How to prepare a furnished apartment for rent

Not every piece of furniture needs to be new, and the decoration does not have to be expensive. In our experience, we have salvaged furniture and had it restored before putting it in. What matters is that everything is in good condition and forms a coherent, well-kept whole.

That care also has to be maintained from one occupant to the next. Sheets, mattress, bed base, chairs, crockery and the inside of the wardrobes deserve as much attention as the floors and bathrooms. An apartment can look attractive in photos and disappoint on closer inspection.

Preparing it well means finding a balance: equipping it enough to live in comfortably, leaving room for the tenant’s belongings and keeping it rigorously clean.

Give it an identity without overloading it

A furnished apartment should feel like a whole. Furniture, colours, curtains and lighting can be simple, but they are best chosen with a single intention.

Salvaging furniture can be a good option. However, putting together leftover pieces from different homes, without checking their condition or how they go together, can look improvised.

Before adding a piece of furniture, ask yourself whether it is useful, comfortable and fits the space. If it needs restoring, deep cleaning or repairing, that work should be done before the apartment is offered.

A well-kept space can have personality without being full of objects. It should also leave room for whoever arrives to make it their own during their stay.

Equip it enough, without filling it for the sake of it

The amount of furniture and utensils should match the apartment’s capacity and its intended use.

For a short stay, the occupant needs to find the essentials on arrival. To live there for several months, they will also need space to store clothes, food and belongings. If you have not yet decided which option suits you, we compare both in Traditional or short-term rentals in Asunción: which option is right for you?.

In both cases, check a few practical points:

• Enough seating and crockery for the expected number of occupants.
• Kitchen utensils in good condition and suitable for cooking meals.
• Free space in the wardrobes.
• Hangers, lighting and useful surfaces.
• Clean appliances that have been checked and work properly.

It is not about accumulating. A wardrobe full of bed linen or a kitchen crammed with utensils leaves little room for the tenant. Every item should have a purpose.

Record everything in an inventory with photos

Once the apartment is equipped, it is worth recording what it contains: furniture, appliances, crockery and bed linen, with their condition and photos.

Whether it is a rental of several months or a short stay, ideally both parties sign the inventory at check-in and check it again at check-out. That way you know what went missing or was damaged during the stay, and there is less room for disagreement.

The inventory is also a reference for preparation: what it lists is what the next occupant should find, in the same condition.

Pay special attention to the bed and bed linen

Preparing the bed does not end with putting on clean sheets.

The mattress, pillows and bed base need to be checked. Their cleanliness, condition and comfort are part of what you offer when you rent.

Suitable, washable protectors help look after the bed, but they too need checking and cleaning. Covering a stain does not solve the problem.

Sheets and towels should be in good condition, with no stains, odours or excessive wear. They do not need to be luxurious: they should be pleasant and well looked after.

Clean what doesn’t show in the photos too

In our experience, cleaning and maintenance are things some owners underestimate when preparing an apartment.

A clean floor does not make up for stained chairs, a dirty bed base or crumbs in a drawer. Tenants will use the place, open the furniture and take out the crockery.

Between one occupant and the next, the check should include:

• Plates, glasses, cutlery and utensils, even when put away.
• The inside of wardrobes, kitchen cupboards and drawers.
• Fridge, oven, microwave and any other equipment.
• Chairs, armchairs, cushions and curtains, depending on their condition.
• Mattress, bed base, pillows and their protectors.
• Bathrooms, taps and drains.

It is not a good idea to wait for the next occupant to find what was left undone.

Choose your cleaner and define the job

Finding someone you can trust is essential. So is explaining exactly what you expect from the preparation between two occupancies.

“Clean the apartment” can mean many things. A task list makes it clear that the job includes checking the crockery, cleaning inside the furniture and checking the condition of the bed linen.

Some tasks must be done at every change of occupant, while others need regular scheduling or a specific intervention. What matters is that none is forgotten.

It is also worth doing a final check before handing over the keys: cleanliness, smells, how the bed looks and whether the equipment works.

Keep up the same level of care over time

Preparing the apartment properly once is only the beginning.

With use come stains, loose parts, damaged utensils and worn textiles. Some things can be cleaned, some repaired and some must be replaced.

Checking them regularly keeps the accommodation at the same standard. The next tenant should find the same level of care as the first.

Our view at CALISTA

For us, a furnished apartment should be designed to welcome someone, and maintained with the same standard.

That means choosing suitable furniture, restoring what can be saved, equipping without overloading and keeping it clean even in the least visible places.

The aim is for everyone to find a place where they enjoy staying. Good reviews are a result we expect from this work, but the care starts long before the guest leaves their opinion.

Do you have a furnished apartment to rent out in Asunción? At CALISTA, we can help you prepare it, let it on a long-term or short-term basis, and manage it.