How to Prep for a Kindred Guest

A step-by-step guide on how to get your home ready for guests!
Part 1

With Kindred, you have friends in every city.  

Meet up with other local or visiting Kindred members by attending member-hosted events. These meetups are gatherings with no agenda or formal structure. All you have to do is show up and enjoy each other’s company - on us!

Join the #meetups channel in Slack to get notified when new events are listed

Host a meetup in your city! DM @Emily Maher on Slack with the following information:

  1. Proposed date and time
  2. Proposed activity and location
  3. Targeted # of people you’d like to attend
  4. Proposed budget for the meetup
  5. Short description of what the meetup is: what can people expect?

Want to host a meetup but need some ideas? Here are some thought starters for you!

  • Get outside: enjoy a picnic, hike, beach day, backyard BBQ, group run or walk
  • Cheers to you: happy hour, brewery or winery, fireside/backyard wine & cookies
  • Like locals: Find a local event happening in your area, like a concert in the park

I'm more than happy to brainstorm some more ideas with you!

Part 2

Meetup calendar

City
Location
Date
Hosted By
RSVP Link
Nashville
Monday Night Brewing Co
TBD
Sep 21, 2023
TBD
Jenna L.
TBD
Click to RSVP
Coming soon...
Thanks for coming!
Denver
Denver Central Market
TBD
Aug 11, 2023
TBD
Shad A.
TBD
Click to RSVP
Coming soon...
Thanks for coming!
Brooklyn
Canapés & Drinks by Chef Camila
TBD
Aug 10, 2023
TBD
Camila R.
TBD
Click to RSVP
Coming soon...
Thanks for coming!
Part 3

Member meetup FAQ

Pro Tips: Hosting a Member Meetup

Before the event

Choose a date 🗓️

  • We’ve hosted events Wednesday-Fridays so far and have had great turn out!
  • Try to plan 2-3 weeks in advance

Choose a location 📍

  • Some ideas: coffeeshops, bars, restaurants, breweries, cafes, parks.
  • Try to select a venue that will allow for great conversation and centrally located.
  • Plan ahead by making a reservation.

Attendees: we’ll add you to the Luma event page, so you can view who is coming ahead of time 🙂

We’ll confirm the budget approved to be used for the meetup. You can use your card to cover drinks and food for the group to be reimbursed later.

Make a reservation if needed for the group.

During the event

  • Arrive early! (We recommend ~15 mins before the start)
  • Let your server know your budget so they can flag if/when you’re approaching
  • Introduce yourself with a photo of you/the location you can be found at in the Slack channel so members can find you easily!
  • Order food for the group around 30 mins in - depending on the size of the group, it is usually easier to have a family-style or appetizer selection
  • Take some photos/videos to share in slack and on social 🙂
  • Don’t forget! Take a photo of your receipt, we’ll need this to reimburse you!

After the event

  • Fill out this form to get your reimbursement started.
  • Connect with those who attended on Slack and/or social!
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Can I be notified when a new meetup is listed?

Yes! Join the Slack channel here to get notified when a new event is listed.

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I’m attending my first meetup, what should I expect or do next?

Yay! We’re so excited for you to connect with some amazing people. If you’re new, feel free to introduce yourself in Slack before the event with a little info about yourself. Don’t be shy, everyone is super friendly!

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How do member meetups work?

  1. Upcoming meetups are shared here and in the #meetup Slack channel. We will also send a monthly email for upcoming planned meetups!
  2. RSVP for a meetup using the link above to the event
  3. The day of the event, show up ready to have a good time!

Note: Meetups are hosted by Kindred members in most cities. It isn’t always promised that a Kindred team member will be in attendance. Have feedback you’re dying to share? let us know in the #feedback channel or emailing me at emily@livekindred.com

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How do I host a Member meetup in my city?

We’d love to have you host a meetup! All you have to do is DM @Emily Maher on Slack and follow these simple steps:

  1. Provide a proposed budget for food and drinks
  2. Share the targeted location, date and time
  3. We’ll chat further about the details of the meetup
  4. Once approved, Emily will create an event page for the meetup and RSVPs
  5. Together, we will set an attendee goal.
  6. The day of the event, arrive early and help those who attend have a great time!
  7. Still having fun and want to hang out longer? After the approved budget is reached, we kindly ask that you close out the tab and cover any additional purchases for yourself. Thanks for understanding!
  8. Take photos and/or videos to share with the team and on social (we LOVE to see these!)
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What is a Kindred member meetup?

A Member Meetup is an informal gathering for members to meet and connect with one another. We are a collective of people who share a passion for travel and experiencing new things. Member Meetups are an opportunity to make new friends in your city or a city you’re visiting in - so you can have Kindred friends in every city. Most meetups are hosted by a Kindred Members and paid for by Kindred.

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Member Meetups
Kindred is more than a platform, it's a community.
Part 1

Home Location

We are currently only accepting homes in specific locations in order to balance supply and demand and better manage our operations:

  1. Large metropolitan cities (New York, London, Los Angeles, Paris, etc.)
  2. Vacation, ski, or nature destinations (Hawaii, Puglia, Bozeman, etc.)
  3. Select "weekend getaway" destinations within a 2-4 hour drive of a major city (Tuscany, Napa, etc.)
Map showing North America and Europe with various pins on major cities
Part 2

Home types

Real homes, rented or owned

We accept apartments and homes, both rented and owned, from studios to 3+ bedrooms.

Homes must be used as a residence by the applicant. We do not accept homes that are used primarily as Airbnbs or short-term rentals.

Building types

We do not currently accept tiny homes, mobile homes, houseboats, treehouses, tents, or any buildings not zoned for residential use.

