151. How to Build a Foolproof Inspection Checklist

We are big fans of checklists here at Thanks For Visiting. What better way to ensure that the basics always get handled consistently? In this episode, we share an inspector checklist detailing everything you need to do after the cleaning team does their work. 

Trust, but verify. That’s what we always say! Cleaning teams don’t have it easy. When they come into a property, their job is to turn things from upside down to rightside up. Occasionally, that might mean missing the forest for the trees, understandably! There are also maintenance tasks that we want to be more preventative about rather than reactive. 

Even if you’re doing the cleaning yourself, it’s important to put on your inspector hat. We know, it’s exhausting to try and remember everything you need to check, but that’s exactly where checklists come in handy! Let’s get to work!

Exterior

• Litter
• Stage exterior furniture (Give reference photos!)
• Outdoor plants
• Grill
• Clean the burner
• Check grill brush
• Check propane tank/levels
• Make sure it’s turned off
• Outdoor lights (Turn them on if guests are arriving late)
• Clean mailbox

Interior

• Smoke alarms
• Fire extinguisher

• Kitchen:

• Wine opener
• Scissors
• Coffee makers/Coffee grinders
• Dishwasher detergent
• Paper towels
• Trash bags
• Multipurpose cleaner
• Sponges
• Microwave (set the clocks)
• Oven & oven mitts
• Salt & pepper shakers
• All drawers inspected and organized
• Fridge & freezer (check filters)
• Garbage disposal
• Lights

• Living room:

• Sofa pillows
• Cabinets & shelves
• Closets & hangers
• Board games (check for missing pieces!)
• Fireplace
• Battery & lightbulb kit
• Wifi
• Streaming services logged in

• Bathroom:

• Soap
• Bottles
• Hand towels
• Toilet paper
• Bath mat
• Blow dryers
• Shower curtain
• Grout
• Light switches
• Supply closets

• Bedrooms:

• Drawers
• Check under beds
• Side lamps
• Phone chargers
• Closets
• Beds

Last Sweep

• Check fridge/freezer one more time for food
• Empty vacuum canister
• Check washer/dryer
• Check dishwasher
• Make sure all appliances are off
• Make sure doors/windows are locked
• Set thermostat
• Double-check outdoor lights are on
• Verify front door lock
• Welcome book

These are the basics, but you’ll want to add anything unique to your property. This seems like a lot, but it actually goes very fast. Even if you’re doing all of the cleaning and inspecting yourself, adding this level of redundancy is going to give you another valuable layer of peace of mind when you lock up for the night.

Resources:

• Visit thanksforvisiting.me/workshop to watch our Hosting Business Mastery Method workshop!
• #STRShareSunday: @getawayupstate