How to Become a Full-Time House Sitter
I haven’t paid rent in over a year and a half.
In August 2023 I discovered the world of house sitting and I’ve never looked back.
House sitting is a great way to travel while saving money, meeting new people and pets, and getting the opportunity to stay in cities/towns/areas that you might not otherwise have travelled to.
My Experience with House Sitting
My fiancé and I finished the lease on our apartment in Toronto, sold some belongings and packed up everything else, and arrived in New Zealand on working holiday visas in May of 2023. For the first month, we stayed in a pre-booked Airbnb in Auckland, and then found a sublet for 2 months in a small beach town north of the city. This sublet in June-July of 2023 was the last time either of us have paid rent.
I had heard about the concept of house sitting and that it was becoming more popular in New Zealand, so I looked more into the platform TrustedHousesitters and decided to give it a go.
Since then, we’ve completed over 20 house sits in 8 different countries and have fallen in love with the lifestyle. We’ve stayed in big cities and small towns, looked after adorable cats and dogs, and had so many cool experiences.
What Is House Sitting?
House sitting through TrustedHousesitters is a mutual beneficial arrangement between the house sitter(s) and the homeowner(s).
The house sitters get free accommodation, and the homeowners get reliable sitters to take care of their home and their pets for free while they’re away. It’s also a good arrangement for the pets, because they get to stay in their own homes and stick to their same routines while their owners are away.
Responsibilities for house sitters include:
Taking care of the pets
Watering plants/mowing the lawn where necessary
Keeping the house clean and tidy
The length of sits can range from 2 days to 6 months (or more). And it’s not just cats and dogs; I’ve seen sits listed that have rabbits, horses, cows, and birds. I once had a sit that included chickens!
How to Get Started as a House Sitter
Sign Up for an Account
First, sign up for a TrustedHousesitters account. The standard membership is about $200CAD per year (but get 25% off if you sign up through my referral code here). It sounds like a lot, but this is the equivalent of a one night stay at a hotel, so if you get even just one weekend-long housesit, you’ve saved money on accommodation for the year.
Note that homeowners also have to pay for a membership, and this ensures that listings are legit and that only people who are serious about house sitting are on the site.
There are other sites available for housesitting, such as MindMyHouse and Nomador, but I’ve only used TrustedHousesitters so I can only speak to my experience with this platform.
Create a Compelling Profile
Make your profile as detailed as possible, and include at least 8-10 good quality photos (ideally a few photos of you with pets or other animals).
Use the About section to highlight your personality and interests, and the Experience section to discuss your previous experiences taking care of pets. This experience doesn’t have to come from previous house sitting; if you’ve ever owned a pet or even had family pets, talk about that.
References & Verifications
TrustedHousesitters allows you to verify your email address and phone number, and link your Airbnb and LinkedIn profiles. Doing all of these things makes you appear more real to potential homeowners.
It’s also good to add 1-2 external references when you’re starting out. If you’ve never formally housesat for someone before, then consider other options who might be good references for you: a family member whose pet you took care of, a neighbour whose plants you’ve watered while they’re away, a roommate you co-owned a pet with (or who lived with you while you owned your pet).
For my external reference, I had my best friend write up a short review for me because we had fostered cats together while living together in university and she knew my experience with animals. Once you get your first few sits completed through TrustedHousesitters, these external references won’t matter as much, but they make your profile stand out to begin with.
Applying for Sits
Always read the listing in full and take your time with sit applications. Don’t make your application very generic; reference the homeowners and pets by name, and make sure the homeowners know you read their listing.
If they mention that their pet takes medication, say that you’re comfortable doing that (if that’s true of course). If they say their dog needs two walks per day, mention that you can keep up this routine. If they live in a rural area, mention that you have a car or can rent one for the sit.
Include sprinkles of your personality and mention your previous experience with taking care of pets. If the sit is not in the city you’re currently in, talk about your travel plans to go to that city. Don’t make your application too long (mine are usually 250-350 words for reference), and always keep it friendly and say you’re open to video calls and visiting them before the sit starts.
Tips for Success as a House Sitter
Send regular updates and photos. Pet owners love to know their pets are doing well to have peace of mind while they’re away, so send regular messages and photos, without them asking first (even if it’s just “all is well, nothing to report”).
If you finish it, replace it. This is a rule I live by when house sitting. Most homeowners will tell you to use whatever you want in the house, but I feel that a good rule to keep is if you finish something, you replace it. This can apply to food like butter or eggs, or also about household items like baking paper or body wash.
Be organized, flexible, and responsive. Even though house sitting is not a paid job, always present yourself in a professional manner. Be flexible with video calls, house visits, and arrival times with homeowners, and always responsive when they message you (before and during the sit).
Leave the house cleaner than when you arrived. Not saying any of the houses are dirty, but it makes a great lasting impression if you clean the house, take out the garbage, and wash used bed sheets and towels before you leave a sit.
Turn on alerts for your saved searches. If you have at least the Standard Sitter membership, you can “save” searches for house sits in different cities, and then you’ll get a notification on your phone when a new house sit is listed for that city. This is great to take advantage of, so you can apply for new sits right away (sits only have a max of 5 applicants so sits in desirable places can disappear fast).
The Benefits of Full-Time House Sitting
Every month, I save over a thousand dollars from not paying rent or utilities. The only bills I have now are my phone and subscriptions. This huge saving allows me to work part-time, so I can explore the areas I housesit in and enjoy my life more, instead of working all the time. House sitting gives me the opportunity to experience different lifestyles and live in different places (often places I may not have visited otherwise).
If you want to travel more, house sitting is a great way to do it, and I’d encourage anyone who loves animals to try it out! If you have any questions about house sitting, feel free to contact me or comment below!
Happy Travelling :)