Oh my…such a kit would incur extra luggage charges when flying though!
I’ve never experienced a lack of plugs for sinks in the UK. However, when I was backpacking through Asia I carried an assortment of sizes of sink stoppers which were useful, beats sticking a dirty sock in the plug hole!
You don’t need more than one flat rubber or silicone disc. I carry one in my kit, takes up no space and it’s so handy!
And to follow on the hotel analogy - Sleeping PILLOWS. There is no way you check into a hotel and find it acceptable to have a flat crunchy chunky broken pillow(s) to sleep. I have been debating tracking w my own pillow but where and how on a plane when not driving everywhere.
Bless you!!! Love to sit for YOU!!
That’s why I’m suggesting standard is “hotel”. Clean home sheets kitchen and bath. Linens and pillows that aren’t 10+ years old. HO may travel and stay at hotel and would not find any less than this acceptable.
How about THS sets some standards that EVERYONE understands? These stories are bad. AND we can’t leave because we are committed to the animal care no matter what. Do you all leave honest reviews?? When it’s bad I don’t leave a review at all. And now that I’ve had a few I see why host had past sitters w no sitter reviews. So that’s our secret handshake? No review stay away??
I will admit I usually get a pretty good vibe on the host during the Zoom interview…:: and some just take photos without trying and it’s all you need to know not to apply.
I typically divide my reviews into three parts: pets, host, and accommodation. when one is missing = red flag. When I have nothing positive to say about two or more I do not review at all (it happened twice)
@WheresBabZ We travel with our own Ikea feather pillows everywhere around the world! 99% of places don’t have pillows,as comfy as our own!
Almost all the houses we’ve sat (70 or so) have been at least clean enough for us. We’ve noticed hosts are going over to eco friendly cleaning products which is of course good for waterways, but also great for us as we like knowing our washing, dishes, bathrooms etc are toxic chemical free!
I’d be careful about the vinegar. I never knew until a couple of years ago when we were in a temporary rental and the manager explained it to me, that for granite countertops you should NOT use anything acidic to clean because of the seal.
On certain surfaces in my own house, yes, but
“…it’s important to remember that while vinegar does work as a disinfectant to some degree, it is not as effective as bleach or commercial cleansers when it comes to killing germs.”
(Emphasis mine)
Also, “The set time for vinegar can be up to 30 minutes,” meaning it has to saturate the surface, and stay wet for that amount of time. For reference, diluted bleach is only one minute.
Of course you know I am going to cite sources
it will be as I found or slightly better. The guidelines here are ridicules. These people are getting a great deal.(and yes, so am I) ) But, I’m not giving their home a deep cleaning as well.
But you’re not staying in a hotel, but in someone’s home. Yes, I give the house
a good clean before I have anyone to stay, be it family, friends or house sitters. Yes you may find I’ve missed a bit here and there, not through laziness or not wanting to be thorough, but running out of time with too many things to do before I go. Having pets does not help, as you can guarantee one cat or another will plonk it’s self right in the middle of the newly made bed, and oh don’t they just love a pile of fresh laundry!
I can appreciate that. But we are staying in your home. You may be leaving for a vacation in a nice hotel. Or staying with family. I keep hearing from HO - I ran out of time. But if sitters ran out of time, arrive late, or didn’t clean. Up after themselves often leaving the home better than they found it - we suffer the consequences of a bad review. Where we don’t leave bad reviews for HO. And you wouldn’t stay in a hotel that wasn’t clean.
Good call and advice. Thank you.
Here’s what we bringer: pooper scooper, kettle, chopsticks, juicer, pillows, bedsheets, comforter, water filtration system, ice cube trays, towels, table, collapsible chairs, keyboards for our laptops, blender, nested pots/pans, yogamats, handsoap, toilet paper, flash light, table cloths, usb fan, portable solar generator, 10lb ice packs. Some houses don’t have enough supplies like soap, toilet paper, etc. Ugh! No house has ever had a pooper scooper so I bought a portable one. The sits do feel more comforable with our own stuff.