Finding the right sitter for you and your pet can often be about building a connection.
Recently, I’ve been reading some older forum discussions where members have shared some lovely stories about small acts of kindness, or welcome packs for sitters who are coming into their homes for the first time - there’s also this THS guide to help you prepare for your sitter.
I’m curious, what do you do to welcome sitters to your home for the first time?
What tips would you offer Pet Parents who are new to THS to help them connect with their chosen sitter?
Some suggestions that I’ve seen in the forum;
- A complete Welcome Guide
- A video call ahead of the sit
- Emergency contact info
- Space in the fridge/freezer for their own food (depending on length of sit)
- Recommendations about things to do in the area
Also, check out this discussion, where sitters share their tips to connect with pet parents.
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I would add to your list:
- In the bathroom, remove your own products from the shower, bathtub, and countertops so that the sitter has room for their own things
- In the bedroom, clear out at least a few drawers in the dresser, and / or shelves in the closet, and either leave a foot or so of closet hanging rod clear, with empty hangers, so that the sitter has space to unpack and hang clothes (depending on length of sit - for a 3-night stay a sitter may not need this, but for a week or longer stay it will be appreciated)
- in the kitchen, clear off your countertops so that the sitter has room to prepare their meals
- give complete and accurate details of your pets’ personalities, behaviors, likes/dislikes, routines, any medical or adoption histories, etc., in your HO profile so that sitters can make informed choices and not waste your or their time applying for sits that they do not yet know they would not be able to accept
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@MRorMRS it sounds so simple, but just having space for their own stuff totally makes sense.
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I do shorter sits - up to two weeks approx., so for me it would be enough to have my bag/ suitcase somewhere. But some place for clothing for sure.
Important is place in fridge. In warm locations and/ or longer sits I would very much appreciate freezer space. Just a little bit, for some ice cream, a pizza or similar.
I find that fridge space has often been made available, while the freezer could be really packed… 
. Well, I can relate, absolutely. Just a mention.
Thoughtfulness when it comes to a clean and tidy home where it is room for me is important, more so than 
and 
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Clearing the kitchen counter tops is a big one for me. I don’t ask hosts to do that, but if the kitchen is clear it’s sooooo welcoming!
I once shared a kitchen counter top with 5 different cat bowls. That’s right, whenever I prepared food I had to know that these cats that just walked out of the litter box were now sharing my food prep space. 
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From reading discussions across the forum, another good point is to ensure that the Camera and Recording Device policy is being followed.
To summarise;
- Disclose any recording devices e.g. Ring doorbell etc
- Disable any camera or recording device which is inside the property
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I’m guessing you are a sitter, but I could be wrong. Maybe you are a home owner with a much nicer home than mine! Here is the thing: People live in their homes. If it isn’t a long sit -like a month or longer, it’s simply unrealistic to expect people with a single bathroom to clear out all their stuff. A more realistic approach is to clean the bathroom and if possible leave some space – a drawer or maybe even just a small bin or tray that a sitter can use. It’s also necessary to put away anything you specifically don’t want the sitter to use – eg prescription meds, expensive bath salts, etc. It’s also nice to leave out basic toiletries like soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste as many sitters won’t be travelling with stuff.
Similarly with clearing out drawers. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a sit yet where there was actually drawer space in the bedroom! I have a dresser with an ikea type shelving unit on top of it, so I manage to remove 4 boxes from the shelving unit, creating a litte space for a sitter’s things. But the bedroom closet is where I’m putting that stuff and it gets piled high when I have sitters, so nope, can’t leave “a foot of room” and many people don’t want to “share” their closet. My solution – I can clear some hanging space in my coat closet and that’s what I do. Sitters get the closet space but not in the bedroom.
I also recently bought a couple of suitcase holders which are foldable and easy to store. Those go in front of the two small bedroom closests.
It’s unrealistic to expect homeowners to upend things and basically do a move out as they might for airbnb for sitters who maybe come a few times a year. It’s not unrealistic to expect them to make an effort and do something, to figure out a way to have drawer space even if it means somehting portable and foldable or hanging space even if it’s some hangers on a coat rack.
