Are you spending too much on your Airbnb? (2024)

This week, everything I ordered for my upcoming property maintenance check arrived…all $700 worth.

That massive total in my Amazon cart really got me thinking…are we spending too much on our Airbnbs?

If you’re checking out what other hosts are up to, it might not take long to convince yourself to buy makeup towels, tissue box holders, customized coasters…the list goes on and on.

The pressure to buy, buy, buy can feel never-ending.

As Airbnb hosts, we’re especially susceptible to convincing ourselves we need EVERYTHING because we never know what will go wrong at our property or what tiny detail our guests will call out in a less-than-glowing review.

But, if you let yourself worry about too much, you’ll quickly find that there’s nowhere to draw the line.

Whether you’re a first-time host trying to figure out what you need in every single room of your Airbnb, or have been hosting for a while and are trying to optimize your Airbnb, I encourage you to take a step back and ask yourself:

Do I really need that? Or am I just being paranoid?

To decide what’s truly worth investing in, start by weighing the pros and the cons: If you don’t buy that new shiny thing, what’s really the worst that could happen? What’s the likelihood of that happening?

Sometimes, you might decide buying that item is worth the investment–-like these bed bug mattress encasem*nts that, yes, are pricier than typical mattress protectors, but are way less expensive than throwing out all your mattresses in a worst-case bed bug scenario.

Read on for 10 non-essential Airbnb items truly worth investing in.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I’m not affiliated with Airbnb in any way (other than being an Airbnb host, of course). Read my full disclosure policy here.

10 non-essential Airbnb items worth the investment:

Bed bug mattress protector / Fireplace guard / Furniture anchors / Code Names / Rummikub / High-quality coat rack / Extra coasters / Backup coffee maker / Keyless door handle / Kids’ dinnerware

Safety Gear

If I could turn back time, I would have made a bigger investment in safety gear as soon as I opened my Airbnb. Bed bug prevention, fireplace guards, and furniture anchors are all much less expensive than recovering from a full-blown bed bug infestation, someone falling on a hot fireplace, or a kid climbing your bookshelf and it toppling over. (Note: these are all in addition to any existing safety gear at your Airbnb, like this amazing built-in baby gate, child-proof cabinet locks, and fire extinguishers.)

Rental-friendly Games

Providing board games at your Airbnb isn’t a must-do, but it does as add a nice touch that can easily help guests have a more enjoyable time together. So, spending a few bucks on rental-friendly board games like Code Names and Rummikub is definitely worthwhile. Not only are Code Names and Rummikub super easy to learn and fun to play, but if guests lose a few pieces, they can still keep playing!

Keyless Door Handles

If you have any interior doors that require a key but need to stay unlocked for guests, don’t take any chances. Swap those handles for keyless doorknobs. There are so many people coming in and out of your Airbnb, even the most seemingly obvious doors will accidentally get locked and who knows where the key will end up. If something is lockable and you don’t want it locked, replace it with a keyless handle.

Backup Items

Certain things at your Airbnb are very likely to break or go missing. Coffee makers and remotes are some of the most susceptible. Don’t risk going weeks without a coffee maker because you have to wait for an Amazon delivery. Instead, store backups of these items in your supply closet–you’ll be happy you did when they inevitably need to be replaced.

Kids’ Dinnerware

As much as I love hosting families, I admittedly don’t supply many kids’ items at my Airbnb. Things like high-chairs and pack ‘n plays are hard to keep clean and can even become dangerous, so I don’t provide them. But, why not provide this inexpensive, dishwasher-safe kids’ dinnerware set? Guests traveling with kids will be happier and you’ll be happy that you have fewer broken plates. Win-win.

Pro tip: One of the best things you can do to increase your revenue is optimize your listing.

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