Everyone’s doing it.

With the ease and convenience of Airbnb, a quick listing of your house while you’re away on your Christmas vacay and, bam!, suddenly you have another stream of income to line the pockets.

And let’s be real, with South Africa’s economy making everything all the more expensive, we all need a helping hand.

It should be little wonder that there are over 17 000 listings in Cape Town alone, so there’s clearly something to it.

But looking around your house, it might not appear to be in the best condition to host strangers.

Yeah, dude, you need to clean up a little, dust away the cobwebs and pack away all of your crappy nostalgia.

We figured, seeing as you will only need to store it away for about a month or so, you might find it interesting to know that we have a deal with Stor-Age

For the first month using their services, you get 50% off.

Half price.

Click here to organise that deal for yourself.

Because that helping hand mentioned above extends to maximising the space available in your home for rent. Every room counts, bra.

The study? Throw in a bed. The space under the stairs? Turn it into a Harry Potter-themed area. People will go nuts.

Once you’ve done that, here are a few helpful tips from the experts over at Stor-Age:

Tip 1: Remember, Guests Come With Stuff

Consider where your guests are going to put their suitcases when they arrive, even if it’s just clearing a generous area on the floor. If you can allocate a small table, a shelf on the bookcase and a section in the coat closet for hanging things, all the better.

Tip 2: Consider Your Non-Bedroom Like a Bedroom

Perhaps you fall asleep on the sofa occasionally but your guests will be trying to get some serious rest in this room, so think like it is your own bedroom. Do the curtains keep out enough light to get some shut-eye? Is there a draft coming under the front door that makes it cold at night? Is there street noise? (TIP: extra blankets for the cold and earplugs for the noise).

Tip 3: Throw in Some Extras

Make sure to supply your guests with a power point for charging phones and tablets, this is always appreciated, as is your Wi-Fi password written on an easily-accessible card. A little welcome gift will also go a long way to make your guests feel at home (who doesn’t like a chocolate on their pillow).

Tip 4: Everyone Needs Some Privacy

A folding screen can lend a little privacy to an open plan living area turned bedroom, which is ideal in the mornings or evenings if everyone has different routines.

Tip 5: Book a Self Storage Unit

The easiest way to make some space for your guests, is to book a self storage unit. With a wide variety of unit sizes and convenient store locations nationwide, Stor-Age can help you make the space you need this holiday season. Not sure what size to choose, check out our space estimator.

And you never know, because you might soon realise that ditching your sentimentality is way better than having a cluttered home.