How to identity guest cabinets in kitchen

[Kiley5]

Hello, I'm a host in Atlanta, I complete a walk through at checkin and show which cabinets and drawers are to be accessed but of course my personal dishes were used. What do you guys do to help remind all guests what they can use? Stickers?

[Emily487]

@Kiley5

You might check out Amazon or Etsy for small decals or stickers. Especially on Etsy, you can send most printing shops an image (the AirBnB "A") and they can make them for you. You could put on on a kitchen cabinet, a shelf in the fridge, a drawer in the bathroom....

We bought a window decal with the AirBnB logo and name on it from a random printing shop on Amazon just to help guests identify the right back door and it has really helped.

[Kiley5]

that is a great idea.  I have been looking for glow in the dark decals that won't permantly stick

[Emily487]

@Kiley5

Wow! Your place is beautiful. Maybe put those stickers on the *inside* of those beautiful cabinets..;)

[Kiley5]

@Emily0  thank you so mych

[Susan151]

@Kiley5. I am a little confused. Your profile indicates that you are renting out an entire house, but you restrict which dishes people can choose to use? This might be complicated! The problem with the house tour upon arrival is that people are unable to fully concentrate after a long day of travel, a complicated business meeting, or the inability to absorb a bunch of information in a short period of time.

Instead of stickers, you might consider a "map" of the kitchen. This could serve several purposes beyond keeping guests our of your cupboards. This map could indicate where you find a sautee pan, the soup pot, the waffle maker, spatulas, etc, while also deliniating your personal use items that guests are not welcome to enjoy.

[Kiley5]

Thank you Susan,

I purchased new items for the guest to use and would prefer they only use those items.  The map is a great idea, I like that.

[Linda108]

Most hosts that list an entire house that also contains personal, not-for-guests, will lock the cabinet or have another locked space.  I agree with @Susan151, there is a lot to take in during the tour.  Best be safe with locking away personal items.

[Kiley5]

Thanks Linda

[Sarah977]

@Kiley5  A lot of guests and people in general, would think "Yadda yadda, a plate is a plate, what a control freak, what does it matter which one I eat off of as long as I wash it". So they'll nod, but ignore what you've told them because they think it's no big deal, instead of thinking, "Well, it seems silly to me, but it's her home and I need to respect her wishes". So as others have said, things you really don't want them to use are best secured in a locked cupboard. And rather than having them wonder what's so special that you've locked it up (guests have been known to get into locked spaces, lots of people are nosy and curious) just casually mention that you locked that one cupboard because guests got confused about which dishes were yours and which were for guests.

It's so obvious to us what is what in our own homes- you know what your dishes look like, and you know what the dishes you bought for your guests look like, but all those dishes are unfamiliar to a guest and paying attention to such things after a long journey can be overtaxing. Also many people just aren't observant and don't have an eye for detail. I've had friends stay with me for 3 weeks or a month and still don't observe that I keep my plates on this shelf and my bowls on the other. I'll end up constantly searching for things, finding them in the oddest places, and this is with friends staying who respect me, not even guests. Which is a pet peeve of mine, wasting time looking for things.

[Kiley5]

thanks Sarah, this is good information.  I am just **bleep** and want them to use the new and matching items that I purchased specific to guests.  My family can eat off paper plates. 🙂

[Yulianna0]

After one “curious” guest that decided to go through my things and not only in the kitchen I was thinking to put some stickers like “smile, camera is on!” and “did you forget something here?” Inside the closed places. 

[Kiley5]

haha, that's a good one. I'm sure they would immediately regret doing what they were advised not to