I am a HO turned Sitter and have done a mere one sit now (phew got 5 ). It was 9 nights and for a cat. I slept uncomfy for 9 nights but still enjoyed the sit itself. Hubby and I are not small people, a Queen size bed is the smallest we can do together. My 1st sit taught me some things, while I already knew about other things. I am PICKY .
My question is for those sitters who like a comfy bed and certain pillows, how do you manage this? If I fly to a sit, I can’t be packing my king size feather “huggy” pillow and a mattress topper. If I drive, no problem, I have learned to bring my preferred things with me. Sadly I didnt plan ahead for my 1st sit which we drove to and I spent about $50US on pillows when I got there.
I am 55 and active but have lower back issues that can flare with a bed that is too hard or too soft. How do you all do it?? Give me your best tips and tricks for both flying and driving in to sits to be able to sleep comfy.
i agree, it’s really important to me too to have a comfortable bed and not too fluffy pillows! I bought a mattress topper that’s portable in a case from Tempur-Pedic…pricy and heavy, but worth it for ensuring good sleeping! It also doubles for the grandkids’ overnight visits, so can be useful at home, too. My last sit had stinky nasty pillows, which I told her to throw out. I used my fleece jacket rolled up in a pillow case. For crying out loud! But my current sit uses a variety of pillows and told me they put them through the sanitizer in the dryer after each guest. Deeeelux! The stinky pillows lady also didn’t offer extra blankets, I used the dog’s blanket out of desperation. What a nasty sit in a dirty house that was. Anyways, I’ve learned to ask about the bed during the video call, it can be a dealbreaker for sure.
I bought an inflatable air mattress topper a few years ago. I forget what’s called but basically it’s a mat that could be used for camping for for an uncomfortable guest bed. You inflate it with a footpedal. We found it would be flat by the morning but usually helped us through the night. It fits into a small bag deflated so you can keep it in your car or fly with it. Honestly, we bought it for a particular sit we were returning to and then it got stolen from the trunk of our car some time later. I never bothered replacing it. There was only one other sit where I wished we’d had it.
Generally, I’ve found that this is mostly a problem if you are sleeping in the primary bedroom AND the homeowner(s) is an older person. I know that’s a generalization. We’re older and our mattress is ridiculously comfortable. And I use a separate guest mattress pad to make sure there is no weird odor. But this is, IMO, more likely to be where you might find this issue and want to bring your own topper. My spouse loves to have extra pillows. Just needs them, if travelling by car, we’ll take an extra pillow for him. If travelling not by car, we’ll take an extra pillow case as there might be some other kind of pillow or even clothes we can use.
Visit an REI and try (or ask them to inflate in store for you to try) some inflatable mattresses for camping. They can work well as toppers for a bed, but obviously you’ll have to pick a size (King, Queen, or invest in both). The brand ExPed makes some ridiculously comfortable inflatable mattresses than can still fold down to a size that can can be transported in a duffel for air travel. Though, you may have to pay for an extra bag depending on how much else you bring. Sometimes REI will rent gear so if you are going to a US location that has an REI nearby, you can arrange for a rental.
Our recent sitters have asked us if we would ever consider sitting and it was a no, because 1) I would miss my own pets too much (nor do I want to co-mingle them with other unknown pets) 2) I would bond and miss the pets we sit for too much, and 3) I like my stuff, eg my mattress, my cookware, etc. I don’t even like AirBNB’s, no matter how fancy, because everything is different.
Good luck with finding a packable solution to improve your sleep!
I know you’re asking how to handle things with confirmed sits, but I think you can also weed out sits that won’t work for you by making your needs clear. I had a sitter who asked me about the condition of my bed after we had both confirmed the sit - fortunately my bed passed muster (and I have pillows of ALL varieties of soft->hard), but what if it hadn’t? If it’s important enough to be a deal-breaker (and I get it, truly!), bring it up! Any sists you don’t get (or take) would have been uncomfortable.
