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Outfitting
Your Vacation Rental Home’s Kitchen
by Robin
Fowler
One big reason that
vacationers find vacation rental homes so appealing is
having a full-sized kitchen at their disposal. While it
is fun to eat out at while traveling, a home cooked meal
is sometimes the best, both for the waistline and the
wallet. As a vacation homeowner, one of the best things
you can do to ensure that your renters not only enjoy
their accommodations, but want to return again, is by
providing them with a well-appointed kitchen to use.
Appliances
Think about the appliances in your kitchen. You
obviously need a refrigerator and a stove. But what
other appliances have become must-haves for you and your
family? Translate your own personal needs into the
layout of your vacation home kitchen, and you will
provide your renters with a home away from home kitchen!
Some other appliances to consider for your vacation home
kitchen include:
• Dishwasher: Who wants to spend time doing dishes while
on vacation?
• Microwave oven: Ideal for quick lunches or dinners,
and for heating beverages
• Coffee pot: There are many coffee drinkers out there,
and chances are, some of them will rent your vacation
home!
• Toaster/Toaster oven: Great for toasting bread and
bagels, this appliance is a kitchen staple
• Blender: Another staple in the kitchen, a blender is
great for making shakes and smoothies, and mixing drinks
• Small appliances: Try to include an electric hand
mixer and a small food processor in the cupboard
Pots and Pans
A renter can’t cook if there are no pots and pans, so
these should definitely be included in your vacation
home’s kitchen! You don’t have to go top of the line,
but buy something that you wouldn’t mind cooking with
yourself. Include a few saucepans, a few sauté/frying
pans in varying sizes, a roasting pan, a broiler pan,
and maybe even a stovetop grill pan. And don’t forget
baking sheets and a casserole dish or two. The more that
you think of, the more that your renters will appreciate
the trouble you went to for them!
Accessories
Kitchen accessories are important for prepping food and
for making life easier for your renters. Some
accessories to put in the kitchen include:
• A good supply of wooden and plastic spoons for mixing,
stirring, and serving
• Some spatulas, tongs, ladles, measuring spoons and
cups, whisks, and a colander
• Grilling utensils, like tongs and a spatula), if your
vacation rental home is equipped with a gas or charcoal
grill outside
• Mixing bowls in various sizes
• A corkscrew, a can opener, a vegetable peeler and
brush
• Plenty of plates, bowls, cups, and glasses for a
family to use, as well as a set of utensils for at least
a family of four
• A supply of paper towels, plastic zip-top bags, and
kitchen towels
• Some cleaning supplies, such as dishwasher detergent,
dish soap, sponges, washcloths, broom and mop, and some
antibacterial wipes
• A good set of knives! Again, these don’t have to be
expensive, but renters appreciate having sharp knives
for cutting their food!
Pantry items
By putting a few basic pantry items in the cupboards and
refrigerator, your renters will feel right at home!
Include salt and pepper, ketchup, mustard, and cooking
spray among the things that you stock your vacation
rental kitchen with. A nice touch is to add a spice rack
with some of the common herbs and spices used in
cooking, like basil, oregano, garlic powder, etc.
The little extras
It’s the little things that count, right? Renters will
notice your willingness to go a little farther to make
their stay in your vacation home special when you
include a few personal touches in the kitchen.
• Add some cookbooks in the pantry, especially some that
include local recipes, and bookmark your personal
favorites
• Add a corkboard or chalkboard on the wall, so that
renters can leave notes, leave reminders for
reservations, or write down activities that they want to
do or places they want to see while visiting the area
• Add your personal touches in the decorating. Paint the
walls a pleasant color and add some festive touches, so
that it’s not just and ordinary kitchen!
• Add a suggestion box, so that renters can let you know
what they like or don’t like, and what improvements need
to be made
One of the most important things you can do for your
renters is to make sure that the kitchen is clean before
they arrive. There is nothing worse than having to clean
up someone else’s mess while on vacation! If you aren’t
close enough to maintain the kitchen yourself, hire a
respectable cleaning service to do the job. It also
makes sense to line up a reputable repair person
(include the phone number for renters!), in case the
refrigerator breaks down, or something happens with the
plumbing.
When it comes to the kitchen in your vacation rental
home, it is important to think of everything. Your
renters will not only appreciate it while they are
staying there, but your thoughtfulness and attention to
detail will have them coming back time and again, and
perhaps even pass more business on to you!
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Need
help? Call toll-free 1-800-929-VLBO
