Update on the shareable home
Clean and tidy! A new little sitting area!
Last year I took steps to make my apartment shareable. One year later, this plan is working well. The apartment is in good enough shape to host AirBnB guests, which is bringing many rewards.
Hosting AirBnB guests: valuable in so many ways
I had three reasons for starting as an AirBnB host, letting my spare bedroom and bathroom to guests.
- An extra income source, necessary at this stage of my career
- A test and rehearsal for ultimately sharing my space with a carer
- A way to force me to keep my home clean and tidy.
That’s all well and good, but the real benefits are quite different and much bigger.
I love the experience! Who knew? That is completely unexpected. My guests have been almost without exception interesting, entertaining, charming, independent and thoughtful. Each person or couple in just one or two conversations has shown me a glimpse of their unique way of thinking and living and being. A few examples: I’ve met donkey farmers, aid workers, writers, dancers, experts in AI, genetics and earthquake strengthening—all with a personal philosophy to match. More and more I understand that we are all working hard to become the person we’re meant to be, and that every path is different — at least among people with the interest and income to use a bed and breakfast place.
So in just a few months my guests have expanded my world view, freshened my outlook, stimulated my brain. As well as boosting my income a bit and keeping me alert to housekeeping details.
A Dutch retirement home mixing young and old to the benefit of both
As for sharing accommodation long term, how about this?
Fascinating video clip – 90 is indeed the new twenty !
Stimulation is guaranteed when you thrown the true 20s in with the nonagenarians, I guess
It takes a lot of courage to reach outside of your comfort zone. Good for you!
I figure old age is well outside my comfort zone so I need to rehearse.
A few houses ago I lived a block off of a college campus. For a while I thought about renting out a room to a student. In the end I didn’t because the house was in a constant state of updating but I’ve often wondered if it would have interesting to do that. Kudos to you! I have some friends who do the BNB thing very successfully. I’m not sure if I could handle the loss of privacy.
Turns out I have tons of privacy as most guests are out all day. But this depends on factors such as design and location. Caution is the better part of valour so I hear.
What an adaptable, happy person you seem to be. It’s fun to read about your adventures.
To a fault: I even enjoy my occasional existential crisis. It’s fun to have you as a reader!