Traveling can get expensive, especially if you have a serious case of wanderlust like this girl. With Petar’s new job, we’ve had the opportunity to travel a whole lot this year and we have quite a few big trips planned in the upcoming months. After hearing so many great things about Airbnb, I figured it was time to work smarter, not harder, and give this a try! We decided to rent our place out just in time for our trip to New York this weekend and we have our first guests arriving Friday! I put together a bit of a cheat sheet for hosting with Airbnb!
1. Clean and Organize: Think of it as if your in-laws are visiting from out of town. You want everything in it’s place, the tub freshly scrubbed, the fridge stocked and the pillows fluffed. This is a representation of you…but no pressure! While I’m hoping my guests won’t be looking at my dusting skills through a magnifying glass, I’m mindful to leave a clean and organized space to welcome them. I take this as the perfect opportunity to get my spring cleaning done and organize those closets that I’ve been putting off.
2. Store Valuables: I don’t put away all of my personal belongings, after all, guests know they are staying at a home, but I do think that the important stuff should make it’s way into a designated storage. In my case, I stored our passports and legal documents, jewelry and any special momentos in several boxes and put them in our storage unit in the basement.
3. A Warm Welcome: This has to be one of my favorite parts about playing hostess to guests. I want them to feel welcome in our home and by going that extra step, they would show my home the same respect. I was able to team up with Shop Box Fox on creating a custom welcome box for guests. This was such a fun project, because I created a box of items that are not only filled with essentials, but also thoughtful that would make anyone’s stay a bit more enjoyable. I know I would be happy to be welcomed by these goodies! So what’s in this box? A Chicago Luxe city guide to help you navigate the Windy City; a floral candle for a cozy night in; a Turkish fouta guest towel; a scone mix to take the guessing work out of breakfast and an essentials bag filled with iphone wires, advil and hand sanitizer.
4. Food and Beverage: I like to leave bottled water for my guests and the basics in the fridge. I’ve got k-cups stocked for their morning java and some fun and healthy snacks like popcorn, tea, and dark chocolate. Spending a few extra dollars on these items makes their stay that much more enjoyable and in turn, brings back repeat stays!
5. The Essentials: I have designated towels, bed sheets and toiletries for guests to use. I picked up an inexpensive, woven bin from Home Goods and put everything together, making it easy for them to use and carry. I leave this on the freshly made bed so that guests know this is for them to use.
6. Guide Book: This small detail, often overlooked, is probably one of the most useful items for guests. Shop Box Fox and I came up with some basic information for navigating around the house and around the neighborhood. Everything from our address to our wifi password and the best java and carry-out in the area.
Get your place listed: It’s super easy to get our own place listed with Airbnb. You simply add the description, photos (the more, the merrier), any amenities and a price. You can include a cleaning fee for when your guests leave and you can update your availability accordingly. It literally takes a few minutes and can easily earn you some serious cash. Check out how much you could make on your place, here. Airbnb will also send a photographer to take photos of your space if you’re interested, which in turn will help your place rent out faster.
Renting our home out on Airbnb has allowed us to travel even more, guilt-free! It makes so much sense for us to rent out our home when we know we will be out of town. It essentially pays for our travels. Not to mention, the guest reviews and verified ID’s have made me feel safe and confident on selecting who will stay in our home! Check out my listing, here. It’s available for Memorial Day weekend and also this summer, if anyone is planning a visit to Chicago!
This post is sponsored by airbnb. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Shop Box Fox for collaboating on the perfect welcome box. Thank you for supporting the posts that keep NoMad Luxuries’ doors open!
