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How This WAHM Made Over $4K Hosting on Airbnb

January 9 // 6 Comments // 5 Minute Read

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If you enjoy meeting new friends from around the world, you are going to love Airbnb! Learn this WAHM’s secrets with her pro Airbnb host tips. She made over $4K her first year!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

If you enjoy meeting new friends from around the world, you are going to love Airbnb! Learn top hosting secrets from a pro Airbnb user, including how she made over $4,000 her first year. Believe me when I say this is not as creepy as it sounds -- you can earn a real side income just by providing a place to stay!

I’m thrilled to introduce Andrea from The Write at Home Mom! I’ve heard a lot of positive reviews about Airbnb, but have never chatted with someone who has actually made a decent income from it. Please give Andrea a warm welcome — I know you will be inspired by her pro hosting tips and want to try this idea for yourself!

Do you make your bed every day? Do you wash your sheets once a week? I made $4,465 last year, in addition to our household income, for washing sheets and making a bed less than 50 times. How is that possible? Let me introduce you to a little secret called Airbnb.

When my husband and I first considered opening up our home to strangers, we were a little wary. We had heard of couchsurfing and home exchange, but the former was a little too vagabond for us and the latter too upscale. We needed something in between. So when we heard about Airbnb for the first time, through an NPR segment, we were intrigued.

The concept is pretty simple. As a host, you offer up a room in your home (or your entire home, if you choose) for rent. Someone can stay for just a night or for up to a month. That’s up to you. Here’s how you get started.

6 Steps to Listing Your Home on AIRBNB:

1. Detail what type of home you have: apartment, house, bed and breakfast, loft, townhouse, condo, bungalow, cabin, villa, castle, dorm, treehouse, boat, plane, RV, igloo, lighthouse, yurt, tipi, cave, island, chalet, earthhouse, hut, train, or tent. Yes, those are all options on Airbnb. Which is kind of amazing when you think of all of the amazing, strange, and unique places around the world you could stay at through Airbnb!

2. Choose your maximum number of guests. If you have one guest bedroom with a queen sized bed, this number is probably two. But maybe you have a fold out couch in the living room and wouldn’t mind hosting four.

3. Write a title and summary. Composing a descriptive headline for your listing and detailing the highlights will help potential guests see if your place is the right fit for them.

4. Set a price. Airbnb will give you a suggested price, but you can also choose your own. You can even set a separate weekly or monthly price, in case you want to discount or charge more for longer stays.

5. Set your address. Only confirmed guests will see this.

6. Add details. Share what makes your space unique. You can list amenities the guests will have access to and how often you plan to interact with them. You can also overview the neighborhood and detail whether or not there is convenient public transportation in your area. There is even a section to add house rules such as “no smoking” or “keep things quiet after 10 pm.” Of course, you can add photos of the spaces the guests will have access too as well.

You can limit the guests who are allowed to instant book to only guests with positive reviews. You can also set how much notice you require. Ex. 24 hours, three days, etc. Just like a hotel, you add terms such as check in and check out times and a cancellation policy. If you would like, you can list whether pets are allowed, whether you have pets, or even if your space is wheelchair accessible or family/kid friendly.

So now that you know the basics of setting up a listing on Airbnb, here are my tips to making a successful income from hosting. This is coming from someone who hosted over 50 individuals in just one year and made nearly $5,000.

airbnb-listing

Pro AIRBNB Host Tips:

1. Upload quality photos. I’m a professional photographer on the side, so I used a technique called HDR (Hi-Dynamic Range) to take my photos, which gave a greater range of luminosity more similar to what you see with the human eye. But if you aren’t ready to get that technical yourself, Airbnb will send a professional photographer for free to take photos of your house for you. Can’t beat that!

2. Stock the amenities. Think of what you would find in a hotel room and bathroom. Ex. towels, shampoo, soap, hair dryer, a spare blanket and extra pillows, a lamp, coffee and a selection of tea, snacks, and a wastebasket.

You’ll also want to read: 8 Must-Have Essentials to Make Every Guest Feel at Home

3. Go above and beyond. We placed a mini-fridge with a Brita water pitcher and a Keurig in the bedroom, and I think these items were big incentives that made our guests feel more at home.

4. Be courteous. Make sure to clean up before their arrival and then be there to meet your guests when they check in to give them a quick tour. I always wrote a little note and left it by the bedside welcoming them to town, and then took some time to chat with them when they first arrived.

