Hosting Burnout

mine too. Draining away faster than the hurricane floodwaters.

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Hi Chloe Your last point really made me laugh because it does seem so illogical and so well you know. I can’t understand why the guests didn’t just leave the food in a nice little stack for you if they did want it. Or even take it and give it to a homeless person. Throwing it out I don’t get it. I wouldn’t serve food to most people they rarely want it. Water yeah but they know what they want to eat and they usually bring it or go out and get it.

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Old Orchard Beach had one homeless person during the last homeless census.

Why would anyone throw out unopened food at all?

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Past the expiration date??

the first year we were hosting we had a burnout too, but now after 4 years hosting we learnt a lot and we don’t get any hosting burnout.
We installed a sliding door between the guests area and our area so we have all the privacy we want, we actually sometimes forget there are guests at our place. We just meet them, most of the time, just at the check in. With some of them we chat more, but only if we really connect with them
We don’t offer breakfast and don’t give access to the kitchen, we set up a fridge, microwave and kettle in the bedroom but most of our guests are eating out.
We increase the rates and now we have mainly mature guests.
Regarding stains we never had problem because we use white towels and we wash them at high temperature and using bleach the towels are always very white. We don’t have carpet or curtains or any other fabric in the room that can be stained. All surface are washable very easy.
We found out that our guests appreciated more this type of layout and we have much better reviews. What our guests love more is the fact that they can relax completely in our home because they have so much privacy.
We set up minimum three nights and max one week so there is not too much laundry and cleaning.
We have check in time from 5pm and we don’t plan things during that time because guests can be late, I spend most of my time at home so I don’t mind.

We just host during spring and summer time and in winter we move abroad (we are retired)but I have to be honest, when spring is approaching I am looking so forward to host again because I miss my guests!

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This is very important. Make your life as easy as possible when it comes to hosting. Also, never put things that are precious to you and very expensive for your guests. They have to be functional, of a good quality, but also easily replaceable. I know it is a bit harder when you host in the place where you live, but if you’re renting a separate unit, please do not put beautiful oak tables and valuable designer lamps in your place, unless it’s a luxury accommodation. It will not be appreciated and it will cost you a lot of nerves and money to replace it, and it is questionable whether you will be able to charge the guest for the damage.

I recently heard of the guy having his grandpa’s old fisherman lantern stolen from his unit. My first question was why he even put such a dear memory for his guests’ usage. I’ve learnt over the years to always expect the worst and anticipate problems. Most of the times I get pleasantly surprised and I’m superhappy about my guests. Better than getting constantly disappointed.

Plus, getting emotionally disengaged really helps. You’re not responsible for making your guest’s whole vacation perfect, just for delivering him exactly the place he booked, and maybe some common courtesy and help. But do not bend over backwards for your guests.

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  1. That is super weird, hope you wiped the packaging off and put back for the next guests. I’m thinking a.vegan, health freaks saving us from ourselves? b. Mum catches kid who took all the snacks for the road trip and threw them in bin post confiscating and yelling at kid.

  2. I hear you on the burn out, it’s the little things that drive me mental.

My solution: I remind myself how much the $ helps, how easy relative to my day job the $ are to earn and mostly how much nicer and grateful my guests are than my own family/day job colleagues and I trudge on.

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:joy: :joy: :joy: new mail just arrived from Chile for my last guest who, literally, ate a box of cereal and a loaf of bread every 2 days and 2 litres of milk a day. He stayed 3 weeks, one guest, highly unprofitable for me. The mail from Chile is in the bin per my very clear house rule, and we very quickly went from gluten free health store cereal and farm fresh milk to no name discount store cornflakes and long life milk.

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@KKC, your suggestions are always welcome, though I am for the most part just venting. I’ve implemented a 2 night minimum for Friday or Saturday bookings, and that has helped a little. I don’t want to further restrict that though, as I fear my bookings would decrease.

I’ve also considered not doing the breakfast thing, and I may see how that goes for next season. However, contrary to what other hosts have experienced, my bookings and ratings increased after I started supplying continental breakfast, especially my value star. Guests often mention it as a highlight of their stay as well.

I have to say, I am terribly jealous of your set up in terms of the separate entrance. My husband and I have looked into doing something similar, but yes, that would be a big, pricey decision, and we’d need to factor in how long it would take to recoup the cost. It’s not off the table entirely.

@Malagachica, clearly, you completely understand, and you summed up the challenges of in home hosting very well. For next season, I think I will look for some help with the cleaning!

Thank you all for your thoughts, commiseration and ideas. Some of this will certainly help in the future!

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Breakfast is a big thing around here too. People love being able to have some coffee and a bit to eat while their partner is showering or while reading online news accounts.

