House sitting in exchange for accommodation

House and pet sitting are awesome. Fact. If you’re unsure what it means to house sit in exchange for accommodation, we’re here to help. We’ll look at what it means to be a house sitter, if it’s different from pet sitting, and important pieces of etiquette to follow on all and every house sit while you build up your pet care experience. Oh, and we’ve included to kick-start your house sitting portfolio as well (we’re helpful like that)!

Pack up your old ways of vacationing and traveling, here’s how house sitting can be a fantastic exchange for free accommodation. 

What is house sitting in exchange for accommodation?

This might seem a bit obvious, but it’s always important to spell these things out. House sitting in exchange for accommodation is the act of caring for someone else’s home while they’re away. The homeowner benefits from receiving free pet care, home care, and protection, while the sitter can enjoy the free accommodation.

HOWEVER. This is more than just a country cottage rental or Airbnb, this comes with a list of commitments, chores, and important duties you’ll need to fulfill whilst you’re there. Remember, you’re still a guest in another person’s home - behave as you should and would do if the owners were still there.

Is there a difference between house sitting and pet sitting?

At TrustedHousesitters, there is no difference. When you become a member as a sitter or pet parent (or both) you’re joining a global community of pet lovers. Our exchanges are based on trusted and united love for animals. 

Some house sitting websites are purely about care and free accommodation. Some may require you to do a house swap with another family, others may just want someone else in their home to keep it safe. If you ask us, this isn’t anywhere near as fun without furry or feathery friends to keep you company!

The pros of house and pet sitting

Everything! You’ve been offered an amazing experience of being trusted to care for someone’s home and precious pets. For those nomadic or long-term travelers, you can live in a real home away from home, in fantastic locations around the world, all in the company of cute creatures to keep you company. If you’re a vacationing animal admirer, enrich your time away with the rewarding experience of caring for pets and homes.

For animal lovers who are unable to have a fur baby of their own, pet sitting is a paw-some alternative to achieve that animal fix before you’re able to care for your own. Make wonderful memories, as well as find new friends (with both two and four-legs) for life.

House sitting cons

There are no cons, the end! No, in all seriousness, pet, and house sitting requires a lot more commitment than simply turning up or feeding the cat twice a day. For some owners, particularly first-time house sitting website users, this can be a nerve-wracking experience. They’re entrusting their favorite fur family, their home, and all their possessions with someone who is essentially a stranger. While you may be buoyant about being able to work remotely as a pet sitter, the owners need to know more about their sitter than their 9 to 5 job.

Trust is the main currency of pet and house sitting. If this is lacking from either side of the experience, it can be a rather tenuous time for all. This also includes the pets - anxious animals will pick up on any concerns coming from their parents and sitter. If you’re ready to commit to a sit, make sure you’re as prepared beforehand as possible, and you’ve had frank, honest conversations with the pet parents too. Work together to make it a great experience for the pets as well as for you humans.

Tips and etiquette for house sitters

How do you become a house sitter?

First off, find a house sitting website and sign up. From what we’ve heard, TrustedHousesitters is by far the best pet sitting solution for animal-loving explorers. You can start by signing up for free to pursue all of our amazing house sits around the world. If you’re keen to become a member, choose one of our membership plans that best suits you which all include an annual fee for unlimited sits (naturally, check our TrustedHousesitters discount codes first).

Once you’ve joined our paw-some community of pet lovers, we’ll ask you to send over proof of idea so we can verify you. When you’re all set, you can create a welcoming profile to explain who you are, why you’ve joined, and any experience you have with pet and house sitting. Some pictures of you (ideally with an animal or two) so the owners can put a face to the names, some real character references from previous sits or other people, and you’re ready to start your pet and house sitting adventure!

Do you need previous house and pet sitting experience?

Good question! Firstly, if you’ve never done pet or house sitting before, we don’t recommend applying for a house sit on acres of land with five horses and 20 sheep. However, if you’re a pet lover who is happy to offer your time towards animal and home care, offer to meet the owners beforehand. This could be through an interview, a few online calls, or even a home visit before the actual sit.

Some owners may look for sitters who have specific pet and house experience. If they’re the pet parent to an elderly dog, a rescue, or an animal with behavior issues, a sitter who has lived and worked with these types of animals would be better suited to those sits.

But, we all have to start somewhere! Make sure your profile is as welcoming and honest as possible.

House sitting etiquette

As a sitter, you must always remember you’re a guest in someone else’s home, it’s not a hotel or holiday rental, but another person’s sanctuary. Essential house sitting etiquette starts with having and maintaining full respect for the owner’s property and everything inside it. You’ve been trusted to care for one of the most important places in someone’s life.

And we haven’t even mentioned the pet sitting aspect! Caring for animals in their own home is an incredibly rewarding experience but it should never be committed to lightly. This isn’t a vacation where you can come and go as you please, you need to understand how much care is needed for every pet. Their parents have entrusted you to look after a part of their family, a living creature who is just as precious as the home they live in.

Pet parents should give you a list of chores alongside a guide to make sure you’re as prepared as possible beforehand. Ask for all emergency contact numbers, what to do in certain scenarios (the boiler stops working, their pet becomes sick), and how they want you to react.

Similarly, keep those parents up to date each day with how things are going. A quick message, video, or phone call only takes a few minutes of your time to reassure the owners for the rest of that day. You could even go a step further and send regular adorable photos of their fur family to show them what you’ve all been doing together.

So, you're all set to take the next step towards your pet sitting adventure, so why not find out how to register as a house sitter?

Helpful resources

• 10 tips on how to become a house sitter
• Tips for working remotely
• Pet sitting tips, 14 years in the making: an expert opinion