“Well, sort of… but not quite.”

This exchange has come up in the majority of introductory conversations I’ve had about our business over the last 5 years — whether discussing WanderJaunt with a prospective candidate, vendor, investor, or friend. So like any good start-up team, we set out to solve the problem at hand: explaining our business.

Selection and Consistency

It all starts with a mission statement, and while ours has evolved slightly over the years, the core remains true:

WanderJaunt’s mission is to create a world where every kind of guest: short-term, long-term, traveler, local, work, play, etc., can expect a high-quality, consistent experience.

In order to attract such a broad audience, we need to provide what they want most: the broadest selection of properties. Unlike our competitors who built a modern take on hoteling by centralizing their operations out of large apartment complexes, WanderJaunt operates every format of residential real estate asset. This includes single family homes, condos, townhouses, and apartments that are distributed across a city in what we have come to describe as a decentralized supply network.

As selection increases however, so does complexity — and complexity is the enemy of consistency. Therefore selection alone is not sufficient, we need to provide the broadest selection while ensuring a consistent end user experience. Interestingly, these core tenets of selection and consistency in home sharing have largely gone unaddressed by every competitor in our space.

Solving for this complexity while promising a consistent experience demands an approach that is rooted in operations and scaled by leveraging technology and data. Where WanderJaunt is unique is that we have built the software, teams, and process to manage every element of the guest experience. From booking a stay through our online portal, to updating nightly rates every 20 minutes via our pricing algorithm, to automatically routing our housekeepers on the ground to their next destination — it’s all done in-house.

Beyond the software side of the business, we’ve created a set of streamlined operations organized by function: Property Services and Guest Services. Property Services is the engine that identifies prospective properties and converts them into guest-ready WanderJaunts through the coordinated efforts of our Sales, Interior Design, Procurement, Installation, and Content teams. The Guest Services organization is composed of our Housekeeping, Quality, and Customer Care teams who are oriented around providing and maintaining a high quality guest experience at every touchpoint.

Today, WanderJaunt manages 800+ properties distributed across 7markets. We’ve hosted more than 200,000 guests while maintaining over 90% guest satisfaction. Our business is primed for growth and we’re expanding into new markets across the country. So where do we go from here? Beyond building a national presence in the home sharing space, we see a large opportunity that WanderJaunt is uniquely positioned to capitalize on.

The Opportunity Ahead

Not only have we built a business to bring a decentralized supply network online, but we started by solving the most challenging, highest touch set of operations: delivering high quality, consistent stays to the short-term traveller. Mastering the demands of short-term travel unlocks the ability to move down the complexity curve to less operationally intensive offerings such as extended stays and long term rentals, leading to a larger opportunity in residential real estate.

Within the broader residential real estate space there are two ways to create value: (1) increasing yield and (2) asset appreciation. Yield management largely comes down to how a property is utilized. In general, long-term rentals where a tenant rents a property for 12 months or more is a low yield strategy that also minimizes operational burden and costs. This approach generates a predictable, steady cash flow but is one in which it is difficult to generate additional revenue. Short-term rentals, on the other hand, generate a high yield, but bring a high-touch, complex operation as I’ve alluded to. In order to maximize a property’s yield it is most effective to implement a dynamic approach to property management and toggle between these utilizations throughout the year based on factors like seasonality and events that drive the ability to optimize pricing for short-term stays.

Our dynamic approach to property management allows us to consistently generate above market yields which unlocks the second avenue for value creation in real estate: asset appreciation via acquisition. Unlike the competitors in our space who solely focus on centralizing supply in large apartment buildings, our decentralized supply network creates a direct channel to acquiring residential assets. This approach further accelerates our advantage in property management by controlling costs and opening the funnel to the largest possible selection of properties. The flywheel below illustrates our accumulating advantage: starting with short-term rentals opened the door to other forms of property management. This in turn opened the door to dynamic management, which unlocks above market yields, improves operational efficiency, and attracts capital to begin the process of asset acquisition — and the cycle repeats.

Today we are leveraging our advantage in maximizing yield to begin investing in real estate, which is transformational for our business. If you are interested in building the future of real estate management I invite you to explore our careers page or contact our team. We’re constantly looking for smart, driven teammates who are ready to build.

