If it is free, is it all for the guests to keep?

[Inna22]

I think we all agree that it is not ok to clean out the "in case you forgot basket" completely or take all the snacks.

Let's think as the guests though. These were left for me to use. If you did not want me to eat all the snacks, why did you, host, leave so many? If you did not think that I needed three tooth brushes, two tooth pastes and a hair brush, why are they here for me? Why do I not get to keep it: just because I do not need it right now?

It is intended for me. The reason why I started to think about it is because I am putting together "in case you forget basket" and I am thinking about what I should expect the use to be and if I should limit the guests with a negative note of "only take what you need". I hate to give guests boundaries unless necessary.

[Anonymous]

@Sarah977  Also, of course all locations aren't the same when it comes to the availability of personal toiletries when you arrive. Where I live, you can walk 5 minutes any direction and hit a late-night convenience store that has whatever thing you're too delicate to get through the night without. I've never had much patience for the kind of people who were too dim to field a mission as easy as that. But if I were hosting at some remote outpost in Siberia or suburbia, I'd probably have to take on some of the convenience roles myself. 

My experience with offering convenience items as "free" perks has not been that guests perceived them as considerate or special. Once they're on the table, they're just part of the deal. Even when I've gone out and bought an unadvertised item that a guest wished they had (which I never recommend doing), as soon as I've handed that thing over, it's just become an inclusive amenity in their perception. So I have some serious doubts about how many bonus points there are to be gained by pandering to tourists who couldn't work out their own shampoo situation, but good luck with that.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Anonymous  exactly. There are 2 grocery shops within 3 min walk from my airbnb so I don't bother to provide anything more than hand soap and toilet paper. If some guest leaves his shampoo I will leave it for the future guests as @Sarah977  said. It is not bc I want to save money, it is to save my time.

In the beginning, we offered all kind of extras - spices, tee, 2 types of coffee, even flour, 2 types of oil, 2 types of cereals, toiletries, wipes, lades products, cotton buds, nail polish remover ... and it took me the same time to check, buy, refill, wipe... all these stuff and containers as to do the beds and cleaning the rest of the apartment. Then Covid hit and I get rid of all this stuff and some decorations, leaflets, brochures etc... and now I am saving at least 1 hour on each turnover.  And my cleaner's hour costs more than all this stuff.

[Inna22]

 I would’ve never done it if I had to buy between turnovers. I would not have had the time half the time so my basket would’ve looked even worse with barely anything in it then if it didn’t exist at all. I am planning on buying in bulk and locking it in the cleaners closet

[Basha0]

I supply body wash, soap and conditioner. Even hand lotion. Why not? I think it’s appreciated and no one has stolen them. I also supply coffee cause who wants to run out in the morning to get it? And  every spice you can imagine along with condiments. I assume they appreciate not having to buy olive oil etc when they decide to cook in for a night. It’s a home not a hotel. 

[Dawn241]

Yes I keep coffee, tea, spices, condiments, oil & vinegar stocked too. 

[Debra300]

I bought reusable bottles with pumps, and fill them with shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand wash.  I think providing bars of soap is wasteful, because they are never fully used by guests and the have to be thrown away after checkout.  I also have small size reusable bottles and small spray bottles for seasongs, cooking oil, dish detergent, multipurpose cleaner, grill cleaner, laundry stain remover, and laundry detergent.  

I have purchased some shavers, femenine hygiene items and travel size toiletries, but had to give away those approaching their expiry date, because no one has ever asked for them.   I do tell guests these items are available, but don't leave them in the suites.  Conversely, only a handful of guests have left behind body wash, lotion, bug repellant, and sunscreen.  I think they must not have liked the product enough to take back home. 

[Sarah977]

@Debra300  "I think providing bars of soap is wasteful, because they are never fully used by guests"

I supply both liquid and bar soap. If the bar soap was a normal size, I agree that it would be wasteful, but I found little travel-size bar soaps here that come in a little cardboard box, so no plastic wrapper garbage. They cost about 30 cents each.

Some of my guests use them and some don't. Because I have a 3 night minimum, if they do use those little bars, they pretty much use the whole thing up.

[Dawn241]

We offer full size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap. No one has ever taken them. 

I offer samples I get from Grove and homemade soap cut up into mini bars. Sometimes these are used and sometimes not. 

I offer toothbrushes, paste, floss we get free from the dentist. Sometimes these are used, sometimes they are not. 

I offer coffee, Kcups, tea bags, pancake/waffle mix. Some people use, some don’t. 

I leave every guest a full size bag of pretzels, some eat them, some don’t. 

I started leaving sandwich bags full of snacks from dollar tree- cookies, crackers, moon pies, etc. these have been a hit, don’t cost very much, and they are always taken. 

things that walk away or get wasted are toilet paper and other paper products.