Community Forum: May round-up

Welcome to the May issue of our Community Forum round-up!

This month, the Forum’s been buzzing with everything from practical cooking tips for sitters to advice on who’s responsible for covering costs during a sit. We also saw cherry blossom season in full bloom across the world, and shared the joy of returning to sits our members know and love. As always, our community shared their warmth and wisdom in every thread – let’s take a look at some of May’s standout moments.

Must-read discussion

Food? You’ve got our full attention! So when @KittySitter dished up the topic “Cooking and Dining Tips and Tricks for Sitters”, we were all ears (and rumbling stomachs!). Our members were quick to serve some tasty advice, offering insights and practical tips on how to manage food on the road, as well as on sits.

@OzTravels said:
“As we mostly travel by car we have the luxury of carrying a cooler, so we stock that up with homemade bacon, pastrami, smoked goodies and various stews that I cook before we leave and vacuum pack in meal-sized servings. This saves us quite a bit as buying sandwich meats can be quite expensive. We also take our own spices, condiments and even my sous vide (#cookingtragic).”

@Huronbase shared:
“I travel by car, so I grocery shop. And request fridge and freezer space upon arrival. I rarely eat out when traveling. Unless there is something particular. Like in New Orleans. Or when I was on the Gulf Coast and wanted to try the local fish tacos. If cold, I have made a lot of soup, freeze containers and take those with me sometimes on a few sits.”

Forum member shout-outs

@JessLovesTravel kicked things off with the topic, “Best Moments Captured: The Ultimate Sitter Update!”, giving our members the perfect excuse to share their most memorable updates sent to pet parents.

@Highfive is always on hand with a like, a reply, or a thoughtful comment across the Forum. They’ve sparked some brilliant conversations too, like “Pampered Pets to the Manor Born”, a nod to the four-legged royalty ruling homes (and their sitters!).

@IHeartAnimals shared some stunning snaps of cherry blossom season in Korea, which bloomed into a conversation with members posting beautiful blossoms from across the globe.

Top pics from across the Forum

@Cuttlefish shared a gorgeous montage of cherry blossom season in Japan!

@Joanne shared a beautiful photo of her stay in Albania.

@Chrissy shared a magical moment with a beautifully rare white deer.

What else has been going on in the community?

Who covers the costs of a sit?

Money talk isn’t always the easiest convo, but @Co_ri_na opened the floor with a question about who pays for what on a seven-week sit. Our members rallied with advice, support, and firsthand insights to make sure she knew what was expected of her.

@ElsieDownie shared the following:

“You pay for your own transport, your own food, your own entertainment. Anything needed by the animals and property is paid by the host. For long sits, most hosts arrange pet food deliveries from the internet. Get it fixed before you arrive.”

The joy of return sits

Meanwhile, discussion around the joy of return sits had everyone sharing heartwarming stories about going back to familiar homes (and furry friends).

@Chrissy said:

“I do lots of return sits, many owners have become friends and book their holidays around my availability and then send me an invite to sit. They keep in touch by email, with general news not to do with house sitting. I am made to feel very welcome which is why I go back.”

What you need to know

We recently invited our Forum members to join us for a bit of behind-the-scenes beta testing to provide feedback on some new features. We can’t wait to see what comes out of it!

Like what you see? 

Come say hi over on our Community Forum, where we discuss all things house and pet sitting, and everything in between! Whether you’re after advice or you’ve got some helpful tips of your own to share, head on over and join the conversation!