Rockridge Casita

crossing our fingers that this becomes our next adventure. lil cabin in the woods (haven’t named her yet) in Truckee, California. follow along as we transform her into an even cozier cabin for outdoor adventures. #cabininthewoods #skihouse

Why is it hard to make time for creativity? When there is laundry, meals to make, hosting, my work, my life… you can relate. Who has time to journal and draw? To paint, garden, or play with photography? Well, this week for my birthday I gifted myself a membership to @exhale.creativity which is a supportive community of women writing and cheering each other on in our creative endeavors. The secret I’ve learned so far is that the TIME for creativity can be found in snippets - 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there. I learned about this community from following a former Airbnb guest @ashleegadd who snapped this pretty photo! If you need a writing retreat, the casita is always here for you. But if it’s community you need, or inspiration and help with creating a routine for creative practices, then checkout @exhale.creativity. I’m excited to dig into it and get writing. What would you do with a few extra minutes for creativity in your day? 📸 @ashleegadd #oakland #airbnbhosting #womenwriters #creativity #writersretreat #bayarea

“This is—and I hesitate to write this because I selfishly don’t want to spread the good word—one of the best places I’ve ever stayed. It has it all. I cannot wait to come back. Absolutely stunning and comfortable and well thought out. And more!” - our last review from a very kind guest. Come see what all the raving is about - our tiny house in Oakland is listed on Airbnb Plus and link is in our bio to book. Can’t wait to host you!

Hey there!👋 It’s been a minute. We are hosting as always, but took an IG break this summer because… life! We were traveling, recovering, exploring and enjoying the summer. From Italy to the Sierras, it’s been a whirlwind, and we hosted full time, too. What’s one place you visited this summer that you loved? 😎 🏝 🏔 🇮🇹 ☀️

Happy summer! I’ve been quiet on IG but hosting and getting the garden tidied for summer hangouts. Our girl is always happy to have the summer rug rolled out for her sunbathing needs. Seriously - she is the one who enjoys it the most.

How are you feeling today? Sad and angry and fed up? Take care of yourselves and make time to mourn. Then pick up the phone please and call your representatives and Senators. keep your hunting rifles but why why do we need assault weapons and why don’t we have background checks? the NRA has a tight grip around our country’s neck. If you have a platform or a microphone or any community then please encourage others to do the same. ❤️

Up for an adventure? ⁣ ⁣ We’re planning to take our kids (6 and 8) to Europe for their first time in June. Biking in Amsterdam, staying on a houseboat, hiking in the Dolomites, and more. ⁣ ⁣ I’m taking all recommendations and advice for traveling with kids. Got any?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnbhost #vrbohost #shorttermrental #hostingtips #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhouseliving #airbnbexperience #oakland #sanfrancisco #tinyhousenation #cottagesandbungalows #sunsetmagazine @airbnb #homeaway #thebay

If a contractor’s tools of the trade include a hammer, tape measure and a level, then my list would be extra sheets, a lint roller, our welcome book, and my phone! I wouldn’t be able to survive hosting and coaching new Airbnb hosts without these. Whether it's calibrating Airbnb pricing and the calendar, figuring out the decor of a space, which furniture layout works, or how many sheets to buy, I love helping other hosts figure out what tools they need to succeed with hosting. Tell me, what are three essential items that help you stand in your purpose in your life or business? #airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnbhost #vrbohost #shorttermrental #hostingtips #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhouseliving #airbnbexperience #oakland #sanfrancisco #tinyhousenation #cottagesandbungalows #sunsetmagazine @airbnb #homeaway #thebay

can we just call it summer already? we’re ready. tell me - what’s the one thing you’re most looking forward to this summer?

