Yep. Worked in the restaurant biz for 16 years. Many of our greens arrived prewashed and the rest did use a large spinner.
It’s personal thing. We live without it on sits that are a week or less - I buy the pre-washed stuff. But we’re on our 2nd 2 month sit so we just bought a spinner (bought one last time as well). Colanders do not get all the water out. We eat tons of salad and are pretty picky. Even my 86 yr old mother in law in France has always had a spinner - but I know people who just pat it all dry with paper towels. I love it for my cilantro, too.
Funny how we all have different “must haves” in our kitchens!
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@Smiley Hi, Smiley! We have ice cube trays. 
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Good thing it’s easy to get stuff delivered nowadays if you really want something that hosts don’t have.
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Yep, in the US especially and we’ve done it many times 
More challenging in the EU but we’ve done it there as well. I’m forever perplexed by non working or non existent can openers…lol. This last sit there were no facial tissues ("Kleenex) anywhere in the house. What do people use…toilet paper?
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Old sponges, yucky.
And yes to the vacuum cleaner comments
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Lots of cans come with pull tab lids now and maybe some folks don’t eat much canned food? I rarely need a can opener, though of course have them at home.
I routinely include tissues in my grocery deliveries when arriving at sits, so I don’t have to check whether the hosts have them. People live differently, so I just get what I need.
I sit in the U.S. and U.K., where it’s been straightforward to get deliveries, happily.
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At one sit, the host kindly gave me two new sponges — one for me and one for the cat, LOL.
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Oh wow! It would never occur to me to take photos of shelf contents… But I do get your point.
Er… You run water over it, then shake it around a lot, outside.
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- Pet parent having left clutter on counters
- Almost empty soap bottles
- Not enough empty space in freezer and refrigerator
- Leaving dirty dishes and clothes in the dryer.
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We carry a few ice bags with us. Very quick and hygienic way to make ice.
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Hmm, I can’t even remember the last time I needed to use a can opener. Was it 10 years ago? Maybe 15? Don’t all cans have a ring pull on the lid these days?
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Yes, I had ice bags with me until they ran out. But….plastic…
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@fledermaus “a terrifying coffee machine from the 29th century!!” 
OMG that made me lol!! We too never dare touch them - we ALWAYS travel with our stove top Italian style expresso pot- it makes better coffee than any fancy machine imho!
@carpediem16 I’m with you on the salad spinner! The current sit has a really great one and I’m using it every day with the gorgeous salads here in France. Sometimes we’ve had to resort to the ‘spinning the tea towel round the head’ technique or using lots of paper towel (wasteful) We hate soggy salad!
@Smiley ice cubes in the G&T! Absolutely!! Also for wine when there’s no space in the freezer to speed-chill it! We always have ice cube bags amongst our travel essentials- as back up!
Yep to many other comments…
- a full vacuum cleaner on arrival (and the house has not even been vacuumed lately!!)
- internet that does not reach the bedroom.
- no charger near the bed and/or no bedside tables/lights.
-full rubbush bins on arrival - ancient kitchen sponges -eek!! Always carry our own.
Honestly the list for some homes is very long and for others very short! Therefore when travelling by car we try to prepare for all eventualities so we can be as comfortable as possible!!
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Golly I am shocked that you have had these experiences. I always show my sitters where everything is, I have a book explaining our dogs routine and also I fill the fridge with basics until the sitter can go to the supermarket. Things are no always perfect but as a HO it is my job to do my best for the sitter! PS hate soap dispensers!
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Ahhhh… But do you also leave plenty of poop bags - in an obvious place?
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Today’s irritation is this:
A new HO asks for feedback on their advert that has zero applicants then tries to defend their advert whilst trying to shame you for giving feedback calling you ‘rude’….why did I bother?!
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My favourite hashtag this week @BonnyinBrighton (as had similar) #dontaskthequestionifyoudontwanttheanswer 
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Then there was the place where I could find a dustpan… But no brush. Interesting exercise, trying to push debris into a dustpan with a long-handled broom…
We don’t buy Kleenex at my house and indeed use either toilet paper (a dedicated roll), old fashioned hankies, or paper towels. If we had allergies or got sick a lot I may decided to buy Kleenex, but for the rare times we need it, what we use it’s fine.
A not-so-minor-irritation for me is the lack of cleaning products. I don’t need a different detergent for every surface, but please leave me an all-purpose cleaner and plenty of sponges and rags! How am I supposed to clean the bathroom on clean up day?
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