Fully Stocked Kitchen?

[Angela3404]

Hi, I started hosting 2 months ago but was wondering, what is considered a fully stocked kitchen? 

[Teri1210]

We've been hosting for 3 years now.  A fully stocked kitchen is one of our biggest compliments.  Our kitchen has enough dinnerware, silverware, pots, pans, cooking utensils, drink glasses, for a large Thanksgiving dinner!  We probably have too much, but we use the house often, and love it. We also supply a dual brew coffee maker with coffee and pods, toaster, blender, bakeware, air fryer, spices, and oils, you name it!

[Angela3404]

@Teri1210 Thanks for responding! I see where I can add a few things like a blender and maybe larger serving bowls and platters. 

[Patti-And-Marty0]

Hi @Angela3404

Just be aware before you go crazy adding small appliances and more cookware that everything should be checked over in between bookings... this can be very time consuming. Don't trust the guest to clean them properly after use. 

[Angela3404]

I agree 100%, all of the guests don't thoroughly! 

[Teri1210]

Definitely,  I think it needs to "fit" the property. We advertise to host families, so it works for us. We also have a great cleaning company that checks for us!

[John7196]

Yeah, I find it easiest to clean blenders that have a removeable bottom...because a blender is easiest cleaned immediately after use and we aren't there blending with them to clean it ...(smile)

Thanks for this reminder, I'll be blender shopping.

Some nice Magic Bullets might allow me to someday own two so one could be cleaned while other ready for check in. 

But not a thrift store one, threw away my $6 Magic Bullet it was used and sharp feeling but would not crush ice since blade must not have been sharp enough anymore.

[John7196]

I made mistake buying a $6 Magic Bullet at thrift store that functioned...but turned out it was given away because it still couldn't crush ice. I guess you can't tell if the blades are sharp. I've used friend's Magic Bullets and they normally work. This is why bartenders crush ice in a 'bar towel' so blenders last longer. Though with a Vita Mix they do seem to be commercial quality so I've been doing that less...

Hoping to get a $20/$25 blender on sale and not have to do a $150 Ninja which I know does the job for less than a $400 Vita Mix. Especially since I don't want to require a security deposit, would rather file an AirBnB claim if something nice like an air fryer/deep fryer/blender is missing. 

[Frances3408]

@Angela3404. Welcome. My advice is to get the basics right. If your kitchen is suitable for cooking then imagine what you would want to have on hand. Decent cookware and good utensils, supply of pantry items (flour, s&p, condiments etc). Also foil, wrap and baking paper. One guest asked for rubber gloves so yes, cleaning up materials as well.

[Angela3404]

Thank you!  I will add a few more items to my list, like flour and condiments, I have everything else. 

[Wende2]

@Angela3404  Hello....I have a small spice rack, bought at Marshall's.  That's all I supply as far as those items.  I do have everything else, toaster oven, blender, different sizes of pots and pans, serving bowls and such.  Everything needed for using the stove/oven.  I did have a woman leave me a private message that I needed more utensils.  I asked what she/they felt was missing, they didn't like that they stayed 5 days and had to wash the knives, forks and spoons.  I wanted to ask, if I had 4 people staying a week, was I supposed to supply 24/28 of each.  Some people are just too much.  Not to mention there is a dishwasher in the kitchen. 

[Angela3404]

Oh, my goodness are you serious? If they didn't want to wash the utensils provided, I can't imagine what it was like at checkout! 

[Wende2]

@Angela3404......She left the place in good shape, gave me a great review as well.  A friend said put plastic utensils up there too, I am NOT doing that.

[John7196]

As new hosts we are trying out 2 guests and 1 to 3 night stays. This is based on wanting guests who would primarily be driving through the area and guessing this would be most of the demand. But actually,  we have had multiple inquiries from fathers visiting their children during school break wanting longer than three day stays, at least when we used to have a farmstay listed. 

Originally I bought 1 cutlery item per Guest allowed: 2 forks, 2 spoons etc. but my sweetheart John insisted we have 4 of each cutlery item because he doesn't like to have to constantly wash them at our own house...since we misplace ours taking them in our lunch/eating in our car/out on our property during projects/chores etc. To him it was a non-negotiable. 

I on the other hand would prefer to stay up on any dishes when I vacation or not, so I have less cutlery/flatware to wash. For the two of us at home I like to have one glass, one mug, one water bottle and so on because I don't end up with a sink full of dishes. With the matching set put aside for guests/get together etc. 

Surprisingly my beloved washes as many dishes as I do but...we just have a different style. (I also wash all my pots and pans etc. that I can before I sit down to eat my meal so I can relax after eating...he prefers to eat as soon as the food is ready and wash everything after the meal (no need to keep food warm in oven/pan). 

So as I consider this I would vote for unfortunately providing more cutlery based on 

a. length of stay you allow

b. # of guests you allow

That's one reason I am hoping single nights with 2 people will book often enough for us ...because I do think the longer they stay and greater the number of guests the more is involved with the exception of at least cleaning unless Hosts allow 'cleaning during stay.'

[Chris17932]

Hi, besides the basics, it may depend on how much you're charging per night. I love to cook, so I really try to stock things in the kitchen that I enjoy using myself, like Sea salt,  Himalayan Pink Salt, organic sugar, Olive oil, good quality spice blends, etc. These items really don't cost much.