Can you remember the excitement, the moment your listing went live, and waiting for the first ‘bing!’ “you have a new booking”?
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Ah yes, over three years now of hosting on air and I still have a wee rush of excitement when a booking comes through.
More than three hundred guests have stayed here and I’ve only had one lemon – not a major issue at all, they just left the suite a mess.
I’m surprised and grateful by how the majority of guests take good care of the accommodation and leave it very clean.
So far…
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The “Congratulations” is a bit cheesy though. A bit like Ryanair congratulating itself on “another” on time landing.
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I was terrified. 202020202
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I was terrified too! Even though I’d rented out rooms before and done home-stays for young language students Airbnb was a whole new thing. The existing listings on the site (about 10% of what they are these days) looked so plush and professional and I felt nervous about how basic my place was. Luckily my first guest was a really nice guy who was v entertaining. Although he did wink at me and say “Airbnb is so great but you do know, don’t you, that it’s just a matter of time before you get your first psychopath guest”. 
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I understood how much I was giving up, and how my lifestyle was about to change.
I sure needed that money; it saved my life and allowed me to pay my mortgage, and recreate my life.
I did not feel excitement but I did feel relief, and also a bit of sadness for knowing that my home, my castle, had become my income.
Having since been to Europe and toured castles and chateaus, I found that I am in the same league as many trustafarians who inherited great estates, and need to open them to the public.
I toured a fantastic Chateau in Bordeaux last year. I even tipped the incredibly personable and knowledgeable house guide; he was thrilled with my $10 tip. It was only later that I learned that he was the owner…the property had been in the family for over 600 years, and he lived in the private quarters section.
Eye opening.
I hope he takes off in the winter.
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A maxim of my dear late father was
"Don’t make an expensive, large purchase unless it will bring you income."
That’s what we’re doing, georgygirlofairbnb.
Onward, and upward…
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I was pretty terrified too as well as extremely scrupulous about having everything just so.
Two years later and it is more like ‘meh’.
I’ve seen way too much - repeated coffee stains up walls, partially eaten yoghurt pots left literally in every cranny in the room, unreported human bodily fluid stains all over the nice bedding and a guest screaming at me on my own driveway because we got stuck in traffic and she chose to wait in her car on the drive for us - to be any other way at this point.
AirBnb Life. 
I was astounded at how regular the guests were coming in! Can’t wait to start again soon.
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Like the first time you ever kissed a girl/boy? 
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Terrified, excited, anxious, hopeful, worried… and for 3+ years, it hasn’t changed much. LOL.
Just like that. Including the ‘bing’ noise, and £70.
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That made me laugh! 
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We went live and were completely unprepared with the necessary paperwork when we received a booking less than 24 hours later!
It was 7 years ago!! Without help or any guidance, I just dove in and never looked at back. Now I can’t even remember when I’ve had 3 days in a row without guests. Of course, it’s been so much better than having roommates. 
I can’t remember that moment because I didn’t have the app. I can’t even remember if I had my first smartphone yet. LOL. I only had my computer and no push notifications on my phone email in any case.
I wasn’t terrified but other people were scared on my behalf. After you ride a motorcycle without a helmet a few years, very little terrifies you.
I do find the sound of the notifications from Airbnb and my dog boarding app to be fun though even though most of the time it’s nothing to be excited about.
That is exactly what I did!
Yes I remember, nice young man that actually came back again a year later. I still love to see the little colored box pop up at the top of phone screen saying I have a new guest coming.
started hosting in 2011 in feb - back then airbnb used to send secret shoppers to stay with new hosts - they had just launched in london the year before and were i thinking trying to avoid the pitfalls of new york launch that almost bankcrupted them back in 2008
my couple were a lovely pair - worked all morning in thier room and sight seeing afternoons stayed a week - parents thought i had gone mad as I was just starting a full time masters and were worried i would be murdered in my bed… 8 years on still hosting still happy - the things i have seen heard and enjoyed teaches me people are basically good - whats not to love about the sharing community - it teaches us all to be a bit more tollerent of each other,
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taking house proud to a whole other level!!!