Guest Info
Here’s the scoop on everything you need to know to live comfortably in Village 306, whether you’re here for a weekend or a month.
Water
You won’t need to purchase drinking water during your stay in Village 306. All water in the house is fine to drink, but the cold water at the tap in the kitchen goes through a 3-stage filter, which you can see under the sink. That’s the best water for drinking and making coffee or tea.
Additionally, all of the water in the house is conditioned soft water, which is great on the skin. It also means you need very little soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, or dish soap.
Laundry
Washing Machine
You are welcome to use the washer and dryer, located in the garage. We ask that you use cold water and fragrance-free detergent (provided). You will need VERY LITTLE detergent. That’s because we have soft water and a water-saving, high-efficiency machine. 1 tablespoon is all you need for an average size load. (Halfway to the lowest fill line.) Using more will create excess suds and your clothes won’t rinse properly.
This article explains why you need only a little bit of detergent:
Stop Using So Much Laundry Detergent
After you finish your wash, please grab a rag (beneath the workbench) and wipe the gasket dry. Leave the door slightly ajar so that it dries thoroughly. Used rags can go in the green bin underneath the nearby shelves.
Dryer
Please, no dryer sheets in the dryer. If you are concerned about static cling, toss in a couple of wool dryer balls, which are on the shelf above the machine.
A medium setting is plenty warm to get loads dry.
Iron and Ironing Board
They are in the primary bedroom closet.
Vacuum
If you need it, it’s in the garage in the tall cupboard closest to the front side entry door.
Dishwasher
Feel free to use the dishwasher. It’s very simple.
• Dishwasher pods are under the sink.
• Place a pod in the dispenser, close the dispenser, and close the door. (Rinse aid is already full.)
• Press the power button on the upper left of the dishwasher door to start.
• That’s it! Ignore the controls/lights in the upper right. Don’t press any other buttons.
• When the dishes are done, open the door and touch the start button again to turn off the lights.
• Note: Plastic items such as Snapware containers should go on the upper rack.
Sofa Bed
The sofa in the den pulls out to make a queen-size bed. Here are the basic instructions:
• Remove back cushions and set them aside.
• Pull up on strap. (If strap is not visible, reach down behind the seat cushion in the center.)
• Pull up and out so that the foot-end of the cushion is close to you and up in the air. The support legs are under that cushion.
• Fold down the support legs and lower the bed to the floor.
• Replace back cushions.
You will find a diagram with the bedding for the bed, which is in XXX LOCATION. You can also see a video here.
For added comfort, we have provided a memory foam cushion that you can lie flat on the bed before you make the bed with the provided mattress protector and linens.
Security
The Village of Arroyo Grande is a very safe community, but we do ask that you lock up when you leave the house. That means locking the sliding glass doors (lever in down position), the two side doors into the garage, the main garage door, and, of course, the front door. The same code you used to get into the house also locks the front door when you leave.
No Pets
We have a strict No Pets policy. No exceptions. One of our owners and several of our frequent guests have severe pet allergies.
Hypoallergenic Home
For the same reason we do not permit pets, we use hypoallergenic, fragrance-free cleaning products and soaps as much as possible. You are of course welcome to use your own personal care products, but those that we provide are free of fragrance and harmful chemicals.
Trash
We have two kitchen trash cans: one for regular trash, the other clearly labeled for recyclables.
Recylables are clean glass, clean rigid plastic (no wrappers), cardboard, and paper.
If kitchen trash gets full or smelly, you can empty into the larger cans in the side yard outside the garage. Pickup for those cans happens Wednesday mornings.
Barbecue
Implements are in a dining room drawer, second from left.
To light the grill:
· Make sure all knobs are turned to “off.”
· Open the top of the grill.
· Fully open the gas valve atop the propane tank.
· Wait a minute or two. This is important.
· To light any or all burners, push and turn the knob to the symbol that looks like a bolt of lightning. At the same time, press the ignition button on the far left. Once the burner is lit, release the ignition button and knob. If the burner doesn’t light, wait 5 minutes for any excess gas to dissipate and try again.
The grill grate should be clean before you start, but you might want to give it a quick scrub with the scrub brush and use a paper towel to spread a bit of vegetable oil on it to help prevent sticking.
Clean the grate right after you finish grilling, while the burners are still hot:
· Turn the gas off at the top of the propane tank.
· Dip the scrub brush into a bowl of water and scrub—the steam will help clean.
· Empty the the grease tray (you’ll see it from the back), clean, and replace.
Please replace the black grill cover when the grill is completely cool.
TV
You can view any of your favorite streaming services through the Roku smart television. The setup includes a Roku Streambar that delivers outstanding sound. It is also an excellent Bluetooth speaker—use it to stream music from your phone or pad (see below).
The remote should be on the console in front of the TV. If not, look around, or look inside the center compartment of the console for the spare.
You will be using Roku in Guest Mode. Select your checkout date. (All of your streaming activity and account passwords will be erased from the device when you leave.)
You can then navigate to any streaming service you subscribe to, or add additional services if they don’t appear on the screen. You will need to log in with your own username and password. All of your streaming information will be erased after your departure.
Music (Bluetooth Speaker)
The Roku Streambar is a great Bluetooth speaker. To use it, you will need to pair your phone or pad with the Roku.
The remote should be on the console in front of the TV. If not, look around, or look inside the center compartment of the console for the spare.
Turn on the power button and press the right arrow to engage the Streambar.
1. Press the Home button on the Roku remote.
2. Scroll and select Settings.
3. Select Remotes & devices.
4. Select Smartphones & tablets.
5. Select Add a new smartphone or tablet.
6. When you see the Bluetooth pairing screen, go to your smartphone, tablet, or computer and use the next several steps to complete the pairing process.
7. Open Bluetooth settings on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
8. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on or enabled on that device.
9. Wait a moment for your Bluetooth device to scan for devices and discover the Roku Streambar.
10. Select Roku Streambar from the list of available devices.
11. Play your music.
12. Adjust volume on your device, via the remote, or both.
You can also play Bluetooth audio on your smartphone, tablet, or computer when the TV screen is already off. Just make sure to connect your Bluetooth device to the Streambar before you begin.
Fireplace
The gas valve is just to the right of the fireplace. The handle for the gas valve and the long fireplace lighter are in the left-hand drawer in the dining room. To light the fireplace:
· First light the lighter and hold it slightly above the center of the fireplace.
· Slowly open the gas valve (turn to left) until the fireplace lights up.
· Adjust the gas as desired.
· Be sure to fully turn off the gas (turn to right) after enjoying the fireplace.
Heater/Thermostat
Arroyo Grande weather is quite temperate. You probably will not need heat at all from May to November. When you do need heat, here’s what to do:
The Google Nest thermostat is motion-sensitive, so it should wake up when you approach it. You can also touch the right side to wake it up.
The outer ring works as a scroll bar.
To turn the heat on or off, slide your index finger down to the symbol that looks like a flame and tap.
Please don’t touch any of the other settings.
To change the temperature, just touch the outer ring of the thermostat and slide up to increase the temperature, down to decrease it.
This is for heat only. We do not have air-conditioning.
An abundance of windows and screen doors allows for plenty of cooling. If you need even more airflow, you’ll find a fan on the closet shelf of each bedroom.