How to Start House Sitting in 2022

Posted: 11/3/2022 | November third, 2022

Home sitting is without doubt one of the finest methods to decrease your journey prices as a long-term traveler. That can assist you study extra about home sitting, our lead content material editor and researcher, Sam, shares her suggestions and insights from years of touring the world as a home sitter.

For years, I lived the lifetime of many funds vacationers’ goals: touring full-time and dwelling rent-free in idyllic areas, just like the US Virgin Islands; cosmopolitan cities, like NYC and London; vacationer scorching spots, like Granada, Spain; and lots of off-the-beaten-path locations, just like the forests of North Carolina.

I stayed all over the place from luxurious condos with literal scorching tubs on the roof to solar-powered houses with out of doors showers.

I received to hang around with the sweetest pets, from a cuddly kitten named Marshmallow to a hilarious parrot known as Sunshine.

I additionally made buddies with locals around the globe, getting recommendations on the most effective lesser-known locations to eat, and actually dwelling like a resident in every vacation spot.

After I paint this image to fellow avid vacationers, the fast response is, “What a dream life! How do I dwell like that?!”

The reply is to deal with sit.

Home sitting is once you care for somebody’s pets and residential whereas they’re touring in alternate for lodging. No cash is exchanged between events, because it’s a mutually useful association: you get a spot to remain for gratis, and the proprietor will get dwelling and pet care for gratis. (I keep away from utilizing the time period “free lodging,” because it implies that there’s no work concerned, which isn’t the case.)

Home sitting is gaining in recognition, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a little-known panorama for thus many vacationers. Whereas I’m normally met with pleasure after I talk about this subject with people who find themselves not conversant in it, that additionally typically comes hand in hand with skepticism — and understandably so. There are quite a lot of variables to contemplate, and should you’ve by no means met anybody who’s achieved it earlier than, it may be simple to assume that it sounds too good to be true.

I’m right here to inform you that home sitting so as to journey at a diminished value is completely attainable. You’ll not solely take away most lodging bills (you may nonetheless need to pay for an evening right here and there, relying on how lengthy you’re on the highway), but in addition join with locals wherever you go (the folks for whom you might be home sitting), really feel a way of dwelling on the highway, and sometimes get different perks as effectively, like a car to make use of.

The one prerequisite is that you have to love animals, as 99% of gigs contain pet care. But when you are able to do that, then you might be good to go!

On this submit, I’m going to point out you begin home sitting, so you possibly can study concerning the course of and see what’s required earlier than leaping in and giving it a strive your self.

1. Decide your objectives and preferences

At this level, you is likely to be anxious to dive proper in, discover a gig, and hit the bottom working. However I promise that you just’ll set your self up for a greater expertise should you take a while to find out what you wish to get out of home sitting.

Your objectives will tremendously affect the alternatives you make alongside your home sitting journey, and whether or not you stroll away with a optimistic expertise. (As a result of sure, like with something travel-related, there’s at all times the potential for issues to go mistaken — I’ll share decrease the chance of this occurring later.)

It’s just about a provided that should you’re desirous about home sitting, your aim is to cut back your journey prices so to journey extra and/or longer.

However do you wish to home sit solely regionally, or around the globe? Are you scoping out locations the place you may finally buy a house, take a sabbatical, aspire to journey full-time, or just trying to scale back your prices on a weekend getaway?

These are all frequent causes. Take into consideration which of them apply to you.

For me, I wished to increase my travels for so long as doable whereas freelance writing, rising my journey weblog and podcast, and seeing what it was wish to dwell in other places around the globe. I couldn’t have achieved any of this stuff with out home sitting, which lowered my prices so considerably (in any case, lodging is normally one’s largest journey expenditure) that I may preserve touring regardless of not incomes a lot cash but.

Along with your objectives, take into consideration your preferences. Do you’re feeling extra comfy with canine or cats? Do you favor the town or the countryside? Do you have got an excellent size of time that you just wish to spend in every place?

With a purpose to work successfully on the highway whereas nonetheless attending to discover every place, I prioritized longer home sits (round 1–3 months). I additionally favor city environments the place I can discover on two ft or two wheels quite than needing a car, so I primarily looked for gigs in cities.

These are just some variables that can assist you to slender down which alternatives you contemplate. You’ll additionally probably develop these preferences over time as you determine what works finest for you.
 

2. Join a web site

For those who’re severe about home sitting, your first order of enterprise is to enroll in a web site. These platforms join pet house owners and home sitters to rearrange mutually useful stays. They’re the best and most direct strategy to begin.

