Your Airbnb To Do List, for flawless organisation!
Between a 10am check-out and a 4pm check-in, you have six hours and a long list. The order that stops things being forgotten, plus the to do list to print.
A check-out at 10am, a check-in at 4pm. In between: the cleaning, the laundry, the restocking, and the check that nothing has been broken. Six hours feels comfortable until the day the machine is still running at 3.30pm.
What sets apart the hosts who keep up the pace isn't speed. It's the order in which they do things, and the fact that they never have to rely on memory.
The order matters more than the list
The rule that saves the most time fits into one sentence: whatever takes time without you goes first.
The washing machine and the dishwasher go on within five minutes of you walking through the door, before you even look at the state of the property. They'll run while you get on with the rest. The classic mistake is to clean first and put the washing on at the end: the laundry then becomes the bottleneck for the whole day.
Only then do you work through the property, top to bottom and back to front, so you never cross a clean area twice.
The supplies round
This is where most of those late-evening messages come from. A missing supply isn't visible at a glance: you have to count it.
- toilet roll: a part-used roll doesn't count, always leave two spares in plain sight;
- washing-up liquid, sponge, bin bags, dishwasher tablets;
- soap, shower gel, salt, pepper, oil, coffee and filters;
- light bulbs, remote control batteries, capsules if you provide a machine.
The habit that settles the matter once and for all: keep a closed reserve stock in the property, and mention it in the welcome book. A guest who finds the packet of sponges on their own doesn't message you.
The three checks that make your reviews
Across dozens of Airbnb reviews, three points come up far more often than cleanliness itself.
The wifi. Actually connect, with your own phone, forgetting the network first. A router that restarted overnight may be behaving differently, and you're the only person who won't notice, because your phone is already paired.
The hot water. Turn on the shower tap and wait. A tank that takes four minutes to heat up isn't a fault, but it is something to write down somewhere.
The access. Test the keypad or the key box with the code you're about to send out, not from memory. A digit changed during the last stay and never reset is the most common failure, and the one guests take worst.
These three points appear far more often than cleanliness itself in Airbnb reviews. Here is what you must check before each guest arrival.
| Point to check | How to test it | Mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Connect with your phone, forgetting the network first | A rebooted box at night changes behavior; your paired phone won't see it |
| Hot water | Turn on the shower tap and wait | A tank taking four minutes to heat is not a fault, but guests should know about it |
| Access | Test the door code or lockbox with the actual code you will send | A digit changed during the last stay and never reset is the most common failure |
What to check once a month, not at every changeover
Not everything needs checking between two stays, and trying to do the lot every time is the surest way to end up doing none of it.
Once a month is enough for the smoke alarm, the shower seals, the condition of the utensils, defrosting the freezer and cleaning the extractor filter. In high season, slot this round into the day with the longest gap between two bookings.
The list to print
We've put this routine on a single page, to pin up in the broom cupboard or slip into the folder of whoever does the cleaning.
Download the Airbnb To Do List (PDF)
Delegating without losing control
The day someone else takes care of the property, the list in your head becomes a problem. It has to exist in writing, in the same place as the stay information, along with the quirks only you know about: the shutter that sticks, the step that creaks, the neighbour to warn.
The simplest option is to put it in the tool your cleaner already has in hand. A cleaning management app such as CleanClac, with its checklist per property, shows the order of tasks, the quantities to restock depending on the number of guests, and sends you a photo of each room when the clean is done. The printed list stays in the cupboard, but it is no longer the only copy.
That's also what makes the condition report useful. Photographed at every check-out, it saves you the argument about what was already damaged, and lets you spot deterioration before the next guest discovers it on your behalf.
On the guest side, the same logic applies: the wifi code, the local recommendations, the useful numbers and the recycling instructions shouldn't have to be repeated for every stay. A digital welcome book keeps them up to date once and for all, and your guests reach it by scanning a QR code sitting on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I check the wifi and hot water before a guest arrives? Test them on the departure day of the previous guest, using your own phone and the exact code you'll send. A router restarted overnight changes its behavior, and you're the only one who won't notice because your phone is already paired. For hot water, turn on the shower and wait : if the boiler takes four minutes to heat up, note it in your welcome guide so the guest doesn't discover it in the shower.
Do I need to check all supplies before every departure? No. Focus on toilet paper, dish soap, bin bags, and soap. Other more expensive supplies can be restocked based on your bookings. The one habit that solves this forever : keep a closed reserve in the property and mention it in your welcome guide. When a guest finds the sponges or coffee themselves, they won't bother you.
Do I really need to do an inventory check after every departure? Yes, but not for the reasons you might think. Photographed after each departure, it avoids arguments about what was already damaged and lets you spot wear before the next guest discovers it. It's also what makes delegation possible : someone else can better prepare the property if they can see its actual condition after each stay.
How do I delegate cleaning without losing control? The list in your head becomes a problem as soon as someone else is involved. It must exist in writing, in the same place as booking information, with the quirks only you know : the stuck shutter, the creaky step, the neighbor to warn. A digital welcome guide centralizes this information and lets whoever cleans access all details in one place.
Why start the washing machine first instead of last? Because anything that takes time without you should start first. Launch the washing machine and dishwasher within five minutes of arrival, before even looking at the property's condition. They'll run while you do everything else. The common mistake is to clean first and start laundry at the end : the clothes then become the bottleneck for the whole day, and you risk running over your timeline.
Do I need to check the smoke detector before every departure? No. Not everything needs a check between guests, and trying to do everything every time is the best way to end up doing nothing. Once a month is enough for the smoke detector, shower seals, kitchen utensil condition, freezer defrosting, and range hood filter cleaning. During high season, schedule this on the day with the longest gap between bookings.
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