Arpeggio Grill
Bob’s Steak & Chop House
Branch BBQ
Cafe Java
Café 290
Casa Chapala
Catfish Parlour
Doc’s Backyard Grill
El Arroyo
Estancia Brazilian Steakhouse
Freda’s Seafood Grille
Gino’s Vino Osteria
Gracie’s of Bastrop
Hat Creek Burger Company
It’s Italian Cucina
Lonesome Dove
Lucy’s Fried Chicken — (counter service only)
Poke Austin
Reunion 19 (patio tables only)
Sazon Austin (patio tables only)
Texas Chili Parlor
Terry Black’s BBQ
The County Line
The Git Out Bar and Kitchen
The Park on South Lamar
Waterloo Ice House (patio tables only)
Manuel’s Great Hills
Tacodeli — (patio tables only)

Virtual Front Desk (VFD) is a web page unique to you and your stay. It keeps all of your stay details in one secure place — ie: check-in instructions, entry codes, wifi logins, amenity details, and more! Essentially, it’s a guest services desk you can access and interact with online via desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

Do I have to sign in every time I want to access my VFD?

If you have a WanderJaunt account, we can keep you signed in to your VFD. If you do not have an account, you will be required to sign in each time.

Features of the VFD — Before and During your Stay

1.) Chat
You can now connect directly to our Customer Care team and get responses quickly for any questions, concerns, or requests you might have.

2.) Google Maps Integration
Finding your way in a new city or neighborhood can be difficult. So, we integrated Google Maps into the address card of the VFD, allowing you to find directions to and from your WanderJaunt unit in one click. Wander freely without the fear of getting lost!

3.) Check-In Tracker
Keep tabs on the arrival of your check-in details! This helpful module tells you exactly when our WanderJaunt Housekeeping Team is on the way to your unit, when they are prepping your unit, and when they’ve finished. As soon as all sections are green for go, your check-in details and entry codes activate!

4.) Entry Codes and Check-In & Check-Out Instructions
We know check-in can be the hairiest part of your trip — we’re here to make it as easy as possible. This section of your VFD is home to all of your entry codes and check-in & check-out instructions. (Note: After your check-in day, we feature your entry codes on the front page of the VFD for super-easy access during your stay). On the last day of your stay, you’ll be able to find your check-out instructions here.

5a.) Your Documents
Stay informed with the “Your Documents” section, which provides a link to our house rules and entertainment manuals detailing how to operate your in-unit electronic devices.

5b.) WiFi Information
Easily find your wifi logins and connect to WiFi within this section.

6.) Local Guide
Want in on local secrets and favorites? The local guide section of the VFD has tips for good eats, great drinks, fun events, and sweet spots to check out during your stay.

7.) Standard Amenities
Know exactly what to bring for your stay! The standard amenities section of your VFD describes all of the supplies you can always expect from a WanderJaunt.

8.) Luxe Amenities
Want to know if the pool is heated and if you’ll need a fob to access it? Head over to the luxe amenities section to get the full details on the amenities unique to your unit.

9.) Payment Details
You can find a full breakdown of the pricing for your stay and our cancellation policy here. If you need a copy of your invoice, you can email yourself a copy straight from this section of the VFD.

10.) Cancel or Request a Change
We know plans can change at the drop of a hat, so if you’d like to request a change be made to your stay (ie: editing stay dates, switching units, or canceling), you can do so by clicking this button.

Features of the VFD — After your Stay

After your check-out day for a stay, we distill your Virtual Front Desk to the essentials: full payment details, stay dates, and the unit you booked. We also provided an easy way for you to recover any personal belongings left in the unit.

Lost and Found
Did a laptop charger crawl under the bed, or a favorite stuffed animal take a few extra days of vacation? We’re always happy to send items back to where they belong. This section of the VFD makes it easy to contact us about lost or forgotten personal items.

The Future of the VFD

The VFD is still in an early phase of development. In the coming months, we plan to grow the VFD by adding interactive features and creating a “My Itineraries” page, allowing guests to access all of their WanderJaunt itineraries in one place. In the future, all of these features will be housed in the WanderJaunt App —stay tuned for more updates!

For any additional questions regarding the Virtual Front Desk (VFD), please contact us via customer.care@wanderjaunt.com or via the chat in your VFD.