Pet house owners put up listings with their location, the dates they want a home sitter, their pets and kind of care wanted, any dwelling care wanted, and (ideally) pictures of their dwelling and pets. Potential home sitters create profiles itemizing their expertise, references, why they wish to home sit, pictures, and some other particulars they wish to embody.

Home sitters reply to alternatives that they’re desirous about (pet house owners also can attain out to deal with sitters privately), sparking a dialog which will finally result in each events coming to an settlement.

Most web sites function on a membership foundation, that means that members should pay a payment to be part of the neighborhood and to have the ability to prepare gigs.

Many would-be home sitters balk on the thought of paying a yearly membership payment for these web sites. Isn’t home sitting alleged to be free?

However when you consider the sum of money that you might save, it’s a no brainer. Even the costliest web site, TrustedHousesitters, nonetheless solely prices the equal of a few nights of lodging. You solely need to do one keep per 12 months to recoup your prices, and likelihood is that you just’ll be doing much more than that, at the same time as an occasional home sitter.

There are a selection of internet sites to select from, however the principle ones are these:

1. TrustedHousesitters.com (begins at $129 USD/12 months) – That is the largest such web site worldwide, with hundreds of lively listings throughout the globe. It began and is predicated within the UK, so that you’ll discover the very best variety of gigs there, although Europe, the US, and Australia are additionally effectively represented. In case you are open to house-sitting anyplace on the planet, that is the location to decide on. You can read my review here if you want to learn more.

2. Nomador.com ($99 USD/12 months) – Nomador facilities on alternatives in Europe (largely France), although you may also typically discover some within the US and Australia too. There’s a free “Discovery” possibility, so you possibly can have a look at what’s out there, in addition to a “Stopovers” function, which is like Couchsurfing, so you’ll find a spot to stick with members of the Nomador neighborhood between your gigs.

3. MindMyHouse.com ($20 USD/12 months) – This website has a low payment to affix, a good variety of listings (primarily in North America and Europe), and a well-laid-out web site.

Along with the above web sites that cowl a number of international locations, there are additionally country-specific ones, equivalent to Home Sitters America, Home Sitters UK, Home Sitters Canada, and so forth. For those who’re solely desirous about home sitting in a specific locale, these web sites normally have approach much less competitors than the larger gamers, making it simpler to get your first gig. In addition they have decrease annual membership prices, making it a extra palatable selection for getting your ft moist.
 

3. Create your profile

When you’ve signed up for a web site, it’s time to create your profile. Above is an instance from my TrustedHousesitters account.

Your home-sitting profile is like your résumé. That is the place pet house owners look to study extra about you, and it’s important to element any and all pet-care expertise you have got. Have you ever achieved any house- or pet-sitting for family and friends? Many individuals have seemed in on a neighbor’s cat whereas they have been away or taken a member of the family’s canine on walks.

Embrace something you possibly can to point out the breadth of your pet-care expertise (although in fact be trustworthy). Any related home-care expertise or different expertise (equivalent to should you converse one other language) are price mentioning right here as effectively.

You’ll additionally wish to embody a bit about your self, with details about why you wish to home sit, what you wish to spend time doing, and anything, in order to color a portrait of your self.

Lastly, select some pictures of you (ideally with pets) to spherical out your profile, in order that the house owners can see who you might be!
 

4. Ask for references

Now that you just’ve crammed out your profile, it’s time to hunt references to beef up your profile.

When you begin home sitting via these web sites, you’ll get “native” references exhibiting that the gig was organized via the web site, growing your belief issue for folks you may home sit for sooner or later.

However most web sites additionally help you get “exterior” references to point out that you just’re a reliable particular person earlier than your first “official” gig. Ideally, you’ll have achieved some type of pet-sitting earlier than and may ask these people to offer a reference. However references also can come from work colleagues, a landlord, or anybody else that may converse to your accountable character.

These references are key at first, as being vouched for is usually a highly effective belief indicator. Don’t skip this step!
 

5. Browse and apply for home sitting gigs

So that you’re all arrange together with your profile and references crammed out. Now comes the thrilling half: searching for and making use of for gigs!

Spend a while trying via the listings on the web site(s) you’ve joined. For those who discover one which sounds good to you — and also you’re out there for the time-frame — don’t hesitate to use! Gigs, particularly in fascinating areas, can go in a short time, so don’t dawdle should you’ve discovered one that you just’re desirous about.

Bear in mind: An software shouldn’t be an settlement to deal with sit; it’s merely a press release of curiosity.

In your message to the pet proprietor, embody a bit about why you’re , spotlight your related expertise, and point out that you just’d like to arrange a time to talk additional concerning the alternative. You don’t want to put in writing an essay right here, simply sufficient to pique their curiosity and have them have a look at your profile for extra data.
 

