Host Guides › Airbnb Supplies Checklist: What to Stock, How Much, and a Restock System That Works

Airbnb Supplies Checklist: What to Stock, How Much, and a Restock System That Works

By the Key & Kit team · Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

Running out of toilet paper is a small problem that turns into a big one: a 10 PM message, a guest who goes to the store on their vacation, and a review that says "had to buy our own basics." Almost every supply complaint comes from the same cause. Nobody wrote down how much of each item should be in the home, so restocking happens by eyeballing.

This checklist fixes that. It lists what to stock room by room, gives a starting quantity for each consumable (a "par level"), and ends with a five-minute restock routine your cleaner can follow at every turnover.

Start with Airbnb's essentials

Airbnb strongly encourages every listing to provide these essential amenities (Airbnb Help: providing essential amenities):

• Toilet paper
• Soap for hands and body
• One towel per guest
• One pillow per guest
• Linens for each guest bed

If you tick the Essentials amenity on your listing, these have to actually be there. Airbnb says listings that select it without providing the items may face penalties. Airbnb also suggests larger quantities for bigger groups and longer stays, which is exactly what par levels are for.

What a par level is (and why it beats "keep it stocked")

A par level is the number of an item that should be in the guest space when the cleaner leaves. "Keep the bathroom stocked" means something different to every cleaner. "2 rolls on or by each toilet + 4 spare rolls per bathroom" means one thing.

Set each par level from your maximum guest count and typical stay length, then add a backup stock in a locked owner's closet. A simple rule: backup stock = enough for two full turnovers. When the backup drops below that, it goes on the shopping list.

Bathroom supplies checklist

• ☐ Check the shower drain and soap dispensers at every clean
• ☐ Hang towels or fold them the same way every time so missing ones are obvious
• ☐ Count spare rolls under the sink, don't estimate

Kitchen supplies checklist

Consumables (restock every turnover):

Equipment (count at every turnover, replace when broken):

• ☐ Plates, bowls, glasses, mugs and cutlery for max guests + 2
• ☐ 1 large pot, 1 small pot, 1 nonstick pan, 1 baking sheet
• ☐ Chef's knife, bread knife, cutting board
• ☐ Can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew
• ☐ Spatula, tongs, ladle, wooden spoon, colander, mixing bowl
• ☐ Coffee maker, kettle, toaster, microwave (empty the crumb tray)

The "+2" rule matters more than it sounds. Guests rarely wash a mug mid-stay, so a home that sleeps four with exactly four mugs runs out on day one.

Bedroom supplies checklist

• ☐ Check under beds and in nightstand drawers for the last guest's belongings
• ☐ Sofa beds: reset with fresh sheets, not just folded back

Living area, laundry and safety

Living area
- [ ] TV remote with spare batteries (AA and AAA in a labeled drawer)
- [ ] Wi-Fi sign or QR code where guests can see it
- [ ] Welcome book on the counter or coffee table
- [ ] Throw blanket, board game or deck of cards

Laundry (if guests have a washer)
- [ ] Detergent pods: 4 per stay
- [ ] Dryer sheets or a lint brush

Safety (check at every turnover, test monthly)
- [ ] Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors working
- [ ] Fire extinguisher with a green gauge, visible
- [ ] First-aid kit: bandages, antiseptic, pain relief in sealed packs
- [ ] Flashlight with working batteries
- [ ] Emergency contacts and the address printed in the welcome book

The 5-minute restock routine

Put this at the end of the turnover checklist, after the cleaning and before the final photos:

1. Count, don't look. Walk room by room with the par list and count each consumable.
2. Top up to par from the owner's closet. Never leave the home "a bit under."
3. Write down anything below backup level on a shared list (a note in the cleaner group chat works).
4. Photograph the restocked shelves with the "ready" photos, so you can see the home was stocked if a guest says otherwise.
5. Reorder weekly from that list, not when a guest messages.

Once a month, review the list. If coffee pods always run out, raise the par level. If you're throwing away half-used shampoo, lower it.

What supplies cost

For a typical one- or two-bedroom rental, plan for an up-front supply budget for linens, towels, kitchen equipment and a first round of consumables, then a monthly restock cost that rises with occupancy. Track both in your expenses: consumables used per stay are part of your true cost per turnover, which is the number you need to set your cleaning fee, and they're deductible supplies in your expense tracking.

Frequently asked questions

What supplies does Airbnb require hosts to provide?

Airbnb strongly encourages essential amenities in every listing: toilet paper, soap for hands and body, one towel per guest, one pillow per guest and linens for each guest bed. If you select the Essentials amenity, those items must be provided, and Airbnb suggests larger quantities for bigger groups and longer stays.

How much toilet paper should I leave for Airbnb guests?

A practical starting point is two rolls on or by each toilet plus four spares per bathroom for a 4-guest, 3-night stay. Increase it for larger groups and longer stays, and keep a backup supply in a locked closet.

How often should I restock my Airbnb?

Top up consumables to a written par level at every turnover, then reorder from your backup stock once a week. Restocking only when guests ask is how homes run out mid-stay.

Should guests have to buy their own coffee or cooking basics?

You don't have to provide them, but if your listing mentions coffee or a stocked kitchen, guests will expect them. A small supply of coffee, tea, salt, pepper and cooking oil is inexpensive and prevents a common complaint.

Get the full restock system

This checklist is a short version of the restock section in the Key & Kit Turnover Cleaning Checklist System: a two-page master turnover checklist, apartment quick card, cabin and vacation-home add-on, restock par levels, damage and inventory log, deep-clean calendar and a one-page cleaner SOP. Word, Google Docs and PDF, $9.

See the Turnover Cleaning Checklist System →

Setting up a new listing? The New Host Launch Kit bundles the turnover system with the welcome book, 36 guest message scripts and the income and expense tracker for $45.

See the New Host Launch Kit →

Key & Kit isn't affiliated with Airbnb, Vrbo or Booking.com. Quantities are starting points, not platform requirements; adjust them to your home and guests.