5. Offer guidance. I put together a helpful, laminated sheet with our wifi login information and a list of favorite local restaurants. We also kept a guidebook of the area and some brochures of things to do on the dresser.

6. Provide food. While you don’t have to cook them a full breakfast every morning, it’s nice to offer a few choices of cereal or let them know they are welcome to use the kitchen to cook. We always offered to share our meals with guests, but they typically made plans to eat out and explore the city, so it was never a burden for us. The few meals we did share with guests were always enjoyable and some even contributed a bottle of wine like true dinner guests.

7. Respect their privacy. If guests don’t want to make small chat, that’s ok. Let them enjoy their trip in their own way. Do not enter their room once they have checked in, unless they are staying for a longer period of time. In that case, let them know beforehand that you’ll likely empty the trash or sweep the floor.

If you have pets and your guests forget to shut their door, please do so for them. You don’t want Fido jumping on their bed or digging through their belongings. Finally, make sure you do your part to keep the house quiet after they head to bed and the same goes for in the morning if they haven’t left the room yet.

Overall, having guests in our house throughout the year wasn’t any interruption to our daily lives. Most guests were in town for a conference or to explore the city, so they were out and about throughout the day, only coming home to get ready for bed.

We met so many interesting and kind people from all over the world including a couple from a dairy farm in New Zealand who brought us a handcrafted chocolate bar, a children’s book author from Kenya who signed a copy of his book for me, a man from Germany transporting organs for medical research, and travelers from across the U.S. The experience enriched both our lives and our bank account, and we would love to continue hosting once we buy a house again in our new city.

I hope you take the plunge and try hosting in your home, even if just for a night. Remember, you have full discretion in who you approve. Be smart and look into each potential guest’s profile prior to approving them, but don’t worry yourself too much. For us, Airbnb was a wonderful way to make a side income and meet new friends from around the world.

Would you be willing to try Airbnb?

 

andrea-airbnbAndrea Stang is a recovering middle school teacher who finished her MFA in creative writing before making the decision to stay at home with her daughter (born early 2015). She is now a freelance writer and work at home mom (WAHM) blogger. You can read more of her posts at The Write at Home Mom where she helps simplify your work from home life with time management tips, product reviews, and ideas for work/life balance.

 

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Jessica White says

    February 19 at 12:17 pm

    I stayed at an AirBNB in Dublin, Ireland that was fantastic!

    My grandfather just moved into a Vet’s home and I own his house, it’s empty now. This might be a great thing for us to do with the space in the mean time.

    Reply
    • Andrea Stang says

      February 19 at 10:24 pm

      Jessica,

      You should definintely look into it. You could offer options for renting out seperate rooms or one to rent out the entire place. Please let me know if you have any questions on how to get started. Good luck!

      Reply
  2. Tia @ financiallyfitandfab says

    April 7 at 10:48 am

    Great article! I have stayed at airbnb’s multiple times. I just bought a house and have considered putting my home on airbnb but hadn’t done much research. This gives me a great place to start!

    Reply
  3. Emmy @ Club Thrifty says

    April 28 at 8:39 am

    Love AirBNB! It is amazing how much you can save versus staying at a hotel, especially if you want a place to stay that has a kitchen. As a vegan, whenever we stay out of town, we need a place that has a kitchen since most restaurants are not vegan friendly. Hotels with that amenity are spendy, but rentals from AirBNB are so much cheaper.

    Reply
  4. Kay says

    July 12 at 1:20 pm

    Hey! I am a SAHM with a step son and a 3 month old daughter. I was wondering how it all worked to be an AirBNB host while being in the home. Did you ever feel intruded upon? Did you approve all guests before they were able to make a reservation with you? Did you ever feel unsafe or worry about your kids? or worry about your guests being disturbed by your kids?
    Any insight would be appreciated!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      August 7 at 10:25 am

      Hi Kay,

      Joseph and I have yet to be in a situation where we can be Airbnb hosts, but I know there are many hosts out there with children.

      First, you do get the chance to approve all guests. And you get to read any reviews that other hosts have left.

      I was also able to find this discussion about hosts with children on the Airbnb community forums for you: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Suggestions-on-how-to-host-if-we-have-an-infant-child/td-p/236

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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But time does form a scar. And that helps lessen t But time does form a scar. And that helps lessen the sting. 💛
Before we lived in an RV, we didn’t make hospita Before we lived in an RV, we didn’t make hospitality a priority. I *wanted* to open my home, but I just didn’t bump it up to the top of my list! 🚐

Now that we live this open roading lifestyle, I try to practice hospitality in the ways that I can. Even if there are seasons when practicing hospitality isn’t always feasible. 

