Critique my listing - Perry, New Forest UK

[Perry90]

Hi
I'm fairly pleased with my photo's but would love some feedback from the community as I've only have feedback from people who know me and the flat.
I would like to improve the kitchen photo and will try again when the sun is in the right place. But apart from that is there anything in the photos that might put you off? Secondly are they any that add nothing and could be removed? Thirdly is there anything else you would like to see.

The flat is over my shop in the high street, so there's  not much to see from the outside but would you expect to see it anyway?

https://airbnb.com/h/sleepyoaks

[Patti-And-Marty0]

@Perry90  I agree with the other suggestions and would add that the beds should be made up with more care- smooth out the bed coverings, make sure hems and lines are even, straighten out the pillows etc. I am a fan of all white but it needs to look crisp and tidy. A splash of colour like a throw on the beds would be nice too.

[Perry90]

Hi @Patti-And-Marty0 

Hah! I was proud of my pictures, now looking again, slightly embarassed at the wonky hem lines!  There is an iron in the apartment, guess I'm going to have to figure out how to use it 🤣
Will get in there and re-do when we have space between bookings, thanks

[Huma0]

@Perry90 

Some tips:

- If you line dry the bedlinen, iron the pillow cases when they are damp and then hang them. It's easier to get the creases out and they dry quicker.

- I used to iron everything, but it's so time consuming. Now I iron the pillowcases on the ironing board, but I iron the sheets/duvet cover on the bed. It's so much faster and easy if everything is tucked in nice and tight.

- Spraying laundry water on the linens makes them faster to iron and gets a better result. If you don't like fragrance, just spritz with regular water instead. Don't overdo it though. You don't want a soggy bed!

PS Ignore the beds in my listing photos. Those were taken when I still had lodgers living in the rooms. I make up the beds in a more 'professional' way now 🙂

[Perry90]

Thanks @Huma0  for the advice, we will give it a go for the photographs, but although we clean the apartment ourselves, with 5 beds and no car access to collect, we have our linen washed by a company who pick it up from our shop below. The rate is so good I'd be very reluctant to take that on ourselves.  It is clean and pressed but with distinct fold lines.
3 King Duvets
2 Single Duvets
3 King sheets
2 Single sheets
16 pillow cases
8 Bath sheets
4 Hand towels
3 Bath mats
2 Tea towels
2 Dog towels

p.s. My wife does line dry all our washing but the pigeons do seem to love a white target😂 

[Huma0]

@Perry90 

Oh no. Those pesky pigeons! Luckily I don't have that problem with my three cats prowling around.

No, I wouldn't take on that amount of laundry either. Even when I hosted short term stays and often had several check ins in one week, it rarely needed to be all done at once as I have three separate one room listings. 

Still, I would definitely have considered a laundry service if they weren't so outrageously expensive in London. It's good that you've found a reliable and reasonably priced laundry one. When you find a good service, e.g. cleaners in my case, it's best to cling on to them for dear life!

[Karyn90]

Place looks very nice although I do agree those dining chairs do not do the place justice.

also it’s not always better to cram people in and maximize occupancy.

we started at 6 people for the first year then changed things around and for

more space and put maximum at 4 and have made the more $ in the last 2 years than we did on the first maybe because we were established but the point is it didn’t hurt us..

[Perry90]

Iv'e just put a bid on ebay for 8 wooden farmhouse chairs!

[Nancy1633]

@Perry90 

Hi Perry!

In lieu of chairs, consider a long, rustic simple wood bench on each side of your table. It will match the rustic look of your (refectory?) table, and will open up the space.  You might find a carpenter to make them to size. 

I think your listing is lovely, and aesthetics are subjective.  One person's "cluttered" is another's "cozy"!

[Helen744]

@Perry90 Pepper pig world ? Well I can hear the gallop of little happy feet from here and the New forest .with attractions like that you are at the forefront of excellence and there will be many happy contented little folk staying with you. H

[Perry90]

Hi @Helen744 
Yes, based in a forest that is 100 times bigger than Sherwood forest (but without Robin Hood) Was called Ytene but renamed the 'New Forest' 900 years ago by William the Conquerer, Home to both Alice Liddle (the muse for Alice in Wonderland) and Sir Aurthur conan Doyle, Has many trees graffitied by servicemen from USA, Canada and Australia while waiting to embark for D-Day, more lowland bogs and associated biodiversity than anywhere else in Europe, has the world renown motor museum at Beaulieu, we have open grasing ponies, cattle and deer, open access for all to roam. We even have a pannage season when pigs are let out to roam and eat the acorns that are poisonous to horses; and our biggest draw is Peppa Pig!  
All I can say is 'pass the pork scratchings' 🤣

[Helen744]

@Perry90 Ha ha . Better ask a four year old . You cant fight magic H

[Stephanie]

@Perry90 I love New Forest, we used to holiday as a family every year there.  What a lovely listing you have! My son is all about Thomasland at Drayton Manor atm, who knows when that creepy pig will make it's way into his favourite things...