What do you leave out for your renters in the way of supplies?

As a renter, I don't expect a lot. I do expect for it to be CLEAN, to have tp, paper towels, garbage bags, dish detergent, and a broom. A bottle of all purpose cleaner would be great but not totally neccesary. Any little extras would be a welcome surprise and it could be those added touches that would make me want to stay at the same place again.

That's a great observation as a renter. It's the extra's, whether their expected or not, is what you may remember about the home you stayed at and what you will remember when you plan your next vacation. My husband tells me that I have way too many extras, but the extras are things that I, either use when we are there, or that my guests have made suggestions about. I have not had any problems with major things being misplaced. For those talking about wine glasses, I have a pantry set up with breakable wine and tea classes and have found some great ones (at Target, of course) that are microwavable and dishwasher save and very reasonably priced (wine, tea, and water). I put the Target one's with my major dishes so the guests will see and use those first.

We have wireless Internet in our houses and the guests love it.

Regarding books/dvds etc - I made the mistake last year of giving an ample supply of DVD's and games for the Xbox. Low and behold, at the end of the season we were missing about half of the DVD's and every Xbox game (about 10) were missing (including a controller for the Xbox). This year, I'm only buying <$5 DVD's, etc.

I have now started looking for homes with wireless internet; my family loves it!

Philip- I'm sorry you had such thoughtless guest that would take things that don't belong to us. I am so anal, that while staying at your home, I took all the dvd's, cd's, and games out and put each back into their own boxes. I found a couple of games in a bedroom drawer, a dvd under the sofa, and cd's in the wrong boxes. See, I told you I was anal!! I do know that sometimes people might accidently take home a book, movie or something that doesn't belong to them. I remember when my kids were younger and were would take playstation games on a trip with another family, the kids would get the games mixed up. Lets hope that the items each of you are missing from your home was due to carelessness, not on purpose.

As a renter, I only expect to see toilet paper in each bathroom, a started roll of paper towels, and a trash bag at least in the kitchen. Extra light bulbs are a plus as many of the cleaning services don't notice a bulb is out as they come during the day. I am not calling the management company for a light bulb, so I just buy them myself if they aren't available. I would rather the home have extra just in case so I don't have to buy them. As for the rest of the items, I either have them packed in the car, or they are on my grocery list to purchase that day. I bet I leave way more stuff than is supplied by the owner. I usually buy cheaper products while on vacation so I leave the trash bags, ziplocs, foil, etc. unless I have tons of car room.

Mermaid:

This is useful information. Thanks! Another reason to work on getting a locked owner's closet!

Best,
Paula

Oh, we love our owner's closets. Each time we check out, it's such a challenge to shoehorn all our personal items back into the closets. But well worth it when we return and unpack all our 'creature comforts'.

Regarding supplies, we keep them to a minimum. Our guests would rather furnish their own. If the guests are family, then they have full access to the owner's closets.

_____________________________________

That's helpful Dbuck. I thought we had too many plastic pitchers because I get them at end-of-season sales and they're so cute. I'm glad they're appreciated. We also keep two can openers, two measuring cup/spoon sets, and two wine openers on hand in case one gets lost during the busy season. We keep a pair of kid's scissors on a hook on the fridge as well.

And, Mermaid, right now we use trunks with locks in a few of the closests, but I'm following Donna's advice to keep enough clothes/personal items/beach towels there so I can just get on a plane with my wallet and have what I need at the cottage. And family/friends/and probably guests with whom we develop an ongoing relationship would be able to have access if we get a lock that uses a code rather than a key. Perhaps we'll do this in August when we're there.

I have now started looking for homes with wireless internet; my family loves it!

