{"id":12217,"date":"2015-07-23T09:00:25","date_gmt":"2015-07-23T14:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/storagecom-blog.local\/?p=12217"},"modified":"2025-07-30T16:53:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T21:53:29","slug":"getting-your-space-ready-for-airbnb-hosting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.storage.com\/blog\/getting-your-space-ready-for-airbnb-hosting\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Your Space Ready for Airbnb Hosting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Airbnb has been growing in popularity across the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

As an affordable and fun way to travel, the Airbnb guest experience offers short-term guests as much of the local flavor as possible. The app allows hosts to rent out their rooms, apartments, houses, and even castles at rates significantly lower than those of most nearby hotels and short-term rentals.<\/span><\/p>\n

While this is a great way to travel and get a unique guest experience, Airbnb is also a great way to make money as a host. Entering an apartment or home on Airbnb’s online listings is free, though you do pay a 3% service fee when reservations are confirmed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a host, you can make anywhere from $300 to $400 a week in major cities such as <\/span>New York City<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>San Francisco<\/span><\/a> by renting out a spare room in your home. However, you can rent out your entire house or apartment at a much higher rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now may be the time for potential hosts to sign up. Between the growing trend of personal use of the service and recent news of Airbnb expanding its business guest travel program, there is a growing opportunity for hosts to find success in renting their space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our helpful guide on how to prepare your house for Airbnb hosting will give you the basics you need to know before getting your house ready for Airbnb.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll also cover how <\/span>Storage.com<\/span><\/a> can help provide<\/span> business storage solutions<\/span><\/a> for hosts running out of space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Advice for Hosts: How to Make Money with Airbnb Hosting<\/h2>\n

The beauty of Airbnb is that nearly anyone can be an active host as long as they have the room. However, much like hotels and other accommodations, you\u2019ll be competing with other rates,\u00a0 rooms, and experienced hosts.<\/span><\/p>\n

So,<\/span> what can you do to get the most from your space through Airbnb<\/span><\/a>? For an active host to make money, you need to create a welcoming living space for renters.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Airbnb offers new host checklists, including accurately listing amenities and nearby attractions, starting with a lower, competitive price to build up good reviews, and even setting guidelines as to who can rent the space, you also need to have photos that will draw renters in and a room that will live up to what\u2019s promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting Your House Ready for Airbnb: Provide the Ideal Guest Experience<\/h2>\n

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\"Eric<\/div>\n
\u201cYou want to give the illusion that your space is always ready to be rented.\u201d

\u2014Eric Foutch, Airbnb Host<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Preparing your home for Airbnb is similar to <\/span>staging a home that is for sale<\/span><\/a> in that you have to create a space that is attractive to renters. Airbnb hosts provide photos of their available rooms through the Airbnb listing page to give potential renters a glimpse into the space’s layout.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to give the illusion that your place is always ready to be rented,\u201d says Eric Foutch, who hosts out of downtown Omaha, Nebraska<\/a>, using Airbnb. He said he learned how to stage a room while growing up around his mother, an interior designer who owned and staged a furniture store.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step, he says, is <\/span>conducting a deep cleaning<\/span><\/a>. \u201cEven a little dust will show up in pictures and will make the place look dirty,\u201d he warns. \u201cClean first and then set the room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While cleaning, keep an eye out for \u201cstuff\u201d that may clutter the listing photos. Eric says this can be small, everyday things that you may not think about. A few things to keep an eye out for when preparing to take pictures of your available space are:<\/span><\/p>\n