Andrés Green, Co-Founder

Just a few weeks ago, we announced our Series B funding round along with some updates on our growing presence in Austin and Phoenix. This was a significant moment for WanderJaunt, and I couldn’t be more proud of the progress we’ve made so far in reinventing hospitality. Looking back on WanderJaunt’s third year, we learned valuable lessons in being nimble and scaling sophisticated operations in different markets.

We spent close to two years learning and adapting in Phoenix before opening the doors to our first property in Austin late last year. While it may seem obvious that no two markets are the same, we had to totally rethink our partnerships, activations and management approaches to fit Austin. What were the right sizes for teams to accommodate growth? What changes needed to be made to the activation process? Could we source and install similar furniture in our Austin properties to those in our Phoenix properties? Answering these questions took time, energy, and maybe a few too many coffees, and we skillfully customized our approach to the market. Now we are the biggest short term rental operator in the Austin area in only 10 months.

To provide both travelers and homeowners with seamless experiences, we needed to quickly scale our teams in both cities. Customer experience, housekeeping, activations — you name it; we were hiring for it (and still are!). But hiring was just one piece of the puzzle. We also had to find enough spaces for our rapidly expanding WanderNation and inventory storage. While you’ll still catch us taking calls from the inventory storage room (AKA Conference Room C) and fridge / parking space has become a hot commodity, these are the minor challenges associated with aggressive growth that we happily embrace on a daily basis. Just make sure to reserve Conference Room C ahead of time for your next call.

Across Phoenix and Austin, we now operate over 400 properties. As we embark on year four of our journey, we will continue to expand into new cities across the U.S. And today, I’m excited to announce that we are officially launching stays in San Diego!

When evaluating expansion opportunities, San Diego made the most sense for a variety of reasons. Apart from having fantastic weather year-round, the city has a rich history and a vibrant short term rental industry. We’ve been working with San Diego homeowners over the past few months, transforming single-family homes, multi-family units, and everything in between into gorgeous, guest-ready WanderJaunts. The community has been quite welcoming, and we look forward to building a lasting relationship as we continue to scale.

We can’t wait to have the opportunity to host you in San Diego over the coming months and look forward to providing you with the best stay possible. Look out for more news on where we’re wandering next!

The Rising Tide — Reflections on Year 3 was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This month, we released our WanderJaunt Virtual Front Desk (VFD) with the goal of bringing even more ease and convenience to our guest experience. This is one of our first steps towards a WanderJaunt app and a huge milestone for our product team. Now, all WanderJaunt guests, regardless of booking platform, will have all of their stay details in the palm of their hands (ahem, smart device).But let’s start at the beginning — shall we — with why we chose to create the VFD and how we came up with this particular solution.

In the past two years, we have grown exponentially as a company. We now support three unique markets, are able to service both single-family homes and multi-family buildings, and showcase our listings on a multitude of platforms (including our own). As you can imagine, the complexity of our operations multiplied with these developments, and our old methods of communication and interaction with guests no longer seemed to fit well with how we operate. We looked at the data compiled from our customer care records and NPS surveys and saw that we tended to over-communicate with guests prior to check-in, which unintentionally created confusion. After that, we often did not interact with guests until they checked out, losing opportunities to improve their stays.

Previously, we did not provide a place where guests could access all of their stay information online. As a result, our Customer Care team received many inbound messages regarding when to expect their check-in instructions, when their WanderJaunt would be ready, how to access amenities, and how to get an invoice. Similarly, the Operations team incurred losses in terms of physical damage to properties, lost key fobs, and late check-outs. Several metrics also indicated that our check-in process could be easier. Luckily, these were all things we could address with the VFD.

Our hypothesis here at WanderJaunt is that self-service creates the best guest experience. Rather than having to reach out every time for help, we hope that the VFD will help guests feel more empowered and informed during their time with us. The idea was that the VFD would act as the guest’s proverbial toolbelt during their stay and in turn, reduce the need for guests to reach out to Customer Care for help. The main problem we tackled was the sheer amount of information we needed to provide in the VFD. We really wanted to avoid long scrolling experiences or overwhelming the guest with walls of text, so we decided to implement clickable cards to summarize information and provide links to more detailed content. For example, say it’s time to check-in. You receive a message from WanderJaunt saying that the check-in section of your Virtual Front Desk is ready and you now have the green light to enter your unit. As a guest, you would see the “check-in guide” section of the VFD. It doesn’t show the full instructions though, just a quick summary of the section’s contents. Once you click into the section, you get access to the full check-in instructions and your entry codes.

