Community Forum: March round-up

Hello sunshine! Spring has sprung over in the Northern Hemisphere, and we’re loving the longer, brighter days. As the seasons change, it’s time to reflect on what’s been happening on the Community Forum. Highlights from February and March include how to make sitters feel at home, stories from boat-dwellers, and getting to know more about our lovely members.

Must-read discussion

TrustedHousesitters newbie @Radcl80 started a discussion on how to make a stay as lovely as possible for sitters. Our Forum members shared some top-notch tips to make sitters feel right at home.

@Fatamorgana said:

“My personal priorities are:

• A clean and well-organized home, it makes the stay much more pleasant.
• Good communication, clear instructions, responsiveness, and no last-minute surprises.
• No cameras inside, sitters should feel trusted and comfortable.
• A relaxed attitude, understanding that small things may not always go 100% your way.”

For @Sittersue, it’s the little things:

“I would love to have a digital alarm clock in the bedroom. We don’t sleep with our phones. We usually bring one with us, but sometimes have a hard time finding somewhere to plug it in where we can see it from the bed.”

And for @Seniorsitter, it’s all about space:

“I always appreciate an empty drawer or two. I have had sits with closet space but no drawers. I don’t like living out of a suitcase and can’t hang up underwear, gloves, etc. A clean house and fresh bedding, including a clean oven, kitchen sink, and a toaster with a clean crumb tray. 

I want the host to tell me to feel free to use their spices. Refrigerator space is also very important so I can do a week’s worth of shopping at a time. A little freezer space is also nice to see.”

Forum member shout-outs 

Big kudos to sitter duo @HighFive! They’ve shared some brilliant conversation starters this month, from pampered pets to whether sitters prefer to chase the sun.

We loved this discussion from pet parent @Huw, who lives on a canal boat. This was a first for the Forum, and it got us thinking – are there any other boat-dwelling members in our midst?

Congrats to @JoYa, who just marked a year of nonstop sits – what an incredible feat! The couple also shared some really great feedback about the process of confirming dates – thank you!

Top pics

@BonnyinBrighton shared a brilliant photo of her winter dog walking attire – we know it’s best to be prepared for all kinds of weather in the UK! Jump into the chat if you want to show us your own dog-walking style.

@Maggie8k shared the sweetest pic of a furry feline soaking up the sun – it looks like pure bliss. We’d love to see your own Caturday moments, because let’s be honest, every day is Caturday!

@Nagy26 shared some beautiful photos in our thread on Cornwall and Wales travel tips. Do you have any advice of your own? Feel free to share in our Forum discussion!

What else has the community been discussing?

Staying safe in Australia

Our hearts went out to everyone impacted by Cyclone Alfred, and our members came together to share their own messages of support.

Introductions and reintroductions 

We asked our members to introduce (or reintroduce!) themselves to the Forum, and wow, what a lovely bunch you are! From keen swimmers to Pokémon Go fans, one thing we can all agree on is that house and pet sitting is simply the best!

We’d love to see more of our members popping in – come and share your story!

Planning ahead

It might only be March, but some of our members are already plotting their Christmas sits!  It’s never too early to start thinking about festive furry friends…

What you need to know

You spoke, we listened! Thanks to all your helpful feedback, we’ve made it easy to report listings or profiles that don’t look quite right. Simply flag it with Frankie, our chatbot.

Join the Community Forum

Got a brilliant idea? A funny pet sitting story? Or just fancy a chat? Come join the friendly Community Forum – we’d love to have you here!