As a host, I'm looking for ideas on how to handle trash and recycling pickup on trash day

[Daniel759]

I'm managing my house from a different location and can't get my trash collected on pickup day in Tacoma, WA.  I've come back to having ALL of my trash/recycle bins loaded to overflowing after just one stay!  I'm open to ideas on how you guys handle this sort of thing.  Been tossing ideas of contracting someone to do it, a property manager of sorts, asking the guests to do it, etc..  Thoughts?  Thank you

-Daniel

[Linda-And-Richard0]

@Daniel759, Are you friendly with any neighbors in the area?  Maybe one has a teenager that might like to earn a few bucks each week.    A simple text message would let him/her know when guests were at the property.  A management company would be pricey and probably require a long term contract.  Personally, I would not want to ask guests to take out the trash and such out for collection. 

Is Texas your home state?

Linda

[Carrie203]

Hi Daniel we have the same issue in Tacoma with their strange pick up schedules, every other week.

Currently we supply and ask the guests to use trash bags. So once a week we have to come by to pick up the bags.  We have the largest can that Tacoma will supply but sometime it fills up in a week and we have to go to the dump.

We are looking for a solution also.

[Helen3]

Why don't your organise for whoever cleans/co-hosts your house to manage this process?

I don't know how recycling works in your area but here we recycle glass, tin, plastics, cardboard, paper, textiles, paper, glass, batteries, etc so really there isn't much that goes in the rubbish which is collected fortnightly.

Just make it clear with your guests about the recycling process. This will be better for the environment and make your waste more mangeable.

[Ann72]

I live in New York and host properties in Maine, where it is up to the homeowner or resident to take everything to the dump!  Last year I had my lawn guy do it, but this year I've gotten a private service to do it.  So - maybe there's a private garbage removal service in your area?  If so, you can always raise your rates a few bucks to cover the fee!

[Jenny1199]

@Ann72my rental is in Maine and we actually have a trash service on Friday's but the can's need to be at the curb. Guessing I shouldn't ask the guest to do this? I am a new host so learning what can and can't be asked of the guest...We live about an hour away from the property and both work. 

[Sarah977]

@Jenny1199  You could ask the guests to do this, but you can't rely on them to. Is there a neighbor you could pay to move the bins to the street on pick-up day? 

[Ann72]

@Jenny1199  I agree that it's a lot to ask of the guest.  My housekeeper takes care of the trash when she goes in to clean after the guests.  Supposing guests are there on pick-up day - can their trash wait until the next pick-up?  If you have guests for more than a week, can your housekeeper or handyman go by to do it?

[Jenny1199]

I did ask the trash pick up service if he would mind backing down the driveway so guests didn’t have to set the trash out. He didn’t get it. I even offered to pay him more. We are located in a very rural part of Maine and the locals aren’t very familiar with Airbnb and all we do as hosts. 

Anyway, I’ve decided to ask our landscaping/mowing person if she’d handle this. I’ll gladly pay extra. 

what do you all do for long term stays? Same thing - pay someone and don’t trouble the guests? I just got two month long stays in a matter of days. Winters here are dead, so I am very surprised and thankful. Do you provide the same things as a weekly or weekend rental? Do you expect them to cover additional paper products, wash their own sheets? 

Thank you for the help! 

[Ann72]

@Jenny1199  My landscaper/mowing guys are the ones who pick up my trash and they charge $10 a pick-up, but they then take it all the way to the dump, a 20-minute drive, so maybe your gal would be happy with an extra $5.  I would have them do it every week for the long-term stays.  

Other notes on long-term stays: 

*I require weekly housekeeping, because with all the good will in the world I know they won't take care of the place the way it needs to be cared for.  Even with a discount the price is high enough that I just throw in the housekeeping without adding more than the one-time fee included in the booking.  

*I provide paper towels, laundry detergent, dish soap, dishwasher soap.  The housekeeper needs those things so better you than a guest who might forget.  And I keep them stocked with toilet paper.  I buy it by the case anyway.

[Jenny1199]

@Ann72  Thank you very much! 

I was trying to have this conversation with my husband and he wasn't seeing it the way you do. Even with the discount of a monthly stay, its still great income. Plus this is air "BnB" not Motel 6. There is a reason folks book thru this site, its more then a stay, its an experience. 

We've been doing the cleaning and turn over ourselves. Mainly because there are no housekeeping services in our area but also we are new to this and want to make sure things are in order. I need to work on finding someone good to handle the cleaning. 

Thanks again - your info is invaluable!! 

[Yulia108]

Hello @Daniel759 . Could you please share how did you handle this question? Having the same issue with a trash pickup while being a remote host

[Daniel759]

Hey @Yulia108 , I initially put it on the guests and sent them notifications the day prior.  This worked for awhile, but I ran into issues a few times with people being less than awesome and leaving the bins overflowing for follow on guests.

I recently negotiated a side deal with my cleaning service to handle taking out and bringing back the trash/recycling bins on schedule without worrying about the guests.  I upped my daily rate by a few bucks to offset the costs, and it works like a charm.  Installing a doorbell camera works to ensure that the bins are dealt with on schedule too.  Hope this helps!!