Snowbird Lifestyle, Cuisine, Entertainment and Travel
Map of The Emerald Coast, Southern Alabama and Northwest Florida LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Peak vs. Off Peak Affects the Cost of Housing As snowbirds return home to begin the off-season, much reflection goes into what can be done differently for the next season. Life changes …
Room by Room: How to Furnish a Vacation Rental Property is a follow-up to "The Basics of How to Furnish a Vacation Rental Property."
As an experienced vacation rental guest, I learned from observing and studying the best of the best: the property owner where we stayed. Not only does this very successful woman own many rentals, her company also manages a large vacation rental portfolio. Owners who are not savvy or comfortable furnishing their place can hire her to rework their property into a show-stopper. There is a specific formula that is effective. When browsing dozens of online properties, it is imperative to get attention for all of the right reasons and these properties stand out from the others. The woman who is the source of my inspiration is an amazing artist, designer and astute businesswoman. Without realizing it, she showed me the techniques to emulate her success.
Room by Room: How to Furnish a Vacation Rental Property provides an overview of details large and small of each room of a rental. Anyone who is familiar with boats and yachts knows that each component must work together to form a cohesive and unified vessel, which is also what is needed for a vacation rental property, no matter how large or small.
Along the same thoughts of being impressive whether a "Vacation rental or chartered yacht," the goal is to get at least one "Wow!" from yourself, your guests and total strangers who enter your property for the very first time. Listen and take notes. It matters. If it doesn't happen, don't get discouraged, make changes and keep going until you reach your goal.
I've compiled a basic overview of tips I've employed and considerations I recommend for anyone who is newly furnishing or re-working a vacation rental property.
Not so long ago, vacation rentals had a reputation for being filled with a hodge-podge of worn, unwanted furniture that has seen much better days. We all know what that means: wicker, wicker, wicker, but not clean, modern wicker. Creepy wicker with dirty nooks and crannies. Saggy worn sofas, castaway ancient sinking mattresses with threadbare sheets and pillows. Too much clutter. Take it or leave it is generally what used to be the attitude. Someone else will come along. Or not.
That was the case in my own personal situation when we bought our beach condo. The furnishings were a mish-mash of yellow, black, red, green, brown, white; a variety of finishes/themes and three counter stools that had what looked like a DIY re-upholstery job -- stripes, but not in a good way. Stripes from the 1970's is more like it and believe it or not, the ugly fabric had PLASTIC protectors stapled over the seats. I wish I was kidding, I can only imagine how the guests felt about it. More than that, the bar stools were too high for the space, which caused knees knocked into the bi-level overhang.
On the other side of the counter an old sink and dripping original faucet were thankfully not visible from the main living area. However, much of the old, traditional days of finding rentals, which is word of mouth and tradition, gave way to the inevitable. With the popularity of third party online vacation rental sites, shopping for popular national and regional areas as well as specific rental units became much easier and resulted in owners upping their game to attract guests. Suddenly the obvious faults of a property became glaringly unavoidable and I believe that created the renaissance of vacation rentals. This is what leads me to explain what I mean by studying the places where I've been fortunate to be a guest. It's been a self-created apprenticeship, practicum and internship rolled into an ongoing life lesson.
An overview of what I learned from "the best of the best," means a road map to success. Maps are typically easily viewed, yet not so easily navigated. Stay the course for the best results.
--Cohesive, color-identity decor. Color is psychologically based on emotion. Color is powerful and color is attention-getting. Number one on the "best of the best" list is connect through color. Choose a color palette and repeat it everywhere without getting carried away. IE, Watery blues and seafoam greens with white. Or mid-blue, white and yellow. The possibilities are endless. Whatever you choose, stick with it so potential guests remember they saw the beautiful, "Dove gray, white and pale blue" combination.
--Comfortable, inviting, fresh-looking rooms that get attention via a striking view and/or focal point and picture-yourself-sitting-in-it furniture. Sofa, coffee table, end tables, lamps and an easy chair are minimal basics. At least one comfortable sturdy chair with arms is helpful for guests who need the support to rise from sit to stand.
--Accessories and wall art that work together to "tell the story" of the home. By that, the theme and ties to local interest is just the beginning. The rest of it boils down to details. The details are most often small yet very important.
An example of the details of the best of the best decor includes:
--An attractive, distinctive mirror located above the drop zone.
--Attractive area rugs in the living spaces and both sides of every bed.
