You’ve done the hard work of landing your next short-term rental and now is the fun part- figuring out how to decorate your Airbnb on a budget. It’s easy to underestimate the price tag on this and if you’re not careful, your setup cost can get out of control- but we won’t let it!
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Whether you’re an experienced investor or an eager homeowner looking to get some extra income from your property, the goal is to get your Airbnb looking top-notch with as little up-front investment as possible.
As an Airbnb Superhost myself, I’ve been sticker shocked a time or two when I added up my costs on an Airbnb setup. Over time and now that I’ve set up 9 Airbnb units, I’ve refined my process and in this post I’m sharing with you my proven formula for how to decorate an Airbnb on a budget-without sacrificing style!
This post is all about the best tips for how to decorate your Airbnb on a budget.
9 STEPS FOR HOW TO DECORATE YOUR AIRBNB ON A BUDGET:
1. Walk Your Property and Create a Design Plan
Spend some time walking through your place and get a good furnishing and decor plan made up for each room. Think ahead about wall hangings, lighting, throw pillows, and anything else you might want to add to the space. For a full Airbnb Essentials list and furnishing checklist, click here. Draw out a quick design of each room and get a list of every single thing you want in each room. This will help you stay on track when shopping and help prevent over-buying or purchasing items that don’t work well in the space.
2. Create a Budget
Ok, it may seem a little obvious-But don’t skip this! In order to get a realistic sense of what you should be spending on furnishing & decorating your Airbnb, sit down and spend some time creating a budget spreadsheet with detailed line items of everything you are going to need.
Related: The Airbnb Essentials List Every Host Needs: A Complete Printable Checklist
Below is a comprehensive airbnb decor and furnishing checklist with everything you might want to include on your budget (some items are clickable links to shop):
Bedroom:
Dresser
Decorative Mirror
Wall Art
Throw Pillows
Lamps/Lighting
Office:
Desk
Desk Chair
Desk Lamp
Faux Plant
Wall Art
Accent Rugs
Living Room:
Couch
TV Stand
Coffee Table
End Tables
Ottoman
Arm Chair(s)
Throw Pillows
Wall Art
Faux Plants
Area Rug
Dining Room:
Dining Table
Dining Chairs
Buffet Table/Bar Cabinet
Kitchen:
Kitchen Table
Kitchen Table chairs
Kitchen Cart/Coffee Cart
Wall Art
Faux Plants
Kitchen Rug
Entryway:
Coat Rack
General:
Blinds
Curtains
3. Set a Reasonable Timeline
Now that you’ve got a plan and a budget set, you’ll want to set up your timeline and a rough deadline. Understand that each night your property sits vacant, you are losing out on potential money earned. I like to spend no more than 3.5 weeks furnishing a 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom Airbnb. 3- 5 weeks should be ample time for you to furnish and decorate your place if you’re able to put a good chunk of time into it daily.
If your listing is going to rent for $160/night and you spend just one additional week working on setup, that’s $1,120 coming out of your pocket. Just something to consider.
With that said, while staying on budget is important, you don’t want to sacrifice income on the other end by waiting around for things to ship, or to find deals by shopping around for weeks. If you’re just not finding the right items secondhand, it’s probably time to start looking at some budget furniture stores for something new.
4. Start Perusing Facebook Marketplace
With that considered, Facebook Marketplace is an AWESOME place to find deals specifically on furnishings. I like to spend the first few days of the furnishing stage checking out Marketplace finds. What you can’t find in the first few days, start moving on to find other places. As mentioned above, you don’t want to waste any time waiting around for a deal that might not come.
You can find great quality furniture here for really inexpensive prices and save hundreds if not thousands of dollars on your setup by purchasing the right things on FB Marketplace.
Some of the most common things I look for and have great luck with on Facebook Marketplace are:
- Dressers
- Desks
- Desk Chairs
- Couches (*tip* ONLY go for pet free, smoke free home)
- Kitchen Carts/Coffee Carts
5. Consider an Eclectic Style for your Airbnb
I love to decorate with an eclectic style, because not only is it fun and a little bit funky (which guests will love), but it’s also easier to incorporate those potentially older/vintage furniture finds that you snagged at the thrift store and make them look intentional (and phenomenal)!
If you’re unsure what an Eclectic style is or want some inspiration, check out this blog post.
Related: Best Airbnb Interior Design Styles That’ll Make Guests Swoon
6. Hit the Thrift Stores!
When it comes to the Airbnb setup & decorating process, I find that online shopping is the best way to save time and also keep on track. The exception to that is THRIFTING!
Take a day or two and hit every thrift store in town. Take a list with you and zip in and out looking for some gold!
Top items to thrift:
- Artwork
- Furniture
- Frames for Art Prints
- Coffee Table Books
- Vintage Books
- Lamps
Related: 9 Gorgeous Airbnb Bedroom Decor Ideas You Need to Use in Your Short-Term Rental
7. Decorate with Used Artwork and Frame Prints to Save $ on Wall Hangings
Wall art is the area that will sneakily siphon your entire budget and leave you wondering where all your money went.
Don’t let it!
The best secret to saving money on wall art is to find old artwork or frames, remove the old art (or keep it if you like it!), and replace with prints that you can find online and print at your local print shop. That way you can really customize the type of art to fit your style and color schemes, and you’ll spend a fraction of the price you would buying wall art at a store.
8. Shop at Budget Furniture/Decor Stores Only
Whatever you don’t find thrifting, start hunting for online. For simplicity’s sake, pick 3 or 4 stores and stick to buying everything for those same stores.
In order to stay on timeline, prioritize buying the bigger items or items that will take longer to ship.
Best Stores for Budget Furniture & Decor:
- Amazon
- Best for Lamps, Nightstands, bed frames, small furnishings like kitchen carts or bar carts & faux plants
- Wayfair
- Best for bed Frames, nightstands, area rugs, end tables, coffee tables & dining chairs
- Target
- Best for mirrors, faux plants, nightstand lamps, & small rugs
Other places you can find great deals on furniture and decor are Ikea, BigLots, Homegoods and Hobby Lobby.
9. Don’t forget to do returns!
By the end of your setup, you’re going to have a box or two of items that didn’t work out for one reason or another. Don’t let them get shuffled around to find their way into the garage not to be seen again for months. Those boxes are money back in your bank account! Spend a day running around doing your returns. It will be well worth it to get that clutter off your hands, and the money back where it belongs.
If you enjoyed reading this post, you might also like:
Best Airbnb Decor Secrets that Will Get You Bookings and Have Guests Loving Your Place
15 Stunning Airbnb Living Room Ideas That’ll Get Your Listing Ranking
This post was all about how to decorate Airbnb on a budget.
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