Ever since Airbnb came to the UK in 2009, renting out a room in your home has become more accessible, and thus more common.
Renting out your spare room on Airbnb or Spareroom gives you an extra income stream, which is great. It’ll also help you meet people from all over the world, which is also great! So what are you waiting for? Here’s what you can do to prep your spare bedroom before it goes live!
Pick a neutral décor
Has it been some time since you redecorated that room? A new lick of paint and some new décor could take it far. To appeal to the widest audience possible, go for neutral, classy vibes. Just because it’s neutral doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with this. For example, if you live by the seaside, you might want to go for a subtle seaside theme using salmon pinks, creams and greys.
Invest in new bedding and towels
Who doesn’t love the feeling of sleeping between brand-new sheets or finishing off a shower with a springy new towel?
Get some fresh new bedding before you rent out the room. Want to really make it stand out on the listing? Then accompany this with an arrangement of complementing cushions and a throw.
Ensure your room has all the right furniture
If the room has been sitting unused in your house for a while, you may assume it’s furnished well enough. However, the true test is to try living in it yourself for a few days.
Only from personally using the room will you find out what it lacks. Would a desk lamp help guests wind down at night better? Would a full-length mirror help them ensure their holiday outfit is on point before they set off?
And if you want to attract guests who want to work from home for part of their visit, a modern-looking desk and chair could help you attract a wider audience.
Remove personal items
Perhaps you love seeing photos of your nearest and dearest in frames. But your guests don’t know these people and may not want to see them first thing in the morning!
Removing personal items ensures that your guest won’t feel like an intruder in your home. It also helps you minimise the overall tone of the room so that it looks slick in the pictures and exudes a calm vibe when your guests are in situ.
Take some great pictures
You’d be amazed at what a difference great marketing makes. You can write as much as you like in the listing, but if the photos are blurry or dingy, a significant number of potential inhabitants won’t consider it. Tidy that room like your life depends on it, fill it with natural light and ensure the camera quality is sharp when you take the photos.
Renting a spare bedroom can be a rewarding way to meet new people and get the most out of that bedroom that you don’t really need. It’s also a great excuse to get creative with a bit of interior design!
Images courtesy of unsplash.com and pexels.com