--Appropriately sized, wall-mounted flat screen TV's with no visible wires
--Specialty glass custom-cut with polished edges to cover every surface that may be damaged from water or scratches.
--Bathrooms should look coordinated, but not exactly the same. This is my own take on how to avoid confusing your online shopper. If the bathrooms look too much alike, there's a chance the potential guest may not realize there are more than one.
Consider each room and the features you want to highlight or downplay. Features include a great view, fireplace, large television, wall art, built-in bookcases, furniture such as a buffet and interesting finishes such as bead board, board and batten, shiplap and crown molding.
Downplay (or cover) windows without a view, walls or ceilings with unattractive finishes and problem areas such as an awkward layout or flow. You may be thinking, "Window without a view? Certainly there is something redeeming to look at?" Not really. In many condos, a bedroom window may face a dark stairwell or walled exterior hallway that adjoins with another unit. It's more common than you might think. Turn a negative into a positive with an amazing window treatment or headboard to distract from a lack of view. I spent six years loving an interior bedroom with a walled hallway view because the lone window's plantation shutters never needed opened and the room's decor was so lovely it didn't matter about anything else. It was my space and my private sanctuary 24/7.
Show restraint with accessories and wall art. Your rental should not be a hot mess overload of your style/theme. The goal is uncluttered, clean and fresh.
Install mirrors where appropriate including one or two in the main living space. Full length mirrors belong in every bedroom. Bathrooms should have good-sized mirrors. Don't fall for trends of replacing large, sturdy bathroom mirrors with mirrors that are too small. Practicality is more important.
A little bit of word art and sayings on the wall and so forth goes a very long way. No one needs a sign telling them to "Relax," "Eat" or that it's "Wine O-Clock." It's annoying and the last thing you want to do is provoke your guests with silly messages or cause them to remove your signage into a closet during their stay. If in doubt, don't include any word art or signage. If you feel compelled, make sure it is tasteful and understated.
ENTRY
--Welcome mat/s and area rugs
--At least one element to make the entrance inviting such as wall art, mirror/s, a drop zone, bench and place for shoes, depending on how much space you have.
--The entry way should be well lit and entice a guest to want to proceed further into the rental.
MAIN ROOM + DINING:
--Comfortable, cohesive, consistent furniture and wall art and/or mirrors
--Properly sized furniture, including a spacious multi-functional dining table with adequate, sturdy seating. Even if you don't think your guests will be eating at the table very often, they may need space for game night, crafts, hobbies, computers/work/office and more.
--Hardworking multi-use furniture is smart, such as a dining table that also has storage drawers or an ottoman with built-in storage.
--High top bars or tables and chairs should be offset with a low top table and seating option to accommodate guests with physical limitations
--Bar stools should be appropriately sized for the height of the counter. Slippery, unstable or poorly constructed bar stools (or any furniture in disrepair) should be permanently removed no matter how trendy and fashionable they may seem.
--Adequate end tables, coffee tables or foot stools
--Flooring with appropriately sized area rugs
--Accents such as pillows and accessories, but don't overdo it. Spacious and uncluttered is the goal.
--An oversized or very large clock on the wall
--A large flat screen wall-mounted TV, preferably with no wires showing
--Basket or organizer for the remote control/s
--Books and games are expected in a vacation rental and a proper place for them such as in a drawer, on a shelf or within a server buffet helps keep everything organized
KITCHEN:
--Appliances should include a refrigerator/freezer, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, blender and perhaps an electric mixer, electric skillet, waffle maker or rice maker if space allows it. Wine refrigerators and separate ice makers are luxurious upgrades if there is space.
--Adequate supplies, utensils, cookware, skillets, pots/pans and dishware in good repair
--An array of sizes of plates, glasses and cookware
--A mix of ceramic plates and non-breakable plates/glasses are helpful for families with young children
--Plenty of fresh dish cloths and dish towels displayed in a small basket for easy reach
--Kitchen counters free of clutter and unnecessary items
--Wall-mounted shelving for extra coffee cups and glassware
--Drawer organizers and wire racks within cupboards for easier storage
--Dish rack stored under the sink for hand washed items
--A rack to hold wine glasses and/or wine bottles is nice if space allows for it
BEDROOM/S:
--Adequate furniture, end tables with lamps and a small area rug for each side of the bed
--A closet free of clutter with plenty of shelves, hangers and organizational helpers such as a wall-mounted rack for the iron and ironing board
--Fresh pillows in two sizes: standard and king
--Pillows with shams to make the bedding look more attractive
--Extra sheets and blankets stored in marked plastic bags or clear plastic bins
--Wall hooks for ease of storing coats, hats, scarves, shoes, dog leashes, etc.