According to our system, cards containing only a link would be fully clickable and differentiated with a drop shadow. Cards that contained a summary of information and a link would be presented without a drop shadow, with the links indicated in blue.

Additionally, we created different VFD “states” that corresponded to specific points in the guest journey. Each change in state would correspond to an automated message that would provide guests with relevant details and notify them that the VFD underwent a change.

This version of VFD is not an app, so we couldn’t use push indicators or tagging to indicate changes. The only capabilities we had with this version of the static page were providing links, utilizing pop-up modals, and letting the guest know exactly when the info will be available by sending notifications via email and text.

Does a guest have access to all of this information after their check-out day?

After the day of checkout, the VFD should only display the “payment details” and “lost and found” sections. The important thing here is that we do not want to give people access to units that they no longer or do not have a reservation for. Lucky for us, we change the front door access codes as soon as guests check-out — so our asse( t )s are safe!

Why is VFD passcode protected? Wouldn’t it be nice if guests had the option to create a WanderJaunt account that would keep them logged into VFD?

We require a passcode unique to your reservation to access VFD. We will be adding in account creation as an option after “My Itineraries” are built. Why not now? For a non-WanderJaunt booking, there is no way of connecting their current stay to the new account even if they create one — hence when they revisit the page again having created a new account. They would still see the passcode pop up screen (womp, womp). As a part of future updates, we’ll refactor the account management. Then, once a guest creates an account with us, they’ll be able to have all of their existing and previous itineraries.

What impacts do you expect to see with the rollout of the VFD?

The VFD was a big initiative and definitely just the beginning of our quest to really streamline the travel experience. We expect to see a decrease in costs regarding late check-outs, lost/misplaced key fobs, and damages by implementing strategic notifications at key points in the guest journey. Our customer care team should experience less inbound messages regarding logistics. Additionally, the VFD allows us to eliminate the need for less sightly, in-unit communication collateral. Overall, we hope to see improvement in our NPS scores specific to “WanderJaunt was easy to work with” and “check-in was easy”.

How do you expect to see VFD change over time?

The VFD is still in an early phase of development. In the coming months, we plan to grow the VFD by adding interactive features and creating the “My Itineraries page” allowing guests to access all of their WanderJaunt itineraries in one place. In the future, all of these features will be housed in the WanderJaunt app; stay tuned for more updates!

By: Emily, Shrutika, and Andrea

WanderJaunt Releases: Virtual Front Desk (VFD) was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Michael Chen, Co-Founder

2019 has been a pivotal year of growth for WanderJaunt. Late last year, we opened the doors of our first WanderJaunt in Austin, and this year we’ve grown to over 100 properties in the area. We’ve also seen continued growth in the Phoenix metro area, operating close to 250 properties there. In those cities we’ve had the privilege of hosting travelers of all types — business and leisure — on both short and long term stays. We are still at the beginning of our journey to redefine hospitality, and WanderJaunt’s future remains brighter than ever.

Today, I am excited to announce that we’ve raised $15 million in a Series B round, led by Founders Fund. This brings our total capital raised to over $25 million. Along with this investment, Keith Rabois (General Partner, Founders Fund) will join our board. His extensive background in technology (Square, LinkedIn, PayPal and Opendoor) will be invaluable to WanderJaunt as we look to scale our platform and enable seamless experiences for homeowners and travelers.

I’m also excited to welcome new investors Tribe Capital, Stone Bridge Ventures, Tony Xu (DoorDash co-founder & CEO), Andy Fang (DoorDash co-founder & CTO), Adrian Aoun (Forward CEO) and Chung-Man Tam (2nd Address CEO). And I would like to extend a huge thank you to Khosla Ventures, Global Founders Capital, SV Angel, and The House Fund who have supported WanderJaunt throughout our journey so far.

Since our Series A last year, WanderJaunt has achieved unprecedented growth, increasing total stays by over 500%. This Series B funding will enable us to deepen our presence in our existing markets and operate in four markets in the U.S. by the end of 2019. To support this growth, we’ll also expand our teams in San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, and wherever we wander next.

