The one question on every future hosts mind is how to furnish your Airbnb on a budget. I know it was on my mind when I first started hosting.
When you first start looking for Airbnb furniture for your property, it can be a daunting task. It’s likely you will want to keep costs down so you can stick to a budget, which is my purpose for writing this article.
But when I say keep costs down and sticking to a budget, I don’t mean buying crappy furniture. There are some great ways to buy amazing furniture and to also keep costs down.
I’ve set up many properties over the years now. So I’d love to pass on my experience and knowledge to help you furnish your Airbnb house cost effectively.
Your house will look swish, and that means 5-star reviews will be a rolling in.
Anyway, that’s the small talk out the way, let’s check out my 9 best ways to furnish your Airbnb on a budget!
#1 – How much does it cost to furnish an Airbnb?
First of all, before we discuss where to buy Airbnb furniture, I have a question for you to ponder. That question is “how much does it cost to furnish an Airbnb?”
The answer will vary depending on what type of Airbnb you have. For example, it will cost a lot less to furnish a single room than it would, say, a 4-bedroom house.
The first thing you must do is decide what your budget is. But that’s easier said than done. So how much does it cost to furnish an Airbnb?
My experience tells me it should cost roughly $2400-2800 USD. Anything more than that, you’re paying too much!
For instance, the graph above shows how you can furnish your Airbnb on a budget.
It shows six properties I have recently furnished myself. The two houses were three bedroom properties. Apartment 1 was a two bedroom property with a sofabed in the lounge. While the other three apartments were all one bedroom with a sofabed in the lounge also.
I am going to show you exactly how I did it too, so you too can furnish your Airbnb on a budget. Keep on reading.
#2 – Airbnb Furniture Checklist
Before we get into the juicy bit, I need to stress the importance of an Airbnb furniture checklist.
How will you know what furniture to buy and how much you’re going to spend if you don’t make a list?
Here are some good ideas to start with:
- Bed frame
- Mattress
- Linen & pillows
- Kitchen table
- Appliances (microwave, kettle, etc)
- Couch
- Television
- Night stand & lamps
- Towels
- Art work
#3 – Craigslist should be your first port of call
Craigslist is a killer place to start. In fact, I bought most of my big furniture items from Craiglist.
Mattresses are an expensive item to get rid of, so people often take to Craigslist to offload them. Many times you will be able to pick up a second hand mattress free of charge, as long as you can pick it up yourself. This is a goldmine!
You’ll make savings immediately. A free mattress? Yes please! Grab yourself one that’s in reasonable condition. Be sure to put a mattress protector over top of it and hey presto, you’re good to go.
– “P. Duckworth recommends using Craigslist as your first stop for furniture”
Craigslist is a great place to pick up other furniture as well. Items such as bed frames, chest of drawers, night stands, couches, you name it.
I have even bought entire second hand kitchens on Craiglist, when doing renovations. But that’s another story!
If you’re in the UK or Australia, check out the Craigslist equivalent called Gumtree, it is equally as good.
#4 – Facebook is your friend and here is why
You must check out Facebook! It is another goldmine of hidden gems. It’s a big way you can furnish your Airbnb on a budget.
Type in the name of your city and look for a ‘buy swap sell’ page, or something similar. For example – ‘Chicago buy swap sell’ or ‘Chicago garage sale’.
It will you lead you to a private or public group full of people selling furniture. People post advertisem*nts for their second hand furniture and accessories, then you pounce.
These pages are an untapped resource. I have bought so many great items this way. In fact, many times it’s furniture the owner hardly even used, but a quarter of the price of what it would be brand new.
Facebook has recently introduced a new innovation named Marketplace (as per below).
What I love about Facebook Marketplace is that you can drill down items by category.
You can filter your search to show furniture only. In fact, you can filter it to show categories such as tools, appliances, garden, and so on. Another nifty thing is you can select your price range; a great way of helping stick to your budget.
In summary, Facebook Market place is fantastic for buying Airbnb furniture, so use it!
#5 – Garage sales are a killer idea
Another great way to furnish your Airbnb on a budget is to cruise around to garage sales.
