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Your holiday home inventory
So, you’ve designed and furnished your self-catering holiday home for rent and are ready to welcome your guests.
And you’re wondering what’s next. We believe the key to running a successful holiday home lies in the little details. It’s true: you cannot pre-empt every single one of your guests' many needs, but some forethought will save you a lot of time and worry in the long run.
Knowing what to buy for your property to make life easier for your guests is quite a task. But think of all the household items you need to use yourself on a daily basis and a list will appear in rapid order. Your guests have limited storage space when they travel, so think about adding all the non-personal items they may not want to pack for their holiday.
We have compiled a list, room by room, to get you started. This way you can avoid having to equip your property at short notice every time your guests discover an all-important item they need. Afterwards, read our blog about how to make the ultimate welcome hamper to put the cherry on top of your guests' special stay.
Curate the perfect living room
Provide warmth and comfort in the living room area as this is where most families will spend their nights together. Besides the furniture, you could consider adding a few little extras to enhance your guests’ quality time. After dinner, it can be fun to sit down to play some board and card games, flick through coffee table picture books and novels, fire up the games console, or browse through DVDs, Blu-rays or streaming devices to watch the latest TV shows and films. If you have a wood burner, the provision of a few logs, plus lighting material with matches, is a very popular and wanted addition.
Living room essentials:
- A welcome folder with details of local attractions, amenities, and helpful phone numbers
- Matches and lighting material for a wood burner (these are also handy for a gas stove or BBQ)
- A booklet with Wi-Fi, burglar alarm, boiler, air conditioning, shower, cooker and recycling instructions
- A fully replenished spare batteries box for TV remotes, air conditioning unit controls etc.
- Ambient lighting – consider lamps in addition to ceiling lights, or overhead lighting with dimmer switches
Nice to have:
- Books, DVDs, Blu-rays, blankets, games console, board games, card games, wood burner
- A handy screwdriver (for help replacing batteries)
- A welcome hamper containing a few local treats
All your guests need for their culinary adventures
Those that select a self-catering holiday cottage for their getaway often do so because they love to cook. Help your guests out by equipping your kitchen with useful basics. It’s not just the preparation of food that takes place in the kitchen either; the kitchen table can often be a focal point where families socialise. Make sure your table is large enough and that you have enough chairs to accommodate each of your guests comfortably at mealtimes and for social gatherings. Think about what your visitors may need to prepare a meal; for instance, it could be quite annoying buying vegetables for a Sunday roast and there’s no potato peeler, and no deep oven tray for the chicken to cook in. Try to meet every cooking outcome.
Kitchen essentials:
- Enough plates, bowls, and cutlery for breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Glasses and mugs
- Ample cooking dishes, grill trays, pans, knives, knife sharpener, utensils, cheese grater, potato peeler, sieve, colander
- Provide cleaning products, dishcloths, all-purpose cloths, pan scourers, kitchen roll, sink unblocker
- A mop, bucket, broom, dustpan, hoover, and brush
- Box of candles
Nice to have:
- A small supply of washing powder or tabs
- Washing up liquid and a tea towel
- Cooking candle to remove odours
- Foil or clingfilm
- Large drainer for plates and pots
- Dishwasher
- Salt, pepper and olive oil
- Tea, coffee and sugar
Bedrooms to make your guests feel at home
A bed with a high-quality mattress are high priorities for guest comfort; we think that storage for clothing should also be near the top of your list of considerations. After a long day of touring, the bedroom is a place to unwind and rejuvenate, so it’s nice to have all you could possibly need within easy reach.
Bedroom essentials:
- Extra blankets and pillows for all guests
- Where practical, bedside tables and lamps
- At least one linen basket for dirty washing per property
- Ample storage for clothing with hangers
- Hot water bottles for chillier nights
- Multi-socket plugs (for USBs / iPhones etc.)
Nice to have:
- Eye masks for afternoon naps
- Earplugs for those who need an early night
- Power points for charging phones overnight
- A TV for lazy mornings in bed
Bathrooms with handy essentials
The bathroom is a retreat from the world whilst you relax, enjoy a bath or shower, and finesse your look. Think about the extras that could enhance these experiences and make your guests’ lives smoother. Heated floors, a fan heater, extraction fans and scented soaps are all wonderful extras that can make your bathrooms great.
Bathroom essentials:
- Scented soaps
- Electric point for shavers
- Mirrors
- Fan heaters, radiators, extractors
- Linen basket
- A bath mat and towels
- Towel racks
- Toilet brush, bleach
Nice to have:
- Underfloor heating
- Selection of aftershaves, face creams, suntan lotions
- Plunger
- Air fresheners
Gardens and outdoor areas designed to impress
Gardens are the best opportunity for you to wow your guests and make a great impression on them. In practical terms, how does your garden aid your visitors during their stay? Is there something you can add or remove to make their stay safer, or more convenient? If your property welcomes dogs or small children, is the garden suitably enclosed with a fence with a latched gate, for instance? Have you got a working BBQ, well-maintained garden furniture, an outdoor tap to clean dirty boots, or festoon lighting and heat lamps for evening use?
Essential for gardens:
- Garden furniture
- Well-maintained paths and driveways
- Outdoor storage (garage/shed/lean-to for bikes/surfboards etc.)
- Outdoor tap (for cleaning muddy boots)
- Outdoor lighting
- Enclosed gardens with latched gates
Nice to have:
- BBQ (with charcoal or gas cylinder)
- Heat lamps
- Blankets
- Covered seating area
- Outdoor shower
- Railings for steps
- Hot tub
- Plastic glasses for hot tub use
- Picnic plates and cutlery
Maximise the potential of your holiday let
By adding useful extras as standard to your holiday home you are paving the way to return business. Guests are likely to return to a holiday home in which they had a carefree holiday or recommend it to their friends and family. Convenience makes for a smooth-running holiday and having a well-equipped holiday home inventory list helps towards maximising your income too – here are some other handy tips on how to get the most out of your place.
Let your property with holidaycottages.co.uk
We’re always on the search for new owners to let their properties, whatever the style and appeal.
With an exceptional team who are dedicated to showcasing your property to help maximise its true potential, you get a simple, stress-free and successful letting experience that delivers you a healthy return.
If you are considering letting your holiday home, then we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and let us help you on your journey. Call 01237 459991 or send us a message.
You can also download a free letting guide.
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