How to make a great Airbnb first impression

As we all know, smells can really impact how we feel about a place. Smells leave a lasting impression, but whether that impression is positive or negative depends on the smell!

Spas, for example, have made understanding the impact of scents into a fine art. Think about it – the minute you walk into one and smell the air, a feeling that this is going to be a wonderfully relaxing and indulgent experience takes over. Your mood and your attitude toward the experience has been set from the minute you walk in the door. Essentially, this is what you want your guests to experience. Walking into an unpleasant smell can affect how people feel about the cleanliness of your home immediately. So lets turn them around and keep them coming back with 3 simple steps:

Step One: Improve the air quality – Ventilate, dehumidify & purify

• Use dehumidifiers, fans, and open windows to help reduce the moisture in your home. Be especially vigilant during hot, humid months.
• Indoor plants – indoor plants are a natural air purifier. Peace lilies, aloe vera and ferns are all easy to maintain and look great as well.
• Install an air purifier. Harvey Norman has a good range of some effective but inexpensive ones you can buy.

Step Two: Remove the source – Get organised and keep it clean

Remove clutter where possible. If you are lucky enough to have a storage unit or a garage, get your spring cleaning on and remove non-essential items from your pantries, laundries and bedrooms.

• Vacuum & mop with superior quality equipment. HEPA filter vacuum cleaners and microfibre mops will remove dust with ease without having to use any nasty strong-smelling chemicals.
• If you’re lucky enough to have an Ozone machine this is the most effective way of removing bad smells (like smoke) from your home. An Ozone machine treats air with ultra violet light. We recently purchased one here at MadeComfy so we can remove smells quickly before guests check-in and the results have been amazing.

Step Three: Fragrance – Make a lasting impression count with essential oils

• Aerosol sprays & plug-ins can be overpowering for some people. Subtlety is key to making a good impression.
• Choose quality over quantity - Oil diffusers, soy wax candles, aroma diffusers and high quality room sprays with essential oils are the best.
• Theme your home – Establish a mood that is calming and inviting. Vanilla can have a positive effect on the psyche. It is a welcoming home smells that says "come in, relax, stay a while,’’ whereas citrus will uplift and energise your home, and lavender and sandalwood will create a calm and stress-free environment.
• Last but not least, strategic placement. Place an oil diffuser at the entrance of your home to create an impact as soon as the guests walk in. You may want to add something to the living area and bathroom to tie the theme together but remember less is more.

So, there you have it. Three simple ways to impress your guests! Leave an impression in a part of their brain that will be re-ignited when they smell those scents again. That smell that takes them back to a wonderful vacation or an indulgent weekend getaway in your home that will help you toward receiving those 5-star reviews!

MadeComfy provides an end-to-end property management service, which means property owners don’t need to do a thing when they hand over their keys. MadeComfy makes the process of earning greater returns from short-term renting effortless, achieving up to 40% more than long-term rentals and self-managed Airbnb listings. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

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