Which Areas of Your Home to Share
(and other boundaries)
If you wanted strangers in your bedroom, you'd be looking to Craigslist
Personals instead of Airbnb for extra cash. But not every boundary is so
clear-cut, and determining the right balance is a crucial part of
having guests who are thrilled while maintaining your sanity over the
long-haul.
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Hosting via Airbnb or another platform can be a tricky balance when it comes to personal boundaries versus being a welcoming host. It appeals to some guests because of the possibility that they will get to interact with a host who will be willing and able to tell them more about the area. For others, its appeal is more focused on affordability. Of the 310 groups that I hosted, only two had the expectation that I would also be their tour guide or chauffeur, and maybe two felt they could treat the entire home as their own.
From the standpoint of the host, particularly if you are hosting in your own home (as I was), it should be recognized that while it is important to be a “good host”, boundaries are reasonable. When guests would ask for a ride somewhere, I politely told them that while I would love to run them into town and give a tour, I unfortunately needed to go to work or some other appointment. I would then direct them to the nearest subway/bus route and explain how it worked, or suggest they use Uber/Lyft. In terms of use of the home, I listed that guests were free to use the dining and living rooms as much as they liked, and to use the kitchen for light cooking. To respect myself and other guests, I requested that quiet hours be 9:30 pm – 8 am.