Hi what does everyone consider basics that you leave for house sitters
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Aside from a clean house and plenty of food/litter/treats for the creatures, as a sitter I don’t expect to be left anything.
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THS has no rules or suggestions for that (but there is a cleaning checklist), so the basics would be minimal, items like a non-empty roll of toilet paper in the bathroom.
But Spartan conditions would feel very inhospitable.
(At my current sit I get really spoiled. They stocked up for me with food, coffee, cookies, snacks, beers, etc.)
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In general we don’t expect anything other than a clean home.
It’s more a case of what we don’t want. For example, if a stay is less than 10 days and they say they want grass cutting to be carried out in their profile, it could make it feel like we were just there to be a free-gardener or free-cleaner. But fortunately we’ve had great sits with amazing HO’s.
We like a decent supply of toilet roll. We’ve only had one place that left the bare minimum. When we arrive we want to get settled, and bond with their pet, we don’t want to be thinking of leaving them alone straight away to go to a shop for toilet roll.
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Whatever you would normally leave for guests and an appropriate supply of cleaning products for the stay .
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I just wish ho would try sleeping in guest room comfy bed and beside table with a lamp as I read in bed. These things have been missing and if it’s a long stay would be appreciated.just ask sitter if there is anything you can leave them in fridge just so you have basics for breakfast next day.
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A clean house and a well thought out welcome guide.
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Wifi details somewhere clear.
Fan if it’s hot (I’m uk based so we don’t tend to have AC in homes) and if it’s cold access to heating, blankets. Whatever is needed to be comfortable in the climate you’re in.
You’re not obligated to at all, but I notice the HOs who bring up tea / coffee and leave some milk for me. It’s a thoughtful touch.
I don’t know what THS says about this, but a clean towel is handy. I’ve forgotten mine before or not been able to fit it in my suitcase.
Salt, pepper, oil, some condiments (again not mandatory but helpful) - the kinds of things you wouldn’t get through in a week or so and are a pain in the ass to carry around. It’s nice when HO think of this.
If you’ve stayed in AirBnB’s or homely accommodations, I guess the best way to think of it is what has made your stay pleasant, and what has not. You can of course choose to just leave what’s suggested by THS in way of cleaning products, but from my experience, a lot of what shapes sitting is the way you make people feel 
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I was offered an unsolicited sit yesterday that I would’ve easily accepted, but they offered the sitter a sofa to sleep on. It was that or some unclear sleeping arrangement in the media room. I rejected it without hesitation.
I happen to live close by and like their area, and my house is being remodeled, so I’d happily get away from the noise and mess, especially because I telecommute. But any host who thinks so little of the sitter’s comfort that they’d not offer an actual bed is not worth sitting for, IMO. And this was a family home, so they would presumably have beds.
I can easily see why they’ve had few, if any, applicants. And the sit dates are soon.
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Curious if you gave them that feedback.
No. I don’t give random hosts unsolicited feedback.
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The HO should definitely try out whatever accommodation the sitter will be using, preferably imagining themselves as a sitter.
I’m staying in a granny annexe, a lovely conversion from a Georgian stable block.
I don’t think much cooking has gone on herw as there were no pans or basic cooking implements, but possibly a lot of eating & drinking as i reckon there are enough plates, glasses and cutlery for 20!
Thankfully, the HO didn’t leave until the day after i arrived so i could ask for what i needed. The HO did say at that point that perhaps they should test it out, so future sitters will now have what they need.
It’s a lovely sit now that I’ve got pans and utensils!
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Many hosts overlook that a sitter will need space in a kitchen cupboard / larder to store their own groceries , and some space in the fridge and freezer too and of course space in the bedroom to put away their clothes .
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I am a HO and sitter. Depending upon my sitter, I leave a fully stocked kitchen/pantry and a very clean house. My last sitters were a lovely young couple who we took to dinner before we left. Once I found out their interests, I bought gift certificates for restaurants and bars that they could walk to from my house.
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It said this in the old contract form: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/static/resources/Trusted-house-sitter_home-owner-agreement.pdf
If an owner had not provided towels, I would subtract lots of stars.
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interesting about the first meal. I never realized that and it really only happens when i’m arriving a night early.
That “contract” is old and no longer used.
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We expect enough food/treats for the whole duration of the stay for the animals, including enough cat litter for the time too. We also expect the basics…toilet paper, paper towels, dish pods, laundry detergent, etc. A clean house is a huge expectation from us and if we receive a dirty home, we aren’t the happiest. Other than that, everything else is just a bonus. Food left, bottle of wine, snack basket, gifts, etc. All of that is not expected and we always see it as a welcome gift and return the favor leaving something for them!
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It feels like people aren’t defining “basics” in the same way. You are trading pet care for accomodations. Accomodations need to include not just a clean, non-infested home, but a comfortable bed, clean linens and towels, basic toiletires (which I know some people don’t leave, but sheesh, not that hard to do), basic cookware etc for meal preparation in a working kitchen, some staples for cooking – cooking oil, vinegar, spices, etc… Ideally, some “emergency” meals – canned soup, pancake mix, other provisions. Generally, if the sitter was your friend doing this as a favor, what would you leave for them?
Of course in return, guests can be equally gracious and responsible.
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If heating is listed in amenities, make sure it is working, especially in colder months 
Otherwise dont mention heating.
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