Strategy for buying/storing consumables?

[Danny Brown]

Hi All,

My wife and I now have 6 short term rentals spread out around our small town with another 3 on the way in the next few months.  Some of these we own, some we manage for other people.  We’re quickly realizing that our trips to Walmart for consumable supplies (toilet paper, paper towels, dish detergent, etc) are becoming far too frequent.

For the people that have multiple units, what is your strategy for buying and storing these supplies?  Do you buy in bulk and store in a centralized location, and pull/replenish as needed?  Are you buying in a brick and mortar store like Walmart or Costco, or doing something like Amazon subscribe-and-save and having them shipped? For those of you that manage properties, do you charge the owners more than what you paid to compensate for your time spent shopping?

Thanks!!!

Danny 

[Michael Greenberg]

Hi @Danny Brown! I own (4) properties and store items at each location. My cleaning crew notify me when the need supplies and I drop ship to her from Amazon. I use one of my properties to store "extra" items in case something slips through the cracks. I also have at least one set of bedding (comforter/blankets/pillows/mattress pad) for each location stored centrally. Amazon is a incredibly valuable time-saving resource for running multiple STR's and they now have their own lines of paper towels, TP, etc.... that is less expensive and of really good quality. Well worth the annual subscription fee.