I’m gearing up for my first sit and I’m super excited! I’ll be staying at the hosts’ home for a week and don’t want to deplete their pantry goods, but I also want to be sure I have spices/dry items I can easily pack for future sits.
I’m thinking of buying a set of spices for items I often cook at home as well as dry items like chia seeds, oats, or quinoa to take with me on longer sits like this. 
Do any regular sitters have a few things they always travel with?
Thanks!
We don’t take spices at all, nor salt/pepper, the home owners we have sat for haven’t minded us using those things at all (I don’t think any home owner would). We take our own cleaning cloths (ESSENTIAL!), toiletries, soap powder, dishwasher tablets, loo rolls, and 1 towel between us, just in case the home owners don’t think of supplying one for us, plus then on the last day we can leave them their freshly laundered towels.
PS Cleaning cloths - home owners never seem to have enough of them and when you have a whole house to clean within 1 day or so you need quite a number. Microfibre are easiest and then you can pop them in the washer to re-use them.
This might help - previous question similar to yours:
Welcome @krissid
Of the 15 sits I’ve completed so far (and my current sit) the HO’s have been happy to allow me to use oils and spices freely. Only one odd HO that put post it notes on everything not to touch have I had to supply my own.
I have done a majority of my sits in Europe travelling from the UK on budget airlines. I don’t pay for extra luggage so I pack very light. On my current 11 day sit in Cyprus I carried 3 lots of t-shirts, underwear and socks and a pair of swimming shorts. I also carried my toiletry bag and my laptop for work. I carry washing machine capsules to wash my clothes once in situ.
I got good at travelling light quick when I saw that I could be doubling (or more!) the cost of my flight tickets if I wanted larger carry on or hold luggage.
Hi @krissid and congratulations on getting your first sit! If you are driving, pack whatever you want. If there are spices or oils you would really miss if the HO doesn’t have them, bring your own. As you should not eat any of the HO food in general, you will have to buy your own once you arrive. If you can pack it, that will be less you will have to buy. As has been mentioned, you can usually use the HO spices and cooking oils but make sure to replace anything you have used up or that is almost depleted after you’ve used it.
Spices are good - mostly hosts say we’re fine to use them, but some folks just don’t keep them in the house.
Other essentials in our food box: yeast, olive oil, honey, decaf tea and coffee, herbal night tea bags, g/f muesli ingredients, oat milk.
Hi @krissid & congratulations on your first sit!
As a seasoned sitter of 5 years I would say there is not much extra you’d need to bring- just pack what you would normally travel with for a short holiday. As its a sit of only a week I would expect the host to provide toilet rolls, washing liquid, dishwasher tabs & all cleaning equipment for the duration. (I’m surprised @HappyDeb & others bring all that- we never do) When the sit goes longer that 1/2 weeks and/or we run out of supplies we top them up & always leave supplies for the host. Sometimes we do buy new kitchen sponges/cloths if needed…
But always remember you are taking care of the home and pets- for free- so some basics are expected & should be included. Everything related to pet care and home cleaning should be included as standard.
Most hosts will invite use of basic foodstuffs too like herbs & spices/salt/pepper/oil etc. Most will also invite you to use up perishables in the fridge. Some invite use of pantry staples (within reason-don’t overdo it & replace anything you finish!) etc. And then some extra generous hosts will also leave wine/chocolate/cookies etc especially for the sitter!
Many hosts provide bathroom basics for the sitters- like shower gel/shampoo etc but don’t rely on that -come prepared.
All hosts should provide fresh bedding and towels.
My suggestion would be- arrive at the sit prepared with your essentials!- then see what is offered and take it from there!
Happy sitting!
Firstly well done you.
Pegs, they come in handy for all manner of things.
I take herbs/spices, actually you would think we are moving for the amount of stuff I pack in the Car.
Being plant based and making all our own cheeses and meat subs, I take nearly everything from the Pantry, however depending on the sit, if it is a repeat and it’s location plus what their Oven’s, Hob/Stove top are and their cookware depends on what we cook these days. If it is a new sit and not local, i will take the basics that get us through most situations and sometimes give in and buy Plant based product from the supermarket, however always carry, herbs/spices and other such things that are hard to source.
Happy Sitting
I remember when travelling through Germany, I found this amazing little spice bottle that was divided into sections with like 12 different spices including salt and pepper. It wasn’t too big either.
I take my flipflops, to wear in the shower, no slipping, no risk of fungal infections