Are you planning to spruce up your space in 2020?

[Stephanie]

Hello everyone,

As we approach the end of the year (aw, I can’t believe I’m saying that), it’s pretty common to look ahead and think about plans for the upcoming year. Many people like to make new year resolutions, but when it comes to hosting, this can often signal a time to refresh your home. Some new guest towels perhaps or a new coat of paint in the bathroom or something bigger like that garden shed you have had your eye on! 

What are your plans for sprucing up your listing in 2020? 

We'd love to hear your input for an upcoming article. Thank you! 

[Jo620]

Here we are 2021 month Feb, We are in total lockdown continued from Xmas .I am so keen to get my listing up and running. The people in the UK what are YOU doing regarding starting up again after covid.? Are we listing now? or are we waiting for new jabs to be given to EVERYBODY Thoughts please.

[Helen350]

You might want to start a new thread @Jo620 , as folk with an opinion on the subject might not be reading this OLD thread about sprucing up!

Personally, I haven't stopped hosting since the start of the pandemic, but always within the law! I've continued to host (via Airbnb & SpareRoom) -  doctors, nurses, pharmacists, carers, social workers & engineers in essential services! - All of whom were working here far from home, & needing overnight stays, or several.

There have been other recent threads on the subject of The Vaccine, and whether we can/should enquire?

Certainly the LEGAL position in the UK, is that we are not allowed to host frivolous stays, for tourism or visiting friends & family; rather we are only allowed to host stays for work, moving home, & funerals. The gov.uk website gives the details. If you look at any UK listing, you'll see a banner saying that travel is illegal except in certain circumstances. 

As regards opening up the calendars, I guess some hosts are taking bookings for summer in the hope the ban will be lifted, & some will wait until it IS lifted, to avoid the headache & hassle of cancelations...?

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Circle/Checking-that-guests-have-had-the-Covid19-vaccinatio... 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Circle/Hosts-amp-Vaccination-Requirements/m-p/1405422 

[Harold75]

I will be engaged in "light" renovations.   Washing walls in high traffic areas, and painting guest room and bathroom.   Some of this work involves fixing dings and chips in the walls and door molding.  Painting is the best way to spruce up a space!  

[Stephanie]

Sounds like a polish up job @Harold75 . My house wants knocking down and starting again...

[Pat6671]

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@Stephanie wrote:

My house wants knocking down and starting again...

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Certainly doesn't look like it needs knocking down if that's your place in the picture above!!

You want to see some of the places I've worked in, that are rental properties. Some are outright daangerous.

[Stephanie]

@Pat6671 I wish!

[Suzanne302]

@Stephanie I was forced into an early upgrade due to some plumbing issues.

A bathroom leak destroyed a large piece of carpet in the room I rent out. I'd been planning to replace the carpet with laminate flooring anyway, so I just bumped up the timeline a bit. I am in LOVE with my new floors and the room looks soooo much better! 

My big upgrade for 2020 will be replacing the double bed with a queen bed and a memory foam mattress.

And I have also switched up the furniture a little bit removing a very large shelving unit that overpowered the room and replacing it with a small bedside table and adding additional shelf space in another location in the room.

So basically, my room for guests is waaaay nicer than my own bedroom now. 🙂

[Stephanie]

@Suzanne302 - reminds me of the "don't use the good china, don't use the nice guest towels" etc way of life growing up. All the nice stuff for us was for people who never visited 😉 

You know, Brandon (my dog) had a memory foam bed? We have need to replace ours for about 3 years. Bloomin' lucky mutt!

[Trevor243]

Around Christmas last year, I decided I would freshen up one property .... strip some old wallpaper, give the walls a lick of paint .... should have been 1-2 weeks work at most .... but as I stripped the paper, a wall crumbled away .... 3 months later, I had gutted the property and completely renovated it .... and I was exhausted!! And I injured my shoulder while doing it - physio starts at the end of the month, 10 months after I got the injury.

Although I completely renovated that property, there are still some finishing touches to do .... and another property needs some work and a freshen up, but I certainly won't go crazy like last time!

[Susan151]

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@Trevor243 wrote:

strip some old wallpaper, give the walls a lick of paint .... should have been 1-2 weeks work at most .... but as I stripped the paper, a wall crumbled away .... 3 months later, I had gutted the property and completely renovated it ....

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We call that the mushrooming project; a frequent occurrence in our older home. Highly sympathetic.

[Maria2527]

When starting to renovate you never know  when you will end up. 

Try not to over do it...

Wish you get well soon Isle...

[Helen350]

@Maria2527 Mmmmmmmmmmmm........ Best not to bother!

[Maria2527]

Dear Helen,

Yes, I think it is better not to bother...

[Jacqui16]

Oh dear Trevor what a journey.  Do hope you recover soon and all your hard work and strife will  be rewarded by happy and comfortable guests.