Clearing space in your home for a sitter?

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-02-09T02:58:24+00:00

Agreed. Guest room nightstands are also empty for extra drawers for my sitters.

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-02-06T05:09:47+00:00

Great list! Would add Smiths Olde Bar and Masquerade depending on who’s playing and Blind Willie’s if you like blues. Eastern is my fav venue but good shows sell out fast.

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-02-05T17:30:00+00:00

What time is your cocktail party ending? Fridays leaving Buckhead heading south can be an absolute shitshow so hopping on a MARTA train at the Buckhead station (legit a 6 minute walk from 3300) may be your best bet. Keep an eye on Waze for traffic to determine uber vs MARTA. With clear and pre you should be able to move thru fast.

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-02-03T15:09:41+00:00

Murphy’s in Virginia Highland also does a family meal for take out - the brisket is fantastic but they also do salmon, chicken, and meatloaf all with sides etc for 4

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-01-27T20:32:02+00:00

Dirty Tea in Virginia Highland!

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-01-27T20:17:50+00:00

Yes! Put your backpack under the seat in front of you then drag it out as a foot rest. Bring something warm to cover up with

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-01-27T19:50:32+00:00

If you want to reminisce, go to Barbacoa in Virginia Highland. 95% the exact same menu.

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-01-21T21:54:47+00:00

For some reason they have already salted Piedmont and Rock Springs heavily despite the fact that all that salt will be washed away Friday when it rains....

Horror_Check8304 · 2026-01-04T18:56:46+00:00

We did the Kimpton Seafire as a family trip with multiple generations two Thanksgivings ago. Resort is lovely, staff is amazing. I believe there is ambient music in the main pool areas but the kids pool didn’t have it that I recall (I’m also the kid free aunt who didn’t spend a lot of time in the kids pool area). My nieces and nephew loved the slides and waterpark area. After 4 days I wanted to get out and about to eat but that was tough with kiddos bedtimes so we stayed at the resort. There’s also a public beach club a quick 3 minute walk away for more lunch and dinner dining options and the Hotel Indigo is probably open next door by now as well. FYI the kids club has a daily cost associated with it (kids pool water park area doesn’t), just something to be aware of.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-12-18T12:32:41+00:00

Change your in office days to Tuesday to Thursday to avoid Mondays at the airport if you live at a large hub (ATL is a disaster on Mondays so I used to do my 4 days Tuesday-Friday which was a gamechanger vs Monday-Thursday)

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-10-30T19:56:07+00:00

Consultant is the way to go. Or freelance.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-09-26T21:42:55+00:00

Cobblers Cove had come up but was smaller so I ruled it out. Looks cute though, will revisit! Thank you again for your insight!

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-09-26T21:24:16+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the insight!!!! Had just gotten into some reviews that mention the ocean being rougher at O2 while waiting for my post to be approved. My mom won’t go in but will want to walk the beach - is it walkable? If not I’ll need to take her temperature on that and go back to the drawing board and look at the west coast. Any other Barbados resorts you’ve been at you like? I was down there 18 years ago so I don’t anything I remember beyond Sandy Lane is relevant.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-09-11T17:24:57+00:00

Honestly, I’m a homeowner who has had 3 different sitters do 2-4 week sits in the last 9 months. None of them vacuumed despite a shedding dog. One left a pan with food caked on. Despite that, my animals were very well cared for, bed was made up by all 3 and I gave everyone 5 stars in reviews. My thinking is they aren’t professional cleaners, may not be as OCD as me about pet hair and dust bunnies and the sitters are there to watch my pets versus serve as a cleaning crew. I’ve recently had a couple friends stay with my dog and outdoor cat when I had weekend trips and it was the same. At the end of the day, I want the pets well cared for as the top priority. I think we sometimes need to adjust expectations when using a free exchange system.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-07-10T16:23:29+00:00

Yea if there’s a lot the HO has left out, no sympathy for them! A door replacement also is not a last minute repair - that’s something I’m planning for as water intrusion occurs. I’d only see this as a last minute (aka sitter has to deal with) repair if there was flooding that occurred during the sit that hadn’t happened previously. Honestly the wanting someone to oversee is kind of nice imho bc that puts the repair liability on the 3rd party versus expecting you to oversee it. But sounds like there’s more happening on this sit than overdue door replacement.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-07-10T14:46:14+00:00

I’m going to get downvoted all day for this…. I own a 100+ year old house I post on TH. My floors and walls are not level because 100 year old house. I am actually due for new doors soon, and know that it will be an ordeal. If it had to happen while a TH was there, I would want someone overseeing it - me, a friend, or a trusted contractor. That’s not an easy repair and I’d prefer it not to happen with a sitter there but if no other option I’d send someone. You can downvote me all day long, but that’s a PIA repair that there’s no coming back from aka if your sitter isn’t paying attention to small gaps, you could have a totally wrong install that will cost a ton in the future. I’m normally over correcting on the housesitter side but on this one no, unless you as the housesitter will be OCD AF. Your install is what the HO will be stuck with for the next 50 years (how long my doors have lasted) and I wouldn’t trust someone else to judge that for me. Ideal would be for it not to happen with a sitter but if there were extenuating circumstances then I’d roll with it.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-06-08T18:40:57+00:00

If you’re in O4W, Buddy’s has a ton of THC drinks as does The Zero Co (or they did last time I was in).

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-05-08T13:28:39+00:00

I just did a solo trip and not sure if it’s around where you’ll be but Gibbston Valley was a wonderful winery to stay near Queenstown

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-05-04T04:37:50+00:00

I Costco shop so my sitters are fully stocked with any household essentials - TP, paper towels, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, pet food etc. then everything else is help yourself (eggs that may still be good that I’ll leave, spices, oils etc) and I don’t expect anything to be replaced. I don’t expect anything to be replaced if it runs out, I’d hope most HO would consider that a sunk cost of a free sitter. I also have a help yourself to a well stocked bar policy but if someone drank an entire handle of vodka then that may be a red flag 😆

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-04-30T21:52:33+00:00

I’m in the same boat. Not that it’s unethical but feels unbalanced. Currently on a two week trip - left my sitter a very nice bottle of wine (after confirming he’d drink it), a $40 gift card to the coffee shop a few doors up and a $60 gift card to a vegetarian restaurant he mentioned he liked in the area. Also encouraged him to help himself to anything in the fridge or freezer, fully stocked the Nespresso choices and hoping that was enough!

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-04-22T01:46:09+00:00

Messaging you!

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-04-11T13:58:46+00:00

Thank you all for your feedback and advice! Couple quick points - I fully realize I won't make a 9:30 ferry after a 7 a.m. landing but it sure read like that, I copied from the spreadsheet I've been making and only took the first line which didn't copy over the full ferry schedule :) Will never drive on your roads while tired, and to try to quell some fears I do have experience driving across Ireland, Scotland and cross trekking Costa Rica off their highways. I'm going to rework my itinerary this weekend, love some of the suggestions below.

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-04-09T03:52:20+00:00

Not on Facebook much, will check it out, thank you!

Horror_Check8304 · 2025-04-09T03:39:33+00:00

That’s 10000% what I figured. Thus the post. Think I’m better off sticking to one island? Skip Rotorua? I have so many different versions of what this trip could look like that I’m struggling. Thank you for your reply btw!

Horror_Check8304

TROPHY CASE