House & Pet Sitting
We love being house and pet sitters. It is an amazing way to travel that we are excited to tell others about. So, we’ve compiled all our tips and stories here. Enjoy!
And please contact us with any questions you may have about house & pet sitting. We are open books! -Brooke & Buddy
Our House Sitter Story
In early 2018, we were in need of a change and stumbled upon house and pet sitting through TrustedHousesitters. This may sound a little overly dramatic, but it honestly changed everything for us. We are finally traveling to places we only dreamed of, saving a ton of money by not needing our own home base, and – our favorite part – having fluffy pals to hang with at each new home we temporarily live in.
While we’ve chosen to make house and pet sitting our full-time lifestyle, it is also a great way to travel part-time. One of the biggest benefits is getting to truly live like a local when you travel. We’re often even been given a car to use during our visit as well as great insider tips on the area. So, if you aren’t ready to jump in head first, we recommend getting your toes wet with a sit in a nearby city you’ve always wanted to visit.
How Do You Find House Sits?
We use TrustedHousesitters.com to find all of our sits because it seems like the easiest to use and we’ve never had a problem getting a sit through the site. So, we’ve never felt the need to look elsewhere and love that all of our reviews are in one place.
However, there are DOZENS of other options – including Nomador, HouseCarers, HouseSitMatch, and MindMyHouse. Plus, lots of country-specific sites. For example, HouseSittersAmerica, HouesSittersUK, and AussieHousesitters. And of course, word of mouth goes a long way as well. So a little shameless self-promotion on your social channels may just lead to that dream sit you’ve been hoping for!
How Does House Sitting Work?
If using a site like TrustedHousesitters, the sit is set up as a mutually beneficial trade. You get a free place to stay and they don’t have to pay to have someone watch their home and pets. There is a review process and you are encouraged to interview each other before locking in a sit commitment.
However, do note that you are responsible for your transportation to and from the sit, and any food, etc. while there. While we are often treated to a nice meal on our arrival, it isn’t required and we never expect that.
Also, remember the pets and home should always be your top priority. So, if you want to explore the area, be sure to ask how long it is okay to leave them alone and be mindful of that when making any plans. It’s important to ask the right questions to make sure you are a right fit for the sit and vice versa.
What are the Benefits of House & Pet Sitting?
House and pet sitting is a fantastic way to travel, test out new lifestyles, and get tons of love from sweet pets. All while helping out other travelers (who, more often than not, end up being good friends). Win-win-win-win-win!
You can also save a ton of money by having a free place to stay, a kitchen to use, and even a car to drive – in some situations! It’s a pretty sweet deal, and you don’t have to full-time like us to reap the benefits. Even house sitting for a short period can be fun!
It is also a kind of genius way to scope out a new area you may want to live. Getting to see what the area is like as a local who has to grocery shop, walk a dog, and get into town regularly will give a realistic view.
Where Can House Sitting Take You?
In short … EVERYWHERE! Since beginning our full-time house sitting journey, we have house sat on multiple Hawaiian islands and all throughout Europe – with plans to expand our house sitting travels to other continents.
Since we use TrustedHousesitters and it is an international site, we are always seeing new opportunities pop up in interesting places we’ve never even heard of.
One of our biggest challenges is just having the self-control to not take on a sit that would cost an arm and a leg to get to. Trust me, there are some amazing places – and it is so tempting to just throw our budget out the window and go!
Housesits Completed
Pets Watched
Countries Lived In
Photos of Pets
Pet and House Sitting Articles
