House Sitter Gift & Preparation - WFMW

We're leaving for our California adventure {see here for all of theFAB guest posters who will be delighting you daily} and my sister has graciously offered to house sit for us while we're away.  It's a pretty big undertaking to care for Dexter and Monty, plus the house while we're gone, so we wanted to do a little something nice for her.

Here are my tips for nice things to do for your house sitter:

1. Stock your fridge, freezer, & pantry with items that your house sitter enjoys.  Ask for their favorite cereal, beverages, & snacks.  Then, make sure you have milk, juice, bread, etc... also.
2. Clean {does this really need to be stated?} your house.  Pay special attention to the bathroom, putting out fresh towels & toiletries.  Put clean sheets on the bed your house sitter will be staying in.  Vacuum, dust, & pick up.  It doesn't need to be immaculate, but it does need to be clean.
3. A small gift is a nice thing to also leave.  We chose to leave a $15 gift card to the movie store near our house & a special present that I can't reveal just yet because she may read this before she arrives tomorrow.  Some other gift ideas?  You could leave cash for a pizza, you could get a gift card for fast food near you, you could prep a meal and leave it in the fridge or freezer, any small token is great.
4. Leave notes on how to use the tv, dvd player, washing machine, programmable thermostat, coffee/espresso machine, or anything else that might be complicated to change, turn on, etc... 
5. Leave a list of emergency contacts.  Your cell number, a relative in town, & vet numbers are a good place to start.
6. Last, but in my opinion, the most important.  Leave a heartfelt thank you note.  It doesn't have to be long, jut enough to convey your appreciation for their help.

Finally, enjoy your vacation, knowing that your house & your house sitter are being taken care of!

Would you like more awesome tips?  Hop on over to We are THAT Family for Works For Me Wednesday.