10 Simple Comforts Every Houseguest Will Adore You For!

November 11, 2017

By: Lisa Rogak

Never underestimate the power of an extra iPhone charger.

You’re expecting houseguests. Fun! You want them to feel welcome, comfortable, and — dare we say it? — maybe even a tad envious of your hosting prowess.

No need to moonlight at hospitality school. We asked Airbnb hosts with tons of great reviews on their cozy bungalows and light-filled island condos for some quick, easy (and cheap!) ideas to turn your guest quarters into a vacation haven. Be careful, though – your guests may not want to leave!

#1 Stock Up on Extra Chargers and Cords:

A dead phone equals getaway misery. Airbnb host Valarie D’Elia sets out a bowl with power strips and cords, outlet converters, and even an iHome speaker. Nothing sets the stage for feeling at home IRL like feeling at home digitally.

And that includes posting your Wi-Fi name and password in the guest room so they don’t have to bug you.

#2 Offer Sample-Size Toiletries in Your Bathroom:

Put your stockpile of Sephora samples and hotel toiletries to good use. Tiny shampoos and lotions arranged in a basket or vintage apothecary jar are as welcoming as they are practical. Guests will be relieved if they forgot their own, but even if they didn’t, they’ll love the luxury of washing their hair on the house.

#3 Raise Your Cleanliness Standards:

When you miss a dust bunny at home, it’s just your own skin flakes and dried up sneezes in your own corner. To guests, it’s disgusting at best and insulting at worst.

So clean it all. Airbnb even tells hosts to scrub the entire bathroom, not once but twice, including the toilet, sink, bath, and floors after every guest.

“We make sure you can smell the cleaner,” says Cheryl Trotta, who rents out her vintage bayside cottage in Warwick, R.I.

#4 Give It Your Personal Touch:

People choose Airbnbs over sterile hotel rooms because, in part, they want an authentic, personal experience.

So give it to them!

Trotta intentionally markets her rental as a family cottage and scatters pictures and family treasures throughout the cottage. Frame a couple of your childhood photos and hang them up alongside some mementos from your own travels.

How else would your guests discover that you were drum major of your high school marching band?

#5 Put a Radio in the Bathroom:

Your guests may like to sing along in the shower, but the real reason for putting some tunes in the bath is to provide them with plenty of, well, privacy. Add an essential oil diffuser — or poo-pourri drops — and you’re in business.

#6 Set Up a DIY Cafe:

If your guests are early birds — or will just want some occasional alone time — put a coffeemaker in their room along with a well-stocked basket of coffee and tea. Maybe even blow their minds with a mini fridge full of snacks.

To pull this off right, ask how they take their coffee in advance, and stock up appropriately.

#7 Designate Drawer and Closet Space Just for Guests:

If your guest room closet could be featured on Storage Wars, it’s time to rethink your stuff strategy.

Consider some serious Marie Kondo-izing — maybe donate your to-be-regifted pile and sell those designer jeans you’ll never fit into again — to make room in the closet and dresser for guest to have plenty of space (and the key word is plenty).

Label a few guest drawers and crack the closet so they can see there’s space to hang their clothes.

#8 Fancy Yourself a Travel Agent:

Give guests a local’s-eye view by filling a basket with menus from nearby restaurants, brochures from local businesses that cater to tourists, and a current issue of your community newspaper. It’s a great way for guests to feel like a local and customize their time in your town.

#9 Hang a Robe – or Two – in the Closet:

Bonding with their host over morning coffee is one of the best parts of staying with friends. But they can miss it completely when they realize they only packed a ratty grandma nightgown or — even worse — NSFW lingerie.

Help your guests feel right at home by hanging a couple of cozy (and freshly laundered), one-size-fits-all robes in the guest-room closet.

Not only can they wear their pajamas to breakfast without feeling self-conscious, but they’re also super-comfy and great to wrap up in after a shower.

#10 Expect the Unexpected with Extra Personal Supplies:

And let your guests know where they are so they won’t feel guilty for bothering you (or worse, go without!). Here’s a list of things that rock-star Airbnb hosts always keep in stock:

•Disposable razors

•Toothbrushes and toothpaste

•First-aid kit

•Towels, pillows, and extra blankets

•Umbrella

•Flashlight

•Replacement light bulbs

Being the perfect host is perfectly achievable. With a little forethought, you’ll start racking up your own stellar reviews from your friends and family. Get ready to be the house everyone vies to visit.

