Do you have any signs for guests in your home?

[Stephanie]

Hi everyone,

The longer you host, the more you learn about what you need to make clearer for guests. This is particularly true of actions that are done differently in different countries, such as recycling. You may have realised after one group of guests that you need to make a sign to specify what can or can’t be recycled, or, following a plumbing issue, you may have made a sign for the bathroom explaining what can be flushed down the toilet.

Have you put signs in your house for your guests ? What are they for?

If you have any examples that you’ve made and are happy to share, please do! Other hosts might find them useful 🙂 

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Geraldine219]

I never thought about prohibiting incense, which my current guest seems to be addicted to.  Is vaping a fire risk or does it just smell awful? 

[Morag4]

I recently had an enquiry asking if scented candles or incense are used in the room as the person asking was very sensitive to perfumes etc.   

[Sarah977]

@Geraldine219  No, there's no fire involved. It's electronic and doesn't produce smoke, just water vapor. And some has no scent at all. It just depends on what liquid they're using in it.

[Kaye40]

Because we live in a very old wooden villa, I ask guests not to use candles or incense for safety reasons. 

[Margret13]

Living in Norway,  candles are used a lot in winter, but they are also the cause of many fires in the home.  I provide IKEA's battery candles.  Not quite so cozy but safe and they help provide a nice romantic ambiance in our dark winters.  

[Christine1]

---

@Jasmine220 , 

Thank you for sharing this example of your practical adaptations.

The legitimate odour and safety issues that Hosts are concerned with are valid and need to be understood and respected. It will take consistent and clear communication across sections of the homestay community worldwide in order to build awareness of what is acceptable. Good on you for taking it in your stride and adapting your signage. 

At times guests will not fully understand something such as smoking/vaping, due to cultural differences and evolving etiquettes with new trends and practices.

In its early stages Vaping was promoted as a healthy and socially acceptable alternative to regular cigarette smoking.

Some guests will look at a no smoking sign and if they are Vapers, they will then ask their host  if this relates to vaping as well; others will see a no smoking sign and decide to Vape first and only stop if asked.

Some guests require very specific signage in order to manage their behaviour.

For sure signage helps, especially if it's combined with advice about what is permissible. 

thanks for your post. 

Regarding guest use of candles. They are a very real safety risk and they should mostly be avoided.

The only time candles should be used is under strict guidance and specified conditions and locations. They require specific safe containers and locations at the premises.

I would avoid allowing candles in unsupervised premises where the host is offsite, and definitely no candles in shared premises such as apartments, where a building fire prevents a greater risk to adjoining neighbours, if you are not onsite, then you are creating an unnecessary risk to your neighbours.

There is no turning back the clock if things go wrong, and we have seen some terrible examples of how flammable some modern apartment buildings can be.  

Candles are fabulous, they seem like everyday items that are so heavily promoted in association with, peace, romance and relaxation, right?   

I use candles in my home, and sometimes set them up and  occasionally light them for the enjoyment of myself and or my guests in a very safe designated area of their entrance foyer.

I am always present to ensure they are used in a safe manner and extinguished before people retire, or leave the premises.

When my husband and I were in our early 20's living in a rental in the countryside, we awoke one night to find that the carpet next to our bed was on fire.

We had fallen asleep with a bedside candle still alight.

The candle had burnt down and a pool of molten wax had overflowed onto the floor and the molten wax was burning.

It was a very scary life lesson. 

I recall looking at the aftermath in the morning and our decision to place the candle where it was least likely to be knocked and we thought it was in a safe position.

How wrong we were. 

Candles always require active supervision; because what's the worst that can happen? Loss of lives and property. 

Best regards,

Christine from Wombats at Glenbrook

@Jasmine220 wrote:

I’ve just started  hosting and have a ‘No Smoking’ sign and on my description state this also.  One guest pointed out that it doesn’t say No Vaping and I could do very little on this occasion as there was no sign confirming it was not allowed.   I have ordered a new sign which says it all to then cover myself completely .   Quick question views on guests lighting candles ?

