How much has your listing changed from when you started hosting?

[Quincy]

Hello everyone, 

As time passes, you probably will experience a moment when you'd want to work on making changes to your listing and homes. 

New furniture here, fresh paint there, and new photos to reflect those changes to your home. From small changes to big changes, we've all been through it, most likely. 

I can remember seeing some lovely listings of the Hosts on the CC when I started (almost 5 years ago), and it made me wonder how much your listings have changed 😊.  

How much has your listing changed, from when you started Hosting? I know there are some super creative Hosts such as @Huma0, so I’m really curious to see your responses 👀. 

Feel free to share photos!

Quincy

[Laurelle3]

@Ted307@@Felicity11 @Huma0 I have a small selection of books on a bookshelf ranging from tallest to smallest with a bookmark saying "if you are enjoying reading this book and haven't finished reading, you can take me home". I have a small collection of magazines in a basket under coffee table, (womens, cars, gardening, environmental, local birds), and put books suitable for children and age in a toy basket in their bedroom for arrival. 

[Quincy]

That's so lovely @Laurelle3! 😃

[Huma0]

@Laurelle3 

That's a good idea. The guest currently staying in the bedroom with the bookshelf I posted above was reading one of the books. She actually did finish it, but wanted to keep it and asked if she could buy it. I told her she could have it, but she really insisted on giving me something, so eventually I accepted £2 for it, but I would rather have just given it to her! 

There are many books on that particular bookcase that I wouldn't be very happy with guests taking though, but I like the idea of maybe having a dedicated bookcase where guests can help themselves, or perhaps a 'book exchange', which I've seen at many hostels etc. I just came back from Riga and noticed a cafe in the airport where they had bookshelves and a sign telling customers to take a book if they wanted. 

[Felicity11]

HI @Huma0 

What a beautiful photo it is such a lovely display.  I love old books and the other pieces you have on display complement it beautifully.  

The travel books - I think I need to make sure they are back on the shelves.  I also like to have books about the local area, be it a history book or a design book or a Australian homes book..  These do get looked at. 

[Quincy]

The books arranged on colour look so satisfying @Huma0 👀

[Felicity11]

Hi @Huma0 

Great to hear from you and lovely to hear of another book lover. 

Its interesting to hear what changes hosts make. For me books are a very important part of a holiday and as a parent with two active boys, if I can get through a holiday with them and finish a book I am thrilled. I can almost judge a holiday by how many books I can get through.. I love your display.  I think I need to get another bookcase for the cottage! 

It is interesting to hear feedback from guest over the years and how needs change.  I think it would be interesting to hear from a guests perspective more about the things they really want when they stay and what attracts them to a listing!  What little touches have made there day - or should that be "made there stay"!

[Quincy]

This is very interesting to hear @Felicity11. You've made a fair bit of changes it seems 😃.  It's also lovely to hear that you provide some toys for the kids during summer time. 

When I was still Hosting, I didn't over a TV, but it's definitely interesting to see how things have changed (guest wise)!

Also, I'm very curious to see that passionfruit plant now 👀. I'm growing blueberries and spinach at the moment 😊. 

[Felicity11]

Hi @Quincy 

We have made a few changes over the years and always ask our guests if there is any thing else that they would like to find in the cottage during there stay to make it better. Most of the time they tell it is well set up and they found all they needed. 

The toys for the kids are popular with families with younger children. We also offer some classic Australian Children's books for both young and old and its interesting explaining australian books to European parents  I think they love it. 

Oh the passionfruit.. I will try and find a photo.. they were good!  Good luck with your blueberries and Spinach - you are welcome to some of ours when you visit next!  

[Debra300]

@Quincy,

When we first opened the guesthouse, all of the suites had queen size beds, nightstands, dresser, TV with cable, and a couple of chairs.  The guests shared a common kitchen, and we offered to do their laundry when washed towels every few days.

2017

- Installed air conditioners.

