I wish I wasn’t so frantic. Finding better sits now that I am closer to dates. Wish I had waited.
I wasn’t responding to you @Huronbase I was replying to @CreatureCuddler
I already know you’d rather die than Couchsurf.
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Hi @Gabba. Just out of curiosity, I can see the value that the guests get from couchsurfing as they get a place to stay, but what are the benefits for the hosts? Is there work involved? Or is it to meet new travelers?
Sorry not clear. I wouldn’t rather die. Just have it low on the list.
The benefits as a host are numerous. It’s peace on earth, in action. Sharing ones culture, being proud of where you live and wanting to share it with others is amazing. Those that travel far and wide make great hosts because we understand how much of a gift it is to find refuge in a home rather than say a backpackers, or a hotel etc. (I guess it’s the same with Housesitting). Making connections and sharing kindness is wonderful. I have so many stories of hosts and surfers, it has enriched my life. I’ve stayed with millionaires and in student digs with not much of anything, on roll out mats to luxury beds with the bedroom as big as my entire cottage!! Staying with me I’ve had people from China, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Argentina, New Zealand, Sweden, Australia, Canada etc. Each and every single one has offered me a place to stay in return. I’ve even had a family of 5 stay with me once, but usually I have couples or singles. I’ve surfed with my own daughter as an adult too and a few times with my husband but mostly by myself. It is cultural exchange at its best. Send me a private message if you would like more information. I’m a heart felt advocate to peace on earth through couchsurfing. 
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@Gabba wow, that sounds very interesting. Looks like interesting people connecting with other interesting people.
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I’ve thought about couch-surfing over the years (just entered year 7 of life as a nomad) but have been put off a little. Your comment has made me re-think. Thanks so much, Gabba! I really appreciate your thoughts and experience. Happy travels to you 
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@Gabba already answered, and I totally agree. One gets to meet people from the whole world without needing to travel! There have been delightful guests, often in the age of my daughter, sometimes more my age or older. It was very good for my daughter to get acquainted with girls from Germany etc, that she could maybe also stay at their place.
And now this spring I have stayed with people that had been guests at my place, years ago. And after the war broke out, I got in touch with people that I had met in Kyiv.
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Not nomadmic, but enjoying this thread – which I can’t show my spouse because he’d chuck the cats and me 
I’ve got a quick question: Do any of you full time nomads use other petsitting/housesitting apps as well to help fill in gaps? Or get offers directly through a personal website or other?
hi @pietkuip . I remember you specifically mentioning couchsurfing on a couple different posts. I had never even heard of that before. Yes, it sounds very interested and a great way to meet new people from all over the world. If you stay as a guest, do you launder their bedsheets and pillow cases before leaving?
no. you are a guest.
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Hi @Marion ,
We have been full time sitters since July 2021. Most of our sits have been through THS.
We did seven months in Australia and New Zealand with 10 back to back sits.
Three of those came from Aussie sitters, and Three from Kiwi sitters. The other four we found on THS
We joined Housesitmatch on a year free membership deal last year, but didn’t manage to confirm a single sit from there.
We have also done a handful of paid sits which we have found via facebook groups.
We treated ourselves to a month long holiday during January/Feb this year but so far, other than that month, up to the present day, we have not had a single day when we were not actively on house sit.
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No, one does not. As also @Gabba wrote, one is a guest. The main expectation is normally that the guest will be sociable. It is polite to offer to help with cooking or with the dishes. And of course one should tidy up one’s trash. It is like visiting friends, it is just that you had not met them before.
So coming from couchsurfing/warmshowers/bewelcome/trustroots/couchers I find it a bit weird with the emphasis on extreme cleanliness on THS. Of course it goes both ways: the place where one is staying may also be a bit Bohemian. It is certainly not likely to be at the Airbnb cleanliness.
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I started a separate topic (Gap Housing) here:
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Cleanliness would be my biggest concern with couchsurfing. We complain about some of the HO cleaniness and they are hosting us. With couchsurfing, all they get is your company? And I guess the chance to couchsurf themselves? I can imagine that worked if I was in my 20s, but not now for me. I figure that I have to stay in hotels, or with friends. I am finding that I shouldn’t take short term sits, just to fill spots, and wait, because I may end up with more hotel nights in between. I just turned down a sit and decided to wait. If I had done that with another sit, I would have gotten one I wanted, where I wanted.
Best not to speak on that which you know nothing about.
It’s hard to communicate with you @Huronbase because you’re so bent on it being a downer rather than accepting a golden opportunity.
I agree with you, Couchsurfing is not for you.
I also know it’s one of the best ways to travel and those that are proper Couchsurfer’s have wonderful experiences. I’ve made friends for life all over this beautiful planet.
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I was responding to pietkulp, who said it was a bit bohemian. And referenced cleaniness emphasis on THS.
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Regarding filling stays while traveling. My pet peeve is trying to find a hotel with a full fridge. I tend to carry my stuff, and want a full fridge for cold packs etc. So hard to get while traveling sometimes.
Now that I got out of the one sit, where the HO changed the dates and I could decline, I got a much better sit. No hotel stay in between, and pool and gym. And I had a great sit in FL cancel since the dogs died. They were pretty old when I got the sit and one died, when I confirmed. But there are others. Just wait and there will be another sit to apply for.
Making a quick update. I was in Bali traveling around, so couldn’t frequently check for sits. In TX now on a sit, had a 9 day period where I was going from tX to FL and trying for a sit in New Orleans, which hardly every comes up. Trying to fill dates and had a chat scheduled this weekend for a few days in Houston but still leaving 7 days. Then a sit came up filling 6 days on the other side of New Orleans, right before FL. So my hotel stays went down to 3 from 9, with a sit that worked better. So if you wait, there seems to always be another sit, even as dates are getting close. Not in the exact place you want to be but within range. At least it seems to be.
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