What we learned living in Airbnbs for a year

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Some of you may know that we spent 2022-2023 living in Airbnbs around the USA. Here’s a map of our journey. We traveled with our two cats and lived in different regions for one to two month stints. We booked everything with Airbnb and learned a lot about how to book and what to look out for.

I feel like we’re experts now because we learned so much about how Airbnb actually works including the nuances and little things that you can only be uncovered by staying in places long term. Here’s a compilation of notes that I wish we had before we had embarked on that journey—hopefully they will save you some headache and heartache next time you’re looking for an Airbnb.

• If you’re staying for longer than a week, make sure it’s set up to be a long term rental. Some long term rentals have the “Long Term” tag on them in the app but many don’t. Some Airbnbs are set up for short term, some for long term, some for both. The last thing you want is to be shacked up in a bare-bones Airbnb meant for weekenders without any ammenities.

• Pay attention to what the couch is like. This might seem silly but you’ll be spending a lot of on the couch, and many Airbnb have the most uncomfortable couches you’ve ever sat on. A couch can be a make or break for an Airbnb because not having a place where you can relax is a bad experience.

• Airbnb doesn’t list square footage (but it should), so you really need to ask the host for the dimensions and size of the place is in a DM. Photos don’t tell a good story about the space you’ll be living in—they’re optical illusions. So before you book, make sure you ask.