After more than a year and a half of renovating, the duplex welcomed its first overnight guests — and it was an emotional, exhilarating, and illuminating experience. Hosting a real stay put all of our work to the test, so we’re sharing what we learned, what we’ll change before the next guests arrive, and a few small solutions that fixed annoyances for under $25. We’ll also revisit a nearby house we once considered buying as a long-term rental and explain why it unexpectedly resurfaced on our radar. Plus: a short rant about tissue boxes and John’s oddly strong appreciation for a giant novelty toilet paper roll.

What’s New

• Heads up: there’s a Game of Thrones-related image a few photos down. If you haven’t seen the finale yet and want to avoid spoilers, skip the photo after the one of me holding the toilet paper.
• If you’re curious about our earlier conversation about buying another rental and why that particular neighborhood house wasn’t the right fit, check our previous episode notes for more background.

Can We Just Talk About… Tissue Boxes

• When shopping for tissues for the duplex, we were surprised by how few subtle, low-pattern options exist. Many multi-packs mix muted designs with bold, busy patterns, which made it hard to achieve a calm, cohesive look in bathrooms that already have patterned floors and painted doors.
• To solve that, we bought simple house-shaped tissue box covers to neutralize the variety of boxes. They performed well visually, creating a consistent, understated look across rooms.
• Price ranges for tissue box covers are wild: from very affordable to surprisingly expensive. If you need multiples, even a moderate price can add up quickly.
• And yes, the oversized novelty “Forever Roll” toilet paper arrived after we recorded — it’s a ridiculous but impressive item that made for a good laugh and a memorable gift packaging moment involving a Game of Thrones theme.

The Duplex’s First Guests

• We recently spent a few nights at the duplex with family to test everything before opening it up to Airbnb guests. Using the kitchens, sleeping in the beds, eating at the tables, and trying the outdoor showers gave us a clear, tangible sense of how the space functions in real life.
• That hands-on stay exposed some small but important items we had missed while focused on bigger renovation tasks. These were easy to fix and will make guest stays smoother and more comfortable.
• Items we added after testing the stay:
  • A coffee scoop and individual sugar packets to complement the coffee grounds we provide.
  • Silicone spoon rests for the stovetop to prevent scratches and messes.
  • Silicone spatulas and pancake flippers — practical and gentle on cookware.
  • Cake and pie servers so guests can serve desserts properly.
  • Extra TV remotes kept in a designated spot to avoid panics if one goes missing.
  • Outdoor furniture covers to make patio seating easy to use without handling cushions from storage every time.
  • A discreet bathroom air freshener for guest comfort.

We’re Digging

• We found a foldable, freezable grocery bag in a fresh stripe pattern that works brilliantly as a beach cooler. It’s compact, affordable (around $25), and stores flat in the freezer so it’s always ready for a day at the beach.
• Our matching beach chairs in an ocean-striped colorway have outlasted several other inexpensive chairs we’ve tried. They’re a small upgrade that’s made a big difference for summer outings.
• For the coat closet at the duplex, motion-activated puck lights in warm white solved the “can’t find the switch” problem. They’re not super bright, but they’re cheap, quick to install, and the motion sensor turns them off automatically after a few seconds of no movement. We mounted two on the door frame so they illuminate the hanging space, and a third on the opposite side for balance.

• Inside the same closet, an oddly placed hardwired fluorescent/under-cabinet-style light has a tiny toggle switch tucked in a corner, which was hard to find in the dark. The puck lights made accessing belongings much easier without rewiring anything.
• One of the puck lights is attached to the old alarm system’s metal box; they can be screwed in, magnet-mounted, or affixed with 3M adhesive.

If you want a quick reference for products and ideas we’ve discussed in other episodes, we maintain a master list of items we recommend and a page of book suggestions from our book club for curious readers.

Thanks for following along — and thanks to everyone who helped us fine-tune these last details. We’re excited for guests to arrive and to keep improving the space based on real-life use.

*This post includes some affiliate links and product recommendations based on our experience.*