13 Tips on How to Airbnb Your Spare Room

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If the standard of living expenses is driving you crazy and you’re looking for ways to raise your income, listing a spare bedroom on Airbnb can be a great way to make extra cash. By renting out just a room, which is easier than an entire property, you can enjoy the benefits of making extra money while still living inside your home.

However, turning your spare room into a profitable investment will require effort and, in some cases, a financial investment. Fortunately, today’s market offers efficient ways to finance an Airbnb property. Click here to learn more about the best Airbnb loans on the market.

In addition, here are some suggestions to help you transform your extra room into an Airbnb on a budget.

1. Clean the room and the property thoroughly

When renting your spare room on Airbnb, the first thing to note is that cleanliness is one of the most critical factors for your guests. This is also a factor Airbnb will ask your guests to rate after their stay.

If you’re sharing the house you rent with your guests, it’s important to consider the items you leave out and the things you set aside. After cleaning and decluttering, your space will feel more spacious and inviting.

Even if you decide against hiring professional cleaners, ensure everything is thoroughly cleaned, including the mattress and the bedding. Choose bamboo air fresheners or covert air purifiers with adapters to maintain the surroundings fresh and pleasant at the same time. Keep the same standard of cleanliness throughout the rest of the house, including any other rooms your visitors will use in addition to the room itself.

2. Prepare the room with essentials

Even though there is just one extra room to rent, it is still crucial to fill it with necessities like:

Paper towels and toilet paper
Soap and other toiletries
Supplementary towels
Additional pillows
Bed sheets
A hairdryer
A setting suitable for laptops

Additionally, if you add extras like the ones listed below, you’ll only gain from them, and guests will think you’re a thoughtful host:

Conditioner and body lotion
Snuggly blankets
Local products like coffee, tea or chocolate

3. Create a comfortable and practical space to stay in

Consider different elements and features that make the space both more comfortable and practical for your guests.

For example, think about adding a higher shelf or a luggage rack so visitors may keep their luggage off the ground. Having a desk, table, and small chair is also a good idea. You may offer drinking water and shaving equipment. A TV or various books and magazines in the room can also make visitors feel comfortable. Some hosts enjoy presenting welcome baskets to guests containing some snacks and toiletries.

If you’re hosting in a shared location, it’s extremely beneficial to personally welcome guests. When visitors arrive, some homeowners prefer showing them around the space as a greeting before inviting them to take a seat for coffee and talk about the details. While this can make the stay more personable for the guests, it’s not absolutely necessary if you don’t have the time. In fact, some guests even prefer a self-check-in and quiet enjoyment in your property.

4. Put effort into design and details

You can produce an inviting property or a bedroom with the aid of good design and creative additions. Consider a unique theme or displaying items that reflect your individuality, such as trip souvenirs. Fortunately, interesting design features don’t need to be costly or difficult to make your home feel cosier and much more pleasant.

Here are some pointers for considerate design:

Having too many vacant areas can create a feeling of sterility and impersonality
Consider including statements like an art piece, a vibrant decorative cushion, or a plush blanket
Arrange your environment with greenery or plants to bring some life there
Discover paintings, fabrics, and other things with your chosen colour scheme
Choose a consistent theme that continues from the room design to the Airbnb listing title and description

5. Offer Wi-Fi and streaming services

Wi-Fi is one of the features most frequently requested for Airbnb properties. While an internet connection is something most hosts provide anyway, it’s also worth considering other services that can help your guests to stay entertained. A TV with paid programming or a smart TV that visitors can utilise to watch their favourite TV programs is a fantastic option.

6. Consider different lock options

When it comes to check-ins, you might not be always available at the times your guests want to check in. It’s therefore a smart option to place an electronic keypad, such as a Yale smart lock, with a passcode on the entrance door. This allows a quicker check-in, communication-free renting options, and no need to replace lost keys.

In addition to an electric lock, it’s worth considering if you want to place locks for the guest room or your own room where you store any valuables. This can make both you and your guest more at ease.