2018

- Changed the beds from queen size to king size.

- Installed portable laptop tables in the rooms.

2019

- Installed beverage size mini-fridges.

- Replaced the portable laptop tables with three piece bistro size dining tables and chairs/stools.

- Replaced 43 inch TVs with 55 inch Smart TVs, and provided Netflix service.

2020

- Closed shared guest kitchen and converted into a reception room with handwashing station due to local COVID regulations.

- Removed the portable beverage size mini-fridges.

- Renovated each suite into self-catering studios: installed a kitchenette with sink, cooktop, mini-fridge/freezer, microwave, small appliances, cookware, dishes, flatware, cooking utensils, washer and spin dryer. 

- Disconnected cable service, and added Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ along with Netflix as the streaming services we provide.

2021

- Installed colorful large adhesive murals.

- Replaced one set of upholstered chairs with leather chairs.

2022 plans

- Install wall mounted a flip down desk and an office style chair in two of the studios so they will have dedicated work spaces. 

- Replace the dining stools with padded dining chairs in the smallest studio since there isn't enough space for a dedicated work space, and guests will have to use the dining table to work.

[Quincy]

Wow, those are quite some changes @Debra300! I remember that you mentioned working on a footpath leading to your home. How's that going? 😃

[Debra300]

@Quincy,

In my prior post I only mentioned the interior changes that we made to the rental spaces.  Keep Cool hand mixed the concrete and used two paver moulds to cover the front area of our guesthouse, and created a courtyard and garden.  Guests who have rented the downstairs apartment can walk across it to reach their porch and front door.

He really has a green thumb.  Most of the plants were started from cuttings off of other plants.

This year he has been re-painting the exterior of the structure, the railings, and all of the outdoor furniture.  He's done about half of it, and still has a good bit of work left to do.

[Quincy]

Lovely! @Debra300 

[Robin129]

As a home share host, I haven't made many changes. I've updated the bedding, added a dresser and chair that I set up as a workspace,  brought out my good stoneware* and put the plastic/melamine dishes in our camper. I change the flowers on the porch for the seasons, and some inside decorations. 

* I purchased the stoneware from Selfridges in London, back in 1982. It's Johnson Brothers Ironstone. It does not have a design but I've looked up replacements on eBay and apparently it is now called grey dawn. 

[Huma0]

@Robin129 

I am also a homeshare host, but was keeping a lot of my nicer things stashed away in dressers. Most guests seem to understand that the stuff in the kitchen cupboards is for their use but the fancy stuff in the dressers in the dining room is not. 

It seems a shame though not to use the nice things, so I decided to give away the basic Ikea crockery that I'd been using since I bought my first home to a younger cousin furnishing his first apartment, and put some nicer stuff in the kitchen cupboards instead.

Almost straight away, this stuff started getting chipped or sometimes smashed, so that was disheartening. I am not sure why the basic stuff lasted so many years mostly undamaged but the nice things are constantly getting damaged. Meanwhile, the cleaner broke some beautiful vintage glasses that I had found in Portugal and was foolish enough to display on the cocktail trolley...

Have you found that your ironstone is getting used without incident?

It's hard to find a balance. I want my home/listing to be beautiful but breakages seem to happen really frequently and almost always to the nicest things! The latest one is the Venetian mirror in one of the bathrooms. A whole piece of it has gone mysteriously missing, so whoever broke it hid the evidence 😞

[Robin129]

@Huma0 we probably host differently. I do not allow guests in my kitchen. I set the dishes on the table myself, and clear them. I have a buffet set up with Kurieg, toaster, milk, and juice. They have a choice of dry cereal, and I set out a small dish with bagels, muffins, and white bread. 

My current guests, young ladies in the area for legal internship, are rather messy. They have spilled just about everything. I have a clear plastic table cover over my nice table cloth that makes clean up easier. 

It is a shame that people have little respect for your nice things.