential source of revenue that you may want to consider is turning your home into an Airbnb. If you live in a popular location that receives a lot of tourist traffic or corporate visitors, you have the potential to make some significant earnings by renting out your property. While hosting may not be ideal for families with young kids, for others it can be both convenient and profitable. For example, if you spend a lot of time on the road because of your job, or staying at your partner’s place – or if you just have an empty bedroom or two – then becoming an Airbnb host is definitely a viable side hustle for you to consider.
Keen to find out how to turn your home into a dream Airbnb rental? Read on for some top tips.
Stash your personal belongings
Whether you’re renting out one room or your whole house, one of the most important things you need to do is remove the majority of your personal items. This includes clothing, shoes, heirlooms, valuable ornaments and family photographs.
Other belongings, such as wall art, books, DVDs, and board games can be left behind for your guests to use if you are happy to do so. The object is to create a homely and comfortable space that your guests can relax in without feeling as if they are intruding.
Cleanliness is key
Because Airbnb allows hosts and guests to review each other – and because these reviews are available for other prospective guests to read – it’s vital that you make a good impression. This entails organising a thorough deep-clean of the property before each booking, to ensure there is no dust, dirt, mould, mildew or harmful bacteria anywhere in the home. In fact, this kind of rigorous cleaning has become mandatory in the wake of the pandemic, to reduce the risk of infection.
Because this kind of cleaning is such a monumental undertaking, it’s probably best to hire a professional cleaning service to take care of it for you. While this will cost you money, at least you will have peace of mind that every single nook and cranny of your home is rental-ready. Remember – those good reviews make all the difference.
Provide must-have amenities
For many guests, an Airbnb is a more appealing option than a hotel because they can enjoy more amenities and, therefore, more convenience and autonomy. As a result, if you want to benefit from those stellar ratings, it’s a good idea to offer a wide selection of amenities for your guests to enjoy.
These can range from that all-important Wi-Fi connection, to cooking utensils and appliances, crockery, cutlery, bath products, cleaning products, toilet paper, soap, and, of course, fresh towels.
Speaking of towels, you will probably want to lay in a generous stock of both towels and bedding so that you can easily swap out the used ones for fresh clean sets between bookings. If you are not sure where to find affordable, high-quality towels and bedding you can explore the wide selection provided by Absolute Home Textiles.
As well as these home comforts, you also need to ensure that your residence is a safe place to be. This means kitting out the property with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, and making sure that your guests have easy access to essentials such as a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, torches. You should also include all of the relevant numbers and addresses for local emergency services in your welcome pack.
Go the extra mile
While a clean, tidy, and well-appointed Airbnb is sure to garner good reviews, you can always opt to go that little bit further and ensure your guests will be wowed by their stay. You don’t have to deploy any grand gestures, but there’s no harm in providing that extra personal touch that guests would never be able to enjoy in a standard hotel room.
This could be something as simple as providing fresh flowers in vases throughout the home, or as extravagant as a little welcome hamper with a bottle of wine or some locally sourced ingredients for a hearty breakfast.
Set some rules
While it is important to do what you can to ensure a pleasant stay for your guests, at the same time you shouldn’t feel shy about setting boundaries. This means taking some time to think about your policies regarding smoking and pets in the home, as well as any parking restrictions and concerns about neighbours. After all, you don’t want to cause inconvenience or disturbance to the people who live next door to your property, and you also don’t want to have inconsiderate guests, so setting some clear rules is definitely the best way to proceed.
To sum up
While there is a certain amount of time and effort that needs to be spent in turning your home into a sought-after rental, the financial rewards you can reap are a great incentive. Who knows – you may even find yourself becoming a Superhost in the not-too-distant future!