Philip- I'm sorry you had such thoughtless guest that would take things that don't belong to us. I am so anal, that while staying at your home, I took all the dvd's, cd's, and games out and put each back into their own boxes. I found a couple of games in a bedroom drawer, a dvd under the sofa, and cd's in the wrong boxes. See, I told you I was anal!! I do know that sometimes people might accidently take home a book, movie or something that doesn't belong to them. I remember when my kids were younger and were would take playstation games on a trip with another family, the kids would get the games mixed up. Lets hope that the items each of you are missing from your home was due to carelessness, not on purpose.

As a renter, I only expect to see toilet paper in each bathroom, a started roll of paper towels, and a trash bag at least in the kitchen. Extra light bulbs are a plus as many of the cleaning services don't notice a bulb is out as they come during the day. I am not calling the management company for a light bulb, so I just buy them myself if they aren't available. I would rather the home have extra just in case so I don't have to buy them. As for the rest of the items, I either have them packed in the car, or they are on my grocery list to purchase that day. I bet I leave way more stuff than is supplied by the owner. I usually buy cheaper products while on vacation so I leave the trash bags, ziplocs, foil, etc. unless I have tons of car room.

Pokey, you sound like the ideal renter. I also tried to leave out a few dvd's for rainy days, or "cable out" days, but they all disappeared. My daughter suggested that the person who packed for the trip to the beach was not the one who packed up for the trip back home. Possible, but I still haven't replaced the movies. Also, sweet of you to buy lightbulbs. I try to replace all of the burned out ones when I go down there, but over the busy season that's not possible. It was suggested to me by a renter that hair dryers would be nice, so I put them in 2 bathrooms, good news...they are still there and much appreciated. Also I put a small magnifying mirror in the master bath (for the older eyes). I don't know if it's appreciated, but I use it!!

Wow! All of you sound like our kind of renters. Let me say that with the very rare exception, our renters have taken care of our home as if it was their own place. The attrition factor is to be expected. Only on one occasion have we had damage and the renter accepted full responsibility and paid for it, even sending a letter of apology. Usually, if it looks like something is missing, it turns up later in an unlikely place. Books are rarely taken, but DVDs do disappear if left there. At the same time, many renters CDs have been left in our 5-CD player.

Here's a smile for you. Our children's bunk room sleeps up to nine kids and is on the ground floor. It seems far removed from all the parents' rooms upstairs. I thought it might seem scary for a very small child, so we stocked the bunks with about a dozen little stuffed sea creatures---sting rays, otters, octopii, dolphins, manatees, etc. They have always been left alone and people have actually told us they returned to the house because their children enjoyed the stuffed animals so much. Go figure. But every time I walk into that room, those stuffed sea creatures make me smile! :razz:

We were left a little gift last summer in our son's room. It was obviously a kids' room (2 sets of bunks). We were putting clothes away, and I opened the bottom dresser drawer to find a huge almost empty bottle of Jim Bean and a half empy liter of vodka. Somebody's kids had a great time the week before we were there!

We were left a little gift last summer in our son's room. It was obviously a kids' room (2 sets of bunks). We were putting clothes away, and I opened the bottom dresser drawer to find a huge almost empty bottle of Jim Bean and a half empy liter of vodka. Somebody's kids had a great time the week before we were there!

:rolling: I guess they did. And you did. 😀

:rolling: I guess they did. And you did. 😀

Actually we dumped it. Didn't know whose nasty lips and backwash was on and in the bottles!:puke: :puke: It was pretty funny, the adults watching bourbon and vodka going down the sink.

Actually we dumped it. Didn't know whose nasty lips and backwash was on and in the bottles!:puke: :puke: It was pretty funny, the adults watching bourbon and vodka going down the sink.

Well, duh...blonde moment. I didn't think of that. You did say half empty bottles. I am thinking full bottles. I would have done the same thing. Dumped it!!!!

Well, duh...blonde moment. I didn't think of that. You did say half empty bottles. I am thinking full bottles. I would have done the same thing. Dumped it!!!!

It....was.....really.....hard......

But I'm sure the little twerp that left them behind was REALLY upset when he realized he left his stash of booze behind. Guess he just had to steal more from his parents!!!