--Layers of window treatments for added privacy: slatted blind/s plus sheer curtains and room-darkening drapes
--One or more electric nightstand clocks, preferably with ports to charge a cell phone and additional built-in electric outlets
--Floor space for the pet's bed if your rental is pet-friendly
--A large flat screen wall-mounted TV, preferably with no wires showing
--Basket or organizer for the remote control/s, keys, sunglasses, etc
--Small decorative bowl or dish to put jewelry
BATHROOM/S:
--Adequate storage for linens and toiletries. If needed, install wall-mounted cabinets for additional storage.
--Adequate number and appropriately sized towel racks
--Adequate hand and bath towels, preferably three or more sets of each per bathroom. Wash cloths should be plentiful, preferably six+ per bathroom.
--Bath mats and washable bathroom rugs next to the commode and shower/tub
--Wall hooks for clothes, towels, robes, hats and more
--Practical items such as plungers and toilet brushes should be readily available, but preferably stored out of sight
LAUNDRY:
--Organizational wall-mounted racks for detergent, hooks and so forth are always appreciated
--A plastic laundry basket is nice if there's adequate space available
--Polite signage recommending how to keep the equipment functioning, such as not putting sandy items in the washer, helps guests help you.
BALCONY/PATIO/DECK:
--Adequate sturdy outdoor tables and seating
--High top tables and chairs should be offset with a low top table and seating option to accommodate guests with physical limitations
--Comfortable cushions and outdoor pillows in good repair unless not necessary due to the type of outdoor furniture
--An outdoor rug if space and weather conditions allow for it
-- Albert Hadley, American Interior Designer
The small bite hors d’oeuvres are beautifully presented, everything is more sparkly and has an element of being that much better. Beef tenderloin blue cheese bites Butternut squash crostini with arugula hummus Parmesan crisps with Prosciutto and orange marmalade preserves COOKING CLASS Four Festive Small …
Recently I was contacted by a reader who is planning her first snowbird stay this winter. She has vacationed in NW Florida for many years, but never for an extended time and is looking for suggestions to find group activities. Her concern is becoming bored staying in the condo for a month and she asked if I could offer some ideas to help. She said she enjoys "food-related activities, walking/hiking and biking" as well as any other recommendations.
Ironically, I can absolutely relate to this. We purchased our first vacation rental condo in the winter of 2021 and stayed in it for the first time for Thanksgiving. Although we have rented a unit nearby for six seasons, we have no network of friends at the new place for a late Autumn stay and it is basically starting over again. Not just meeting new people, but adjusting to a new environment, which is more complicated than it might seem. So I began researching ideas of where to begin to meet like-minded individuals, not only for the reader who contacted me, but for myself as well. This is what I came up and it's a spring board to build upon not just your first snowbird season, but every season thereafter. Make a plan and stay the course.
Meeting new people in a community outside your primary area can be daunting. In fact, it can create anxiety and feelings of apprehension, but with a plan and goals, it will be much easier to accomplish.
Where to start? I recommend the best place is the neighborhood where you are staying while in your snowbird community. If it is a condo complex, high rise or park model community, there will probably be many neighbors around who you will encounter while walking to and from the parking lot, riding on the elevator or while at any of the resort's amenities such as the pool, fitness center, tennis courts, hiking trails, community center, etc.
If you are staying in a residential neighborhood of traditional homes, it may take longer to meet your neighbors, so make an effort to be outgoing and say hello as you are jogging, walking your dog or spending time outside your residence.
Wherever people are congregating, look for that place and join them. As an example, there are private beach access points with seating all along our southern community. Many residents gather there daily for watching the sunrise and sunset and it's easy to strike up a conversation. Just the basics, "Where are you from?" is enough to lead to more conversation.
Snowbirds tend to be very outgoing and get acquainted fairly quickly. Networking with neighbors has been my go-to method to make new friends and once that happens, new plans will pop up. We've hosted and attended food-themed parties, watch parties for sports events, Valentine's and Galentine's dinners, Mardi Gras, traditional pot lucks and more. No one plans for the long term, it's much more spur-of-the-moment social invitations.
