All products, services, or links mentioned on my website are for products and services that I have personally used and/or recommend. Some of the links are affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
It’s time to open up your space to Summer-season guests. Is your space ready? Or does it have that shut-up musty smell from the dark, damp Winter hold-over?
Did You Know?
The first thing a guest notices when they walk into your home is the smell.
The “appearance” of a clean room begins with the nose. If the house doesn’t smell clean, then the guest will be more likely to look for dirt, dust, grime, mold, and mildew.
Make sure you’re making a good first impression with your guests. Freshen up your space using these budget-friendly tips.
If you’ve ever dried clothes outside on a clothesline, you know just how fresh they smell. The UV from the sunshine is a natural disinfectant.
So choose a warm, sunny day to air out your space. The goal is to remove the stale air and replace it with fresh air.
Open all the windows and doors to create maximum air circulation throughout the house. Turn on the ceiling fans to add even more air movement.
Open shower curtains and cabinet doors under the sinks. This will help eliminate any dampness and musty odors lurking in those mildew-prone areas.
After you’ve aired out the space naturally, you should also change the air filters in the HVAC. These air filter fresheners keep your space smelling fresh long after you’ve aired it out.
Don’t overlook the upholstery and carpet. These are two of the main areas of your home where odors hide.
Again, it’s best to choose a warm, sunny day to freshen the upholstery.
Remove cushions and place outside in direct sunlight for 20-30 minutes. Then flip over to expose the other side for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Be careful not to leave the cushions in direct sunlight for too long, as it may cause the fabric to fade.
Sprinkle baking soda on upholstered furniture and carpet. Let it sit for approximately 30 minutes, then vacuum up the baking soda.
Mix 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a spray bottle. Mist upholstered furniture and carpet. (Test a small area first!) Note: you may smell the vinegar when you first spray it on, but it will dry odorless.
Once the upholstery and carpet have been aired out, try these odor eliminating products for continued freshness.
Scentsy Fresh Fabric Spray – MY FAVORITE!
Powerful molecules eliminate odors and enliven fabrics with long-lasting fragrance. Mist on surfaces such as carpets, upholstery, and curtains and freshen up any room. 16 fl. oz.
Scentsy products are a great way to freshen up your space. I recommend choosing soft, clean, fresh scents.
Start off your summer rentals with clean windows – inside and out.
Don’t forget to also wash the screens and window tracks. Use a crevice tool to vacuum the window tracks and screens. Then wipe with cloth using hot, soapy water.
For a natural window glass washing solution, try one part hot water and one part distilled vinegar.
The BEST streak remover is a dry, crumpled up newspaper.
For hard-to-reach windows, this telescoping window washing pole will do the trick. It includes a squeegee and a pivoting head for a streak-free finish.
Flowers are a budget-friendly way to brighten and freshen up your space.
Consider leaving a fresh bouquet for special guests celebrating an anniversary or a birthday. Support your local farmers’ market with your purchase.
Although fresh flowers are beautiful, they aren’t very budget-friendly. They also don’t last very long and are not easily replenishable at a vacation rental.
I recently took a chance on these “real touch” flowers from Amazon, and they are AMAZING! I have never seen artificial flowers that look so real!
Tulips have always been my favorite flower. I absolutely love that I can now display a beautiful bouquet all season. You HAVE to check these out!
<—- That is my photo!
If tulips aren’t your thing, there are several other varieties available. Most are $15-$20 per bouquet. Totally reasonable!
Freshen up your space using colorful accents. Choose 2-3 coordinating, bright, accent colors.
Bright cheerful throw pillows, like the pillow covers below, add a fresh summer theme.
Purchase a 6 pack of 18″x18″ pillows and change out the seasonal covers. The covers are washable – BONUS!!
Summer Decor
Bright summer-themed towels add freshness to your kitchen.
Bright-colored placemats like these, come in a large variety of colors and designs.
Colorful bowls can be used in most any room to add a touch of color. Use in the bathroom and bedroom for pocket change, makeup, or soaps. Place a bowl on the dining room table for fresh fruit.
How are you planning to freshen up your space this Summer?Read How to Help Guests Prevent the Spread of Flu and Colds for more cleaning tips.
Click the image below to get my FREE Deep Cleaning Checklist:
You’ll learn unique marketing strategies for social media that will generate more revenue for your business.
Social Media Marketing Bootcamp is a self-paced, 5-Part course designed exclusively for vacation rental owners. The content will be specific to the vacation rental industry, and you’ll have access to exclusive content, worksheets, and questions/answers as you move through the course.
Learn more about how to effectively market your vacation rental on social media, in my Facebook & Instagram Course Exclusively for Vacation Rental Hosts.
Here are some of the topics included in the Social Media Marketing Bootcamp Course:
Take the quiz to find out how the Social Media Marketing Bootcamp course will help your vacation rental business.
After taking the quiz, you’ll see a personalized report explaining whether you’re a good candidate for the course.
You don’t want to miss any of my weekly vacation rental management and marketing tips! You’ll also get my FREE Download – 9 Steps to Preparing Your Vacation Rental Business to #BookDirect!
Would you like to take Direct Bookings for your vacation rental, but you don’t know where to start? Evaluate where you are and what steps you need to take to gain back control of your vacation rental business. It’s not as hard as you might think.
Learn what Trendy Hospitality is all about. And learn more about me and why I have such a passion for vacation rental management and marketing.
I would jump for joy if you’d share my blog posts on your favorite social media platforms, including Facebook groups ! ↓
All products, services or links mentioned on my website are for products and services that I have personally used. Some of the links are affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
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