A profitable Short Term Rental is about earning 5-star reviews, cleaning efficiently between back to back bookings, and spending as little money as necessary on upkeep. These ten items will help you maximize your profit and squeeze every dollar you can out of your rental:
Memory Foam Mattress
Memory foam gets you booked. It’s that simple. With more rental listings being posted every day, travelers are becoming more selective. And, many will only book with places that offer a memory foam mattress. Adding a memory foam mattress to your listing is an easy way to increase your bookings (check out some here). 
Oh, and if you think memory foam is too expensive, think again. There are many quality memory foam mattresses that can be shipped right to your door for a very reasonable price. So, no more excuses. Increase your booking rate and get some memory foam.
Luggage Rack
This might seem unnecessary but you don’t know what you are missing with this nifty item. A luggage rack helps save your furniture and bedding from damage. Think about it. Guests drag their luggage through dirty airports and streets where their luggage gets covered in grit and grime. Then, they arrive at your beautiful rental, check in and the first thing they do is drop their luggage on your bed, dresser, or whatever other wonderful furniture you have carefully selected. Isn't that what you do when you check in at a hotel? But not if there is a handy luggage rack available.
Do you really want dirty luggage on your freshly cleaned sheets? Or denting your carefully chosen desk or dresser? Give your guests a clear and obvious place to put their luggage. Get a couple of luggage racks and set them at the foot of the bed. It makes your rental look professional and classy while saving your furniture from being damaged.
Bulk Cleaning & Laundry Supplies Delivered to Your Door
Making extra cash renting out your spare bedroom is awesome. Renting out your house as a vacation rental and making more than you would with a regular tenant is awesome. Constantly having to clean and do laundry is not awesome. To fix this, you need to find ways to minimize the cleaning blues. The less time you spend dealing with cleaning, the more time you have to enjoy your extra income. Having bulk supplies delivered to your door will help make cleaning a little less painful and time-consuming.
As we all know, buying in bulk is cheaper and, with a short-term rental, it is not like you aren't going to eventually use that entire gallon of window cleaner. And, having bulk supplies delivered to your door eliminates annoying trips to the store and ensures you have what you need when you need it. This way, you can always be prepared for that next booking.
Platform Bed Frame
Any bed frame will work for a rental but a platform bed frame are uniquely suited for the needs of Short Term Rentals. They don’t require a box spring which means there is one less thing you have to buy and one less thing that can get damaged. They are more durable than traditional metal frames. And, they are lower to the ground making rooms feel bigger and airier. Most importantly, a platform bed photographs well. Everybody that books with you will be doing so based on the pictures in your listing. The picture of your bed will be one of the primary photos that guest view. A platform bed can make your bed picture pop which can dramatically increase your bookings.
Extra Blankets
Be a good host and leave out some extra blankets for your guest. It’s a nice and thoughtful thing to do. It will make your guests feel all warm and gooey on the inside. Okay, there is one other more self-serving reason to do this. By providing extra blankets you will save money on your electric bill. Don’t believe me? Let me break it down. Everyone judges hot or cold differently so your guests are going want to fiddle with the thermostat unless you give them an alternative. In cold climates, providing extra blankets keeps guests from cranking up the heat to 90 degrees. And, in warmer climates, providing a lightweight alternative to a bed comforter keeps them from turning it down to 60 degrees. It's a simple way to prevent your thermostat from being hijacked and save you money on your electric bill.
For extra blankets, I recommend Turkish Blankets as they are a hidden gem for rental hosts. The bright colors and distinct patterns photograph well and add style to your rental decor. They are also the perfect weight for warm nights or as a second blanket on cold ones. Being made from 100% cotton, they are soft to the touch and easy to clean.
Air Diffuser
How a place smells is the first experience a guest will have of your rental. If your space is dank or musky, your guests will be instantly put off even if everything looks perfect. This is where an Air Diffuser can help you deal with all manner of olfactory sins. An Air Diffuser helps ensure guests walk into a pleasant smell and start their vacation off on the right foot.
Has a messy guest left a smell from an unknown, mysterious origin? Don’t want your guest being blasted with the smell of harsh cleaning chemicals? Or what about the guest that thinks perfume is meant to be worn by the bottle and now your rental reeks of Ode de Butt Stank? In your air diffuser, add some water, a few drops of essential oils, flip it on before guests arrive, and your place will be smelling like a ritzy spa in no time.
Sometimes guests stain sheets. Or, you don’t have time to wash the sheets before the next guests arrive. Or, life just happens and you need some back-up. That’s why having plenty of sheet sets (like these) on hand is always a good idea. So you can be ready for last minute bookings.
I recommend having 3 sets of sheets for each bed to ensure you are always good to go. You have two sets that you rotate and then a third set in case something happens and your sheets need to be replaced. With three sets on hand, you will always be ready to make money and never miss a last minute booking because you didn't have time to clean the sheets.
A Good Shower Head
A quality shower will get you 5-star reviews. Don’t believe me? Have you ever traveled all day, pulled into a motel, and the first thing that you want to do is take a nice hot shower, right? So, you turn on the water and this measly trickle of water dribbles out of the shower head. How disappointed are you? You are feeling gross, annoyed, and are now looking for what else is wrong with this stinking room you're staying in for the night.
On the other hand, if you turn on that shower and a nice strong stream of hot water comes gushing out, all of a sudden those positive ions start flowing and you are excited to be here. Ahhhh, this place is great! A good shower head can make up for a bathroom's shortcomings. And, a nice strong stream of hot water can go a long way to ensuring you a 5-star review.
White Bedding and Towels
White Bedding and Towels are the way to go for rentals. They look clean and crisp, photograph well, and are much easier to clean. That’s right, you read that correctly. White sheets and towels are easier to clean. Colored linens become discolored by the various potions and lotions used by your guests. Once those stains happen, there is nothing you can do but throw those linens out or use them for cleaning rags. White linens (like these) can be restored with the use of whiteners.
Now, I am sure you are thinking, "But colored linens hide stains better!" Sure, sometimes colored bedding hides stains better but they hide stains not just from guests but also from you. Imagine you miss a big nasty stain hidden in your colored sheets and then your guest finds it. Oops, you can kiss that 5-star review goodbye. There is a reason why hotels almost excessively use white bedding, and it's not just because it makes guests feel more comfortable. Are you convinced to try out white linens? Get all the white bedding and towels you need right now!
Extra Towels
I have no idea why guests go through so many towels. Or, even what that stain is on the towels that won’t come out. But I do know you are going to need more than one set of towels per guest. A standard set includes one bath towel, one hand towel, and one washcloth (like these). I recommend having three towel sets per guest. Meaning if your rental accommodates two guests, I would have six towel sets on hand. That lets you have one towel set to put out, one towel set in the wash, and one towel set as back up. Occasionally, a guest that is staying for several days may even ask for an extra towel so it's convenient to have that third set on hand if you haven’t had time to do the laundry. These towel sets here are exactly what I am talking about.
Oh, and you might want to consider getting some extra washcloths in addition to the three towel sets. Women often use washcloths to remove makeup and those stains sometimes just won't come out in the wash. Here are some great washcloths that include with free shipping.
Do you have any must-have items that help your rental be more profitable? We'd love to know so share your thoughts below!
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