Studio apartments must be greater than 400 square feet.

Part 3

Safe, comfortable & well-furnished

Our goal is to create a sense of “home away from home” when you travel, and we maintain strict guidelines for homes we accept to ensure that each stay is warm and comfortable.

Home feature requirements:

  • Living area has a sofa and other seating for 3 or more individuals.
  • Primary bedroom (or bedroom area in the case of studios) must have a mattress that is full size or larger. Bed must be on a bed frame (no mattresses or box springs on the floor).
  • Kitchen is a full size kitchen (fridge, oven, stovetop)
  • No obvious safety hazards in the home such as unfinished construction, broken furniture, decks or roofs without safety railings, damaged or stained flooring or carpets, dangerous stairs or ladders, mold or rot, etc. See Property Requirements for full set of safety features.
  • Functional carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.
  • Comfortable and functional furniture throughout the home.
  • Furnishing is contemporary, tasteful, and cohesive, with nothing noticeably distressed (unless as part of intentional interior design aesthetic).
  • Home features interior decoration including plants, rugs, mirrors, and wall art. Walls are not bare.
  • Home features windows with ample natural light.
  • Home is well-organized and free from excess clutter.
Part 4

Examples of homes that don’t meet Kindred’s current acceptance criteria:

Examples of accepted homes:

Part 5

Reasonable expectation of demand

We may choose to waitlist certain homes, even if they meet the criteria above, if we believe that there might not be adequate demand for the home based on existing indicators of supply & demand on the network. This helps us preserve member experience and minimize instances where members are unable to earn enough credits to travel once they join the community.

Part 1

If it’s your first time hosting...

Get started a few days before

Your first time will always take a little longer as you decide what you want to leave out and what to put away. Give yourself ample time to do this comfortably without feeling rushed - most people say it takes under an hour!

Focus on de-cluttering, not cleaning

It’s tempting to start wiping down surfaces or starting cleaning as you prep, but resist the urge! Focus on tucking away any unnecessary clutter and personal items. Our cleaners will clean your home thoroughly before your guest’s arrival and after their departure.

Part 2

Room-by-room prep guide

Bathroom
  • Clear the bathroom counter of any personal items, including toothbrushes, floss, medications, or mouthwash. Leave out hand soap or hand lotion.
  • Remove items from the shower (shampoo, conditioner, loofahs, razors, etc.).
  • Store your towels and bath mat – we’ll provide a Kindred set for guests.
  • Please check to make sure there is a full roll of toilet paper and backup rolls
Bedroom
  • Put away clothes and shoes in dressers or closets.
  • It’s ok to keep decorative items or photos on your dressers or tabletops.
  • For trips longer than a week, we recommend clearing a drawer or providing some hanging space in the closet for your guests.
  • Put away your personal linens and upload a photo showing where cleaners can find them to remake your bed after the stay. You will be prompted to do this in the Kindred app.
Kitchen
  • Remove perishable food from the refrigerator that is likely to spoil while you’re away.
  • Put a “Privacy Please” sticker or a sticker of your own on select cabinets containing items you do not want your guests to use (e.g., liquor cabinet).
  • Use sticky notes to share any non-obvious instructions on cleaning or appliances (e.g., “please hand-wash these glasses”, or “garbage disposal is broken”).
Living Spaces
  • Put away any personal items, such as computer chargers, papers, and packages. Feel free to leave out decorative items.
  • Use sticky notes to indicate any non-obvious instructions (e.g., “Gas key for fireplace is in top drawer”).

Please unplug any indoor security devices or pet cams. It's against Kindred policy to monitor your guests’ activity while indoors. You may, however, use an outdoor security camera to monitor front and back doors only.

Part 3

Complete a few hosting details in app

Once you approve a trip to your home, you’ll be prompted to complete a few important tasks in the Kindred app.

How to navigate to hosting tasks?
  1. Open the Kindred App (iOS or Android)
  2. Select "Trips" on the bottom
  3. Navigate to “Your hosting”
  4. Click on the trip with outstanding tasks

What type of tasks will I be asked to do?

Your hosting details
Confirm bed sizes and your shipping address for your hassle-free hosting kit. Let us know your cleaning preferences—whether you prefer to use one of our trusted Kindred cleaners or your own cleaner, where you store your personal linens, and your arrival/departure information so we can schedule cleanings.

Your access instructions
Pick your preferred access method for guests and cleaners, and share details for a seamless access experience.

Create your home guide 
Share your preferences and anything you’d like your guest to know about taking care of your home! This is where you add things like Wi-Fi instructions, house quirks, as well as your recommendations for fun in the area 🙂.

Part 4

Before your departure

Strip your beds, and put away your personal towels and bath mats
This prevents the cleaners from confusing your linens with guest linens. In the Kindred app, you will be prompted to upload a photo showing where cleaners can find them to remake your bed after the stay.

Place guest sheets, towels, guest kit, and toiletries on top of each bed
You don’t have to make the bed — the cleaners will take care of it before your guest’s arrival. Simply lay the folded sheets, bath towels, and hand towels, and the guest kit on top of the bed in each bedroom.

Leave the Kindred guest bath mat folded in each bathroom
We recommend placing them on the tub by the shower.

Place the new sponge in the sink without removing the wrapper
Please ensure there is dish soap available for guests.

Leave keys
If you’re using a lockbox, leave the lockbox somewhere secure near the front door. If your home has any garage openers or fobs your guest will need in addition to the primary entry keys, just leave those inside the home in a clearly identified location. You will be able to input detailed access instructions and photos in the Kindred app.

Message your Concierge in the Kindred app if you still have questions!
Part 5