Seven Tips to Decorate Your Rental for the Holidays to Attract More Renters 

• Create a space renters are drawn too over the holidays with decorations.
• Use neutral palettes coupled with classic decorations for mass appeal. 
• Take pictures and update the description so guests know what to expect. 

The holidays are a special time, bathed in soft light, smelling like evergreen and cinnamon, all to a soundtrack of laughter and Bing Crosby. But how do you create the magic of coming home for the holidays for someone not at home? 

As a host of a rental property, you can create a haven for anyone traveling over the holidays. From small touches to iconic benchmarks of the season, provide a cozy atmosphere with these seven tips so even those away from home for the holidays make memories.

Provide a Neutral Palette 

The first rule of running a rental property is to appeal to the masses. Despite what movies tell us, this is true even during the holidays. The holidays are defined by colors, patterns, and an explosion of shiny things. But everyone has traditions, and they all look different. 

Every family celebrates their own way, either for religious beliefs, tastes, or more. Still, the holidays are a time to lean into warm tones and soft spaces. Decide on a neutral palette that appeals to all ways of celebrating without overdoing any one theme.

Make the Table a Focal Point 

Regardless of how we celebrate the holidays, one thing that connects us all is that we end up around the table. Nothing is as universal as good food and fellowship. Give your guests a space to make that happen by making the table a focal point of decorations and functionality. 

Start with a table runner from a party store. The runner can lean into the neutral palette or, since it’s a smaller area, it can be a dramatic moment. Consider stocking the dining room with holiday paper plates and napkins for guests as well.

Have a Christmas Tree 

Nothing is as iconic during the holidays as a Christmas tree. Network television sets aside entire nights of programming just to light one! Even with families or travelers that celebrate in different ways, the tree often still stands tall (literally) as the symbol of the season. 

If you don’t want to purchase a tree for short-term use, rent one by the day from a party rentals service. You can find pre lit options in different sizes to fit your space.  

A tree also gives guests celebrating at the rental home a place to gather, exchange gifts, and celebrate the day together. 

Rent a Mantel 

Speaking of iconic holiday pictures, does anything trigger nostalgia faster than hanging a stocking on the mantel? If your rental doesn’t feature a fireplace, use some Christmas magic to create one by renting a mantel for the month.

Having a mantel also gives the room an anchor on which you can decorate with garland, ribbon, and other neutral elements that, when together, still scream holidays. Set up stocking hangers for guests to bring their own little touch of home. 

Be Functional and Festive 

While it’s tempting to go all out with holiday decorations, remember at the end of the day, this is still a rental property where guests are unfamiliar with their surroundings and need to live within the space for the time being. Keep things festive and functional. 

You don’t want a guest struggling to find the coffee machine, for example, because it’s hidden behind a mini-Christmas tree on the kitchen counter. Keep decorations to areas that make sense and, as much as possible, on a smaller scale. 

Consider the Entire Guest Experience 

Beyond being functional, ensure you are also customer service-minded. Don’t be so consumed with decorating that you forget the simple things. Items such as toilet paper, towels, cutlery, and the like. Stock the rental with housewares for a seamless experience. 

Provide Pictures 

You’ve decorated, now it’s time to attract said guests. Update your rental listing to add pictures of the newly decorated space, and an addendum to the description explaining the space will be decorated. There’s no place like home for the holidays; let guests know that’s still true in your rental. 

Summary 

The holiday season has a lot of guests traveling for various reasons, like going to a family member’s town, maybe meeting family halfway, or just because life or work is putting them on the road. When this happens, more than ever, they still want to find a space that feels like celebrating at home. 

Set yourself apart in a crowded rental market by creating a cozy space renters are looking for. Keep in mind how different families mark the holidays in varying ways, from religious beliefs, to preferred tastes. 

Also keep in mind what is most needed to celebrate the season, from beloved decorations, like a Christmas tree, to tangible things like plates and napkins, as well as basic necessities needed for the entire guest experience beyond just the holidays; i.e. toilet paper, towels, and the like. 

Make sure to provide pictures so guests know what you are offering during the holidays. You can achieve this by decorating for the holiday season.