A spare room, an empty attic or an outbuilding you’ve never quite known what to do with can all represent more than unused space. For some, hosting can mark the start of another chapter – one that brings new people, fresh purpose and the chance to make a little extra income along the way.
For three women in particular, deciding to list their spaces on Airbnb meant taking the first step to overcome a few nerves and prove that the next chapter can be full of new experiences.
Before retired teacher Pat*, 70, listed her spare room on Airbnb last October, she worried that the sparsely decorated single might not be up to the expected standard.
“Over the years, my husband and I have hosted lots of friends for stays, but I was anxious at the thought of hosting people I’d never met before,” she says from her home in a chocolate-box Cotswolds village.
When she got her first booking, she admitted to the couple she’d be hosting that they would be her first guests, and that she felt nervous.
“They sweetly arranged a FaceTime in advance so that we could talk and I could be reassured they weren’t monsters. They weren’t! They were delightful, of course, and even left me a little gift when they checked out.”
While there are inevitable financial benefits to making the most of an unused space, for Pat and her husband, it's been the joy of meeting new people from around the globe that has encouraged them to continue.
“We’ve had guests from the US, Mauritius, Australia, Holland, Italy, France, Germany, and so on,” she says, all of which has resulted in an experience that leaves her “positively glowing with warmth”.
Similarly, divorcée and former cook, Sue*, 58, says one of the best things about opening up her home has been making cross-generational connections. She felt lonely when her son and daughter moved out after school and university, and so decided to take the plunge and list a spare bedroom in her empty nest on Airbnb.
“I enjoy being a host very much – especially hearing from young people about their lives,” she says. “Some people who have stayed have just wanted to get on with their own thing, which is fine, whereas others have been more chatty and wanted to join me for mealtimes.” She especially likes it when people ask her about her collection of books, or the artworks on her walls, which she has collected from her own travels.
For Sally, 63, the decision to list a converted barn on the grounds of her Norfolk family home was driven by her passion for both interiors and hosting in general.
“I’ve loved doing up the barn and creating a space that feels special and welcoming for other people,” she says. Proving that you don’t need the perfect space to start hosting, her work on the barn has developed into a fulfilling project to focus on from home.
“My husband is terminally ill and I care for him, so running the Airbnb has given me a focus of my own alongside my caring responsibilities,” she explains. “It has allowed me to meet and interact with people I would otherwise never have crossed paths with, while still being at home and available for my husband. I’ve found that incredibly valuable.”
Should I start hosting?
It’s natural to have reservations about opening up your home, but there are simple steps you can take to ensure your own peace of mind.
Set up your own calendar
Don’t feel that you need to give up every free weekend – look at your diary and decide the dates that would be convenient for you to host. Sally notes that you can block out dates on Airbnb, “which means I can fit it around our family life and my caring responsibilities, which is particularly important to me”.
Get to know your guests
Communication is a two-way street: before a stay, message guests to introduce yourself. Breaking the ice can make everybody feel more comfortable – your guests might share a bit more about what they want to get from the stay, so that you can anticipate their needs.
Know the numbers
There’s no doubt that listing a home or shared space on Airbnb comes with a breadth of benefits: intergenerational connections, extra company, a renewed pride in your home. If, however, you are interested in getting an upfront picture of how much your space could earn, Airbnb has a handy tool for this. The earnings calculator uses things like location and listing information to estimate what you could earn over a specific period of time – meaning you can plan ahead for future goals or trips and use your home to help fund them.
Don't be afraid to ask for help
Co-hosting is a great way to learn the ropes – Airbnb has a network of experienced locals who can support with everything from listing and photography to on-the-day support. The platform also offers AirCover for hosts, which means every booking that comes through includes guest identity verification and includes up to $3M USD in damage cover. “I’ve found Airbnb provides a good level of support and makes many aspects of running a small business relatively straightforward, particularly when you haven’t done anything like it before,” says Sally.
So, whether you have an empty annex, spare bedroom or simply a window of time where your home is empty, see how you can make your home work harder for you at Airbnb
*Names have been changed.
