That would be ok though honestly kitchens are personal to the owner and I would have preferred it returned to its (disorganized) condition. I have a couple of drawers like that and if you want to arrange things to make it easier/safer for you, go for it. But put it back even if you think it’s not necessary to do so.
It’s not a big enough deal that it would impact a review at all but it would be a minor annoyance.
I use the stuff I was talking about. So, here’s my next question:
Once I’ve used them and washed them, should I push the towels, sheets and tea towels in their place, all wrinkled if I found them like that, instead of folding them neatly as I usually do?
I’ve only seen HOs being happy about sitters leaving the houses cleaner than they found, never seen anyone complained about it. I’ve seen a review that the host complained about the sitter rearranging things, as the HO can’t find things now, I see it as boundary crossing.
As I said, yes I would prefer that as if I wanted them folded I would have done so myself. Go ahead and make it comfortable for you, but I would prefer it returned as is. Again, it would be a minor irritation that I would forget about in half a minute, but you asked and that’s my preference, whether it seems logical or not.
Thanks for your answer.
Do other hosts in the forum feel the same?
If that’s a general feeling, I will try to change that but it’s going to be hard it just comes naturally.
I have been praised for it privately in couple of sits. Once the owner said she couldn’t believe I had ironed the sheets. I said I hadn’t, I had just folded them neatly. In this case, I don’t know how she kept them or where. I just left them neatly folded on the bed.
Folding tea towels that were not folded wouldn’t bother me. However, if a sitter rearranged other things, I would be irritated. I am very organized, and that would be obvious to any sitter, so a sitter thinking that their way was better than mine would be frustrating (and arrogant). By all means, arrange things in the way that suits you best while at my house, but put them back before I get home.
As for over-cleaning - I would be delighted once the sitter used the correct products for whatever they were cleaning! As a sitter, I always leave homes cleaner than I found them and often buy cleaning tools/products that I like. However, I make sure to only buy products that align with the HO’s values. I would never use chemical products if the HO clearly uses only natural products, for example.
I never do that. I can accommodate to whatever organization the hosts have. If they leave a dishwasher loaded and there are items which I can’t tell where they go, I let them on the counter so that the owners don’t go mad looking for them. I let the tea towels, sheets and towels in their place, I even make sure that I let the exact same towels that were in the kitchen and bathrooms freshly washed, it’s just that I am used to folding them neatly.
What I would like to know is why re-arrange the kitchen? I don’t understand why a complete stranger feels they can do this without permission.
My mother-in-law used THS for the first time a few months ago and her sitter completely re-arranged the entire kitchen. All the drawers and upper and lower cabinets were completely re-done. My MIL is 5 ft tall and can’t reach most of the 2nd shelfs of the upper cabinets. She had to have my brother-in-law help her move everything back to original place. She’s also 91 years old.
My Mom asked me to rearrange her cabinets for the same reason, she can’t reach the upper cabinet at all. We got rid of some items and only stores extras or infrequently used items on the upper shelves.
To an outsider it would look disorganized and they would probably think the like cups, plates and glasses would go together but there is a reason they aren’t. Which is why I said kitchens are personal and best practice is to return it as you received it, even if it doesn’t make sense to you.
That’s really intrusive and entitled.
I have been tempted to re organise every kitchen we have sat in. Have restrained myself because it is personal. How I cook is not necessarily how you cook. Reading about the short 90 year old struck home. One host had a huge lovely kitchen that seemed to have no reason to me. But she was very short, he was very tall so perhaps items were grouped according to who used them. None of my business. Maybe it’s good we haven’t done long sits so I don’t get overly tempted, something to think about 
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But the funny thing is, we (MIL, brother-in-law and us) haven’t done long vacations. 99% of the time they are under 2 weeks.
@avidtraveler well maybe these sitters think they’re helping? But to me it does seem a bit arrogant to think you know better, even though I think this way, I know at the end of the day it’s not my place. Sheesh sometimes people are just too interfering. Control the impulse is my mantra 
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As a sitter, my reviews always indicate that I left the place spotless but I don’t “overclean” as I don’t want to embarrass the homeowners. I leave the home as clean as I found it and that’s it. I would never think of rearranging drawers, cutlery, etc. My husband has mowed a few lawns when we saw the grass was getting high during our sits and that was very much appreciated.
That is invasive and I would dock stars for that. It is very controlling also.
It should be noted in the review so that this sitter can learn that it was not appreciated. Also, if there are HOs who would like their kitchen reorganized, they can find their match. Although I doubt that there are many of them.
I have been told “if you feel like doing extra cleaning feel free”, never took the host up on that one, it was perfectly fine, but boy if you said feel free to reorganise, well be careful what you wish for 
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My hosts have consistently noted how clean I’ve left their homes, including ones who’ve said in reviews that I left it cleaner than when they departed. I live cleanly normally, but don’t try to clean more than they left it, though.
I also don’t reorganize hosts’ belongings, because that would be crossing boundaries and/or presuming to tell them that they should live how I prefer.
guess it also depends on length of stay; if a 1 month sit, you can bet things will get reorganized and not put back the same because it was disorganized and couldn’t be matched.
Depends on how much effort a guest or sitter makes. If I move anything for my convenience, I take a photo, so I can restore it before leaving. I’ve done that even for Airbnbs I’ve rented for months.