I, however, serve it in their rooms. Well, not serve- leave for them the night before.

I am about to offer three hot options which will require that they come downstairs, but it will be sitting in a pot, warming, so they can serve it to themselves at any time. This will require being up anytime those breakfast options are offered, but I can’t sleep any later anyhow, so I will offer a few warm items. If I hate it, I will go back to the continental offerings only.

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@Konacoconutz,
I will try the LA Miracle. My most recent strange stain is on my butter yellow quilted pillow sham. The front of it is mottled all over with faint peachy, reddish stains. It’s just so bizarre!

I am working on being more firm. I hate to be inflexible and militant, but apparently some guests will just walk all over you if you’re not. Earlier this summer I had a pair show up an hour and a half early after telling me they’d be here at check in time. I met them outside and explained their room was not ready yet. They claimed that was fine, they just wanted to drop off their luggage before going to the beach. I was okay with that, as it wasn’t a problem to leave it in the foyer. So in they come with luggage. At which point they ask me where their room is, because they just want to change into their wet suits before heading to the beach. I stood my ground and reiterated that their room was NOT ready! They were a bit peeved, but I didn’t friggin’ care! I’m like, “What part of you-can’t-come-in-your-room-isn’t-ready did you not understand!?”

I have since added a house rule about the trash. It’s helped, but for those that don’t read English. And I think I will eliminate snacks for next year and just leave water.

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Yes, in reference to @SandyToes, I think part of the burnout comes from guests who just seem to expect everything and treat us as if we are The Hilton. Which isn’t to say I endorse that sort of treatment by anyone to anyone.

Yes, I thought it was very strange. I checked the expiration dates just to be sure. The only thing I could think of was perhaps they felt it would be somehow unsanitary to leave the sealed snacks for the next guests and wanted to keep me honest!

To whomever asked, I DID take them out of the trash, but I ate them myself, LOL!

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I do ask in messages a few days before arrival at approximately what time guests expect to be here. My guests that are arriving on Friday just responded to my message. They told me they would be here on Friday. I kid you not. :roll_eyes:

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I really think the review system has a lot to answer for in regard to burnout.

We have had mostly really pleasant guests this season with a few “meh” and really no terrible ones, however I find I feel much more relaxed with guests who come through our own website (about 15-20%) than Air guests because I don’t have this “what review will they leave?” hanging over me. I don’t think I treat them any differently and I make just as much hosting effort with them but somehow there’s a subtle difference in how I feel. We have all 5 star reviews so far this season with the odd star off for location or “dust” so it wouldn’t matter at all if we got the odd 4 or even 3-star review.

I think it’s the feeling of being judged, often about things you can’t do anything about (yes, Location, I’m looking at you!) and also about your home, which most of us think is perfect just the way it is! So although I understand the raison-d’etre behind reviews, I wish we could do without the damn things … we all might enjoy hosting a bit more

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Am in the position too, of figuring out how to pay the bi;lls if we don’t do Airbnb. As we are “old folk” the options are limited!

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That’s because it’s not your only income.
It helps a lot to ignore many of these things when you heavily depend on this income and alternative would be to find a 9-5 job.

I know why milk was disappearing with super speed: instead of water they use milk for tea and coffee. I had few guests from Latin country and amount of milk theyvuse a day is horrendous

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I’m snoozing my listing, I’ve just lost all willingness to host people while being fearful of what they may say in a review, if they may break something, if they are socially clueless idiots that I have to tolerate for some money.

Seriously, If I want to continue to make extra money, I can just work OT in my nursing gig, not all of my patients are jerks, but some are, but I don’t have to share my home with them, show them how to use a damn coffeepot, and tend to their stupidity. Burnout is a real thing in my nursing gig, but I just can’t do this anymore.

My listing was a house share, with guests staying in the upstairs bedroom/bath, bigger than the twin bedroom and small bathroom on my main floor that I use when I have guests. Every summer, I just empty out all the dressers in the guest space and permanently place myself in the downstairs room.

I’ve just snoozed my listing, and reclaimed my space officially…undergarments, shoes, and clothes, now back in my safe haven of a bedroom that I had to disinfect after my last guest.

Edited to add…I also could never use my essential oils and incense the way I like to during guest season…Right now I’ve got incense going in every room and it’s making me happy happy happy!

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Awe my dear. I hear you. This is a rough way to make extra income. You can take more nursing gigs and I can take more teaching gigs. That phone system rings every night. I can just take them and put up with sassy high schoolers or needy first graders for a few hours. Beats hosting hateful hateful guests.

Proud of you. You don’t need this crap. You are a great nurse and an awesome person. Congrats on taking your life back,

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