As we announce this exciting news, it’s hard to believe that three short years ago Barrett, Andres, and I were managing only one property in Phoenix. For the first many months, our founding team was also our cleaning, maintenance, and customer support teams. Thankfully, we’ve been lucky enough to find much better versions of all those teams to help us along the way, but our learnings from those days will always remain top of mind. This is an operationally intensive business, but a rewarding one when done correctly.

As we enter the next phase of our journey, our teams in San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, and other cities will continue to help us redefine hospitality and enable seamless experiences for homeowners and travelers. I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together.

If you want to learn more about opportunities at WanderJaunt, check out our careers page. For media inquiries, contact us at press@wanderjaunt.com. And, of course, stay tuned for more news on where we’ll wander next!

Oh, the Places We’ll Wander — Announcing our Series B was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Every year since it’s humble genesis in 1987, local Austinites gather to clink cocktails with brightest minds and share tacos while discussing the future of culture. We call it, SXSW —a sprawling, inspiring 10-day interactive multimedia festival (March 8–17, 2019) exploring the worlds of film, culture, music, and technology.

Building your SXSW Schedule

SXSW is an outright blast with hashtags, booze, tacos, free stuff, and secret parties seeping out like bbq sauce on a Franklin’s pulled pork sandwich. It’s near impossible to see everything the festival has to offer, so pick your spots ahead of time. This year, the festival is offering the SXSW Go app, allowing you to browse the lineup and create your own schedule.

• March 8 — March 12: Technology & interactive showcases
• March 8— March 17: Film Festival
• March 13 — March 17: Music Festival

Check out the 2019 SXSW Schedule Overview

Our Top Tips:

• Dress for function before fashion, y’all will be standing in line, walking, and most likely — sweating.
• Prep for the weather — Austin experiences a multitude of seasons in March, so pack light rain coverage, sunscreen, and allergy relief.
• The best part about SXSW is really the FREE FOOD. It is completely possible to attain 3 meals during the festival without ever busting out the wallet. for @thefreenoms or #SXnoms on Twitter for updates on free food and cool parties.
• Don’t even try to drive. Traffic, pedestrians, road closures — oh my!
• Some of the best show are the ones you don’t wait in line for, smaller events can turn out to be diamonds in the rough.
• Follow on Twitter: @sxsw, @FreeAtSXSW, @SXSWPartyList, @Do512, @SXSWParty, @sxswp, @SXSWGaming, @OpenBarATX, @TheFreeNoms, @360SXSW, @ChronSXSW, @SXSpotify, @RSVPster, @sxsweco, @thefader, @austin360, @WhoaCo, @coolinaustin, @SPINsxsw, @Hugh_W_Forrest, @hypem, @jneece, @JanetPierson, @sxswtweet #SXSW, #SXLines, #SXSWTips

Attending the Official Way — Purchase a Badge

Register to attend SXSW 2019 the official way! Having an official SXSW badge means:

• you get to skip the lines for official SXSW events
• exclusive access to SXSW events

Attending the UnOfficial Way — RSVP

Austin is chock full of unofficial SXSW events and showcases throughout the week that you don’t need a badge for. Be sure to RSVP to all of the unofficial SXSW showcases you plan to attend because many events only take a certain number of attendees until the event is closed to the public. For a full list of SXSW 2019 Showcases and Parties, click here.

Getting around SXSW

Most venues are within walking distance of each other, but there are plenty of options for vehicular transport.

• FREE SXSW Festival Shuttles: Runs between the Austin Convention Center and most SXSW festival venues, 9:00am — 2:30am daily, with peak service between 9:00am — 7:00pm. View Downtown Shuttle PDF Map. SXSW Shuttle Tracker.
• Ride with Uber. Your driver will try to get you as close to your venue as allowed by local authorities. Uber will also provide support hubs with charging stations, maps, and staff in downtown to help you find your way.
• Ride a Jump Bike or Scooter: This year e-bikes and scooters are available to rent for $0.15/minute. Designated pick up spots for these are on Landers Landing on the South side of the Austin Convention Center and on 3rd and Trinity

A WanderJaunt Guide to SXSW 2019 was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Looking for some local things to do with the kiddos around Phoenix? The Valley of the Sun is full of wanderful options to create something together, inspire hearts, and learn something new!

Wander among the Butterflies at Butterfly Wonderland

Spend a magical day wandering through the tropical indoor conservatory of Butterfly Wonderland. Discover over 3,000 butterflies, fish, reptiles!

