So, you are thinking about using your house for Airbnb. What next? A friend, Tenay Benes, of Calm Castle Home Staging gets to travel and write it off as a business expense because she is checking out what people are doing with their Airbnb rentals to get ideas and she prospects for potential clients at the same time.

Besides doing home staging for people who are selling or renting their home or condo or apartment, her company is now helping people maximize their returns from Airbnb. Following are some tips from her to help you out, but to get the maximum effect of her knowledge, you should schedule an appointment with her.

Photos of Your Home

You obviously need photos of your home and it makes sense that you are going to clean up and having it look nice before you do that, just as you would if you were selling or renting.

Make Your House Look Homey and Comfortable

You don’t want it cluttered but you don’t want it sterile either. Maybe have a cookbook out to a favorite recipe in the kitchen, reading material by the bed along with a carafe or bottle of water and some glasses.

Photos and Art in Your Home

Stay away from lots of photos of your family and your pets. Instead maybe have some art or photos by local artists or of local interesting sites.

Bathrooms are Important

Bathrooms should be clean and inviting. Don’t have too many things out on the counters or other surfaces. You probably want a box of tissues and maybe some soap or shampoo. Other things can be in baskets or possibly drawers such as towels and wash clothes.

Mirrors

Besides obviously needing one in the bathroom there are other possibilities. By having a large mirror in a room opposite a window, it effectively increases the light in the room and can almost function as a second window in the room.

Sitting Area

It can be a plus to have a sitting area in the bedroom. This presumes that the bedroom is large enough to do this without feeling too crowded.

Work Area

A small table or desk where someone can work is important too. People may be on a business trip, not a holiday and even if they are on holiday, many people bring their laptops with them.

Quirky or Local

You can also have something that is quirky that is a conversation piece or displays something uniquely local.

Flowers

These add a welcoming feel. You could do some cut flowers or use some higher end silk flowers which fool you into thinking they are real. Don’t get cheap ones that look tacky. Better to have none at all in that case.

Lighting

When you take photos of your home to post, try to take them when there is lots of sun and take some in the evening when the light is starting to dim and is softer. That gives two different looks that can both be very inviting. Besides lighting for photos, you want to have adequate lighting for people to read by. Remember, older people need 50% more light to see the same thing as younger people.

Exterior of Your House

Before you take any pictures you of course want to have the lawn cut and any gardening done so that it looks nice. Having a bench or some other sitting area is nice along with a table.

We hope this has been helpful and you can always call our friends at Calm Castle Home Staging. 443-990-1110…