-- Michelle Tillis Lederman, American author, keynote speaker
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In May of 2019, I published a blog post entitled "How to Be a Working Snowbird," and in 2021 it remains quite relevant. In fact, How to Be a Working Snowbird has become one of my most popular blog posts. No doubt the rise in interest is because the global pandemic combined with increasingly effective technology has brought a new generation of people who can and do "Work from Wherever (WFW)."
The terms for these remote workers include telecommuter, virtual worker, work-cationer and "Zoombirds." Being able to work remotely means there is a dramatically increasing desire to work in locations outside the primary home. I consider a Zoombird similar to a WFW Snowbird, with the biggest difference being WFW Snowbirds make it a point to escape the cold climates and typically stay awhile in their warm-weather community. Zoombirds may purposefully seek winter locations in the United States such as Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Michigan's U.P. and New England as well as Canadian locations such as Toronto, Quebec and British Columbia, which is not a hallmark of snowbirds.
Traditional snowbirds and those able to "Work from Wherever" are seeking the best places to spend some or part of the winter in a southern climate, which means there is additional competition for housing accommodations. My husband and I have worked remotely in NW Florida for six years and we put much thought and consideration into choosing the best rental property to meet our unique needs. There's much more to finding a suitable rental property than simply getting a place with a table and chair next to an outlet to plug in your phone charger and laptop computer. Here's what we have found is important in a rental property.
First of all, there's no point in considering a rental property in a remote "off the grid" location that does not offer reliable, high speed wi-fi. Therefore, some mountainous regions and very rural or exotic locales that may be great for a quiet, eco-vacation will probably not work out for your WFW quest.
Can you and your equipment easily transport to your desired new community?
Do you have a vehicle large enough to move everything you need to work remotely as well as your personal effects, your pet/s, spouse or partner and/or family members?
Are you able to drive to your snowbird community? If so, are you willing and able to share a vehicle with your spouse/partner?
Do you need to be located near an airport, rail station, bus terminal or other form of transit?
Will you need to fly to your new community such as an island location, foreign country or places too distant or challenging to make the drive?
If you fly, does your budget allow for a rental vehicle or second vehicle to be stored on site? If not, can you walk or hire a driver as needed to go to the places you need to conduct business?
Are you considering a location that is readily accessible to business services such as shipping, printing, supplies, banking, post office and more? It's not always possible to control how packages are sent to you, so therefore if the post office tries to deliver something to you, cannot make the delivery and you have to retrieve it from them, will you be driving a long distance to get there?
Can you adjust to and work within a different time zone?
Do you have a reliable home team: trusted neighbors, friends and family members who can help out with anything needed while away?
Do you have a supportive spouse / partner to help as needed with the unpredictable situations that will undoubtedly arise?
What is your target price range per day, week or month? Cost of Snowbird Rentals: Beach, Desert, City/Metro
Condo, home, high or low rise? View? Amenities? Parking? Pet friendly? What to Look for in a Snowbird Rental
Park model or RV community? 21 Considerations for RV Snowbirds
I don't think I'm the only one who wants the wow factor in a WFW rental. There has to be something appealing that draws you to a place whether it is the location, view/scenery, amenities, local attractions, people you know in the area or perhaps a combo of everything. It is far too much work to pay for and then pack up and move yourself and your stuff across the country to settle for mediocrity. You'll eventually resent a space that has nothing appealing about it and next thing you know, you'll be homesick, lose your ambition to work and wishing you hadn't bothered to WFW.
Look carefully at the online photos promoting the property. Pay attention to all of the details because the images and angles are designed to make the space look and feel bigger than it actually may be. Ask the property manager a lot of questions, such as: Are the property photos current? If I rent the place, will the furnishings and furniture match what is shown in the photos? Are there any known issues with anything that would interfere with your ability to work there? Are there things stored in the closet/s or under the beds that might take up space that you need for your business essentials? What is the actual square footage of the property? If you get a vague answer, check the property records.
Is there adequate space in the rental you are considering? Be realistic about this. If you rent a condo with a small dining table that also doubles as your desk, is that truly enough? Because you also likely need to have a printer located next to the work space as well as files, components, equipment, parts and supplies. If there are no other available options to eat your meals, this set-up isn't going to work. It's not only your desk space, but your files, ancillaries, supplies, products and more. Think it through, it may not seem like you need much until you start adding it all up.