Picnic at Papago Park

This 1500 acre red sandstone park is home to a variety of attractions like the Hall of Flame, Hunt’s Tomb, and Hole in the Rock.

Visit the Desert Botanical Gardens

The perfect romantic jaunt, Instagram spot, and family experience — the garden offer 6 trails, art installations, and year-round activities!

Watch a Cactus League Spring Training Game — Salt River Fields

Cheer on the local talent and catch a Cactus League ballgame during February and March of every year.

Explore Tovrea Castle

This cake-like castle has been an iconic Phoenix landmark for nearly 100 years. Take a guided trip and wander the 44-acre cactus garden.

See a show at The Orpheum Theatre

Catch a performance any time of year. Be sure to go upstairs to the echo room, stand in the center and listen to what happens.

Play around The Children’s Museum of Phoenix

Yes, bring your children here for an unforgettable experience of fun for the whole family. Did we mention that entry is free on First Fridays?

Get Jazzy at The Musical Instruments Museum

Music lovers: legendary treasures await at the MIM. For $20, spend a day wandering through the history of music and catch a live show!

Experiment at The Arizona Science Center

The perfect place to be a kid (again), the center offers a rainbow of hands-on activities and special exhibits year round.

Learn Something New at The Heard Museum

Spend the day wandering through Native history, enjoy a free tour, and stop for a local, seasonal lunch at the Courtyard Cafe.

Spend time with the Flora and Fauna at The Phoenix Zoo

A great place for family fun, the zoo offers a splash pad and a tram. It opens early so you can see the giraffes before it gets too hot.

Splash around Tempe Town Lake

This chill little place in the heart of Tempe has more to offer than just a great view — catch a festival, paddle board, or take a jaunt!

Hug a Tree at The Boyce Thompson Arboretum

A great spot to take pictures and bird watch, BTA is botanical jewel is home less than an hour from the Phoenix metro area.

Stretch your Legs at Camelback Mountain

A breathtaking panoramic view of Phoenix awaits at the top of this 2,704 ft slumbering rock camel. *bring comfy shoes with traction

Take a Jaunt through The Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve

The museum and trail is a little gem away from the city and home to 1500 unique petroglyphs and a basalt quarry thousands of years old.

Tea Taste at The Japanese Friendship Garden

Regain your Zen in this tranquil oasis. Wander among serene sculptures and plantings to discover a waterfall, a tea house, and 500 Koi fish!

Family-Friendly Phoenix Adventures was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Giddy. That’s how we feel watching the transformation of a so-so space into an Instagram-ready, vacation-worthy WanderJaunt. After doing it 175 times…or 180 if you are reading this next week, the excitement is the same. Standing out in a sea of increasingly well-designed properties on our website or any of the short term rental platforms relies on photos that draw customers to them. Those cover shots have to be honest representations that allow the customer to see themselves in the space. We think about these moments when we design and look for photo-worthy opportunities as we create the space. Our strategies for budget-friendly transformations can be applied by anyone who is unsure how to design their own pad whether it is owned or rented and the secret is both in what you do and what you don’t.

WanderJaunt’s design goals are the same ones most renters or homeowners have while also aligning with our brand. Budget and schedule are always a priority. Beyond that, every one of them needs to be a comfortable, fully furnished living space that can be easily cleaned and maintained. Part of our brand is that the design also relates to the community it is in. We have taken on historic, older and brand new single-family homes, small and large multi-family units and even shipping containers. Not to sugar coat this, but some of our “before” pictures have been kind of scary. Unique challenges are the norm. Do we break design rules? Yes, all the time. Design a bedroom that is the size of a queen mattress? Yes, we’ve done it. Incorporate less than ideal existing paint colors? Yes, we’ve done it. The most challenging? Creating something interesting in a bland, blah, boxy space with no architectural interest.

Our big picture strategies are not the same as design decisions, however following these strategies enables us to make design decisions that work over and over again. First, we don’t remodel. We furnish and refresh our rentals to refocus attention to their best features. News flash here, the best features are sometimes the biggest flaws, it is all about your perspective! Second, we predesign. We use a well-coordinated group of furniture, art, rugs, and accessories that when commingled, always work regardless of what they wind up next to in the property. We have learned that most properties have neutral kitchens, baths, carpets and floors that serve as a neutral backdrop to our design. With the majority of the furniture decisions done before we see the property, we save the paint plan and final layout decisions for last. Third, we choose solutions that are easy for our team to assemble and disassemble.

