What are the most interesting things you've found in your apartment after guests checked out?

[Oksana127]

I’m sure we’ve all had those moments after guests leave, when we start tidying up and discover something unexpected. From quirky souvenirs to valuable belongings, it’s fascinating how every guest leaves behind a little story.

Have you ever found something particularly memorable or unusual in your apartment? Maybe it was a hidden gem tucked away in a drawer, or an item that made you smile or even laugh?

I’m also curious—have your guests ever reached out to ask for their forgotten items to be returned by mail? How do you handle situations like these? Do you have any fun or heartwarming stories about sending lost belongings back to their owners?

Feel free to share your unique experiences. It’s always amazing to hear how each host manages these moments and how they add a bit of adventure to the everyday hosting life.

[Guy991]

Hello @Oksana127,

Instead of talking about the objects guests leave behind—one of my favorite topics—I’d like to focus on the habits they leave behind, especially in the kitchen.

I love it when guests rearrange the kitchen cabinets, moving plates, coffee mugs, Nespresso cups, etc. For me, it means they’ve organized things according to their needs and made an effort to feel happy in my house. That’s actually a good sign that a positive review is on the way.

[Elisa]

Hi @Oksana127 😊

Thank you for bringing up this topic here, it’s always surprising what guests leave behind! 

Do you have any memorable items you’ve found or fun stories about returning lost belongings?

What about you @Robin4, @Dr-Jayanthi1 ,@Cheri354, @Elena4354 and @Debra300 ?

I look forward to hearing your stories! 😍

Warm regards🌻,

[Dr-Jayanthi1]

Hi @Elisa , I have my sentiments speak. I do have a few lovely finds after my guests check out- I hope I have nothing to find in most cases. A pair of ear drops, cosmetics, hair accessories, mobile chargers are the most common items left behind. I always reach out to the guests and find means of sending them (if they are valuable) or returning to them in case they have an option to be back. But recently I have been hosting a dad who visits my city to meet his kids and brings them a lot of food and gifts. I found a lovely piece of fancy jewellery left behind. On speaking to the father I got to know that his little princess wasn't happy about her gift. I felt the disappointment in the dad. I had to convince him that the little one was smart and vocal enough to spell her likes and dislikes. There's obviously more to look upto the little princess and see her mould into a responsible beauty soon. The father seemed satisfied with my words and did not mind parting with the fancy jewellery. I have the piece carefully tucked in my drawer - days pass by - more guests walk in and they not only leave behind their materials but also a bit of their life and stories for me to ponder and value life with more wisdom and gratitude. Happy hosting 😍!

[Elisa]

Hi @Dr-Jayanthi1 😊, 

Thank you for your contribution to this thread!

I'm curious, do you usually send the items back? Who pays for the delivery?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Dr-Jayanthi1]

Hi @Elisa - I haven’t mailed anything back. Definitely keep them in custody and remember to hand it over (was fortunate to have them come back to my place) to return it in person. And my guests appreciate it. 

[Robin4]

@Oksana127 

I have not had many unpleasant guests over the years but, there was one that did particularly rub me up the wrong way!

She was a woman in her mid 50s who came from a farming community in the mid north of the state, and from the get-go everything about her eluded this sense of entitlement I would have thought was more reserved for a nineteenth century Lady of the Manor rather than an Orroroo pig and chicken farmers wife.......how the gentry have changed!

She was here with her sister for a wedding and had brought along at least half a dozen dress outfits to wear for the occasion and drove the sister and Ade mad requiring a suitability appraisal of each.....to which she appeared to pay absolutely no notice.

My thought was, I could just imagine the husband, 'pedal to the metal' hotfooting it into town to shout the front bar of the local pub in celebration of his temporary freedom!!!

His gain was my pain!

Anyway complete with lots of requests along the way she and sister got to the wedding suitably attired and coiffured, and the morning of their check-out I was not on hand to see them off, having other duties to attend to. 