6. Prepare a video chat

Whilst you is likely to be so excited to begin that you could be wish to comply with a possibility as quickly because it’s supplied to you, don’t skip this essential step. In a fast video name, each events can ask questions to make sure that everyone seems to be on the identical web page and that the association is an efficient match.

As a home sitter, you’ll wish to ask questions on pet and residential care to make sure you could (and wish) to do it, in addition to the fast space round the home or house, dwelling facilities (at all times ask about Wi-Fi!), and anything that you just’re itching to know.

Each single time that I hear of a house sitting gig gone wrong (whereas it’s uncommon, it does occur), it’s as a result of mismatched expectations that normally may have been averted with a direct and trustworthy preliminary dialog.

I completely by no means agree to deal with sit with no video name. This can be a private selection, and a few folks do forgo this step, nevertheless it has by no means steered me mistaken up to now, and personally, I’d quite be secure than sorry. A video name takes 20-Half-hour and does wonders for placing each events comfy — and getting excited concerning the gig!

After years in a pandemic, we’re all acquainted (perhaps too acquainted) with Zoom today, so there’s (for my part) no cause why each events shouldn’t have the ability to sit down face-to-face for a quick dialog.

Some issues that you just may wish to ask within the video chat step above and/or main as much as the gig embody the next:

• What’s the pet-care routine (e.g., when meals are, if walks are wanted, and so forth.)?
• Are there any quirks concerning the pets that you must find out about (e.g., for canine, how do they do on walks round different canine, and so forth.)?
• Have they got a daily vet (and what’s the process, together with fee, if a pet must go)?
• What’s the neighborhood like?
• What are the pet house owners’ departure and arrival occasions? Do they need you to return the evening earlier than they go away or on the day of departure?

That is only a beginning record of some fundamentals, however when you have particular wants or questions, you’ll want to ask them. You don’t wish to be left questioning and discovering out one thing essential after you get there.
 

7. Conform to the gig

Assuming all has gone effectively within the above steps, it’s time to agree to deal with sit!

Just be sure you achieve this via the web site that you just’ve related on, for a few causes. Many web sites have safety that kicks in ought to one thing go mistaken, however provided that you’ve confirmed the gig via the web site.

Safety for home sitters and owners varies by web site (examine the wonderful print of the one you join) however can embody injury safety (you by accident drop an costly glass) and sit safety insurance coverage (which may also help cowl nightly pet care or lodging prices if the gig will get canceled on the final minute).

You’ll additionally need to have the ability to ask for on-platform references after you’ve efficiently accomplished the job. You possibly can solely get these by confirming the gig via the house-sitting web site.

And as soon as every thing is confirmed, don’t hesitate to be in contact. When you have any extra questions or considerations, ask them! Direct and trustworthy communication is vital to profitable home sitting, so don’t be shy.
 

8. Have a improbable time

Whereas home sitting is an enormous accountability, bear in mind why you’re doing this within the first place — to discover a brand new place and have enjoyable!

That being stated, at all times honor your dedication. Don’t again out on the final minute since you discovered a extra glamorous gig elsewhere, you modified your journey plans on a whim or anything that’s not a professional emergency.

If you wish to keep spontaneous on the highway, then home sitting isn’t an excellent possibility — or a minimum of not on a regular basis. Whereas some vacationers do that full-time, the overwhelming majority don’t. Some nomads combine in durations of home sitting between different extra versatile lodging choices, whereas others aren’t nomadic in any respect and easily home sit to get pleasure from a distinct, extra reasonably priced approach of touring.

Discover out what works for you and create your personal ideally suited journey type.
 

9. Observe up by asking for a evaluate

After each gig (however particularly as you’re first getting began), don’t overlook to ask for a evaluate.

It’s important to construct your portfolio of references, as this makes you a extra reliable and aggressive candidate for the following alternatives that you just apply for. Give the parents you house-sat for a while to settle again in from their journey, and in the event that they haven’t submitted a evaluate after per week, ship alongside a mild reminder that it’d be tremendously appreciated if they might go away a fast evaluate.

Most owners don’t understand how essential these opinions are to deal with sitters however are more than pleased to assist once you ask them for one.
 

10. Replicate, rinse, and repeat

Each gig is a studying expertise, and this goes double once you’re first beginning out. Take inventory of what labored and if there was something that didn’t. It will assist you to refine your strategy for the longer term so to fortunately house-sit for so long as you need!

Home sitting might be an unimaginable strategy to journey at a diminished value, make new buddies (each human and furry), and see the world another way. Whereas it does include some planning and a substantial amount of accountability, the rewards might be large. With the following pointers, you’ve already received a leg up.

Pleased house-sitting!