Stocking the Short Term Rental- Creating a Home Anyone Would Enjoy

The Ranch Retreat is a short term rental, an Airbnb, a house on VRBO, a guest house, even a bunk house. Call it what you want but we feel it is a HOME. After all we lived there and it was our home for over 20 years!

Just like any house, it needed furnished, stocked and decorated. Inventory also needs replaced with use. So even if you don’t own or manage a rental, these purchasing tips and shopping tricks can be useful for anyone.

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I’ve worked hard to reuse and repurpose many items, reducing waste and saving money at the same time. Thrift store finds and local online swap shops have added to my collection as well. To fill in the blanks, I use Amazon.

Amazon can have a negative connotation, especially living in small town, Midwest. If you’re not a fan, I apologize and hope that won’t keep you from visiting. Here’s the deal though-

Many things aren’t available at a local retailer. Shop local when you can, but somethings like a shower curtain will most likely only be found online or at a big box store. A local craftsman will not be selling them at a Farmer’s Market or trade show. This is when Amazon is a practical and honestly, wonderful, guilt-free option.

Please click any of the links below for product details. Don’t see anything you’re interested in? Please click at least one anyway and start adding your favorite items to your cart.

Purple Floral Shower Curtain Add a pop of color or some personality to any bathroom. Maybe a purple floral shower curtain is for you, but with so many choices, you’ll find something you love at an affordable price.

Dehumidier This works great in the basement of the rental house. We’ve hooked the hose to it for continued draining so we don’t have to worry about emptying the container while guests are staying upstairs. It is quiet and efficient.

First Aid Kit This has a nice assortment of the basics, perfect for any household. Hopefully no one has any injuries while visiting but it is always best to be prepared.

Pillow Protectors Not just a pillow case, but a protector to zip around the pillow. Any sleeper will appreciate the extra layer of protection and knowing that if the pillowcase slips off, another clean, washable surface is underneath. Large packs of these are available, why not use them on every bed pillow in your house? I am.

Queen Size Mattress Cover Don’t just protect your pillows. Add comfort and another layer of protection to any mattress with this high quality, low priced cover.

Seven Piece Comforter Set- Twin Don’t waste time on cheap bedding. Finding a good value is key. These sets are available in so many colors, they’re sure to match any decor. The set had everything you’ll need from sheets and pillow case to a fluffy comforter that isn’t paper thin like so many.

Basketball With an outdoor basketball court, you can’t have too many all-weather basketballs. These come in a variety of colors and work well on any surface. For photos and details of our basketball court click HERE.

Leather Repair Patch Tape Kit Sometimes furniture needs a facelift before it can be used or presented to guests. This patch tape kit was a life saver- or at least a bench saver. I simple bench with a “pleather” seat, I’d had for years, had seen better days. It was so versatile and fit the space so well that I couldn’t part with it and didn’t want to pay for a replacement. Enter the repair kit, costing less than $10! The bench looks almost new and an easy application of “colored tape”. And I still have patching supplies to spare.

Arm & Hammer Free and Clear Laundry Detergent I personally don’t like a strong scented detergent, even if I like the particular smell. It is even more difficult to find a scent that everyone will not only like, but not be sensitive to. This is why I’ve chosen to use free and clear laundry detergents. Towels and bedding is clean and fresh without the additional perfume.

Don’t forget other cleaning supplies from everything to Hamitor Toilet Brush and Holder to Natural Kitchen Sponges.

Peel and Stick Vinyl Flooring Yep, I’ve even bought flooring from Amazon. It has lasted for years. It was easy to install, delivered to my door and reasonably priced. Learn more about my $500 bathroom makeover by clicking HERE.

Floor Vent Cover Something as simple as repositioning furniture can uncover potential problems or spots that need repair, like a missing vent cover. Updates and replacements were easy with Amazon. I found the size and color we needed, clicked a couple buttons, waited a day or two for delivery and dropped it into place.

Pleated Paper Window Coverings These are an amazing invention, perfect for French doors- No hardware needed. Just stick them on. They’re lightweight and available in different colors. They provide privacy and block out direct sunlight. Did I mention affordable? With the price of window coverings these days, these are a wonderful alternative. An no, they don’t look like cheap paper taped to the wall.

Cordless Bamboo Blinds They’re very versatile and will fit in with so many styles of decor. I used them to incorporate into a western retreat themed bedroom.

Blackout Curtains If you’re looking for true light-blocking and improving insulation factors on your windows, shop for blackout curtains. A trick I also found was that buying a set of 2, designed with the 2 panels to split and pull open to the sides of the window, worked perfectly for my tall, skinny windows. I use 1 panel on each window and pull it to either side. Full window coverage for half of the price.

Door Stoppers These are being offered for a super price now! They’re so simple and easy. We’ve all had or at least seen the metal spring door stoppers. Little kids play with them, bending them out of shape. Age wears them out and a damp bathroom even made mine start to rust. They work fine, until they don’t and you end up with a door knob imprint on your wall! Not with these, peel the paper off the back and stick them on the wall. Cheap, easy and they work.

Smart Keypad Door Lock This lock works without wi-fi and the batteries have lasted- both very important things to check when shopping for a front door lock. Even with an internet connection, are you confident in the service in your area? You’ll want to feel confident that the codes are entered and working properly at all times. We live near our short term rental and bulk-resetting codes manually isn’t a challenge for us. I can also test them and use them just like a guest will upon arrival.

Horse Fly Mask I had to throw in something horse related. The view out the back window often includes my horse, Diego. He has a bald face that is sensitive to the sun and other irritants. So for the first time in Schwieter Land & Livestock history, we have a horse with a fly mask in the pasture, complete with a nose covering and everything. It has worked wonders and it stays on. Diego may look a little odd to house guests, but he’ll look beautiful when its time to ride or promote him.

For many other Farm & Ranch Related Amazon Finds Click HERE

Would you like to see these products “in action”? Come visit and stay at the Schwieter Land and Livestock Ranch Retreat in Shelby County Missouri. Click HERE for details and Booking options.