HostingKits is one person. Me. I became a short-term rental host in 2015 and have been an Airbnb Superhost for most of that time.

Before that, I ran the design team at one of the world’s largest online travel sites, including designing their review system. That experience taught me a lot about the details that lead to great (and not-so-great) reviews.

I’m also a designer and a maker. So when I needed to label a few things at our rental home in Tasmania, I designed and made the labels myself.

Simple signs like “Bin night Thursday,” “Host use only” or a gentle reminder to clean the BBQ helped solve common communication issues. Our cleaner and some guests who were hosts themselves wanted to know where to get some of these little professional signs for the properties they manage.

They had their own ideas about where a discreet sign could solve issues:
– Guests calling to ask where to find a spare light bulb
– Wi-Fi issues because someone had unplugged the router
– Someone accidentally turning off the pool filter
– Or worse, guests using precious tank water to wash a car

Sometimes you’re lucky and find out about these things before the next guests arrive, though even then resolving them mid-clean can be a stressful scramble. And no one wants to hear about an issue for the first time through a negative review, especially when that can impact your future bookings and income.

The tricky part with most of these issues is that they’re invisible until something goes wrong. If the TV cables have been swapped, or the Wi-Fi settings changed, or if someone used the cleaner’s linen by mistake, it can delay turnover or worse: affect the next guest’s stay.

On the flip side, guests genuinely appreciate knowing what they can and can’t use, not having to call with small questions, or open every cupboard looking for the first aid kit.

Of course, a guest book and check-in instructions are helpful, but many guests don’t read them. And they lack the immediacy of a well-placed label, seen exactly when and where it’s needed.

You could always write or print your own notes and tape them up, but that paper isn’t going to last more than a week before looking terrible.

You can’t prevent every issue in advance. But it’s surprising how much smoother things go with a tiny, thoughtful label in the right spot. Sometimes the little things are the best. Just a few, in just the right spot.