Feedback on my listing, please

To be honest the close up of the kitchen turns me off. It looks like you were smoking, got the munchies and raided the kitchen. Dishes in sink, drawers half open with things pouring out. You will attract party people who will not worry about keeping your place clean as it is not important to you. I just hope they take good care of the dogs. I think THS should have advisors that look over a profile before it goes live. Look at other PP profiles who have many 5 stars. Look at the pictures.

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Hm it is a big bed. I’ll take a different picture. Thank you for this insight as well!

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Agree with others. For me the “420 dude” and kitchen photos would indicate: messy home, everything is infused with a pot smell, and I don’t see anything to indicate that tobacco isn’t also in use.

I want to stay in a home that smells clean and odor free (as much as possible with two dogs). And that is tidy when I arrive.

Once you have that, more information about your town and how far to ski places, etc would be nice.

You also want to attract the most responsible sitters you can who will treat your (clean) home and your dogs even better than you do, not someone who’s going to assume that if they leave them for 10 hours and they pee in the house, it’s chill.

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Everyone is giving great tips HOWEVER - taking photos of the apartment decluttered and organized is only a good idea if that is how it will look when your sitter arrives. I am one of those sitters that is perfectly happy to see photos of a cluttered, messy home because it tells me what to expect (I am neat freak so I don’t apply to those sits. That’s why I am grateful for those photos bc I don’t want to walk into a surprise). Please post REALISTIC photos of what you are committed to following up for the sitter. Otherwise you risk very poor reviews. Think “what you see is what you get” kind of photos.

You might quickly see that many experienced sitters tend to apply more often to very neat, clean, organized homes. Not everyone, certainly, but many. Remember that your sitter will need space for their things as well. Space in the closet, the bathroom, the fridge.

By your own admission your place is small, older and it looks very lived in. The dogs are adorable and wonderful breeds but 2 medium/large dogs in a “small 1 bedroom apartment” isn’t for everyone.

That said, there are thousands of sitters and you only need one good one!

Good luck!

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I’d be very concerned about the type of sitter this listing will get you. I think your writeup asks to be taken advantage of. This forum has a number of stories about “sitter had unauthorized guests and trashed my house”. It’s fine to be easygoing, but there are limits. You may be trying too hard to please. If you don’t care about mess, why should they? And if they don’t care to clean up after themselves, will they be responsible enough with your pets and your home? What does “etc. etc.” mean? Following after “420 friendly” does it mean other drugs are ok too? :thinking:
At the very least, pick sitters with a bunch of good reviews, and pay attention to what their reviewers said about tidiness and responsibility.
Definitely note in the listing that you smoke weed. As a nonsmoker, a smoke-friendly (of ANY type) sit would be a hard pass for me. It ALL leaves an odour. Let people know what to expect.
Agree about fewer photos of the dogs. Maybe add some photos of the exterior/yard. Also agree about tidying for photos, IF you’re going to leave a similarly tidy place for the sitter.
+1 to most of what @toreishi said, particularly returning from a holiday and finding your home full of someone else’s dirty dishes and laundry – ugh!
You could OK guests by just checking the “guests allowed” box and discussing particulars with applicants IF they ask – rather than a writeup that (to me at least) reads like “come party at our place, oh, and there might be dogs.”
By being a little more particular, you will have a better chance of attracting someone who will care for your pets as they deserve. You’ve done yourself a good turn by seeking input here.
Good luck!

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If I can suggest, do not try so much to show that you’re chill. Show instead how you’ll leave your home with a sitter. If your place is as laidback as your pictures suggest, sitters may return it to you in that laidback state or in something even more laidback than you intended. OTOH, if your photos suggest you’re a bit more uptight, sitters will no doubt return your place in a state you’ll be more than happy about. There’s no up side trying to out chill anyone with your home.

I really envy your perspective. It takes me back years ago to when weed was fun and part of unwinding daily. That doesn’t last forever so enjoy it while it’s enjoyable. Regardless, weed stinks to high heaven. I can smell a lit joint or a dispensary from the other side of a parking lot. The smell is definitely not going to be a draw for most sitters.

As sensitive as I am to the smell of weed, tobacco is 10x worse. If pot and tobacco are part of your indoor lifestyle, don’t be shy about being upfront with both or risk very unpleasant post-sit feedback.

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@ontheroadagain; I echo these sentiments. I smoked lots of weed and cigarettes as a teenager but now cannot tolerate the odor of either regardless if it’s actively being smoked or was just smoked. Weed smells almost exactly like a skunk to me now, I can barely tell the difference. lol. (Though cigars may be the worst offenders)

I think if you are that laid back it is ok to say so because you will attract those kind of sitters and weed out (no pun intended) sitters like myself and OnTheRoadAgain who would likely not be happy there and therefore leave a less than stellar review. No one wants a bait-and-switch scenario.

Think of THS like a dating app. It’s a match-making service. You want to match your lifestyle and expectations with someone coming into your world. You want to be very clear on what you expect and what they can expect. Don’t paint a picture different than what it will be. This leads to poor reviews and a challenge for finding sitters in the future. It’s all about clear communication!

You’re looking for sitters who are a lot like you. Chill, not necessarily a neat-nick, guests welcome, drinks on the balcony and weed are OK and who loves dogs. There is nothing wrong with that.

Again, just like a dating app….there are hundreds who might swipe left but you only need the right one to swipe right! They are out there, you just need to find one another.

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I did take another peek at your listing and it’s so much better now! If I were nit-picky I would still retake the photo of the kitchen with the sink clear of dishes, otherwise it’s really a big improvement. Nice work and hope you find the perfect sitter for you!

Agree with everyone but not about it being nit picky to clear kitchen of clutter. It’s important to feel like the kitchen is a workable space, and counter space clutter is off putting. I’d definitely redo pics yet again. Think clean breathing space…I think you’re moving in the right direction, but the pics still could use some serious declutter if you ask me. So smart of you to stick with the advice of these “pros!”

@sandydandy my point is that nothing should be “cleaned up” or decluttered unless the HO is 100% committed to making sure it stays like that for the sitter, not just for the photo. That’s all I mean. If people live in clutter and clean it up for some photos but then don’t actually leave it just like in the photo, it’s false advertising.

Of course the kitchen should be a workable space! I won’t apply to any sits with cluttered counters, period. Especially a kitchen or bathroom. But worse would be some nice photos of a neat home only to arrive to something else entirely (this happened to us on a sit in Malta).

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