Maybe you’re managing a work deadline. Or you’ve needed to step back and practice more self-care. Maybe you’re cautious as a result of this virus. 🦠

Here’s the thing—you can practice hospitality without anyone stepping inside your front door. 💞

That’s because hospitality isn’t about you. It’s about the people we invite to do life with us, whether that’s inside or outside our home. It’s about making them feel comfortable, valued, and loved. Hospitality is others-focused.

So invite someone to go for a walk.🚶‍♀️
Share a socially distanced meal. 🍽️
Start a virtual book club.📚
Text a friend just to “check in.” 📱
Send a gift card to someone who’s having a rough time so they can buy themselves a treat.💌

You can still build authentic relationships wherever you are. 

What will you do to practice hospitality today? Drop a comment below so we can exchange ideas!
When you want to “make over your finances”, wh When you want to “make over your finances”, what first comes to mind? 🤔💭

Cutting back on a few expenses? Overhauling your budget? Establishing an Emergency Fund...or increasing its size? 💰

These are ALL worthy endeavors. 👏

But none of those things matter if you don’t check in on your finances on a regular basis. 😳

It only takes a couple of days (or weeks) for that motivational wave of “I’m gonna become a financial rockstar” to wane... then fizzle out completely. 🤯

That’s why the most important financial habit you’ll ever create is a weekly finance routine. 📆

In this newly-released blog post, I’m sharing why a weekly finance routine will influence your bottom line more than anything else, as well as dish ALL the details of what I do, every Friday, to get in tune with my bank accounts and budgeting app. 📱

Want the link? Leave a money bag emoji in the comments below! 💰

If you have a similar routine (or want to adopt one for the first time!), I’d love to hear about it! 👇🏻
Over the past six months, I’ve changed. ⁣ ⁣ Over the past six months, I’ve changed. ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Joseph and I adopted a plant-based diet.⁣
2️⃣ I got the tattoo I’ve been wanting for years.⁣
3️⃣ And last November, we bought a motorcycle.⁣
⁣
Needless to say, people have commented about my recent changes too.⁣
⁣
Most are positive. 🥰⁣
⁣
Others are not. 😳⁣
⁣
And of course, in typical people-pleasing fashion, I tend to focus on the critics more than the cheerleaders. 📣⁣
⁣
But you can't live your life by other people's expectations of you.⁣
⁣
I'm not saying to disregard what anyone has to say or ignore every opinion that doesn't line up with your way of thinking. Listen to wise counsel and learn everything you can from those who've walked whatever road you want to travel. 💞⁣
⁣
But know the difference between wise counsel and someone who wants to subconsciously direct your life.⁣
⁣
Because the critic doesn't get to live your life.⁣
⁣
You do. 🥳
I’ve seen a lot of new faces follow me this mont I’ve seen a lot of new faces follow me this month—welcome! 👋

My name is Kalyn (swipe right to see my husband, Joseph, and I shivering at the beach). We travel full time in an RV, but are Floridians at heart. 60 degrees is NOT warm enough for a beach day! 🏝️

I started blogging in 2012 to share my love for saving money. Today, I help thousands of women live a more minimalist lifestyle, establish planning systems and routines, and pursue positive personal growth. 💪

It is a huge privilege to connect with you here. 🥰

Other random facts: I love to read (lately I’m a fan of psychological thrillers), crocheting relieves my anxiety, and I’m five months into eating a plant-based lifestyle. 🌱

I used to hate meal planning and being in the kitchen but going vegan helped me fall in love with cooking nutritious meals. 🍽️

New or not, thank you for adding me to your feed. I’m so grateful we connected on social media. 

Now it’s your turn! Share a random fact about yourself in the comments. I want to get to know you better! 💞
Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣ ⁣ Sadly, I find m Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣
⁣
Sadly, I find most people resist minimalism because they can't wrap their head around "having less." People tend to equate this movement with blank walls, white IKEA furniture, and decluttering everything in your home down to practically nothing so you can live full-time in an RV. Like me. 😉⁣
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But, while minimalism could be all that, this mindset misses the point. Minimalism is not only about “having less.” 🚫⁣
⁣
It’s so much more than that.⁣
⁣
This week on the blog, I'm sharing the REAL definition of minimalism (that people who love their stuff can totally get behind!) as well as practical ways to incorporate minimalism into your life. 🎉⁣
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Drop a heart emoji in the comments below and I'll send the link to your DM's! 💖
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