Empty out my closets?

[Dan42]

Do I need to empty out my closets and make room for the guests clothes?  Does that also apply to the kitchen?

[Sarah-and-Alex0]

You should leave enough room in the closet(s) for guests to hang some things, but unless you're doing long term, they're not moving in.  If you're doing long term, probably clear out of whole, or most of, the closet.  In the kitchen, you want enough room in the cabinets/fridge for some extra stuff of the guest's.  If you have bureaus, I would leave the top couple of drawers empty for guests to use.  

[Noreen4]

I just had a guest complain that she was completely insulted that she had to hang her coat up next to mine in the hall closet (which is massive and brand new and only had 2 coats hanging).  They rented our cottage for 4 nights.  I emptied the whole fridge except for some things in the door (ketchup, mustard, etc.).  If people use the space also and rent out here and there for weekends, do you empty closets and hall closets and the fridge completely?  I had emptied all of the dressers in each room completely but have one locked closet and one other closet with half of our ski stuff.  I thought this was fine but apparently not for these people.  Is there some way I can defend my actions with Airbnb standards?  I found one line in hosting preparation that says "make some room for the guest".  Has anyone else had this experience and how did you deal with it?  Thanks!

[Allison2]

Wait. Isn't the point of Airbnb to stay in a more personal space that DOESN'T feel like a sterile hotel? Seriously, of all the things to complain about!

Clear out a few drawers and a reasonable amount of space in a closet. (Or put all your personal items in a locked closet & provide a separate wardrobe.)

[Noreen4]

Thank you!  Yes, I agree.  I thought Airbnb was about space "sharing" which is how you get to go to all the cool places.  I just wrote her back.  Sigh.  I guess she will give me a bad review.  She was staying with her daughter and son's wife and 2 toddlers (so 5 in total) for 4 nights over a weekend.  I had left 8 towels (and my listing says I don't provide towels).  She texted me on the 2nd night and asked me to deliver 15 towels the next day.  I hired someone to go to the store and buy them (silly me) and deliver them to her.  Her comment was that I delivered new and unwashed towels so they couldn't be used.  Some people are never happy.  Thank you for responding!

[Kate2227]

Oh man, babe! That’s aweful!  I am blown away with the spoiledness of some! Yikes!

[Tracy388]

YES  - if you rent your space - the guest needs some small place to hang clothes!  They are paying for your space!

[Noreen73]

Wow! I wouldn't worry about this guest. Some folks are impossible to please.  Sheesh!!

[Helen3]

If I was renting out a whole house, I wouldn't expect to find the hosts things hanging in wardrobes or their foodstuffs in the kitchen.

If I am going to a shared space, I would expect to have a shelf in the fridge, some space in kitchen cupboards and to have shelves and hanging space in a wardrobe.

In my description I mention I am letting out my sons room and as such some of his stuff is stored in the room (just in one side of the wardrobe).

In the hallway my guests share shoerack and hanging space for clothes with me.

[Noreen4]

Thanks Helen,

Even a whole house for just a weekend rental?  I always hire a cleaner and she cleans for 4 hours, then I empty the fridge and move food in cupboards to the higher levels.  All the drawers are empty.  The hall closet had 2 coats.  We put all the kids toys in a locked closet.  It is really hard to completely clean out a house for a weekend.  We do our best.  You really wouldn't expect anything in a hall closet?  This helps me too, as everyone is different and I'm looking for the standard.  Thanks for your reply.

[Helen3]

Ok I didn't understand  it was your own home that you let out at weekends. I think as long as you make this very clear in the description  and that guests will have access to the fridge and a couple of food cupboards in the kitchen this will help manage expectations.

 I would clear out the fridge completely and have food cupboard space available. Stuff like ketchup and mustard doesn't need to live in the fridge.

Not sure what a hall closet is, but I would expect there to be enough room in the hallway to hang coats and put shoes. Ideallly if you can move your coats and shoes from the hallway into locked storage I think that would be better, but not essential.

[Bonnie171]

I just rented an AirBnb for 2 weeks that was for an an entire place (mother-in-law type house).  

The closet was literally chained and locked. We had several dry cleaned shirts he brought with him, expecting a closet to hang them in. The shirts are all hanging on one hook on the bedroom door.

Some drawer space was available for any folded clothes. 

The kitchen was advertised as completely stocked, but had only so-so cooking items (maybe stocked good for people who don't cook alot). The fridge was advertised as new, but the freezer was taped shut - the owner was using the entire freezer. After we first arrived and introduced ourselves we went to the car to get our bags.  We were surprised to find the owner had entered our 'private home' via a mother-in-law door to access the freezer and ensure the tape was still in place (the freezer on the 'new refrigerator' was not available for use during the rental).

The mother-in-law connects to the owner's section of the house. We were unable to lock the airbnb side to increase our sense of privacy. (The owners are nice and seem respectful, but we found this very strange). I asked to confirm he would not be entering the place again to ensure privacy. He said he wouldn't unless he thought something was breaking.

The things advertised as off limits was using flour in the kitchen (the  normal occupant is allergic), parties, or noise during nightly quiet hours (the owners have young kids). The closet and freezer were not advertised as off limits, but were obviously off limits due to the tape & locks.

Per airbnb, I could only find 2 things that were clearly advertised that were not available:

A heated garage was in the ad, but the garage was locked off from the rental.

A 2nd under the bed mattress was also advertised (not sure if this is an airbnb default for describing a single bed), but we couldn't find it (I slept on the floor).

So a few issues. Our biggest surprise/disappointment was that there was no acceptable place to hang clothes that you would expect in a 'private home' rental. 

We felt like we rented a shared space (with a private entrance) vice private home rental due to all of the stuff in the house and all of the blocked off areas (closet, freezer, etc.).

Is the closet something worth bringing up (in person and/or in airbnb reviews) or as a renter should I avoid reporting these issues in comments due to airbnb's vague rules?

(Owners seem nice enough & we can tell the airbnb $ is probably helping their family out alot)

Issues with Airbnb's vague description and regulations with the description of a 'private home' are confusing. I am not sure whether we got what we paid for (a cheap airbnb that tests airbnb's rules) or if we were duped by false advertising. 

Any advice?

[Tracy388]

It should be clearly noted if there is no place to hang clothes.  My elderly parents just rented a place for a week and there is no note that the 2 large closets are locked.  There are 2 hooks that are too high for them.  WOW!  I've stayed at so many airbnbs and never had this problem - I'm pretty upset.  My parents are now looking for a hotel.  It would have been fine if they had just said this in the description - then they wouldn't have rented it.  

[Shirley284]

I rented an entire place and as I came from another Airbnb rented apartment I was expecting the same (as other times as well): an empty apartment or at least some clear note in the description explaininh this is the host’s main house.

From the first moment I enteres the house I felt really strange. I even started to look for cameras because all the vibe was sort of creepy. I tried my keys and they didn’t work: that worsen the situation. I couldn’t close the door. The apartment was full of personal belongings, and there were a lot of electronics that he disconnected so we don’t use it, like an Amazon Alexa. While I looked the place around, I found something utterly disturbing in the bathroom: a box with massive sex toy (no joke), black gloves and veterinary lubricant. I mean what the **bleep**. I also found endless cleaning products, so I started to freak out and wrote Airbnb. Had no answer. My husband I and slept that night with lights on. Next day the host explained how to make the keys work so I stayed the full three days. All the time I felt uncomfortable. So I would conclude: YES, please empty your space or lock your things somewhere inaccessible.