Just Imagine! 10 DIY Room Makeovers to Inspire You to Buy!

November 8, 2017

By: Mandi Gubler

Just a little imagination and a few tools could make that listing your new home.

When you’re dreaming about buying a home, you imagine everything being exactly how you want it from the start. You don’t dream about outdated cabinets, bad flooring, or popcorn ceilings.

So when you actually start looking for a home, finding homes that are less than perfect can be a bit of a reality check. Unless you have a pretty penny to spend on exactly what you want, chances are you’re not going to start out with your dream kitchen. But that’s no reason not to pull the trigger on a new house.

While house hunting, keeping an open mind and imagining what a space could become is key. Sure, it might not be perfect right off the bat, but most aren’t! This is where I come in. I’m your DIY Fairy Godmother — just substitute sawdust for sparkles and a drill for a wand. I’m here to show you what can become of those less-than-ideal spaces with a little hard work and creativity.

Here are a few of my favorites. Keep in mind that all of these spaces are DIY-ed and most have tutorials for everything you see.

Kitchens:

In my opinion, the kitchen is far and away the most important room in the house. It’s where you’ll invest most of your time, and to be honest, most of your money. We’ve all seen what a difference finishes and design details can make in a kitchen. Things like cabinet color and countertop materials are huge.

1. Improved functionality. I’m beyond obsessed with Gwen from The Makerista’s kitchen renovation. It’s like all the hopes and dreams of the world manifest themselves in one perfect space. But it didn’t start out like that. It started out with outdated oak cabinets and a tile countertop.

Gwen completely gutted the space and updated it with new tile that her husband installed, a mirrored backsplash, and trendsetting new cabinets.

2. Dated no more. Blogger Julia’s kitchen was full of oak cabinetry and not much else. Over the course of two years, Julia completely overhauled it using IKEA cabinetry and DIY concrete countertops.

After the renovation, it doesn’t even look like the same house.

You’ve got to see the whole space on Chris Loves Julia. It’s going to blow your mind!

3. Maximized size. Blogger Corey’s kitchen was nothing spectacular. The one thing it had going for it was size. But there were loads of things that were dragging down the style, like that giant wall.

Amazing, right?! The faux brick wall and new flooring are doing wonders! And did you realize the ceilings were that high from the first picture? Check out the entire series on Sawdust2Stitches.

4. Vintage TLC. If you’re lucky enough to find a cottage built in 1938, don’t let a bad kitchen derail you. Vintage homes are full of personality that just can’t be replicated. Sometimes they just need a little TLC. Here’s what the kitchen looked like over the years:

5. Cabinet rescue. Don’t feel bad about falling in love with a house that has a little bit of a beige situation.

Elisha overhauled her kitchen in two months and — wait for it — built her own cabinetry!

She’s obviously a master carpenter. See every tutorial on how to duplicate this for your own home on Pneumatic Addict. But for those of us who are a little less skilled, try repainting your kitchen cabinets.

Living Rooms:

Let’s talk living rooms, shall we? Creating a space that you love is all part of the home-owning process, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to party.

6. Mix of light and dark. Judging by the before shot of this room, there were two requirements for buying this home. A tetanus shot and guts. Loads of guts.

See all of the tutorials for recreating this space in your own home on Vintage Revivals.

7. Layered living. Sometimes you just have to start fresh, which is what Lindsay from The White Buffalo Styling Co. did. If you can’t or don’t want to make the existing situation work, rip it out and start over.

If you can’t or don’t want to make the existing situation work, rip it out and start over.

Bedrooms:

And who can forget about the bedrooms? Um, no one!

8. Tiny changes, big impact. Have you seen this magic from Almost Makes Perfect?

A new paint job and ceiling fan are further proof that you don’t have to spend thousands to make a huge impact.

9.  Bolder and wiser.  Who knows? Maybe you love color and pattern, in which case this might be the master bedroom for you!

Everything from the tumbling block wall, to the sliding barn door and giant rug is DIYed. You can find all of the tutorials on Vintage Revivals.

Laundry Room:

10. From dull to distinctive. Last but not least, let’s talk laundry rooms. Man oh man, they can just suck the life out of you, right?

But with a little love and elbow grease (and tile), you can transform it into something [else].

Updating the flooring and using a sheet of plywood to build the countertop are some of my favorite projects from this space. See the how to on Vintage Revivals.

Feeling inspired yet? Now get out there and find your dream house.