After lunch I returned and when I entered the cottage everything had been left neat and tidy but, there draped across the bed where her 6 wedding outfits. While packing the car she had left them till last so as not to crush them......and simply took off and forgot about them.

I rang her to report  the omission hoping they hadn't got too far on the road and could return and pick them up.

She said to me...."Oh how silly of me, can you be a good man, pack them in a post box and mail them to me"? 

I told her, on Monday morning I would get a cost from the post office for packing and postage to the mid north town and ask if Aust Post had a pay on collect facility.

She said to me...."Oh let's not haggle about the money, just send them and I will pay you later, after all it did cost us $276 to stay with you for the 2 nights"!

How do you reckon I felt about responding to that?  I was bloody seething!!!

With a definite air of frustration in my voice I said to her......

"Regardless of what I might have been paid I do not allow for guest carelessness in the pricing of my listing. I will get a cost from Aust Post on Monday and send an amount request through Airbnb and when I receive notification from Airbnb it has been paid to my account I will immediately organise the postage"!

I bet even her husband had never spoken to her like that. Anyway I got a cost and it was substantial, around $85.00, passed in on via 'Send or Request Money' tab. The amount  duly arrived and she eventually got her dresses.

It was however one of only 6 three star reviews I have ever received and started my total mistrust of anything accurate coming out of the review system! And it taught me not all cultivated sounding people are going to be good guests.......study every word of the original booking message, You can learn a lot about the character of the person from that first message!

Cheers......Rob.

[Hafiz44]

@Robin4 Sure! Could you please provide the thread you'd like me to reply to, or clarify the context for the response? That way, I can craft the perfect reply with the relevant keyword "online Skype Quran classes.

[Katarzyna87]

We had a white powder left behind on bedside tables and "sprinkled" around the bed. I wasn't about to test it. So let's just say it was icing sugar they played with to sweeten things up.

We definitely will never let them book again..

[Paula]

Hi @Katarzyna87, I am tagging @Oksana127 here so they receive a notification of your message. This way, we increase the chances of them getting back to us.

Quick tip: To tag someone, tap "@" and select the host's username from the dropdown menu 😊

[Annette47]

several sex toys but nobody has ever asked for them back.  I have shipped a book and some contacts, both people Venmo me for the shipping.  

[Greg2406]

@Oksana127 

Most recently were three, very expensive, shirts.  I had them nicely folded and ready for a flat box, but the guy at the shipping center rolled them up and put them in the smallest envelope I've ever seen.  Hate to say it, but I was impressed.  

One family left two crocheted cats.  Before they had arrived for their reservation, they knew about our cat, Hoover,..and I sent the guest a picture.   By the time they checked out, she had finished two small one that look a lot like the Hoov.

Always find some new twisted alcohol drink in the frig. 

Early on, we had a guest rearrange furniture.  Same Guest was on the security camera at 4:30am looking under and around all the outside furniture and spa.   I found what he was looking for when I tore down the beds,...thc vape pen,...can't seem to remember whatever happened to that...😎.

[Abu215]

What an interesting topic! It's always surprising to find things guests leave behind. One time, I found a small trinket in a drawer, which made me smile as it felt like a tiny reminder of the guest’s experience. As for returning forgotten items, I always try to make sure I send them back promptly if they ask, as I know how important those belongings can be.

** Every little experience, even finding forgotten items, is part of a bigger picture. Wishing everyone happy hosting adventures!

**[Link removed  in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Muslim4]

Guests often leave coins of different kind. Almost always food and water - despite my asking them not to leave them. Once a guest forgot to take his glasses, I found them and called him, he was on his way to the airport. So he stopped the taxi and ordered a delivery from my apartment to get them back. 

[Daniel13993]

Such a fun topic! I've definitely found some quirky items after guests checked out—like random socks or forgotten chargers. Once, a guest left behind a funny souvenir, and it made me smile. I’ve had a few people reach out for their lost items, and it's always a bit of a treasure hunt to find them. It’s great to reunite them with their things and share a laugh over it! Hosting definitely has its little adventures.