Is house sitting for real? I know it sounds too good to be true, but it’s awesome, and it’s definitely a real thing.
How did you get into house sitting?
We lived in Seattle for 6 years, but couldn’t ignore the bite of the wanderlust bug. Buck loved the idea of house sitting and saving money as we traveled. I was not initially sold on the idea, but after researching and discovering how common house sitting is, we gave it a try. We completed two local house sits while still living in our Seattle apartment.
Those first experiences gave us the opportunity to try out a house and pet sitting website and see how the process worked. Both experiences were quite positive, so after concluding our apartment lease and packing our bags, we successfully ventured to other house sits in the Northwest, Canada, and then down to Florida. And I’m currently writing this while we house sit in Santiago, Chile. Sweet!
If house sitting is such a great idea, why aren’t more people doing it?
There are thousands of potential house sits, and tens of thousands of house sitters all around the globe. Once you start exploring house sitting, you’re going to think that there are too many people doing it! That is why flexibility is key when seeking and applying for house/pet sit assignments.
It must be great being on vacation all the time!
It is nice being in charge of a great deal of your schedule and deciding how you wish to fill a lot of your day, but house sitting is NOT a vacation. Getting to spend time in new locales, in different homes, with amazing pets is great, but it’s also a big responsibility.
House sitting is basically, an exchange of services. You have the responsibility to look after things, proactively address any potential challenges that arise during the house sit, and ensure the safety and well being of the pet, or pets.
Full time house and pet sitting sounds extreme, do you miss having your own home?
Buck: No. Homes are anchors! Having a minimal amount of stuff is a great way to live, literally liberating. (Pssssst, Buck has lived and perfected a carefree lifestyle for decades)
Camera Girl: I had more of an adjustment than Buck. Before we left the Southeast USA, we both got rid of a lot of things. However, I kept some then, and continue to keep some things. At the same time, I have found that ‘home’ is where we are, and where family and friends are. I do not miss having our own home base. I am a bit surprised by that, but it’s true!
What have been the biggest challenges for this lifestyle?
We realized quickly that we would be more successful if we stayed away from notions like, “We want a house sit in THIS city, for THESE 10 days.” So, we remain flexible and open in terms of where and when we house sit. And we leave a buffer between sits, so that we aren’t totally blown off course when homeowners need to change their return date, which is not an infrequent occurrence. Our extreme flexibility has made our housesit experiences go quite smoothly, but without that flexibility, that would not be the case. Things happen, plans change, weather occurs, health issues arise, cars crash, folks miss flights; there are all manner of instances that can effect a housesit, and flexibility can make all the difference between having a great, or not so great, house sitting experience.
We spend a great deal more time with each other during house sits. This is a positive in so many ways, but we are also two strong-willed individuals who can have very different ways of approaching day-to-day life, so it can also be challenging. House sitting helps us enhance our communication skills, and relationship skills, or at the very least reminds us to think before we speak. Which is generally a good thing to do no matter the situation.
Suddenly taking up residence in a new home with new pets can be slightly jarring, as well as exciting. Depending on your personality, being able to relax and be comfortable in someone else’s home can take some time.
Before housesitting, we were used to having our own kitchen, and buying groceries for the long term. When we started house sitting, we began planning our meals and snacks a bit more, and buying smaller quantities of our favorite staples. That way, we don’t leave someone’s kitchen cabinets and refrigerator jammed packed with a bunch of things they don’t want or need.
Long-term living in a variety of “temporary” homes is definitely a learning process, and we are currently in school!
What do you like most about house and pet sits?
We’ve met some incredible people. And house sitting allows you to share life experiences in a low-key, organic way, so you learn a lot, too. I’sfot’s an easy way to find inspiration, and to begin imagining possibilities you might not have considered in the past. That sounds pretty exciting, right?
House sitting allows you the chance get outside of your own routines. Or even ruts? There is nothing like a change in locale to shake up a routine and allow for a new perspective.
House sitting allows a glimpse into a new place with a great home base, avoiding the often costly and generic atmosphere of a hotel room.
We get to explore new neighborhoods, and stumble onto new, great places to have coffee and dessert!
Is it easy to find house sits?
It’s very easy to find house sits, the challenge is finding house sits that are a good fit for your travel plans, which is why your own flexibility is key. Online websites make it easy to browse and connect with folks looking for house sitters. We like using TrustedHousesitters because it’s easy to navigate and to quickly discover what house sits are available by date and location. It has become our go-to tool for building travel plans, and we highly recommend it.
The greatest asset you can have when seeking a house sit is flexibility. Once you start narrowing your range of dates and locations, the fewer house sitting options you will find. Instead of focusing on finding the ideal house sit to fit your travel plans, find the perfect house sit first, and then build your travel plans around the house sit. The odds of you scoring a great house sit are exponentially improved.
Will you keep house sitting?
Buck: Yes! It’s like gambling, or participating in a white elephant gift exchange. You don’t know exactly what you’re gonna get til you’re into it.
Camera Girl: Yes! Although there are many more house sitters than there are house sits, our flexibility with our location and dates, the fact that we’re former homeowners, and even our age, has helped our success in finding good matches house sitting.
Are you ready to explore housesitting opportunities? Here is a list of key steps that will lead you to the perfect house sit.
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