Airbnb Restocking Basics: What to Refill After Every Guest

That Cleaning Girl · Airbnb & Rental Turnovers

Nothing undoes a clean rental faster than a guest who cannot find toilet paper at eleven at night. Restocking is the quiet half of every turnover, and it is easy to get right once you set up a system. If you have not sorted out your bed-making routine yet, read How to Make an Airbnb Bed Look Hotel-Ready first.

Here is the restocking routine we follow at the short-term rentals we clean around Waxahachie, Red Oak and the rest of the south DFW area.

Start with a par list

A par list is simply the number of each item that should be out for guests at the start of every stay. It takes the guesswork out of restocking. Instead of "looks like enough," the cleaner counts and fills to the number.

A simple par list for a two-bedroom rental might say:

• Two rolls of toilet paper on or by each holder, plus four more under each sink
• One roll of paper towels on the holder and one spare
• A full hand soap at every sink
• One dish soap and a sponge still in its wrapper
• Enough dishwasher pods and laundry pods for the length of the stay
• Two trash bags in the bottom of every can

Tape the list inside the owner’s closet door. Whoever cleans that day fills to the number and writes down anything that is running short.

The bathroom basics

Bathrooms use up the most supplies, so check them carefully on every turnover:

• Toilet paper, and a spare roll guests can see
• Hand soap and a backup bottle under the sink
• Shampoo, conditioner and body wash if you provide them
• Tissues
• A small trash bag in the bin
• A plunger and a toilet brush that are clean and easy to find

Refillable pump bottles look nicer than a row of half-used travel sizes, and they are faster to top off. Just wash the pumps now and then, since soap builds up around the nozzle and looks grimy in photos.

The kitchen basics

Most guests do not need a fully stocked pantry, but they do expect the basics to make coffee and wash a dish:

• Coffee, filters or pods, sugar and creamer
• Dish soap, a new sponge and a dish towel
• Dishwasher pods
• Paper towels and napkins
• Salt, pepper and cooking oil
• Trash bags and recycling bags if you recycle

Check expiration dates on anything you leave out. Coffee creamer and opened spices are the usual culprits. Toss anything that is stale, sticky or close to expired.

Cleaning supplies for guests

Leave a small kit so guests can deal with a spill without hunting: a multi-surface spray, a roll of paper towels, a few microfiber cloths and a small broom or handheld vacuum. Guests who can wipe up a spilled drink right away leave you a much easier turnover.

Keep the main cleaning supplies, the bulk refills and anything strong locked in the owner’s closet.

Setting up the owner’s closet

The owner’s closet is where restocking lives. It should have:

• Backup stock of everything on the par list
• Spare linens and towels, labeled by bed size
• Cleaning supplies and vacuum bags or filters
• Light bulbs, batteries for remotes and smoke detectors
• A notepad or whiteboard for low-stock notes

A simple lock keeps guests out so supplies do not disappear. If you use a keypad lock on the closet, keep the code in your cleaner’s entry notes.

Keeping backups from running out

The most common restocking problem is not the cleaner forgetting. It is the backup running out between owner visits, especially for hosts who live far away. A few ways to avoid it:

• Ask your cleaner to send a short low-stock note with every turnover photo set
• Set up recurring deliveries for toilet paper, paper towels and trash bags
• Buy in bulk once a season for the slow-moving items like light bulbs and batteries
• Keep a shared list on your phone so both of you can see what is needed

We note low supplies in our turnover photos and messages, so you know what to order before anything actually runs out.

Welcome touches and how far to go

Some hosts leave bottled water, a snack basket or local coffee. These are nice, but they are optional, and they add restocking time to every turnover. If you offer them, keep them simple and the same every time so they are quick to set out.

Whatever you add, put it on the par list. A welcome basket that is full one stay and missing the next looks worse than no basket at all.

Make restocking part of the routine

When restocking is written down, counted and reported, it stops being something that slips. Guests find what they need, and you find out about low stock before it becomes a review. For more about how restocking fits into each turnover visit, see our short-term rental cleaning page.