A house manual is the single most leveraged thing you can write as a host. Done once, it answers the same questions for every future guest — and the better it is, the fewer messages you get and the smoother every arrival feels.
Structure it by urgency, not by category
Guests read in the order they need things. Put the first-hour essentials at the very top; nobody wants to scroll past your coffee-machine instructions to find the door code.
- 1Getting in — address, directions, parking, door/lockbox code, step-by-step check-in.
- 2Wi-Fi — network name and password, prominently (the most-requested item, every time).
- 3The essentials — heating/cooling, hot water, kitchen, laundry, TV, quirks of the home.
- 4House rules — quiet hours, max guests, smoking, pets, shoes-off, anything building-specific.
- 5Trash & recycling — what goes where and on which day; get this wrong and neighbors notice.
- 6Local recommendations — food, coffee, groceries, transit, the things you'd tell a friend.
- 7Checkout — time, keys, trash, anything you ask guests to do before they leave.
- 8Emergencies — local emergency number, nearest hospital, your contact, water/power shutoffs.
Provide check-in and emergency info even behind an access code if you like, but never make guests hunt for the Wi-Fi or the exit. Safety and access come first.
Write it so guests actually use it
- Short sentences, clear headings, and photos of the tricky bits (the odd light switch, the recycling area).
- Be specific: 'the silver key opens the top lock' beats 'use the key'.
- Keep it current — a manual that says the code is 1234 when it's 5678 destroys trust instantly.
Make it searchable, multilingual, and always available
A PDF on the counter helps the guest standing in the kitchen. It doesn't help the guest stuck at the door at midnight, or the one who doesn't read your language. The strongest version of a house manual is one guests reach from their phone by link or QR code, can search, and can read in their own language.
Turn your house manual into a 24/7 assistant guests can ask anything.
See the digital house manualHouse manual checklist
- Check-in steps + door/lockbox code
- Wi-Fi network and password (near the top)
- Heating/cooling, hot water, and appliance basics
- House rules and quiet hours
- Trash and recycling instructions with days
- Local food, coffee, groceries, and transit tips
- Checkout instructions and time
- Emergency number, nearest hospital, and your contact
- Available by link/QR and in guests' languages
Frequently asked questions
What should a house manual include?+
In order of urgency: how to get in (directions, parking, door code), the Wi-Fi, how the home works (heating, appliances, quirks), house rules, trash and recycling, local recommendations, checkout steps, and emergency information (local emergency number, nearest hospital, your contact, shutoff locations).
Should the house manual be a PDF or digital?+
A digital, searchable manual that guests reach by link or QR code from their phone — ideally in their own language — beats a printed PDF, because it helps guests wherever they are and whenever they need it, including at the door or after hours.
Import your house info once and let guests self-serve answers 24/7.
Build a digital house manual