Frantically scrubbing muddy footprints out of the white carpet should never be a part of any parent’s vacation. Vacation is a time for families to escape the stress of everyday life, and the best way to help parents out with this is to provide a house that can handle a little bit of a mess (or a lot.) White carpets, bedsheets, and furniture might look nice when you buy them, but after a family spends a few days exploring the great outdoors, I can guarantee you’ll be having second thoughts.
Even if the furnishings can handle a mess, that doesn’t mean the guests want to live in the mess for the rest of their stay! Keeping your house stocked with cleaning supplies will save families from frantically running to the store trying to find a broom after their kids had a messy lunch or a little too much fun outside. Not to mention that it’ll make getting the house ready for the next stay that much easier for you. To make every family’s stay better (and help yourself out), here are five simple things to consider:
1. Extra Linens
Accidents happen, so be ready for them! Make sure you have spare linens and a washer and dryer somewhere the guests can easily find and access. Nobody wants to wash sheets at home, so make it as painless as possible on vacation. Providing detergent is a straightforward way to help someone out, and maybe make a customer for life. Parents should be making memories with their families outside, not trapped inside transferring the laundry to ensure it’ll be clean by bedtime.
2. Waterproof it!
Kids love to play in the water, and there’s no better time for it than vacation. Make it easy for parents to make those memories of a lifetime by the lake and furnish your house with finishes that can handle getting a little damp. A little bit of tile and a washable rug by the doors can provide easy cleanup, even if the kiddos won’t stop running inside and outside and inside and outside over and over again. If you want to have carpet in your houses, keep it away from entrances so it won’t get as much wear and tear, and getting carpet with stain resistance, or with a stain-hiding pattern is always a must.
There’s one main nonnegotiable when it comes to waterproofing your house: mattress protectors for all of the beds. They’ll keep everything nice and clean, and make tidying up in between guests that much easier. Accidents happen, so be ready for them.
Finally, don’t forget the absorbent bath rugs. No matter how much the kids are splashing in the tub, there’s no need for water running down your hallway!
3. Games and Toys: What do you really need?
Vacation is about spending time with the people that you’re closest to, so pick toys and games that the whole family can enjoy together. Board games, ping pong tables, and balls are just the start. Provide games which can be played by a crowd of all ages, and steer away from anything too specific that many people likely won’t want to play. Toys are another great way to facilitate fun, but leave out the choking hazards and china dolls. Instead, provide toys that kids can play with safely by themselves- building blocks are a great start.
4. Towels, Towels, and More Towels
Beach towels, hand towels, and washcloths are just the tip of the iceberg. Towels are both bulky and an everyday necessity- something nobody wants when they’re packing for vacation! Keeping your house stocked with towels is a super easy way to get guests to love you and save them from lugging around that extra suitcase. While they’re staying, your rental is their home, so why not treat it like one?
5. Let Them Clean Too
Give your guests the ability to clean up after themselves. Cleaning might be a chore, but it’s also (sadly) needed. Spilled food, muddy feet coming in from outside, and many more kid related messes just can’t be avoided. So give your guests everything they need to handle it, just like they would in their house. Some supplies that just can’t be missed include cleaners, soaps, towels, a vacuum, a broom, and a washer and dryer.
There’s no better way to make a family feel comfortable than an excellent eye for detail. Vacation is for everyone- kids and adults included. By including home essentials and durable features in your rentals, you make everyone’s trip better. Kids can play freely, and parents can sit back and relax a little bit extra knowing that everything they need is on hand. Every short term vacation rental has been a home for hundreds of people, so treat it like just that: a home.
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