My friend says I’m “over the top” with cleaning in preparation for my sitters. Am I?
I treat our house like an airbnb, just personalized with our stuff and pets. I want my sitters to be comfortable, so I don’t want them to open the oven or fridge and see anything that might make them hesitate to use it! No getting grossed out, please! I want people to relax at our place, and I want them to want to come back.
My friend is not as tidy as I am (no judgment, just fact), and to be fair, she is more tolerant of other folks’ mess than I am. The way I see it is I leave my place the way I would want to find someone else’s place if I were doing the sitting. She would tolerate other folks’ mess better, so she would leave things a la natural. And I wouldn’t, and so I don’t.
What do you think? People want things sparkling clean, right?! I think I just need a bit of validation!
@gracefulwolf My comfort level and preference would be in your home, and you would return to your home looking as you left it. I would give great attention to detail. However, for others their comfort level would be in your friend’s home, where they might feel more relaxed. There are some basics that most sitters want, with the fridge and freezer having some freed-up space and being clean, as well as the microwave being clean (which is sometimes overlooked).
I think this is where careful viewing of photos - and a good range of indoor photos - allows sitters to make sure the home is a good fit for them.
I used to have a house sitter when I travelled for a few months. I was well aware that she was ‘untidy but not dirty’ (her words). I know her personally and have been to her home and so know what she means. However, I returned each year to a home to the standard I kept. That satisfied me as she respected how I liked to keep my home and made sure she returned it that way.
I don’t think you’re ‘over the top’, but I’d also hate to see you wear yourself
out before your travels, for fear of someone finding a dust bunny under the couch.
@Snowbird - Thank you for your right words and your concern. I am not wearing myself out. I just have a list I go by before each sitter comes. Sometimes, an item on the list needs a lot of attention, and sometimes it doesn’t.
People are different, you are right. Probably some folks do relax better in a house that’s more natural. I think I just didn’t like the judgment. I may be over the top for her, but not for me.
Hi @gracefulwolf and I can only echo @Snowbird words. I am the person who cleans before the cleaner arrives and after they leave see the “little things” they’ve missed rather than the overall picture of the “done and dusted” routine.
When I welcome sitters into my home all they ever have to do is unpack and there is plenty of space for them to do that, then relax and enjoy. The upside of this, when I leave a sit homes are like a well valeted car and I return to a home left just the way I left it for my sitters, which is often the result of connecting with like minded people and communicating honestly our individual needs and expectations.
We are all different it certainly wouldn’t be for us all to be or want the same thing and that includes sits and sitters, making the right choice is how a successful sit experience begins.
I’m a sitter and I LOVE a clean, organized home. That is how I live in mine. However, I’ve stayed in several that - while not up to my personal standards - were attractive and clean enough and I have no judgments. But given the choice, I prefer to stay in one like yours. And you should probably make that clear in the listing because not all sitters are super neat and clean.
Good point. I think I am okay coming back to less than how I left it, just decent and picked up. I have my maid come in after people leave if it’s a long sit. And so far everyone has left the place in really great shape.
Hi @gracefulwolf! You have posed a great question here on the forum. I too always made sure my house was spotless before a sitter arrived, as I believe this also gives them the direction they need regarding “leave our home the way you found it!” If a sitter came into a home that was dirty or cluttered, why would they feel the need to clean it up before they left? I always made sure there was fridge and pantry space, clean bathrooms, floors mopped, furniture dusted, and of course, clean linens on the bed and in the bathroom. This didn’t mean we cleaned carpet or upholstery, but just made sure everything was neat and tidy…and no dirty dishes left in the sink!
We always made sure we took mental note of how a potential sitter presented themselves in the interview and tried to look in the background as to how their surroundings appeared. This will also give you some insight on how they are going to treat your home.
I am guessing you have a beautiful set up for sitters when they arrive and I am sure they truly appreciate what you do to make them feel comfortable.
Not only do I really appreciate a clean and tidy home, I applaud you for the respect that you are showing to your sitters, thinking about how they will feel coming to live in your place. I agree, as well, that your home is more likely to be returned to you in sparkling condition since how you hand it over demonstrates what you value.
Sparkling clean isn’t necessary for us, it’s more important for us that it’s tidy and we have space for our things as well (in the fridge or the wardrobe e.g.).
We keep a very clean & tidy home & want the same where we stay. We really love it when we arrive at a sit and walk in to a home and get that lovely feeling on seeing a sparkling clean and welcoming home. We always leave a home in the same standard as when we arrived. So you are not going over the top. Keep doing what makes you happy.
