I always leave my home as I would like to find it. My home is kept clean anyway but it gets extra tlc just before our sitters arrive & our personal bits tidied away. Wardrobe & drawer space is provided also. I’ve always come home to our house being just as we left it.
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And a lovely over the top home and well that garden. 
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You speak my language–and I would love to sit for you anytime. I did run an Airbnb and have high standards and expectations around cleanliness. I now have frank discussions with our potential homeowners that we sit for around this (although everyone’s standard of cleanliness and what they feel comfortable with can vary widely–even if you think you are talking about the same thing). The important part is finding the right match. I really wish there were some type of rating gage to show the range of cleanliness so sitters and homeowners could match up better.
I state in several places on our profile that I am very organized and tidy and am most comfortable sitting for likeminded homeowners. I also state that they can expect to come back from their vacation to a home that is as clean or cleaner than they left it and know that they can relax when they return and not have to come home to cleaning chores. Depending on how long our stay is, I usually do some simple deep clean things just because I like to and as a gesture of appreciation for our hosts. Things like cleaning out the trash bins, the cutlery drawer, the stove top, etc. Or I might organize something simple like the glassware or the utensil drawer(ok I’m a little OCD), not moving anything where they can’t find it, but just organizing what is there.
One of the things I say now during our video chat before accepting is that I am a clean FREAK, if that makes your heart sing than we are likely a good match, if that makes you feel dread like you will need to do extra work to prepare for our sit than we might not be a good match–this is where we can start a talk about what we are comfortable with.
I have stayed in some homes that were way lower in standards than I ever would have thought someone would leave their home for someone else to stay in. So that is why I now make it a point to discuss it in some depth. It’s not about judgement, its about comfort and being aware and courteous–on both sides. It’s really about finding the right match.
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Thank you, Amparo. Unfortunately that garden is looking a bit sorry for itself in this drought😒
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@gracefulwolf. As a neat and tidy sitter, I say thank you, thank you, thank you! You set the tone for what your home is like, and I can then make sure that’s what it looks like when you come home. It’s pretty simple, and considerate.
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THANK YOU, THANK YOU & Thank you again for being so thoughtful about the condition and clealiness. There is nothing more upsetting to us when the home isn’t clean and neat.
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@Wendy2 , I like things clean, as well but I would caution you not to organize anything at someone else’s home. This is not viewed favorably. Always place things exactly where the HO left them. Take a picture beforehand if you think you won’t remember. If I don’t know where something goes, for ex., some clean item I have removed from the dishwasher, I leave it out on the counter rather than put it in the wrong place. And for anyone else who might entertain the idea, do not rearrange anyone’s furniture. This has been done too – to the dismay of the HO.
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I would be pretty unhappy if a sitter reorganized my things! I’m very organized and everything is where I want it to be. It would be arrogant of a sitter to substitute their judgment for mine. Maybe if the cutlery was all jumbled together, I would tolerate it being separated into knives, forks, etc.
I have no problem if a sitter accidentally puts something back in the wrong cabinet or drawer - I’m not that obsessive - but to deliberately rearrange anything is presumptuous. @Wendy2
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I for one would be very grateful if your place was clean and user friendly. I really find it difficult to make myself comfortable in someone else’s mess.
SO yes - you would be my favourite sit if this was the case. I also clean up after myself and leave the house the way I found it or even better in some cases. so thanks from me to those who think like you 
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Thank you for your “warning”, but I think maybe you misunderstood what I said and my examples. I do not reorganize and put things in different locations. I simply clean and put things back in the same area in an orderly way. As the example glasses in cupboard back by size and shape etc. I’ve never had complaints and have been asked back repeatedly. Being a bit OCD myself, I do respect the way people order their homes. But thank you for the concern.
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I make room in the fridge, throw out anything that might spoil while I’m gone, and most importantly, make room in the bathroom and in the closet and ideally give them at least one free dresser drawer! When I sit, this doesn’t happen and I have to document their closet and drawer and empty, stowe, fill, put back. It works fine.
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I am exactly the same. I want everything spotless when a sitter arrives so they can feel comfortable and confident in knowing they have a clean slate. I’ve been fortunate enough (with my limited TH experience) to come home to a house as clean as I left it. My home is very homey and very clean. I think both can exist and they do!!
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I agree with you 100% Its bad enough to live with ones own nastiness, much less that of a stranger…no one wants to live in anyone else’s filth!
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THANK YOU for highlighting this point. You absolutely are not over the top. You are EXACTLY my kind to owner that I love sitting for and I totally agree with you. When I enter a home I don’t want to see other peoples dirt, in the fridge, bathroom or bins. After a few bad experiences where I was out of my comfort zone, I’m super Particular now, scanning photos of the post and if I’m at all in doubt I won’t apply for the sit.
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I am completely the same way. We do lots of home exchanging and leaving a sparkling clean home is a big part of home exchange ethos. When I’m lucky enough to have somebody come to my home and look after my fur babies, I’ll do anything and everything to create a welcoming, healthy, happy environment. My home is usually pretty clean so I don’t spend countless hours creating a nice environment, I just do what I would want done for me. After a couple of less-than-great returns home, I now leave a “Departure Day” page in my home/welcome book. At minimum, I’d like my home returned to me visibly tidy, with trash taken out (certainly note smelly or overflowing), the dishes in the dishwasher and started, floors in main area vacuumed, and the bed stripped. I am often really taken aback at people who don’t seem to care what state their home is in when they are welcoming a pet sitter.
I care about my home, my pets, and my guests so I just do what I’d hope would be done for me during a home exchange because really what this is.
1000% validation from mee!
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Being who you are is always important!!
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I don’t think you’re being over the top. Like other’s have said, there are different preferences and/or standards. I think as long as everyone is fairly open about their standards and expectations, we can all find what’s most suitable for us.
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My husband and I laugh at ourselves because we always do a DEEP CLEAN the week before our sitters come. I think although they are looking after our animals it also there holiday.
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@Niveacream I do it before the housecleaner comes too. Not a deep clean, but always make sure pillows are back where they belong on the sofa, bed made with pillows the way they should be, all toiletries put away so counter tops are easy to clean, etc. Just makes it easier to have the right things done instead of having to navigate around stuff and maybe forget to do something important.
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