Saturday mornings have proven to be a bonanza for me over the years. People are often selling good quality furniture for bargain basem*nt prices. It’s like Craiglist and Facebook on steroids.
You’ll be able to get a list of garage sale locations from your local newspaper.
The key is to get in nice and early. The second-hand dealers will target properties in the nice areas of town first. They’re like a bull out the gate, devouring everything in their path!
Common items include nightstands, lamps, cushions, blankets, appliances like toasters, kettles, microwaves, etc..
They’re often hit and miss, but it has proven to be a great source for me buying cheap, good quality furniture.
#6 – Have you considered checking out K-Mart?
One outlet that has been a huge hit for me is K-Mart. They have definitely lifted the bar in recent years.
K-Mart now has a large focus on their homemaker range and have locations all over the world. It’s amazing how many sales these guys have too.
They are my first stop for linen and bed accessories, every time without fail.
For instance, you can pick up decent quilt sets for under $20. Pillows go for under $4, mattress protectors under $9 and sheets for as little as $6. As a result, you can save hundreds. (I recommend you check out my guide on choosing the best sheets for Airbnb.)
I recommend K-Mart for your kitchenware too. Microwaves ($59), 32-piece cookware sets ($35), coffee maker ($10) and so on. I bet you’re starting to get the idea now… K-Mart is awesome!
As can be seen, if you want cheap, brand new items, then K-Mart is your best stop. Keep the receipts, you can claim all this stuff on tax.
Example of some K-Mart bargains
- Quilt sets $20
- Pillows $4
- Mattress protectors $9
- Sheets $6
- Microwaves $59
- 32-piece cookware sets $35
- Coffee maker $10
# 7 – Do you have an Ikea nearby?
Now I have to admit, Ikea is not my favourite place in the world, it’s too big!
But shopping at Ikea is like a religion for some people. There is no denying they have stylish, cheap furniture which is a perfect way to furnish your Airbnb on a budget.
However, I must warn you that I have heard some stories over the years of Ikea furniture not being of great quality. For the most part, your Airbnb house will have a high turnover of people using your furniture. As a result, be sure you’re buying decent quality items.
I believe Ikea is perfect for Airbnb accessories. Things like bath mats, mirrors, bookcases, lamps, fake plants and so on.
Another key point is that there are people who’s day job is to pickup and deliver your purchases. Many offer a cheap service, so this is something to consider if you are time poor.
#8 – Airbnb Furniture Packages
What are Airbnb furniture packages I hear you ask? These are something I learned about while researching this article. Turns out they are a massive industry!
They are so big, that I have devoted a whole article explaining what they are. Check out my Airbnb furniture packages guide here.
To summarise, there are companies that specialise in furnishing Airbnb properties. You can meet with a consultant who will take care of all the hard decisions for you. In other words, they furnish your Airbnb house and you don’t have to lift a finger!
As a result, you can rent furniture, or buy a package that suits your needs. You can even have decorators come in and have your house looking like a magazine.
However, if you are wanting to furnish your Airbnb on a budget, then a furniture package may not be the best option. They can be expensive so I would only recommend this service if you are time poor (and lack style).
#9 – Look at other Listings
Why not just take a look at your competition? The houses that are killing it on Airbnb in your area.
Look for houses with a high booking rate and that have excellent reviews. These are the properties that people are booking and are rating highly. So it is quite likely the furniture is a key reason for this.
Check out their photos and the types of furniture they use. Look for things such as where they position their furniture, etc.
By seeking out what successful properties are doing, in effect you can do the same thing. To emphasise, use the methods I have explained above to buy cheap furniture.
Furnish your Airbnb on a budget
In conclusion, I hope I’ve been able to provide you with some ideas on how to furnish your Airbnb on a budget.
These ideas work. I know because I have done it over and over again for every property I furnish and get great feedback from my guests.
There is no need to get carried away buying expensive brand new furniture. By and large, your house is going to have a high volume of traffic, which means plenty of wear and tear.
You should be able to furnish a 3-bedroom entire house for under $3,000 USD. So if you’re spending more than that, you are either going high end or doing something wrong.
As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. So if you have any questions, or are a host who has furnished an Airbnb house before, let us know how you went.