7. Ensure safety and privacy

For every visitor, safety and pleasure are essential. Visitors could feel uneasy in their new environment when they come. In addition to the locks, there are other ways you can make guests feel safe. By giving your visitor a safety box for their possessions, such as documents, a wallet, money, etc., you may give them a sense of security.

Blinds or fully-covering curtains are also essential so visitors can feel at ease while getting dressed. If the door to your room contains glass, you should provide a cover or engrave it so your guests can have greater privacy.

Make also sure you follow local guidelines and have safety features such as smoke and fire alarms, CO detectors or a first-aid kit in your property.

8. Prepare for climate extremes

Since you cannot prevent unusual weather conditions, you should try to be ready by providing the home with the required equipment and supplies. It’s crucial to be ready in every part of your home because guests won’t just utilize your spare room but also your kitchen and bathroom.

Stock up on canned food, torches, and batteries to be prepared for extreme weather. This might sound extreme depending on where you live. However, it’s useful to have supplies and tools on hand for every circumstance, whether you rent out a single room or a whole property.

In countries where climate extremes are less likely, it’s still good to prepare for potential unusual weather. For example, in the UK air-conditioning in private properties are very rare although summer temperatures can reach 30°C+. Therefore, you can make your guests stay more comfortable during the summer months by providing fans. Blackout curtains are also preferred by many guests, especially in countries with long sunshine hours during summer.

9. Give all features and appliances guidelines

Help guests make use of all the facilities and services available to them. You can add these kinds of instructions to your house manual. Adding clear instructions and addressing frequently asked questions will also save you time.

Clear house rules also guarantee everyone is on the same page, safeguard you in case something goes wrong, and define your standards before the stay. It’s crucial to compose these clearly and provide all necessary information.

It’s important to cover all your policies to avoid confusion throughout the stay, including those on smoking, extra visitors, and check-in and check-out times.

10. Interact with guests

When should you interact with visitors, and when should you give them room? While it’s important to set your own boundaries and the time you want to spend with your guests, it’s also good to understand that each guest is different. You can enquire in advance about how much involvement they would prefer.

Opening your private residence to a stranger while you also reside there can be an intimate but fulfilling experience. Decide in advance how involved you want to be so that both parties may gain from it, and you can build a solid reputation as a good host who respects the demands of their guests.

11. Review your insurance policy

You might have to update your insurance, even if you rent out one room in your house. You start operating a business the moment you let people into your house. Some insurance policies contain a commercial implied condition that forbids making deals on the premises. Ensure you have a specific short-term rent insurance plan or top-up insurance (such as Pikl) with relevant cover.

For further peace of mind, fortunately, Airbnb also offers AirCover host liability insurance with coverage in the rare event a guest gets hurt or their belongings are damaged. It also covers accidental damage to the host’s property or belongings.

12. Price your room fairly

When setting your room’s price, consider your neighbourhood and whether you are close to major tourist attractions. While touristy areas tend to have a lot of demand, they also have plenty of competition. Look at what the rivals are charging and consider what sets you apart. You must evaluate your lodging against competitors to make it accessible and reasonable.

You would be surprised how much money some hosts with properties in remote locations with little competition can make. Airbnb guests are not always tourists but also contractors travelling for work or people looking to relocate, for example. Therefore, often a surprising location can turn out to be an Airbnb goldmine. If your area doesn’t have much competition it’s good to test prices and adjust based on the demand.

13. Test out the space

Lastly, attempt to view the space from the perspective of a visitor. Even better, stay a few days there resting. Would you require a bedside table lamp or dark window shades? Are the electrical outlets accessible? Does the bedding feel cosy? When you employ them individually, those overlooked features stand out. Once you start renting out your extra room, listen to your guests’ feedback and make changes accordingly.

Conclusion: How to Airbnb your spare room

Spare room rentals can be both a great learning opportunity and a way to make extra money. When done right with Airbnb automation and outsourcing, your spare room can generate passive income for you. But, it’s worth putting in some effort to ensure everything is as flawless as possible.

Hopefully, these tips gave you a good idea of how to Airbnb your spare room. However, once you receive honest opinions from guests, it’s good to make further adjustments. This will help you keep your guest happy and allow you to make more money in the long term.