City Guide / Denver

How to Make the Most of a Short-Term Rental in Denver

By Landing | Aug 14, 2020
View of Denver, Colorado

Short-term apartment rentals are perfect when you need a temporary place to stay when you’re in between two houses or if you’re in the area for work – but only for a limited amount of time. While there is a great variety of properties available for rent in Denver, there is often a single common denominator that ties them all together: they’re transitional. This is important to note, as the logistics of living in these apartments can be quite a bit different than living in a place that you are planning to stay in for the long-term.

When searching for furnished apartments in Denver, CO, you need to take your time and do your research to find the right apartment that comes with a high level of customer service. However, you also need to follow the below tips to make the most of your time in one of the short-term apartments Denver has to offer while you’re waiting on your permanent relocation to come through.

Don’t try to bring everything you own

Remember, short-term furnished apartments for rent, whether in Denver or any other city, aren’t meant to house everything that you own. They are short-term rentals, which means you should store only what you absolutely need. Stuff like off-season clothing, rarely-used appliances, and other unneeded items should be left in storage. If you’re just using a short-term rental for work until you move to a permanent location, don’t unpack any items that aren’t essential. So, when you’re looking for different types of properties, whether it’s rental homes or lofts, make sure you get enough space for at least a few of your belongings. Checking real estate listings is one of the best ways to find the townhouses or rental homes you need.

Make sure your short-term rental covers your basics

Just because your short-term apartment is only temporary housing doesn’t mean that you should have to suffer without the important things or do without certain amenities. An apartment in Denver should still include most of the things that you would need in a permanent home.

Make sure that the rental includes amenities like an in-unit washer and dryer or a parking garage if those features are important to you. In other words, you don’t want to do without the amenities that make your life easier and stress-free just because the housing is temporary.

Having the basic amenities that you need and desire will make the entire stay more comfortable and easier to deal with. It’s also important that the temporary housing space you choose has a full-service kitchen and laundry area, in addition to working appliances.

Other amenities you might want to look for are ceiling fans, housing helpers, stainless steel appliances, a fitness center, air conditioning, and a playground for the kids. Not to mention, you’ll want to see just how far your apartment is from basic destinations like shops, restaurants, and work.  

It’s also important to find out ahead of time if the corporate housing provider covers your utility bills as well. You can find the answers to some of these questions through research and talking to your relocation professionals.

Leave it packed if you don’t need it

While it may be tempting to unpack everything as soon as you settle into your fully-furnished apartment in Denver, it’s best to leave stuff that you don’t need packed away. Even if you’ve taken the time to store stuff outside of the temporary housing unit, you’re still going to end up with stuff that you don’t use right away.

While living with unpacked boxes isn’t ideal, it’s better than having to repack things that you’ve never even used the first time – especially when it’s time to relocate to your permanent housing space, or if you’re planning to head back home eventually. Here’s a tip: put the things you don’t need in a single closet or in a dedicated corner to ensure that you don’t unpack useless stuff.  

Do unpack the stuff you know you’ll need

No one wants to live out of a box, but it can be tempting to just pull stuff out when you need it if the location you’re staying in is only a short-term one. Whether you’re staying in short-term vacation rentals, staying as business travelers, waiting to move into your new permanent home, or waiting on your relocation company to show up with your other furnishings, you want to be comfortable where you’re staying.

This means that you should unpack the boxes that you know you’ll need. Stuff like clothes, toiletries, kitchen utensils, and other items, should be unpacked and stored in your Denver apartment just as if you were planning on living there for a long time to come. The other stuff can be put in an extra bedroom if you’ve got a two-bedroom unit in a place like Fort Collins.

Decorate at least a little

While you want your transition in and out of your rental to be as smooth and seamless as possible, you still want to make some type of personal connection with the space. While you don’t want to hang art on the walls or go overboard with your decorating, making the space a little more yours can’t hurt, and it will certainly make you feel more comfortable during your stay. Display some photos of family and friends, put a few of your favorite books on a shelf, or place some of your favorite plants in sunny spots to make it cozier and more like home. 

Whether you’re staying in a corporate apartment or one of many two bedroom apartments in Colorado Springs, you’ll need to be sure to decorate it, so it feels more like home.

Try to get close to the action

While you may be in Denver to work or just as a pit stop on the way to your new home, you still need to try to find furnished apartments in Denver. You’ll want to find options that are close to the things you like to do. If you’re not a nature lover, then you might not want to be out in the country where a nature trail is the only form of entertainment. Instead, you’ll want to be close to downtown Denver, where you can visit places like the Denver Zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature, and even the Denver Art Museum.

If you’re the type that loves to be in the midst of things, then make sure the fully-furnished unit you choose is within walking distance of the things you want to do the most, or at least in the surrounding areas, such as the local fitness center. After all, you might not have to work on Friday and Saturday, so you do want to be able to go out exploring on the weekends, don’t you?

Meet your neighbors

Even if you’re going to be moving on soon, you need to try to get to know your neighbors if at all possible. Even if it’s taking the kids to the city park on Saturday and Sunday to play with the neighborhood children, you should try to fit in. 

Remember, just because you’re going to be moving on, doesn’t mean you can’t make friends that could last you a lifetime. Downtown Denver is the perfect place to meet people to hang with while you’re living there.

These are just a few tips for helping you make the most of your time in a short-term Denver rental. Whether you’re staying in a rental home, a townhouse, a condo or a vacation rental, staying somewhere for only a short time doesn’t have to be aggravating.

These tips will help you get settled into your short-term rental more easily and help you have a positive experience, even if it is only a temporary one. Whether you’re looking in Boulder, Broomfield, Englewood, or even Greenwood Village, there is sure to be a real estate company with real estate agents that can help you find what you need. 

There should also be a free apartment locator your corporate housing team can use to help you find the right short-term apartment in Denver for you. For more information, you can always contact the housing helpers of Colorado for help.

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Landing

Ted may be the world's slowest typist and struggle to hold a pen, but he has mastered how to pursue a more flexible lifestyle throughout his airborne adventures around the U.S. Whether you're looking for more information before migrating to a new city or want to find an easier way to rent a nest—erm, apartment—Ted will always be here to share his best advice for where to live and how to thrive.