huge red flag…I dont apply for those
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I totally agree. The other thing that’s off-putting is lots of pictures of the pets (which is nice) but few, if any,if the home. If I’m going to stay there, id like to know what it looks like . . .makes me think the place must be a mess, so l pass
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It truly saddens me to see so much judgment here. The harsh comments, and even the desire to punish hosts for their living spaces, are really upsetting. We all come from different backgrounds and have different ideas of what a comfortable home looks like. When a host shares their story, like being a student or a homeschooling parent, it gives us a framework for understanding their living situation. Let’s try to be more compassionate.
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@Trust
The only judgement that I make is , would I be comfortable staying in that home ?
If I wouldn’t , then I don’t apply for the sit .
It’s not a judgement about how the person lives or what the host is like .
I have a choice of which listings to apply to , (there are 8300 sits listed at present that I can apply for ).
I sit for free, it’s voluntary so I am not going to apply to a sit where I wouldn’t feel comfortable. An unmade bed and a house full of clutter , no room on the kitchen sides , piles of laundry on the sofa - this wouldn’t suit me . There are many other sits I can choose or not sit at all and stay in my own home or book a hotel .
Many hosts come to the forum asking why is no one applying for my sit ? They receive kind but honest feedback here which many choose to take on board , make some changes and then successfully find a sitter.
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Of course sitters are going to be discerning when looking at photos, just the same as when reading descriptions. How else can one determine best fit?
We choose to pair with hosts who reflect our own values and one of those is cleanliness.
I’m sure this works both ways, with hosts similarly assessing (judging) sitters. To pretend this doesn’t - or shouldn’t - matter is just nonsensical.
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It’s not about judgement of the potential host @Trust, it’s about judgement of whether you’d like to go and live in an unappealing/cluttered/messy home to look after another person’s pets for free. There’s simply no reason to do so for most of us. It’s not welcoming and it’s not pleasant. How they live is of course up to them. #justanopinion
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People can live however they want. But if you want someone else to volunteer time, effort and often money to travel to take care of your pets and home, to expect anyone to not choose what they’re comfortable with is illogical and perhaps entitled.
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Yes, but there are mature and immature ways of doing things. I’m focused on methods that serve both my and the HO needs.
Let’s shift from complaining about host standards to creating a better home description template, with photos, potentially using AI. So that HO knows what will spark interests ?
And that pictures with magazine perfect homes will be most interesting ?
I genuinely hope that never happens (though of course there’s the possibility, even now)! The way pet parents structure and word their listings also provides information which allows sitters to discern best fit. If everyone starts to use AI, the individual side of things would surely disappear and we’d be just one step away from Stepford Wives!
I think most (if not all) sitters share that same objective, and it wouldn’t be achievable without some element of judgement relating to compatibility.
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No that is not what sitters want -in fact when listings use “real estate photos “ showing a kitchen with nothing in it these are a potential red flag - I want to see how the home will actually be when I arrive -
There is a big distinction between a photo of a clean , lived in home and one full of clutter , laundry etc …
I am not looking for sterile , perfection, but I am looking for clean and comfortable.
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How would AI or templates fix a lack of cleanliness or tidiness? Do you mean to mask such and mislead sitters? Or is AI supposed to flag a filthy home so the host knows?
I saw a listing a day or two ago where the sit home had what looked like worn clothing strewn all over a messy bed, random crap cluttering every photo of the living space, including the outdoor space. Even photos of the pets showed multiple stains on the carpet. What would AI or templates do for such a host?
Who’s asking for perfection? How about not a disgusting home?
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I often hope that the HO will show me around their home remotely. Then I get a good picture of the owner, the home and the pets at the same time.
And for me it is important that they have a healthy fridge too with a bit of space for my groceries there too !
Way better than any description or pictures!
My idea is that AI could provide gentle guidance, reminders, and suggestions, empowering hosts to present their homes effectively and create a balanced and appealing presentation.
If people live dirty, it’s unlikely gentle reminders will help. THS already sends a checklist to hosts on prepping for a sit.
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Effective support hinges on using the appropriate vocabulary. Neurodiverse individuals and neurotypical individuals often employ distinct language and require fundamentally different types of support.
What is seen as dirty for some is only normal standard for someone else.
Even in apartments that were supposedly cleaned before my move-in, I’ve found a sticky, grey layer of dust on top of cupboards surfaces. This level of cleanliness is unacceptable to me, as I would never leave a space in that condition. However, it seems to be considered a normal standard for others.
Exactly! And that’s why people are sharing their thoughts on this thread.
Expressing opinions entails some sort of judgment. Don’t you agree?
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Right. Again, that’s why people can live how they like, but if someone else is deciding whether to volunteer time, effort and money to travel and take care of their place and pets, they get to decide what’s acceptably clean or tidy enough for them.
As for neurodivergence, businesses typically try to serve the majority, not a minority, simply because it’s not feasible solve for everyone. That can be unfortunate for some, of course.
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Yes, I agree. A very spiteful tone in some of the posts.
You can decide not to apply for a sit if you don’t like the photos.
Good to see that at least two people on this thread think differently.
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I see this more as venting, than sharing thoughts.
It is a kind of echo: ’How can we find a way through this? I don’t want to be by myself with this thoughts and I hope to find a way to raise the standards of HO.
Or at least that they could think about us sitters more profoundly .
Or that they could raise their awareness about their home standards.
We hope/demand clean homes. It means that you clean at least once every week? Twice a week ? Preferably no visible dirt anywhere?
We hope/demand that you organise/sort your belongings, so that they don’t declutter your home.
We hope/demand that you think about where we could have our belongings/ groceries/so on, so that we can focus on your animal.
Was it anything else which was important ?
Exactly as you are allowed to mention your needs as a neurotypical and expect to be respected for them, the same goes for neurodiverse people
Many solutions designed for neurodivergent individuals would also benefit neurotypical people. Since neurotypicals are the majority, they’re often more adaptable to environmental changes. This creates a win-win situation for everyone.
And a win-win situation is a good thing for a business. And what I can witness is that this minority group is steadily growing and many countries are embracing methods which before was seen as alternative.