Speedy activations are important to us. Depending on size, we average just three to five days to turn a property. That makes designing for WanderJaunt a great gig for anyone who lives for immediate gratification of their creative ideas. It also means any last minute, one-of-a-kind solutions have to be off the shelf and uncomplicated. Lastly, we use color to create impact, connect to our brand and the environment. That said, we limit each color palette to three or four hues. We use an abundance of neutral natural materials and as much real texture as we can afford to surround those colorful decisions.

How can anyone (even without a warehouse full of hand-picked furniture) apply these strategies? We all cannot afford a major remodel, but paint can fix a lot of evils. Trust that doing a refresh and refocus will make your space feel more relaxing and more like home. Start with a color scheme that resonates with you. This is your brand. Be true to what you love and stick with it. Knowing what those colors are will help you see coordinated purchases with less effort. It helps to use three colors that are roughly the same value (lightness or darkness) and choose neutrals (woods, metals, greyish tones) that are both lighter and darker. In addition to giving yourself a budget, do what most people don’t. Give yourself time to plan and set a hard deadline to finish the project. Find solutions that work in your time frame and then follow through. When you are done, you’ll be giddy.

Written by Liz M. (Design)

Getting Giddy was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

10 Groovy Austin, Texas Date Ideas

Looking for new date ideas to keep your relationship weird? We’re sharing our local Austin favorites, everything from competitive ax throwing to sipping craft cocktails at a sultry speakeasy!

1. Take a Hike

The brief 30-minute jaunt up to the summit of Mount Bonell is worth the view and an absolute must-do! Once y’all are at the top, lay out the picnic spread and sit back for some sunset magic, ladies and gentlemen.

2. Hideaway in a Speakeasy

Going for a cozy and low key evening? Slink into Firehouse Lounge or any of Austin’s secretive speakeasies to enjoy a night of extravagant cocktails, live music, and allure.

3. Have a good Scare

Make your hearts skip a beat and jump in an authentic Cadillac hearse for Austin’s only mobile ghost tour — Haunted ATX ! The tour takes you around historic landmarks and gives you the scoop on all of the murder mysteries, chilling tales, and ghostly activities in bat city. The killer part — you can B.Y.O.B!

4. Climb to New Heights

Whether y’all are spider monkeys, hobbyists, or total newbies, going rock climbing is an excellent way to test out your teamwork, flex your muscles, and reach new heights! Crux Climbing offers walls for rope climbing, horizontal climbing, and bouldering. When y’all are all tuckered out and ready for refueling, take a jaunt across the street to enjoy some boozy ice coffees at the Cosmic Coffee & Beer Garden.

5. Show off how you Two-Step

Get on down to the local honky tonks and shake out those boots! For those of you with two left feet, Broken Spoke offers two-step dance lessons at 8 pm Wednesday through Saturday

6. Let your Hearts Race

Put some energy back into your rainy day date with some indoor electric go-karting. K1 Speed offers “arrive and drive” races to satisfy your need for speed and a Paddock Lounge where you can refuel with tasty snacks.

7. Get on the Water

There’s nothing better on a hot, sunny Texas day than being on (or in) the water. Head over to Town Lake and choose your weapon — the boat rentals at Lady Bird Lake offer paddle boards, canoes, kayaks, and swan boats!

8. Create Something Together

Check out the Happy Hour Project Social from 3–6 pm at the Upstairs Circus. Take your pick of the happy hour menu featuring crafty cocktails and super cool projects where you can create your magnetic shelf, wine tumblers, or swanky leather cufflinks.

9. Axe Her (or Him) Out

Gentlemen, no longer must you “take her to the gun show” to impress the gals. This is 2019, and we throw axes — yup there’s a place for that! Urban Axes offers walk-in hours and Valentines Day specials, no previous weapons or throwing experience necessary.

10. Take a Late Night Dip

For those warm, moonlight evenings, head to Barton Springs Pool for a night swim. The pool is open until 10 pm and admission is FREE aft 9 pm.

10 Groovy Austin, TX Date Ideas was originally published in WanderBlog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.