The tiny kitchen. It has everything we need in a luxury hotel stay. Enjoy a glass of wine in the garden or make a hot tea. Here’s what I’ve learned from my stays at the best hotels: 1. strong, local coffee and cream. 2. tea selection including herbal and caffeinated. 3. treats. come stay with us to find out what we surprise our guests with. 4. mini-fridge. we researched the most silent one! 5. wine glasses and bottle opener 6. basics: cutlery, dishes, cutting board, serving dishes, and a good knife PLEASE! one excellent knife is all you need - not six dull ones. 7. a beautiful cutting board for guests to make themselves a little picnic or cheese board. 8. extra delights, like chilled beer or sparkling water, or local honey to add to your tea. 9. clean dish towels and napkins. 10. the softest, cleanest towels and linens you can find. #airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnbhost #vrbohost #shorttermrental #hostingtips #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhouseliving #airbnbexperience #oakland #sanfrancisco #tinyhousenation #cottagesandbungalows #sunsetmagazine @airbnb #homeaway #thebay

Who else has the itch to travel?! The next chance I get, I’m going to take a weekend trip to the Sierras. And we are quite distracted lately with planning a big trip for this summer. What location is on your traveling bucket list? Drop an emoji hinting at your dream trip and let’s see if I can guess the location! Ready, GO!   #airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnbhost #vrbohost #shorttermrental #hostingtips #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhouseliving #airbnbexperience #oakland #sanfrancisco #tinyhousenation #cottagesandbungalows #sunsetmagazine @airbnb #homeaway #thebay

Who would even guess that it’s a dreary foggy day outside with all this natural light streaming in? It may not be a beach day but it sure feels bright and cheerful in our little California garden bathroom. Come visit sometime and have a beachy spa shower on a foggy morning.

Earlier this week I shared my brand essentials for creating an iconic Airbnb, and of course, photography was included. Your place could have great style, location, furniture, etc, but bad photos can completely sway someone from booking. 🥴 These are my best tips for getting beautiful and realistic photos of your space. 📸Snap pictures that are straight-on, please don’t make me tilt my head to understand what the room looks like. 📸Take multiple shots of each room. 📸Use natural light when possible. This will give your space a realistic and warm look that you just can’t achieve with artificial light. What are your tips for getting great Airbnb photos? Or do you have any photo pet peeves? 👇 #airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnbhost #vrbohost #shorttermrental #hostingtips #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhouseliving #airbnbexperience #oakland #sanfrancisco #tinyhousenation #cottagesandbungalows #sunsetmagazine @airbnb #homeaway #thebay

You know those Airbnbs that look like the most gorgeous place to host an Instagram photoshoot and are always booked out months in advance? You can host one of those, too. 😉 You’ll need to create a space that people recognize and want to be a part of. Your Airbnb has to be its own brand. Your brand essentials should include: ✨ A name for your home ✨ Refining a unique style for your home ✨ Choosing colors that reflect the way you want your guests to feel during their stay ✨ Creating a listing that encapsulates your Airbnb brand ✨ Beautiful photos that help your future guest envision their upcoming stay I know this is not an easy task. I did all this without any help, and it was a lot. But, you don’t have to do it on your own. My course, Elevate Your Airbnb, walks you through my proven process to create an iconic space with a fully booked calendar without all the stress. 🔗 If you want to learn more about this course, check out the link in my bio. #airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnbhost #vrbohost #shorttermrental #hostingtips #tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhouseliving #airbnbexperience #oakland #sanfrancisco #tinyhousenation #cottagesandbungalows #sunsetmagazine @airbnb #homeaway #thebay

I love when Airbnb hosts who I’m working with are excited to ask deeper questions as they start to host. These are some of my favorite q’s: ❔ What impact is this having on my community? ❔ How will this impact my neighbors? ❔ How can I support local businesses through my hosting? ❔ What does it mean to hire someone and pay a fair wage given the unpredictable schedule of cleanings? ❔ What’s my responsibility to my guests in terms of their safety? So many hosts are in this game for one reason only – to make money. I host for the money, too. It’s a great source of income, but just like many other hosts, I ALSO care deeply about my community and my impact. So, how can we improve this industry to fill it with conscious hosting practices? What other questions should we be asking? I’d love and welcome your thoughts on this and any ideas you have for conscious hosting. 💙