This Video was never supposed to be a Newsletter

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here….

And after just getting back from my trip to Rotterdam and now literally giving up my apartment in two days to move to Burgas in Bulgaria I noticed something again more than ever:

An Airbnb just never really feels like home.

And it’s not even about the furniture or the space… because to be honest, a lot of Airbnbs are nicer than my own apartment.

It’s more the small things that are missing.
You don’t have your routine, nothing feels familiar, and everything just feels a bit… off.

And even though I don’t think that ever fully goes away, over the last 3 years of traveling and sometimes staying months at a time in places like Greece, Spain, or Argentina, I feel like I slowly started figuring out what actually helps.

Quick disclaimer: I’m not the biggest Airbnb fan for short city trips, I usually go with hotels. But for longer stays, I still prefer Airbnbs… even with all their downsides.

And over time, I’ve been finding a few things that make a place feel a bit more like my own.

And before we get into that everything you’re about to see here was actually supposed to be a full 14-minute video.

I filmed it, edited it, recorded everything… and somehow the entire file got lost between my drive and YouTube. The project was gone as well.

So yeah… I guess this is the lost version.

10 Airbnb Essentials (with Genius Home Score)

($40) Collapsible Travel Kettle (T-Magitic) — ⭐️ 8.8/10
This is one of those things you don’t need think about… until you open an Airbnb kettle and immediately regret it.
The T-Magitic solves that completely. It folds down flat, heats water quickly, and works worldwide thanks to dual voltage.
Whether it’s coffee, tea, oats, or just having something warm in a cold apartment — this instantly makes any place feel more livable. And the fact that it takes up almost no space makes it even better.

($35) Aeropress + Metal Filter — ⭐️ 9.9/10
So i think i dont need to talk about my coffee obsession and my love to the simple aeropress because everybody knows this and i am way to biased here, but After trying way too many Airbnb coffee setups, I just stopped relying on them completely.
The Aeropress is compact, durable, and makes consistently good coffee anywhere. With a metal filter, you don’t even need paper filters anymore.
Combined with the kettle, this becomes a full coffee setup you can trust and that alone can completely change your morning routine in a new place.

($25) Universal Travel Power Strip (Alitayee) — ⭐️ 9.0/10
This is easily one of the most important upgrades you can bring to any Airbnb.
Outlets are always in the wrong place, never enough, or just badly designed.
This gives you multiple plugs, USB ports, and a clean setup where everything charges in one place.
Instead of spreading your devices all over the room, you suddenly have your own little charging station and that alone makes a place feel way more organized.

($50) GL.iNet Travel Router — ⭐️ 7.8/10
This one is more situational but when you need it, it’s a game changer.
Airbnb WiFi can be unreliable, slow, or full of restrictions.
This router creates your own private network, so all your devices connect instantly every time.
No logins, no disconnects, no weird issues. Especially if you work remotely or stay longer in one place, this can completely change the experience.

($6/$14) Sink Stopper (Mr. Riga) — ⭐️ 8.5/10
One of the smallest items on this list… but one of the most useful.
For some reason, Airbnb sinks sometimes not work properly.
This fixes that instantly. You can wash clothes, rinse things, or just use the sink normally again.
Costs almost nothing, weighs nothing, and solves a problem you’ll 100% run into.

($25) Travel Dining Kit (Origami Bowl + Sea to Summit Cutlery) — ⭐️ 8.6/10
Airbnb kitchens are always a gamble. Sometimes you get everything… sometimes you get one fork and a questionable plate.
This setup fixes that completely.
The bowl folds flat, the cutlery is clean and reliable, and suddenly you’re not depending on whatever is in the drawer.
Simple, lightweight, and surprisingly impactful.

($20) Rechargeable Lint Remover (Conair) — ⭐️ 8.4/10
This is one of those things you don’t think about… until your clothes come out of an Airbnb washing machine looking completely different or out of your suitcase of course 😅.
This fixes lint, fuzz, and fabric wear in seconds and makes your clothes look new again.
Small, rechargeable, and way more useful than you’d expect on longer stays.

($30) Mini Travel Steamer / Iron — ⭐️ 8.2/10
Most Airbnbs either don’t have an iron… or they have one you don’t want to use.
A small travel steamer fixes that instantly.
It heats up quickly, works on pretty much anything, and makes a huge difference if you’re staying longer or just want to look put together again after unpacking.

($45) Packable Blanket (Matador) — ⭐️ 9.2/10
Some Airbnbs are colder than expected, have thin blankets, or just don’t feel comfortable.
This solves that instantly.
It’s warm, folds down small, and makes any place feel more cozy — whether you're on the couch, balcony, or in bed.
One of the simplest ways to make a space feel more like yours.

($8) Foldable Vanity Tray (Vlando) — ⭐️ 8.6/10
This is one of the most underrated items on this list.
You unfold it on a desk or nightstand, and suddenly all your essentials, keys, watch, wallet, AirPods — have one place.
It creates a small “home base” in any Airbnb, and that alone makes a huge difference in how organized and familiar a place feels.

So guys, I hope you enjoyed this slightly “lost” edition and got some inspiration for your next stay.

This week has been a bit crazy behind the scenes — I spent almost 48 hours just driving back and forth to Bulgaria to sign everything… and if you’re reading this right now, I’ll be flying there in about 6 hours with the last of my stuff.

And tomorrow, there’s finally a new video coming out — one that over 80% of you voted for in the community post:
8 Buy It For Life Travel Products.
So that one is going live together with a special newsletter edition.

And if you’re wondering why I always bring something like a sink stopper — you can check out my full guide on how I wash my clothes while traveling right here:

“How to Wash While Traveling (Without a Scrubba)”

And with that, as always… and this time only until tomorrow

Safe travels,
Johannes ✈️

P.S. I also wanted to quickly say thank you to everyone who left a tip for the Gear Vault Bundle.

It was originally just meant as a small optional thing, like $1 or $2 if you felt like it helped you… but some of you have been incredibly generous, leaving $20 or even $30, which honestly means a lot.

At the same time, I want to say: you really don’t have to do that. The bundle is meant to be free.

But still, a huge thank you to Rob, William, Alex, and everyone else who supported it.
It genuinely helps and goes straight into new gear and better videos.

And of course, thank you to everyone else as well, even just watching, liking, or leaving a comment means a lot.