Ebony48 I don't know about Houston specifically, but even when Covid wasn't a factor, January has always been the quietest month for city tourism in the northern hemisphere. People are getting back into work or school mode after the holidays, weather conditions are iffy, post-Christmas budgets are tight, and major festive occasions are still a ways off. With the current Omicron wave, you now also have a tsunami of cancellations upending short-term plans, and too much uncertainty for many to commit to longer range bookings that aren't fully refundable. You can probably expect business to continue being slow for at least the next month or two, unless there's a major local event coming up in your area.
Some Airbnb listings are fully booked year round, but it usually takes a solid year to both figure out your patterns and to build up the reputation from reviews that attracts discerning guests. In the meantime, the slow stretches are a great chance to make all the improvements you can. As @Sarah977 pointed out, great photos are essential for driving more clicks from search results (which in turn may increase your standing in the algorithm). And a few extra touches such as bedside furniture can go a long way to make the home look more guest ready. Uncluttered and clean is good, but it doesn't pay for any room to look unfinished.
