Hello,
My partner and I are on our second sit together (although I’ve used TH in the past on my own years ago for three sits) and we are still learning what is fair/unfair, what we are willing to do/put up with, etc.
Our current sit is all around quite nice, but they do have an Airbnb attached to the house that we knew about before taking the sit. Like I said, still figuring it all out. We didn’t think it would be an issue except that it sort of is… The laundry machines are in the Airbnb and the host is attempting to book back-to-back guests, which means we won’t be able to do laundry.
Just reaching out on here to see if anyone has some helpful thoughts/advice or maybe even a similar story they dealt with. I know now that my partner and I won’t be taking any sits that come with an Airbnb attached.
Thank you in advance,
Erika
Was the laundry mentioned in the listing as being available for you to use or included in the amenities list? If so, you could ask the HO for some kind of solution.
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@erikavand How long is the sit ?
I just checked the listing again (like I mentioned, still learning valuable lessons haha) and have realized that washer and dryer are not listed in the amenities nor are there pictures in the listing of the washer and dryer. I am coming to the conclusion that this is likely my own fault for not being thorough enough in checking the listing and at the meet and greet.
We are local and came to meet the homeowners beforehand and they did say that we could use the washer and dryer and showed it to us as well. There was only one guest scheduled to stay in their Airbnb at the time and we thought it wouldn’t be an issue to have the laundry off limits for only four days (btw, this is a sit from 28 Jun - 14 Jul). We were able to do our laundry after the first guest left on the 3rd of July, but a guest was booked for the 4th until tomorrow the 8th and then another guest is scheduled to be booked the evening of the 8th. The HO messaged me to say I would have an hour to do laundry in between the cleaner and the next guest, but that is only one wash cycle…
Sigh… it’s my own fault I know, please no hate. Lessons learned.
Erika
Edit: Sit dates are 28 Jun - 14 Jul for those wondering.
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The sit is 28 Jun until 14 Jul, just over two weeks.
At this point I’d do my best and wash only the most indispensable items. Maybe you can do another load when these guests leave?
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If you’re local, can you just wait till you get home or go home and swap out clean clothes?
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Depending on how local you are, you could run home and do a load of laundry mid-sit. I know that’s not ideal, but might be the best option if you truly can’t get in to do it there. Hopefully the rest of the sit goes well. Please do mention this in your review!
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We have stayed in a home with a similar situation 3 times (not a THS Sit), and the Owner and the Airbnb guests have all been very accommodating so that we could do a load of laundry about once a week. The Owner told us exactly the days/times that she expected each Airbnb guest will arrive, and when she expected the cleaner to be there (who obviously needed to wash sheets and towels while there).
Then, we asked the current Airbnb guest what time they will be leaving on their day of departure. It just takes a little bit of extra, friendly communication, but it has always worked out, and these were month long Sits. Sometimes Airbnb guests have an early flight and leave first thing in the morning, and that makes it very easy to do a couple loads of laundry. It just takes some coordination.
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Is there a Laundromat you can go to? Or one that will pick up and drop off back to you?
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Yes, that is a good plan so we’ll probably be doing that. I am mostly just frustrated at the inconsideration, but I suppose it could be a lot worse lol
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I would say it’s inconvenient yes - but not necessary inconsiderate . I assume the hosts also live with this arrangement ( if there are no washers in the main house ) .
When I quickly glanced at the title &
Saw “AirBnB “ and “laundry” - I imagined scenarios where the AirBnB guests were doing laundry in the home you were staying in or that you had been asked to do the laundry for the AirBnb …so yes it could be worse !!!
But definitely this is helpful information to add to your review so the next sitter is aware of the arrangement for doing their laundry.
Yes. And it is the way lots of Swedes live: sharing a laundry room with many neighbours, where one then needs to reserve a time slot.
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Switzerland too, just like Sweden, where you book a time slot (and aren’t allowed to wash at all on a Sunday BTW). We usually go for the 15 minute quick wash cycle (unless towels or bedding), that will speed things up for the gaps! 
#timeisoftheessence
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One thing we learned very quickly, is to view it in the grand scheme of things. From our experience, you will probably only have a problem washing your clothes in one place out of every 30 sits. So that’s tiny, so switch the way you view it, so that you see it as whole. There’s a few things like that we view differently now, and none of it is a concern because we don’t think of it as being an irritant, we now think of it as 1 tiny extra thing to do (like find a launderette) in over a whole years worth of full time sitting. It’s just part and parcel of pet sitting.
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Ho @erikavand
You have learned a lot with this sitting.
What arrangements have you made with their laundry when you leave the sitting? Are the owners expecting you to do it or can you just strip the bed and leave bedding and towels for them?
If they are expecting you to do them under these circumstances it sounds impossible
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