Kitting out a holiday home

[SunnyUpNorth]

I’ve got to kit out a holiday home from scratch. Have a pretty detailed list compiled of what to include but now trying to decide where to get it all from. In particular beds, mattresses, sofa etc. We want to strike a balance between being hard wearing and good quality but not so nice that if it gets spoilt we would be gutted.

Beds in particular I’m struggling with. I’m guessing hotel contract style? Medium mattress to suit most people?

If anyone has any good tips in general too re finding a good agent and cleaner that would be most helpful.

Thanks Movinghouseatlast I like the hotel contract beds because of the many configurations they do for the bases.

Agree with living in it yourself, if just for a weekend. We've states in places with stupid stuff like plates too big to go in the dishwasher, no ovenproof dishes to cook in, only 4 forks and knives for 4 people, so if you use one while cooking you have to wash it up before you can eat...

Oh and curtains that don't let lots of light in at stupid o'clock in the morning are nice.

Mattressman for beds (I phone the trade side for extra discount). They normally deliver next day.) AO is also good at next day delivery, will consolidate orders (John Lewis, who get manufacturers to deliver white goods, don’t) and also supply small electricals.

Robert Dyas for basics (though mainly a Southern chain) as it is then easy to replace their white China. Or very large supermarkets. Asda is cheapest.

Really worth finding a Homesense for linen, and a few classy touches. (Fruit bowl, serving dishes, lamps, cushions, rugs etc) It’s the homes part of TKMaxx (and is wonderful).

You need to be able to cook and serve a roast dinner. And people have all sorts of expectations. Egg cups!

Don’t forget pictures on walls. Colour is needed. Think about a DVD player for kids and rainy days, or set up Netflix.

I always leave cleaning stuff and plenty of washing and dishwasher tabs. They don’t cost much and are appreciated. And cafetière coffee and decent tea.

Towel racks - lots! Otherwise heavy damp beach towels get hung on radiators or bathroom towel rails.

And order the WiFi early, and get a good speed. Bored kids stream a lot.

I got an antiques dealer friend to buy a flat full of furniture from auction. Some very chic Italian sofas and some nice G Plan stuff. For bedroom furniture I often go to Oak Furniture land as they will deliver within a couple of days.

I once actually had the eggs in the frying pan before I discovered there was no implement to turn them....

Enough living room chairs and dining chairs for the number of beds.

You do have to be trade for Out of Eden, yes.

Sorry, just saw they have changed it.

I know it's not what you asked, but as a self-catering regular, may I mention a mirror near a socket in the bedroom for hair-drying?
It's annoying how often there's no socket anywhere in the cottage near a mirror.

I got a lot of my lighting and curtains and blinds from eBay. There are great bargains to be had.

I got some John Lewis light fittings for £40 that had been £250 in the shop.

A brand new wooden Venetian blind arrived with it's £700 price tag attached- I had paid £100.

I have cushion covers in Laura Ashley fabric made by ebay sellers.

I try to inject some high quality items and design on the cheap basically!

A good welcome basket gets you good reviews. A rule of thumb apparently is to spend 10% of the nightly rate for 1 night.

Small bits and bobs we include in our holiday let that clients have asked for over the years:

Wind up torch
Roasting tin
Kitchen scales
Shaving mirror
Full length mirror in each bedroom
Ice cube trays
Flasks
List of local restaurants and takeaways
Details of recycling and which day bins go out
Double the amount of tea towels and oven gloves than you think you’ll need
Pegs

John Lewis basics for crockery and cutlery, Out of Eden for white bedding and Homesense (homeware part of T K Maxx) for towels. If I can give you just one tip it would be a mattress protector also from Out of Eden.

These are all fantastic, thank you. Yes egg cups are on the list and lots of mirrors!

I had wondered about a welcome basket as my parents do one at their Airbnb and my aunt does one at her cottages and they go down very well. But as we will be using a local management company and cleaner I wasn’t sure if this would be logistically possible. I can ask.

We will def stay in it ourselves and my aunts cottages are 5* rated with english country cottages so she knows her stuff so she is going to do a test run for us.

I’m also addicted to homesense so shall def be picking up bits there. I’ve had to ban myself from there til we exchanged as it was too tempting to buy stuff. It’s been a long and tricky purchase so I wasn’t convinced it would go through. So I could have ended up with loads of stuff for a house I didn’t have!

Def mattress and pillow protectors. Do you tend to use duvet protectors too? And are people using toppers aswell as mattress protectors?

My aunt swears by the Out Of Eden protectors so I’ll probably do a shopping trip to there.

