School’s out, the weather is getting balmy, and your guests are booked. Time to sit back and relax, right? Ha! No. Here’s what you need to do to prep your Airbnb for your peak season, summertime guests.
Note: All content is our own (that is, not sponsored), but if you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission at no added cost to you.
Table of Contents
Here’s How to Prep Your Vacation Rental for Summertime Guests
🧺1. Edit, Update & Restock
Peak season is fast and furious, so prep for fast turnovers by taking care of potential problems ahead of time (at least as much as possible). Schedule regular maintenance and equipment checks before everyone gets busy, and make sure you’ve got your essential amenities up to date and stocked up. Here’s what to take care of before things get crazy.
- Schedule maintenance checks for air conditioners, appliances, and pool equipment to prevent potential problems from becoming late-night phone calls.
- Schedule a deep clean (including baseboards, ceiling fans, vents, and behind appliances). Chances are, your housekeeping team will be stretched thin during peak season and won’t have time for extras.
- Speaking of housekeeping, ensure you have a backup housekeeper in case your main cleaner gets overbooked.
- Check and touch up paint on walls and trim as needed. While you’re at it, recycle any old or out-of-date paint and make sure you have more touch-up paint in labeled containers.
- Inspect bedding and towels and replace any with tears or stains. Make sure you have a backup set for each bed in storage.
- Stock up on essential amenities like paper goods, cleaning supplies, and toiletries. Keep extras in locked storage to minimize last-minute supply runs.
- Put fresh batteries in remote controls, door locks, safes, and anything else that requires batteries.
- Stock up on extra batteries and light bulbs, and keep some where guests can get to them.
- Check amenities like board games, jigsaw puzzles, books, and toys, and donate, toss, or replace any that are starting to look worn.
🌡️2. Get Warm Weather Ready
It is a truth universally acknowledged that air conditioning is better when you’re not paying for it. Will your guests turn on the fireplace and crank up the air conditioning? Yes, yes, they will. If your vacation rental is somewhere that gets hot, think like an a/c hog and eliminate temptation as much as possible.
- Swap out heavy comforters for coverlets and blankets. Some guests will still want a cozy bed covering, though, so keep comforters available but tucked away in a closet.
- If possible, turn off the gas to the indoor fireplace (if you have a gas fireplace).
- Install blackout curtains or shades if you don’t already have them. Your guests will sleep better, and you’ll be able to keep heat gain down in between bookings.
- Consider installing a smart thermostat with reasonable temperature limits.
Note: All content is our own (that is, not sponsored), but if you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission at no added cost to you.
🌸 3. Give Your Decor a Refresh
The start of your busiest season is a great time to freshen up your decor, and doing so is a great excuse to take some new photos for your social media accounts and your listings. Get your vacation rental looking bright and summery with the following:
- Freshen up your sofa with inexpensive throw pillows.
- Get rugs and curtains cleaned.
- Add faux plants or flowers to bring the outdoors in. These don’t have to be fancy; a simple (faux) palm frond in a vase can add instant summertime vibes.
- Invest in a few new accessories and re-style your bookshelves and mantles.
- If you have a pool, roll some color-coordinated beach towels and arrange them in a basket near the door.
- Encourage safety by styling a melamine serving tray with attractive, unbreakable outdoor dishes.
- Create one or two new “Instagram moments” (e.g., cozy corner, styled entryway) and photograph them for your feed.
☀️ 4. Create a Backyard Oasis
It’s showtime for your outdoor spaces, and they need to look their best. There’s no need to overhaul your patio furniture (unless it’s time); you can add style with some inexpensive decor items. Here are more things to do to prepare your porches, patios, and yards for summer.
- Make patio furniture look new with specialty products for restoring color to outdoor furniture and cleaning cushions.
- Check the state of your patio furniture covers, and order any replacements.
- Style your outdoor spaces with inexpensive but stylish new throw pillows, side tables, lights, and rugs (and take lots of pictures!)
- Stock propane, firewood, or grill supplies
- Check outdoor lighting and replace if needed.
Invest in a Thermacell mosquito repeller and spare refill cartridges. Make a video explaining how to use it, let guests know how many refill cartridges you’ll provide (if any).
Note: All content is our own (that is, not sponsored), but if you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission at no added cost to you.
🧳 5. Get Guest-Ready
The beginning of peak season is the perfect time to ensure the information you’re sharing is still correct. A quick Google search will tell you if the restaurants listed in your Welcome Guide have special summer hours, and a visit to your city’s chamber of commerce website will alert you to the summer events scheduled.
- Update your welcome guide with local summer events, restaurant hours, and in-the-know deals, like free days at local museums.
- Double-check house rules and instructions for clarity, and make sure your printed information and online information are the same
- Leave a welcome note or small seasonal treat.
- Ensure parking, trash pickup, and check-in instructions are clear and correct.
- Walk through your check-in procedure – literally. Are there any snags or frustrations that could be ironed out?
📸 6. Make It All Count: Update Your Listings and Schedule Social Media Posts
Finally, show off all of your hard work! Check the words and photos in our listings and make sure everything is current and relevant. Add photos of your re-styled spaces and mention summertime-specific amenities. Make sure your pricing is competitive, and let the season begin!
- Upload fresh summer photos (outdoor spaces, bright rooms), and temporarily take down cold-weather photos.
- Highlight seasonal amenities in your listing (pool, fire pit, beach gear)
- Recheck pricing and compare against local listings.
- Temporarily adjust your minimum stays or max guests if needed.
- Revisit and tweak your photo captions and listing title.
Is summer your high season? If so, are you ready for it? Let me know if you’re all set for your busiest season yet (fingers crossed!), or if you’re relaxing into your slow season.