Make sure you can put your business supplies and everything related to that in a cabinet, closet/s or corner of a room so you aren't miserable in a layout that simply doesn't meet your needs. On TV, they try to make "tiny" houses seem appealing, but not if you can't function in the space. No one is going to sit outside all day to work remotely, nor is it practical to sit in a coffee shop to conduct business.
Our first season, a visiting friend remarked to me, "Are the owners OK with you changing things around?" I had rearranged dishes, removed unattractive artwork into a closet and modified the living room furniture arrangement. As long as things are put back where they were by the time you leave, no one knows about or cares what you do, providing items aren't lost or damaged in the process.
Try to set up so you are facing a window with a nice view or at least some sort of interior feature that you enjoy looking at such as a focal point in the room. If it's large enough space, make sure your work space and relaxation space/s are not the same.
For years, we moved a desk for my husband from the primary bedroom next to a large panoramic window in the living room with a gorgeous ocean view. We placed our printer on a sturdy dining chair and a portable file cabinet on another chair. For my "desk," I moved a game table next to an outlet and placed my computer monitor and keyboard on top with the hardware tower sitting on the floor. Neither of us had "office" chairs, so we used the game table chairs, which are not especially comfortable, nor do they have wheels.
The very large dining room table (which seats ten) functions for shipping/receiving products and supplies as well as for setting up the medical devices and systems we import from Europe. We can eat meals at a long kitchen counter area or outdoors on the deck. The third bedroom is where we store products, parts, supplies and shipping materials. The second bedroom is dedicated entirely to guests or used as a TV room. We know we are more than a bit spoiled because our unit is 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths and 1,900 sq. feet plus a 500 sq. foot balcony.
However, all of this space comes at a premium price. It is expensive to rent a great place at the beach with unobstructed views. For us, it was a reward and an incentive to work diligently all year and worth the cost because the entire goal of working remotely is to escape the winter and enjoy a change of scenery in a warm climate. We offset the high rental cost by staying less time than a full winter.
Is there adequate security for packages being received? By this, I refer to situations such as a busy condo complex with many guests coming and going past your door. A package sitting in the open can be very tempting. Don't count on security cameras to help. If there's any installed, they aren't necessarily working or monitored.
Your snowbird community is not the same as your primary home where everyone knows their neighbors and has a doorbell camera. Even if someone is caught stealing on camera, there's low odds of finding them, especially in communities with many transients. Who wants to go through the trouble of tracking someone down and pressing charges? The damage has already been done. Your package is MIA and now you need to redirect energy into replacing it.
Keep in mind, Amazon, FedEx and UPS drivers, have the discretion to leave your package or not if no one answers the door. If they feel it isn't safe to leave it, they will take it back to the terminal.
One option is to arrange for the front office of the place you stay to sign for your package/s. Of course, this is only if the service is available and it requires pre-arranging in advance, although it isn't a guarantee everything will go as planned.
Our condo complex does not offer business services such as that. There have been many evenings where we wanted to go across the street to eat dinner, but instead had to stay and wait until as late as 8:00 pm for packages to arrive, especially those that required a signature.
Last, but not least, is the place you are considering quiet enough to be free from noise and distractions? Working remotely from wherever is great, but it won't last long if you can't stay focused on work and find yourself distracted by noise, other temptations and become derailed.
Put much thought into your choices. If you like where you WFW, reserve it for your return trip a year in advance, preferably while you are on site. It won't be there if you procrastinate. This can and does happen because there's not a lot or any loyalty from property managers to look out for you. They are typically very busy and cannot block in "potential" dates unless the dates are properly contracted via electronic signatures and collection of your deposit money. For the same reasons WFW is popular, technology is what makes booking online the only way to essentially guarantee you get the same place again.
If you don't like your place, re-evaluate your priorities and seek something more suitable. Ask around, conduct research and don't hesitate to try something else. Again, reserve far in advance, a new place might even turn out for the better. After three years of staying in a place we thought we loved, miscommunication caused us to lose the condo for the following year. We were upset, but accepted an alternate choice that turned out to be an even better Western sunset view. After that, we purposefully returned to the "new" place, which had the same fantastic layout and amenities as the original condo. The old saying, "Everything happens for a reason" proved to be true for us, thankfully.
-- Ryan Blair, American Entrepreneur and Author
HARNESS THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS Timely recommendations for everything in your community Country music star Luke Bryan’s Shore Thing cigar bar on 30A is a fun place to spend time if you don’t mind cigar fumes Social media groups that hone in on …