Retiring sheets and towels

Got stained or worn out sheets and towels that need to be retired?  Don't throw them away!  Instead, wash and donate to your local animal shelter.  That goes for blankets, comforters and rugs too.  Most animal shelters desperately need these things and will be glad to take them off your hands.

Of course, if you're not so keen on pets, have a bit of time on your hands and are crafty you can crochet some rugs.

Lockboxes

Sometimes you just can't be there to meet guest when they arrive.  Or they arrive so late that you don't want to have to wake up to let them in.  Key lockboxes are the solution.

For a long time I used the Master Lockbox. It's kind of heavy and clunky but it did the job.  The only problem was that some guests couldn't figure it out.  I'd get a panicked call and have to talk them through it.  And, honestly, the lock is a bit trickier than it needs to be.  You've got to set the numbers and then hold down the black lever next to them while you pull the lockbox door toward you.

One time I got a call from a guest complaining that they had set the combo numbers correctly but the door to the house still wouldn't open. Of course, they hadn't removed the keys from the box.  They seemed to think the house door would magically unlock itself once the numbers were set (and no, they weren't Americans.)

A few weeks ago I decided it was time to find an easier lock.  After some searching around I found exactly what I wanted. The Vault Locks 3200 Key Storage Lock Box is small and very easy to use - just set the combo and pull the box towards you. I bought 2 of them and use the other to store a spare set of my own keys.

Even though I have the option of using a lockbox, there are times when I insist on meeting the guests in person - usually when there is a large group of students staying.  My experience has been that they don't always reports the true number of people in their group.  Once they know that you will be there waiting they suddenly have another friend who decided to join them.

Oh, one other thing: I change the lock combination after every guest and set the new combo to the last four digits of the guests phone number. I thought that would help people remember but no guest has ever recognized it was their own number.

Programmable thermostats

One of the smartest things I did as an Airbnb host was to have a programmable thermostat installed. And not just any kind of programmable thermostat either.  First, it needs to be one that will allow you to set high and low temperature limits.  What does that mean?  It means that guests can't turn the heating above or the cooling below the limits you set. Second, you should be able to lock it using a PIN/password. This is sometimes known as a landlord's thermostat.

A regular old thermostat like this will
wind up costing you lots of money

A thermostat like this doesn't need to be expensive.  I chose a Robert Shaw model that cost less than $100. Of course, the one you choose will depend on your heating/cooling set up so check with you HVAC contractor if you're not sure.

Ok, so why do you need this? Do I really have to explain it?  Because without it guests will turn the heat up or the air conditioning down as far as it will go. And leave it there.  Even while they're out all day.  Not all guests, mind you, but enough to cost you plenty. Your current thermostat lets you set the heat as high as 90F (30C)?  Then some guest will set it there.

Before switching, the worst problems I had were with Brits who set the air conditioning to 59F (15C).  One didn't bother closing the windows either.  So while a programmable thermostat won't solve the window issue, it will at least help rein in guests and help keep your utility bills under control.