THE BASICS / MUST-HAVES:
BATHROOM
● *Toiletries: Soap (body/shower and sink/hand), hand towel, body towel,
face towel + back up of each (2 per person per room), shower mat, toilet
paper (plus backup), shampoo, conditioner.
○ Extra touches: feminine products, disposable razors, scale.
● *Towels: 4 per bedroom (body, face, hand).
○ Outdoor towels (2 per person) and if you’re home is pet friendly,
then towels for pets too).
○ 1 half of the above towels will be stored securely and not available
to guests.
■ Please note, people will take indoor towels outside, and
outdoor towels in. No matter how well you label and how
politely you ask, be prepared for accelerated wear/tear of
your towels. Home Goods & Marshalls / Ross, TJ Maxx are
great places to replenish towels affordably.
● *small trash can in each bathroom
KITCHEN & DINING
● *Dishes: (indoor and outdoor (if you have outdoor entertaining/eating
space); plates & bowls;
○ Quantity Tip: Enough place settings and dishes and tableware to
handle twice the number of your maximum group size, not
because twice as many people will show up, but because guests
don’t want to do dishes after each use).
● *Silverware: (indoor and outdoor)
● *Glassware: (indoor and plastic for outdoor; large & small, wine &
water). Mugs, coffee, and tea.
● *Utensils: (can opener, ladles, spatulas, Tupperware, pasta strainer,
pots, pans, decent knives, a pot large enough for pasta, saucepans,
large and small fry pan, wine glasses, a bottle opener, whisk, pitcher,
salad bowl, baking sheet, scissors, corkscrew, big cutting board, kitchen
hand towels, condiments (ketchup, mustard)
● *Kitchen supplies: (garbage can, garbage bags, sandwich bags,
dishwashing soap, dishwasher pods, paper towels, kettle)
LIVING / BEDROOMS
● Bedroom: Furniture in each room (chest of drawers (if no walk-in closet)
● *At least one night stand + lamp
● TV
● *Fan (if no A/C)
● *Beds/Bedding (on the bed and at least 1 backup set). Duvet +
comfortable > quilt. Think about laundry. If you can fit an entire room
(or 2) of linens in one load – you’ve saved time and energy. Some quilt /
bedding covers take an entire load unto themselves.
● Pillows plus decorative pillows
● A reading chair
● Full-length mirror
○ An extra touch would be iPhone/iPad alarm clock.
● *Living Room: Furniture: Coffee table, couches (plus throws and
pillows), books, area rug
● Other Rooms: at least one desk on the property, artwork in each room.
● *Dining Room: table & chairs, place settings, area rug.
ELECTRONICS
● *Flat screen TV (+remote) in the main room and at least 2 bedrooms
● HD channels or Apple TV or Roku Devices
● *High-speed wi-fi password protected
OUTDOORS
● Outdoor furniture (table, chairs, umbrella), BBQ (and utensils) welcome
mat, storage box, hose, trash can (recycling, trash, landscape)
○ Note: What happens if you receive mail at this residence? US Mail
allows for mail holds (so long as only at one residence — in other
words, you can’t hold mail at more than one home at the same
time).
CLEANING
● *Cleaning supplies (broom, mop, kitchen counter cleaner, vacuum,
furniture cleaner, floor cleaner, paper towels, and glass cleaner)
PRIVATE AREA / OWNER ONLY
● *Owners area: lockable closet to store supplies (paper towels, toilet
paper, backup linens/towels, firewood, wine, candy, electronics not
accessible to guests) – only accessible for owner/manager/cleaning
crew), back up key lock box on the property / hidden
THE EXTRAS – (ITEMS NOT EXPECTED BUT HIGHLY
APPRECIATED)
1. Full-length mirror
Everyone isn’t the same height, a medicine cabinet mirror is a liability within
itself due to the fact that short-sized guests will need a chair to see their
outfits. Acquire a full-length mirror that can be easily hung on the bedroom
door of the rental home.
2. Liners in trash cans
Having trash bags in all of the garbage cans throughout the vacation home
adds to the aura of cleanliness. Ensure that you do the same with bathroom
trash cans, also.
3. Starter pack of coffee, creamer, and sugar
These household items are ideal if you receive an abundance of guests during
the nighttime. Everybody enjoys a cup of Joe in the morning and your
nighttime guests are no exception.
4. Salt And Pepper
Chances are that when your guest arrives, they may intend to cook frequently,
but they more than likely aren’t going to pack spices within their suitcase.
Providing some spices or salt and pepper at the minimum can be helpful and
demonstrate a level of consideration on your part in the guest’s eyes.
5. Emergency Supplies
You should always expect the best but prepare for the worst, especially if you
reside within an area that is prone to be affected by natural disasters. But
by keeping a first aid kit, flashlights, and battery-powered radio you can do just
that.
6. Cleaning supplies
Stock the rental home with mops, brooms or cleaning supplies that the guests
can utilize.
7. Hair Dryer
Most guests won’t pack a hair dryer in their suitcases. They may expect
this to be in a vacation home due to the fact that a large majority of hotels
provide hairdryers. When it comes to household conveniences, for a small
investment of $10 you can provide yet another convenience to your guest.
8. Iron & Ironing Board
No one likes sitting on the floor to iron clothes on a small dorm-sized ironing
board. Consider purchasing a full-sized ironing board to add to your list of
household conveniences that will be observed by your guests.
9. A Deck Of Cards
A deck of cards can provide an endless source of entertainment to keep your
guests preoccupied during rainy days. While you can provide a variety of
games such as chess, checkers, and bingo. At the minimum, a deck of cards
will suffice.
10. Facial Tissues
Another set of essential household items is facial tissues. Some guests may
have an allergy-related condition and as such, may feel repulsed at the fact
that they have to resort to using toilet paper to blow their noses.
11. Fans
To add an extra layer of comfort, you can place a few tabletop fans within the
closets in the event that you don’t have air conditioning.
12. Guestbook
A guestbook can provide valuable feedback about your guests’ stay, that you
can use to improve the experience that future guests will receive as a whole.
The guest themselves may be delighted at the reviews that others gave
before them and might find some tips about activities within the area that
seem interesting and thus encourage a revisit in order for them to participate
in said activity.
13. Pillow Protectors and mattress pads
Having these items implemented is a great way to ensure that the mattresses
and pillows last longer along with the fact that it adds to the overall perceived
cleanliness of the unit. In some states, it may even be a documented
requirement to do as per to your local ordinances and regulations.
14. Potholders
Don’t let your guest run the risk of acquiring a burn injury while picking up a
teapot. Keep a few potholders around the oven to avoid possible injury and to
provide a small layer of convenience.
A NICE TOUCH (YET ONE MORE STEP UP)
Movies/DVDs (even though most can be watched through a TV, a nice touch
for a cabinet) stocked fridge, cupboards, seasonings, and some popular
magazines left out, bathroom essentials (Tylenol, Aspirin, mouthwash,
toothbrushes), fresh flowers, and a bottle of wine chilled. Britta/filtered water
pitcher in the fridge with a freezer full of Ice cubes and a cloth ice pack for an a
sprained injury or bee sting, bookshelves stocked with accent pieces and
bestsellers, outdoor games (bocce ball, dartboard, Frisbee), and all kinds of
board games, desktop PC or at least a printer, electronic candles, and light
bulbs (storage), flashlights and batteries, assorted toys, and puzzles. For
beach/coastal homes – beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers.
Welcome Package: Flowers, wine, snacks, coffee, maps, brochures, coupons.
Homes for sale around the Palm Desert Area