I wouldn’t take it quite so literally – if it’s a general guideline it’s more ‘things to consider’. Follow within common sense for your own sit.
From a sitter’s perspective, it helps to know what the HO expects with foodstuffs: let your sitter know if they can help themselves to things, or stipulate more specifically what they can use. If there are foods that will go bad (produce, dairy), do let them know the sitter can use them up or just chuck them if they don’t want them. If you have leftovers or things that won’t be appealing to a house sitter, remember to chuck them out before you go. If it’s more than a couple of days, leave a little space for them to put their own food in there.
Been a sitter for 5 years, and most owners do not take the fridge suggestion in full. Many make rooms for sitters’ stuff, but more often, they tell me to use up what is perishable and most condiments. I only minded when I had to clean out moldy items in the fridge.
Appreciate a clean bathroom, but I usually end up cleaning it before settling in.
Thanks for reviewing the checklist; it feels some owners do not bother.
Hello, @Jan44 I would like to wish you a very warm welcome to the community forum. Thank you for contributing to this thread.
What a lovely way to welcome sitters into your home.
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Best wishes Carla
Hi @katareeves
For a long term (month or more)sit we clean out the refrigerator completely. We empty a couple of shelves in the pantry for the sitter, We empty a bureau in the sitter’s room and remove any of our clothing from the closet . We also clean out one side of the bathroom drawers and the medicine cabinet. We expect out L/T sitters to move in and treat our home as theirs.
For a short term sit we don’t go to that extent but always have an empty closet and bureau for the sitter.
I received this same email before my sitters, so I believe it is something that THS is doing now. However with that said, I am on as both a HO and Sitter. I would not willy nilly throw out things from the refrigerator as a sitter and as a HO, I will always leave a clean fridge, but no one throws out my condiments. When I get to a sit and doing a tour, usually there is a time we open the frige to show me space or whatever and if I see perishables, I ask, do you want me to keep those for you or do you think they will go bad, they usually tell me to eat them. I never throw away anything if it isn’t told to me by the HO.
I never throw away anything if it isn’t told to me by the HO.