Tin opener

Already bought!

I do have a very comprehensive list of things to buy, it’s more where people buy from for things that last that I’m after.

I have a topper underneath the matress protector - I don't want to have to change the topper if there are "spills" and the out of eden protectors aren't at all crinkly.

Are you in the UK? Is the house in the UK?

Ikea is great, as long as you get their more solid stuff!

Plain white cotton bedding, as it can be hot washed, and bleached.
Same with towels.
Get 2 x as many plates/cultlery as no of people (so if it sleeps 6, have at least 12) so they can bung it all in the dishwasher at the end of the day.

Make sure you haev things like tin opener, sharp knives, microwave etc, so it is easy to use the kitchen.

Minimal ornaments/frills, just one or two to make it look like a home.

Golden rule is, anything in the property must be dispensable, if it gets broken/lost it doesn't matter, so don't put Grannys oak coffee table, unless you don't mind if the surface is ruined.

mattress covers, or toppers. But only cotton mattress covers, not the hoffible plasticy things, the ones like a cotton bag, they make th emattresses last longer, sheet goes on top.

Hi OP Yes we have a duvet protector too. We actually have a mattress protector then topper then another mattress protector 😂 This is as a result of one of our very first guests, say no more. Thankfully the very expensive mattress wasn't marked but I was determined never to risk it again. The protectors are very soft and not at all crinkly. We bought pillows, duvet, topper, towels all from Homesense. I love that shop !

TheDogsMother I won’t ask!!! I’m terrified of people doing gross things but I guess that’s part of the risk.

Yes we are in the UK, I have bought lots of utensil type bits etc from Ikea already. I do love lots of their furniture but I think as it is so identifiably ikea there is a risk of the whole place looking like you’ve kitted it out from there. Although I recently got a Besta tv unit from there for our own house and customised it with copper hairpin legs and no one believes me it’s ikea! So might do a few bits of that.

We complete next week so once I get in I can get a better idea of what furniture to get and put where. At the moment I’m getting all the stuff I know we will need.

Just back from a trip to DIY kitchens as we will be replacing the kitchen. It was amazing. Next trip will be to Out of Eden which I am also very excited about!! I just need to keep away from all the miniature jams, chocolates, toiletries etc 😬

On welcome packs, our letting agency does the basics, sachets of Nescafé, sugar and sweetener, tea bags, laundry and dishwasher tablets. Enough to get you going if you arrive late and can’t get to the shops.

But I suspect it is all about market. They used to do a premium pack with a bottle of fizz etc but I don’t think take up was good. Summer lets are almost exclusively week long booking for families of four from the Midlands who will want things clean and nice but who are very price conscious. (AirBnB has had a huge impact essentially tripling the available accommodation and so killing the winter market stone dead.)

We once stayed s/c on a farm in the Peak District where they had a lovely welcome pack with samples of local produce which was also to buy. So to some extent it is a case of knowing your market.

Don’t forget travel cot and high chair. Not too grand and wipe clean. Young families often holiday in the UK. I reckon we use them for about 50% of bookings.

Also a typed guide/instruction manual. Really basic stuff like if the garage door does not open, push the big red button. Boiler (weird timer so we encourage people to control via the thermostat) oven, tv, bathroom fans, shower controls and hot water, etc. Even like caking the patio doors. It is surprising what people struggle with and also it provides protection if they complain and you can point to the fact it was in the manual.

Oh and teaspoons. Lots! They walk. I assume they go on picnics and never return.

Think I might have made my first error. One of the few things I have bought is bedding and duvets as they had a few really nice things on Brand Alley a couple of months ago. I’ve bought the size of the bed not the size above, is that terrible? So I’ve bought single and super king for the zip and link and kingsize for the kingsize bed. I’ve just realised getting eg a double duvet for a single bed is how people achieve that tucked in look.

It’s too late to return them now. Is this a major no?

No. I did this too, only realised you are meant to size up.after purchase!

No complaints in 2 years touch wood.

No, I have single duvets. So not tucked in, but nice blanket/throw things to put on the bottom of the bed, on which the agency put their nice folder crisp white towels. (They also supply nice crisp white sheets.)

As someone who stays in them regularly...can I please suggest you put a mirror near a plug socket. So many I go to have mirrors the other side of the room from sockets so it’s impossible to dry your hair!

Thanks both, I’ll look for some nice throws.

blossomtrail yes I totally agree, it’s a pet hate of mine too. My in laws don’t have any mirrors in their spare bedrooms and it’s so hard to get ready!! I’ll hunt down sockets and hang mirrors all around!