Steal from your Airbnb

September 2022, a Victrola suitcase record player sat enticingly in the entryway of the Southern Maryland Waffle House Airbnb with a crate of records conveniently nearby just begging to be played. I found a Frank Sinatra record, set up the record player, and turned up the volume. The music filled the house and suddenly my husband and kids emerged from the various rooms to create an impromptu dance party. My family loved listening and dancing to the record player. So I stole it.

The Victrola record player from the Southern MD Waffle House Airbnb

April 2023, a bamboo dish-drying rack sat to the left of the sink in a remote Airbnb cabin near Timber Creek Falls. The cabin was small and every item in it was carefully crafted to create a specific ambiance: cozy cabin with modern amenities. The dish rack fit right in - it was sleek, modern, and very practical. I loved the way it looked and my husband loved the way it functioned. So I stole it. 

August 2023, a bottle of Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray sat on the kitchen counter at an Ocean City beach bungalow. With five people staying in the Airbnb, two of them kids, we were constantly washing dishes. This dish spray was magical - it turned a time-consuming chore into something quick and easy to do. So I stole it.

Three stolen items in the span of a year: a record player, a drying rack, and dish soap. All of those items made my life better in some way. They brought joy, laughter, style, or convenience. I didn’t want to just experience them on vacation. I wanted to make them a part of my life, so I stole them… metaphorically that is. I didn’t actually steal any physical items from the Airbnbs, but I did “steal” the idea of them. 

After returning from each trip and settling back into my daily routine, those Airbnb items came flooding back into my mind.

As I scrubbed dirty dishes, I remembered how much easier doing dishes could be. 

As I set my clean, dripping dishes on the counter next to the sink, I remembered that my kitchen didn’t need to look so cluttered. 

As I sat in my quiet living room alone with my family in their respective corners of the house, I remembered our record player dance parties.

So I grabbed my phone, opened up Amazon, and found each of those items: the record player, the drying rack, and the dish soap, and purchased each one because I wanted to continue to experience that same joy, laughter, style, and convenience from those Airbnbs every day. 

I realized that Airbnbs are more than just a place to spend the night. They are aspirational, idealized versions of what life could be if I lived there. Airbnb owners spend time thoughtfully crafting and designing their spaces. The only thing I have time to thoughtfully craft is my Amazon cart, which is why I metaphorically “steal” from Airbnbs. 

The Victrola record player in my dining room

Last night, I smiled as I turned on my Victrola suitcase record player that sits enticingly in my dining room and joined in as my family emerged from the various rooms in our house for another impromptu dance party.