Also it’s specifically the ExPed MegaMat that really transformed our tent camping sleep to … like a home mattress. Phenomally comfortable! But, I don’t they make larger than a full size, but you can maybe measure one full and one single for a queen/king situation.
I can’t say enough how comfy those inflatable mattresses are. They come with a manual inflator or you can get (or maybe ask host if they have) a battery operated tire inflator - those usually work too.
We suspect quite a few HOs-turned-sitters have sudden moments of “ahhh… so THIS is what sitters mean when they mention beds and pillows!”
You’re definitely not alone - sleep quality can make or break a sit, especially once back issues enter the equation.
For driving sits we bring our own pillows and sometimes even a lightweight topper if it’s a longer stay. Flying is trickier, so we’ve learned to adapt a bit more and now ask a few polite questions before confirming.
We usually look for:
Queen bed minimum
Mattress age/firmness
2 decent pillows each
Air con/heating depending on climate
Some hosts are surprisingly honest and helpful when asked directly
One thing we’ve also learned is that “comfy” is incredibly subjective. A bed one sitter loves is another sitter’s torture rack
For flights, a compressible travel pillow and pillowcase from home can help a lot without taking huge luggage space. We’ve also occasionally bought inexpensive pillows locally for longer sits and donated them afterward.
At 55, good sleep isn’t really a luxury anymore - it’s part of staying healthy enough to enjoy the pets, walks and travel.
As HOs yourselves, this may also end up being one of those unexpected “new sitter lessons” you take back home for your future sitters too
Worse case scenario take a nap if your sleep is disturbed. After our last big trip which was 127 different beds I considered maybe next time I should bring a small pillow at least. Too soft beds that sink in the middle, not much you can do about that. Beds so hard you might as well be on the floor, everything I can find goes underneath me. We have sat with just a double but now screen for at least a queen or possibly two beds. After 15 months continuous travel coming back to my own bed was sweet. Kudos to the full timers I don’t know how you do it. And if you need a hotel in the UK try the premier inn chain, rooms are ordinary but the beds are great.
OOOH i will look into this, we have been sleeping on Tempr-Pedic memoryfoam hydrid mattresses for 15 years, 3 mattresses later. Worth every penny!
Thanks for the laugh (and cry)!
Genius! I’ve got plenty of extra pillowcases.
Great ideas! Will look into this, we love REI!
Yessss! I was only checking bed size but I need to dig deeper and consult AI on how to ask nicely in the videochat phase if things are going well.
Great stuff to consider, THIS one is a dealbreaker and I need to make a list so I dont forget and end up extremely uncomfy AND hot (thanks menopause) .
Gaaah11! My worst nightmare! That’s why I made this post. You are making me laugh and cry over here.
Two beds two rooms, that’s fine by me, some listing are really hard to understand and I will have a nice list to reference for the next video chat.
Our guest room for sitters has the Queen Temper-Pedic we used for a couple and then we ordered the King size for us! I mention it in my listing so there is no question about comfort for viewers of my listing. And because I am a pillow person, I have 4 pillows of varying soft/firm/synthetic/down on the guest bed. Plus more spares in the closet!
Thanks to everyone so far!! These are wonderful suggestions to arm me for my future sits.
Oh, I forgot to mention we are professional nappers so this was one way I was able to get through the 9 nights of discomfort. I feel armed to avoid another 9 night of crappy sleep now!
I recommend something like, “hey can you tell me about the sleeping surface? I have found (whatever you want to say about the sleeping surface you need) and want to make sure it’s a good fit”. No judgment needed - what makes a “good bed” is different for everyone, it’s just making sure you are getting what is right for you
@MTBer, your questions highlight the importance of clear, upfront communication - in your profile, applications and/or video calls as appropriate - on any topic that you deem to be important.
