The Ultimate Airbnb Host Checklist: Everything You Need to Host Successfully

Vacation Rental Inventory Checklist

For your convenience, we’ve included links to the products we recommend. And here are some of the factors we take into account when choosing the best Airbnb products to recommend for your vacation rental:

• Affordable/available in bulk – especially for items that are disposable or refillable; you want dependable products that aren’t going to break the bank.
• High quality – avoid buying the cheapest option possible for most items. We want items that will last for dozens (maybe even hundreds) of visits.
• Durable and well-made – avoid items that break easily or will fall apart after repeated use.
• Easy to wash or clean – we recommend machine-washable items that have smooth exteriors or are otherwise easy to clean.
• Eco-friendly – many guests appreciate eco-friendly products like those that are biodegradable, plastic-free, or help reduce waste.

This Airbnb host checklist will give you some ideas and help you think about what kind of experience you want to offer your guests. What you choose to provide your guests is ultimately, of course, up to you.

Bathroom

As an Airbnb host, it can be helpful to think about the bathroom amenities you appreciate when traveling, the things you often forget, or the things you love about your bathroom at home.

Your bathroom can make or break your guests’ overall experience since your guests are most likely expecting to find several familiar items in the bathroom. Here’s our recommended Airbnb bathroom inventory checklist:

• Essential accessories
  • Soap and shampoo dispensers
  • Wastebasket
  • Bath mat (machine-washable, absorbent, and non-slip)
  • Shower curtain and liner
  • Plunger
• Toiletries
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body wash
  • Hand soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrushes
  • Flossers
  • Toothpaste (individually wrapped tablets)
  • Maxi pads
  • Razors
  • Tissues
• Towels (read our post about choosing towels for your Airbnb)
  • Bath towels
  • Makeup removal towels
• Nice-to-have amenities
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobes (or these Turkish cotton bathrobes)
  • Magnified makeup mirror 404
• Instructional signs
  • Makeup removal sign
  • Flushing sign

Pro Tip: For toiletries, consider leaving just a few of each item rather than the whole box. That way, your guests won’t be tempted to go home with a free box of something. And for towels, a common rule of thumb is to leave 1 or 2 bath towels per guest per stay. You might also consider having a closet with a few extra towels stocked.

Kitchen

Having a full kitchen is one of the perks that make guests book an Airbnb over a hotel. But a kitchen with no supplies isn’t much use. Here’s a list of some items to keep in your Airbnb kitchen:

• Appliances
  • Fridge and/or mini fridge
  • Range Oven
  • Microwave
  • Coffee Maker
  • Toaster
• Furniture
  • Dining table and chairs
• Tableware
  • Plates and bowls
  • Large serving plates and bowls
  • Drinking cups
  • Cutlery (forks, knives, spoons)
  • Steak knives
  • Coffee mugs
  • Wine glasses
• Cookware & Bakeware
  • Can opener 
  • Sharp kitchen knife
  • Pots and pans (specifically a skillet, saucepan, and stockpot)
  • Colander
  • Cutting board
  • Cookie sheets for baking
  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons
• Foodstuffs
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Sugar packets
  • Spices (this spice rack on Amazon comes with five years of free refills)
  • Cooking oil (vegetable oil, olive oil, etc.)
  • Cooking spray
  • Coffee and tea (and coffee filters and condiments)
  • Snacks
    • Healthy snacks
    • Salty snacks
    • Sweet snacks
• Leftovers & Cleanup
  • Napkins
  • Paper towels
  • Food storage containers
  • Cling wrap
  • Aluminum foil
  • Trash bags
  • Dish soap
  • Sponges
  • Disinfectant wipes
  • Broom and dustpan

Kitchen items are frequently replaced, so we wrote a separate post on how to stock your vacation rental kitchen and included a checklist of everything you need to restock in your Airbnb or short-term vacation rental.

Bedroom

The number and size of bedrooms in your Airbnb will vary, but these are the essential items most guests expect from a vacation rental bedroom: a bed, bedding, and somewhere to store their clothes. Here’s our recommended Airbnb bedroom checklist:

• Furniture
  • Bed frame (or bunk beds)
  • Nightstand
  • Bedside lamp (with USB charging ports)
• Bedding
  • Mattress (or buy from manufacturer)
  • Mattress cover
  • Mattress topper
  • Pillows
  • Sheets set
  • Duvet and duvet cover