Hello dear Sitters,
I subscribe to this platform because of my health. I might have to go to hospital for longer moments. By reading all the terms and guidelines I am wondering if my house will be good enough.
The house is old. I live here for 10 years. And not all floors are perfect. With my budget I try to recover everything.
• For example I don’t drink coffee. Is an coffeemachine essential?
• I don’t have a t.v. i do have a beamer which you can watch netflix.
• In my household we don’t eat pork out of respect not to bring it in.
- I would really leave it clean with enough cleaning products/toilletpaper.
- Cat food and paspoorts incase
- Would leave a full fridge (I have small fridge) Food (in my religion guidelines) whatever the Sitter wants. Drinks (But only no alcehol).
- I would want the sitter feel home and comfortable. Explain everything.
- Leave guidelinebook
- Space for clothes and option close the sleeping room.
My cats are easy going. They get food 2 times a day. Small portion in morning and in evening. If it skips it is not big problem if there is food in there bowls. Just that they are not all the time alone. But during day they can be alone. Just for night time or whenever the Sitter feels like.
I live with two cats. Solana and Patricia. I readed all the guidelines and also what Sitters missed. And the standards more feel like hotel vibe. Are there less attractive houses who make a chance?
I live in Rotterdam, we have the markthal and harbour. And some musea.
More tips advice is welcome.
Do I make a chance? I am still learning and reading and not made a profile yet. I want enough information before I take a membership.
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@Ettora
Join and make a profile, you’ll be fine.
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Oke, great. The Sitter is a guest so you want them to feel comfortabel as possible.
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Your home looks clean, Rotterdam is an interesting city, 2 cats are not difficult and your description is fine.
You will have no problems getting great sitters
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Agree with @Colin, Rotterdam is an attractive place to sit, your house looks nice and your cats sound easy. There aren’t tonnes of sits in the Netherlands so they go quickly. The things you don’t have are fine, just be clear about that in the listing. Maybe buy a small French press if you want to solve the coffee issue but other than that, best of luck. #somethingforeveryone
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Thank you for the feedback.
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Oke, great. I will think of this if I have to leave again. It will always be longer sits like 15 days min. And true, Rotterdam is a great city especially in summer when everyone is outside. Thank you for the feedback.
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You should be absolutely fine, Rotterdam is a great location and you home and sit seems lovely. When creating your listing, you might want to give this blog a read that I inspired for THS to help ensure you have a quality listing!
Good luck 
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You sound very thoughtful and your home looks ideal.
Coffee machine - I never use them as they frighten me, I and other sitters bring our own instant coffee
It is not normal to leave a full fridge and drinks - just the basics, bread and milk, Anything else is a bonus.
Good luck
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Thank you so much. And thank you for the link. I would feel so bad if a sitter doesnt feel comfortable.
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Welcome @Ettora
We have stayed in all sorts of homes with THS some large some small . THS is not equivalent to a hotel , it’s about providing a travel experience . Many sitters want to experience what it is like to actually live in a city like a local . If they want a hotel experience they would book a hotel.
What is most important to a sitter , is not the size of the home but that the sitter feels welcome , appreciated and comfortable.
The pictures of your home look clean and welcoming- if you do decide to join include a photo of the bedroom where the sitter will be sleeping .
State your requirements clearly at the start of your listing (in the home section ) No Pork and No alcohol to be brought into the home . This will ensure that sitters know about this before they apply to sit . That’s not a barrier to finding a sitter - there are sits listed where the owners are vegan and do not want meat bought into the home .
You are in a popular destination and from your description your pets are easy for a sitter to care for . So a sitter will have plenty of time to explore your town. That makes for a great mutual exchange which is what THS is all about.
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Oke thanks. I would be so thankfull, out of love will fill the fridge. Hhh, thank you for the feedback.
Thank you for your reply, it is really inspiring as I try to imagen what drives a Sitter. And feeling home is exact the vibe I want to leave behind.
Oke great, I will provide good pictures of the sleeping room. When making a listing.
And yes, the sitter can explore all day and evening the city. I have great neighbours, there is transport bus metro to the city centre or schiedam. For me it is just my cats will be not alone “all the time” when I have to visit the hospital. Because I always have to leave min 15 days.
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Welcome @Ettora
Sorry to hear of your health issues.
I’m currently doing a sit in Amsterdam in an older apartment the HO’s have recently moved into and are renovating. The HO advised the situation to me when we chatted and it’s no problem. Your home looks clean and tidy that’s all us sitters require.
There are many listings from HO’s with different religious or cultural backgrounds as well as vegans etc. Just make sure you put in the listing you prefer sitters that will respect your house rules of no pork or alcohol to be consumed in your home.
Good luck.
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Thank you for your reply, yes it is so true. Like you would entrust your best friend your home. Great discription. And understand wierd/political art/books can be offensive. I really appriciate all the advice. It gives me more confident. Thanks a lot.
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Thank you, yes my health. Because I have two cats traveling with both is for me impossible (stressful for them) because I am alone. So leaving them is always hard.
Oke thank you for sharing your experience and tips.
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Thank you for the feedback. I appriciate.
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Hi @ettora, You come across as kind, considerate and thoughtful, a person who realizes that it does take a bit of work to make people feel welcome. You are on the right path. 
Your house looks quite cute, I would stay there! Plus, taking care of two sweet cats makes for an easier sit.
All the best in securing a sitter the time comes.
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). So long as the HO is genuine, transparent and honest in the home and pet descriptions, considerate, and behaves ‘as if’ I’m a trusted friend housesitting…. then the home if it’s good enough for you would be good enough for me (probably). I could tolerate ‘small’ or ‘old’ or even ‘shabby’ but could not tolerate ‘unheigenic’ ‘dirty’ or ‘weird’. What constitutes ‘weird’ for me is a very personal thing… I don’t think I could stay anywhere with violent misogynistic artwork etc or bookshelves full of Holocaust denial material… so that kind of ‘weird’ would put me off. But a normal clean home that’s old or small can be very cosy and welcoming. And making a specific request like no pork or alcohol would be fine too because I’d know in advance. Your place sounds fine 
