Kitchen

[Laura7046]

I live in my house full-time and only renting it out on select weekends during the summer when I’m away. I already have keypad locks on the doors where they are we not to enter however, I am wondering about my kitchen cupboards. Would it be acceptable to zip tie them closed until I get back?  I have items for guests to use in cupboards that I would not secure. Or am I going to have to empty out all my cupboards instead?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Laura7046 I think zip ties would be fine as long as they aren't too obvious and there is sufficient remaining cupboard space. A more friendly alternative might be small no entry stickers but obviously that requires trusting the guests.

[Dawn241]

I live in a house part time and rent it out time. I leave condiments in frig, coffee, tea, honey, sugar, and put everything else in my locked bedroom when I’m not living there. 

[Patrick3203]

@Laura7046 We use a child-safety cabinet lock.  It's barely shows and you open it by placing a magnet against the cabinet door in a specific location.  It's quite easy to defeat (as would a ziptie) but it puts the point across I think!

[Robin1272]

@Laura7046 You could add cabinet locks, they would look more professional than zip ties. This could be a DIY or hire a contractor to install the locks. They should be easy to find.

[Paraiso16]

Agree 100%. Looks much better and it's better secured.

[Priya284]

@Laura7046 Few tips to follow when renting your own space with others 

1. Label with your name and date to distinguish from others.

2. Use a designated shelf or bin to keep them separated and organized.

3. Store valuable or perishable items in a locked cabinet or in your locked bedroom closet or fridge

4. Communicate with your tenants know that you'd like respect each other's food and avoid mistakenly taking something that doesn't belong to them.

5. Keep a basket or box with secure lid to prevent accidental mixing or tampering.

6. Be mindful of shared space: Avoid overcrowding or disorganizing the area.

Always remember to communicate and be considerate of your guests.

[Robert7925]

I would lock any special item I care a lot, a souvenir for instance, but I would not zip tie or empty out cupboards. My kitchen however is a small one and even if I would I can't devide cupboards for my use and for guest use.

[Ryan3467]

I think zip ties would have a negative/ hostile vibe to it.

If I were you, make an airbnb shelf with their plates and utensils, maybe specific style and or color.

Note that youd really appreciate anything else is not apart of the stay, if they can't find anything within that is provided please ask before they explore your personal inventory.

*Inventory your current items, photograph it, get price points now. If anything ends up damaged and or missing you can file airbnb coverage/complaint 

[Romina242]

My personal experience, any items I do not want the guests to touch, I put them all away in a locked cabinet/storage area. 

[Michele1845]

Personally speaking I’ve always had great guests , I don’t take guests without reviews so I can get a sense of them , and they all seem to be very trustworthy . I don’t lock anything  away in the kitchen .
I leave a note with what’s for their use . though  and choose to trust .  

[Rafael1421]

Ikea has storage boxes that I use to store different items so that the guest has a clean space with things they're allowed to use. It isn't as much work as you'd expect especially if you do this regularly. You can get your cleaning crew to learn the process of prepping if you don't even want to do it yourself. 

1. Storage boxes : **

2. Place them in locked storage area : closet with lock or basement with lock. 

3. Call out anything you have for guests and anything that's off-limits in your checkin message and house rules. 

4. Sleep easy because your important things are out of the house. 

**[Link removed as per Community Center guidelines - Community Center Guidelines]

[Rachel2771]

I also rent my full time residence to AirBnB guests on select weekends when I plan to be away. For kitchen supplies, I have a page in my guest book dedicated to what guests can use. Additionally I have small signs and labels in cabinets indicating what is available for guest use and what is off limits.

[Alex1485]

Guests often surprise is with their ingenuity,  in our teams expereince, child locks/zip ties won't keep guests out of the cabinets, even the uppers...

We recently had a 7 year Superhost climb on a bar height table to access our 8' hight child locked upper cabinet, for two bags of chips.   This could have been an insurance nightmare if the guest fell...

If you do not want guests having access to your personal kitchen items, best to remove, despite it being a more work,  in the long run, in our experience, it is a better option.