Seemingly like @WeRPAWsome, we find that most Pet Parents respond positively to direct questions. Most want to find a great fit for their pet(s) and property. Most want housesitter to have a positive experience. But they can’t read housesitter mind. And housesitters vary a great deal in profile. Just ask.
For us a similar topic is use of pet parent vehicle. If listing is significantly rural and peak season then we often directly ask (in application and video call) about use of vehicle (and provide related info). For us, on some applications, then this topic is a dealbreaker. We’re simply not willing to be stranded in the middle of nowhere - been there, done that, no future interest. Most pet parents respond positively. If they don’t then not big deal for us, we simply withdraw - itself a good outcome, given context of deemed important topic.
Have to say, my experience as a sitter AND as a reader of this forum caused me to say this about the bed: “The bedroom – where you’ll sleep – has a comfy bed (Sealy Cocoon US-Queen 152.5 x 203.5 cm mattress), cotton sheets and always newly washed blankets.”
I’m figuring people can look up Sealy Cocoon, and can ask me whether I got the “soft” or the “firm.” Actually gonna update now because I should written it as: Sealy Cocoon Chill. I don’t mention that I also use a guest mattress cover cleaned after every sit.
Wow, this thread has opened my eyes to something I had a vague awareness of, but had never touched my life. I guess I’m fortunate that I’ve always been able to sleep well, my partner used to say it was a gift. Mattress firmness, toppers and pillow types are not something I’ve ever worried about. If I had been asked what a Sealy Cocoon Chill was before reading about it here I might have thought it was some type of lightweight summer sleeping bag. I would never ask a host about the plumpness of her pillows, that wouldn’t get me many sits.
As long as there is a bed and mattress (I don’t mind a single), a bedroom that’s neither too warm or too chilly, not too much noise and the darker the better, I don’t need much else.
When I have a chat on WhatsApp (it’s never an interview) I tell the hosts that I don’t have any special requirements and they needn’t worry about a neighbour’s rooster waking me early.
I wonder what sitters from the US think when they get to the UK and Europe, where bed comfort and size may be very different to what they’re used to.
My family and friends say that I could sleep on a galloping hedgehog. Have also never thought to ask about beds other than to check it’s at least a double. It’s definitely an interesting thread randomly, am also able to fall asleep on the 11 minute hydrofoil to the IOW and all plane journeys #feelingvirtuous
@Cuttlefish and @anon52083843 you two are lucky ducks!!! I wish I wasn’t so picky. I figured if I was younger it would be less of a problem BUT there are many retired sitters on THS. I am jealous of the non-picky sleepers. I really want to keep sitting for a number of reasons and will try some of these fab tips!
I have definitely had the good, the bad and the ugly. But after being on the road permanently for so long, I’ve had to learn to just cope with bad beds and pillows. Some things just can’t be fixed.
What does amuse me though is half, or a lot of the time, the guest bed is the old one that the HO got rid of because it was so bad and bought a new one for themselves, hence leaving the sagging, lumpy old one for the sitters. Like sometimes I feel like I need a forklift to dig me out of the depths of a sunken mattress, or send up smoke signals otherwise I may never be seen again! “Body found decaying in sunken mattress would be the headlines”. Insofar as pillows, I can’t carry a proper one around the world so I now have a good long air pillow that blows up to nearly the width of a normal pillow. I blow it up halfway then put one of the noticeably low and flat HO pillow on top which helps very much. I have herniated discs and spinal fusion in my lower back and have to be so careful.
). It was 9 nights and for a cat. I slept uncomfy for 9 nights but still enjoyed the sit itself. Hubby and I are not small people, a Queen size bed is the smallest we can do together. My 1st sit taught me some things, while I already knew about other things. I am PICKY 
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Thanks to everyone so far!! These are wonderful suggestions to arm me for my future sits.
so this was one way I was able to get through the 9 nights of discomfort. I feel armed to avoid another 9 night of crappy sleep now!
journeys 