[Sarah977]

@Christine1  My method for safe use of candles: 

Find a container that is at least one third the height of the candle. The container should be non-flammable and have a solid base (don't use something that's wider across the top than across the base).

Fill the container with sand to within about 1 or 2 inches (depending on the diameter of the candle) of the top.

Push the candle firmly down into the sand as far as you can, leaving at least an inch of sand below the bottom of the candle.

As the candle burns down and gets shorter, you can pull it up a bit in the sand.

This method ensures that if the candle burns down when no one is paying attention, or falls asleep, the flame will go out when it starts burning down into the sand. The space you left in the container above the sand will contain any liquid wax.

Of course one should still never leave candles unattended, nor set somewhere that it could be completely knocked over, like the bedside table, where you could easily knock it over by flinging out an arm if you fell asleep.

[Linda-And-Richard0]

We have one small sign posted on the thermostat to not set the A/C below 70 degrees.  Any lower and there is a chance to freeze the unit.  In the kitchen is a laminated copy of the house rules for no smoking, no pets, no parties and no extra visitors allowed.  It has information about where to place damp towels (bathroom hamper),  trash, water for coffee maker and so on.  We meet all guests upon arrival, tour the house and explain all these things to the guests. 

[Michele835]

We just have a few.  One by our coffee maker saying to use the filtered water from our bar sink.  One in each bathroom says to use the black washcloths to remove makeup.   We have labels on all the light switches.  We have a binder with our house rules, things to do around town, and our check out rules.  We also live in our home and meet guest when they arrive and explain everything.  I do like the idea of putting a copy of the house rules on the frig.

[Yasmin2]

We have clearly stated our house rules on the contact page and I always check with newbies when booking are they ok with the house rules as they have just ticked the box, which is a conversation that helps us get to know each other. Being homeshare host, we live with our guest.

A guest book with everything one would need to know with guidance.

Small cute signs in the bathroom and kitchen " Please leave the bathroom/kitchen as you found it, with love "

(On the dryer $5 per load Sunshine is free) we have lots of sunshine in Byron Bay

Instructions on the fridge about what is on offer for breakfast and use of the kitchen not too long but fun to read.  "Guest shelf " so they know what to use and Room 1 and Room 2 shelves- so there is no confusion in the fridge otherwise people fall into old habits and put their stuff anywhere.

Some kitchen cupboards say " Private " 

Our front door entrance  "Please leave your shoes and worries at the door"

So interesting and enjoyable learning how to live with people in our home over the past four years as Superhost. Our guest are awesome, appreciative with lively conversations and lots of quiet too and NO drugs or Alchohol. Living as a family and a more functional one at that! ❤️

[Maribel87]

I dont have any problem yet with my guest , as i prepared every room has complete of thing's that primary need as they feel that they are in there owned home,  i think is best to have sign and place it in center table of the dining area easy can get attention .

[Tony190]

Put notice/instructions on table and failed. I even printed both sides some times notice ends up in the bin. 

[Sarah977]

@Tony190  Do it up nice, with different fonts and some graphics and frame it and put on the wall where they can't miss it. Better yet, do this for different things in the appropriate spot- bathroom instructions in the bathroom, Wifi codes and instructions by the desk, kitchen instructions in the kitchen, check-out instructions on the inside of the front door.

Many people just ignore a page full of instructions all written in the same font with nothing eye-catching.

[Tony190]

Thank you Sarah977 I have tried that too unfortunately some just don't like being told what to do 

---

@Sarah977 wrote:

@Tony190  Do it up nice, with different fonts and some graphics and frame it and put on the wall where they can't miss it. Better yet, do this for different things in the appropriate spot- bathroom instructions in the bathroom, Wifi codes and instructions by the desk, kitchen instructions in the kitchen, check-out instructions on the inside of the front door.

Many people just ignore a page full of instructions all written in the same font with nothing eye-catching.

---

[Frances200]

I put a sign in the bathroom asking guests not to flush anything but toilet paper as even though the house instructions say we have a septic tank lots of things were being flushed and causing blockages