Tips for Sunshine Coast Holiday Homes: Avoiding Overflowing Bins

Managing waste effectively at your Holiday Home is crucial for keeping the space clean and inviting. This means offering sufficient bin capacity, establishing clear guidelines for guests, and promptly removing any excess rubbish.

Understanding Bin Capacity Needs

Guests can generate a surprising amount of waste during their stay, especially with bottles and other disposables. During the holiday season, bins often exceed capacity due to the large number of bottles, cans, food scraps, and unpleasant items like disposable nappies from holidaying guests. When there are insufficient correct bins, general waste can spill into recycling and green waste bins, and vice versa, or be placed outside the bins. To prevent overflowing bins and unpleasant odours, the following table provides a guide on the bin capacity requirements based on your property size:

Property Size	General Waste Bin	Recycling Bins
Up to 8 guests	1-2 x 240L	1 x 240L
9-11 guests	2 x 240L	1- 2 x 240L
12-13 guests	2 x 240L	2 x 240L
14+ guests	2-3 x 240L	3 x 240L

While local councils will charge additional fees for extra bin services, it is worth the cost to avoid guests arriving to find overflowing bins and the stench of rotting garbage. The Sunshine Coast and Noosa Council’s can provide additional services in the form of extra bin collection days or additional bins.  The costs are quite affordable, making it a cost-effective and sustainable way to manage excess waste.

Handling Overflow and Excess Waste

Even with adequate bin capacity, there may be times when your bins overflow, especially during peak seasons. It’s essential for you to have a process in place to dispose of any excess garbage before the next guests arrive. This ensures that your property remains clean and welcoming.

Signage, Guest Communication, and Reminders

Place signage near both your main interior bin and your exterior bins, advising guests of the bin collection days. Additionally, include this information in your Guest Guidebook. Clear communication can help manage expectations and encourage guests to dispose of waste properly.

To further ensure that bins are managed effectively, consider setting up automated messages or sending a text reminder to guests on bin night, prompting them to put the bins out and bring them back in. This small effort can prevent issues with missed bin collections and overflowing waste.

Potential Issues with Bins Left Out

If guests leave bins out after collection day, it can lead to complaints from neighbours and may even result in fines from the local council. By reminding guests to bring the bins back in, you help maintain good relations with neighbours and avoid any potential penalties.

Dealing with Excessive Garbage

Occasionally, guests may generate an unreasonable amount of garbage. In these situations, it’s important that your guest agreement or house rules clearly state that there will be charges for excess garbage removal. This not only protects you but also sets clear expectations for your guests.

Final Thoughts

Proper waste management is crucial for maintaining a clean and pleasant environment at your Holiday Home. By providing adequate bin capacity, setting clear rules, and ensuring timely waste removal, you can prevent issues with overflowing garbage and keep your property in top condition for all guests. Engaging a dedicated bin to curb business can also significantly improve the management of waste at holiday homes.

This attention to detail not only improves the guest experience but also helps protect the property from potential damage, neighbour complaints, or council fines.