Human nature. I bet lots of those dog poop leavers weren’t always that way. Over time, they saw that poop cleaner uppers were in the minority, so they stopped caring and did the same as everyone else.
I admit to doing the same thing here on THS, I left a positive review for a bad sitter because I didn’t want the backlash which would effect my own favorability among future sitters. I got stuck with this bad sitter because hosts before me did the same thing. The next unsuspecting host will be left with a bag of dog poop, and after their sit is finished, they’ll probably leave theirs as well.
I think it is common in rural areas. At my friend’s farm, I never picked up after my dog, because, as she put it, the farm is full of cow, horse, duck, goose etc etc poop. And this was pretty much a rural area. The dogs tended to poop while we walked along a hay field.
I am pretty sure it is. I’m in a small town, but a town nonetheless, so the farm, no more than five minutes from the town center, is actually a lovely recreational park, right at the bottom of a Gibraltar-like rock with many walking trails, rock climbing areas, bike-tracks, playgrounds for kids, and picnic setups.
I don’t really care that much when people fail to pick up from the grass alongside the path, I’d care even less if I were on an actual farm. But leaving a huge, visible pile right in the very middle of a narrow concrete walkway, where hundreds of people and small kids walk, is definitely a bit too much. And this happens on a daily basis.
Feels like this has become less amusing and a tad nitpicky.
Judging by the strength of people’s feelings on here, I dont know why any of you are Sitters when the people you sit for may well see the pictures that have been posted from their homes. Also, what do you expect? We are all just human beings with different standards of what we accept. Considering the emotions generated over a lack of a salad spinner, id be reluctant to have anyone in my house now because I don’t own a dishwasher and I wouldn’t want to be trolled for that. This is an insightful thread, but one that doesn’t make me want to keep using this site. If you want to look for faults you will find them. Sometimes it’s easier to say something kind, or nothing. It can be difficult to allow strangers into your home and look after your pets, just as im sure its difficult to go to a strangers house in an unfamiliar place. Reading this level of itchiness is neither funny or nice.
I dont list a dishwasher. You’re either missing the point or choosing to ignore the fact that this thread is just a big pile on for all the stuff you guys want to say on a review but dont because its probably going to affect your own ratings.
It’s easy to get stuck in a doom loop and I feel bad for you all that its these kinds of things that you choose to take from your sitting experiences- too much tech, not enough tech, not enough information on a walk round, too much information on a walk round. No one is ever going to be 100% happy because its someone’s home and not a hotel. If stuff isn’t on a listing, just ask the sitter.
I was looking for a date filler early Dec before a sit started, and a bunch came up, all in apartments without washer/dryer, except in communal area, which means you have to pay for it, And often you have to have a card with money on it to use the communal washer and dryer, no coins. I won’t apply.
Sounds like you’re overwhelmed by this thread, which I can understand. It’s worth noting, though, that none of these things are dealbreakers. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many successful sits and people continuing to host, sit and renew memberships.
Of course, we all make our own decisions, and if THS is not for you, that’s fine. No company can fit all people.
I just think it’s sad that the same names always seem to look at the negatives in people. They may not be deal breakers as you say, just fodder for the next thread of dread.
There is another thread which is running concurrently which is slightly more positive and some of the same posters are trying to put negative spin on that as well. Its a shame that people need to be negative for what they perceive to be a good story. It’s all perspective.
I just use a clean tea towel to dry salad leaves so im not wasting paper towels or having another piece of needless plastic in the house. These things matter to some people I guess. First world problems
I’m loving your environmentally friendly approach.
Here in rural Greece, we don’t have a recycling system, and since tap water isn’t drinkable, the amount of plastic bottled water that is used by residents and dumped in the garbage is astronomical.
I did the unthinkable and installed a 7 step reverse osmosis system so the tap water is safe to drink. No more plastic water bottles. We can all do our part. Unfortunately the average local never sees the $250 needed to purchase such a system even though they’ll pay many times that over the course of their water drinking lifetime.
Thank you. I just don’t like a lot of clutter in the kitchen either.
Thats a really good idea with the water, and cost effective.
As its rural Greece (which admittedly i don’t know a lot about), is it the case that people on low incomes maybe don’t have the financial capacity to save on their earnings but would have the daily money to buy bottled water? Seems self defeating i know, but I guess its like youngsters in the UK (and probably elsewhere), who have the money (just about)for property rental which is rocketing, but not enough to save for their own homes. It’s the immediate V the long term isn’t it. Probably why we are in an environmental mess as well.
is it the case that people on low incomes maybe don’t have the financial capacity
Having lived here for 2 years my opinion is that the reluctance of locals to embrace newer technology is due to low incomes and little to no discretionary income plus they don’t care about the environment as seem by properties in disarray and garbage dumped in the woods everywhere.
We hear you! We’ve done sits with no kettles, no dishwashers, no washing machines, no dryers, no spare towels or bedding, definitely no salad spinners (life’s too short) or microwaves (very bad for your health), out door kitchens, replaceable gas bottles that need fixing up & on it goes. We love the versatility, surprises and cultural adjustments, makes sitting so much more interesting than a polished, one size fits all model #lifesrichtapestry
We’ve happily completed a variety of sits too, but the ‘little irritations’ (title of this thread) are when amenities are included in the listing but not actually available, or no supplies left for even a single use.
As @Maggie8K has rightly said, they’re not dealbreakers but are indeed niggling.
