What to put in and leave out of your Airbnb space

[Justin47]

Hi everybody, my name is Justin and I have been a superhost here in Tucson Arizona since 2015.  I recently started a YouTube channel called Superhosting Tucson (found here) covering all sorts of topics about hosting on Airbnb and this video is about what to put in and what should definitely stay out of your listing, it can be found here.   The script is below, enjoy!

I’m here with this piece of furniture that’s been sitting in my garage for the last six months or so because it’s old, uncomfortable and I have not quite figured out what to do with it yet. One place I know that this does not belong is inside my Airbnb listing.

When Putting together your listing, keep in mind that it’s not a place for your old coffee table that you don’t use or an old couch that has been sitting in your garage. It’s definitely not a place for that old mattress either. If you don’t want this furniture, then there’s a good chance that your guests won’t either, so choose furnishings like you would for your own home. After all, this is your home and any improvements are an investment to the overall quality, just remember to save all of the receipts come tax time. You don't have to spend a lot of money for nice things. I bought my two recliners from Wayfare.com And my bed and mattress from amazon.com and all have been complemented on by my guests. You want your space to be comfortable with plenty of amenities. Now I prefer not to have a lot of clutter around my space to keep things nice, open and bright. I like things to be simple, useful and clean.

Getting all new linens and quality towels are essential on starting your B&B listing. Nothing turns off a guest more than sleeping in a bed that feels dingy or using towels that feel old.

You also want to sort out how much control over the heating and cooling of the space that the guests have. I installed a mini split system in my space to replace a huge loud wall air conditioning unit that would never have worked. This was a big expense, but again, I look at it as an investment in the overall quality of my home. I also invested in an infrared space heater for the other part of my space down the hallway and the guest have complete control over this as well.

Keep in mind that it’s not just the rental space that should be clean for the guests, but the entire home and yard as well. When I moved in to this house, the courtyard had absolutely no life in it. And after some trial and error I was able to landscape it pretty well. Make sure to make any repairs that need to be repaired and make sure that the yard is kept clean and your side of the house is presentable as well.

So those are some of the key things that should be on the top of the list when putting together your Airbnb space, now onto my guidebook spotlight.

Hosts on Airbnb are able to put together a guidebook for their guests, I highly recommended that every host puts one of these together, but today I’m going highlight one of my favorite places in Tucson, the sweet Water preserve. It is nearly 900 acres of protected trails that wind through the saguaro park as well as the Tucson mountains. It’s a favorite for hikers, mountain bikers, horse back riders and yours truly. That’s it for today, thanks for watching. tick the like button to tell me how I’m doing, will see you next time on Superhosting Tucson

[Kimberly54]

Awesome, @Justin47!  Thank you for sharing.  I will definitely check out Superhosting Tucson!

Best!

[Justin47]

Thanks Kim, I will be adding new videos each week, take care!

[Kimberly54]

@Justin47, get together with Lizzie about how to have your video link(s) accessible below your signature whenever you post.  I don't know how to do this, but on the German site, a lot of hosts do this and it is a super helpful educational tool which all of us appreciate!

Best,

[Justin47]

Thanks for the tip Kim!  I just set that up, although it looks like its a cut and paste url page, but I am sure it will be helpful.  

Cheers!

Justin

[Edwin57]

Thank you for sharing i will  look it up

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Justin47. I wish I could show this video to a host I had a dialogue with from South Philadelphia. For me, it seems like some host think they can just throw together any old furniture and because it’s sturdy, that’s enough. I completely agree, it’s all an investment and keep the receipts. I have a mix of new and thrift store- Craig’s list scores. The thing with thrifting, if you take your time, you can really put together a spectacular space that guest will enjoy staying in. 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a host’

[Justin47]

Thanks for the comments, I agree that thrifting has its place for sure, just not in key areas like linens, bedding etc.  I have stayed in places as well where the host obviously unloaded his unwanted furniture and it showed!

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Justin47. A YouTube video on the different types of thermostat control would be very helpful too. Maybe the Ecobee vs the Nest. Electric consumption is obviously a huge concern for us as well.

Putting in a Ecobee thermostat saved me about $378 a month out of my listing. My guest would just walk in the door and Franck the AC to zero. 

The Ecobee now has the built in Amazon Alexa in it, so it it fully voice command activated. Very cool and the support reports they provide are very useful. 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Justin47]

Thanks for the video idea, I also have the ecobee for the main part of the house and absolutely love it.  It’s definitely a better option than the nest in my opinion due to the ability to add the wireles sensors.  Mine saves me a lot of money as well.

[Hayley95]

Hey Justin, I am new to hosting in Tucson, Az and was hoping to find some guidence on how to deal with the tax portion of hosting. It is my understanding that I need a TPT license and license from the city of Tucson in order to be legal. I have also filled in my tax info on Airb&b. What happens next? What portion of my unilities, maintnance, and home improvements can be written off as a business expense? Any advice would be appreciated. Also, what is the process for filing? Thanks so much!