A solo female traveler's guide to house sitting

Imagine waking up to the sound of purring in Portugal, strolling through the streets of Manhattan with a four-pawed pal by your side, or collecting eggs from the chickens you’re taking care of in a French chateau. House sitting is the perfect way for solo female travelers to see the world, enjoying the comforts of a home away from home while venturing to new corners of the globe. In this guide to house sitting solo, we take a look at what house sitting means and how to get started, before finding out what you can expect to get up to on your solo house sitting adventures. 

What is house sitting?

To put it simply, house sitting means exchanging home (and often pet) care for free accommodation while the owners are away. Sitters will usually have pet pals to take care of along with a range of other duties such as watering plants and general maintenance of the home. It’s a win-win for everyone involved - owners travel with peace of mind knowing their home and pets are being taken care of, while sitters enjoy staying in the comfort of a real home and living like a local. What’s more, there are house sitting opportunities all over the world, from long-term stays to those lasting just a couple of days, and from urban apartments to rural retreats, allowing you to enjoy unique experiences while caring for an owner’s home and pets. 

How to start house sitting

Wondering why no one told you about this before? If you love travel and pets, then house sitting will be right up your street! If you’re interested in doing it alone, you’ll be pleased to know that many homeowners (often solo female travelers themselves) actually specify that they’re looking for a solo house sitter to take care of their home and pets. Solo house sitting is much easier than you think, here are a few tips on how to get started: 

Create a killer profile

Choose a reputable house sitting site like TrustedHousesitters and decide which membership plan is right for you. Now it’s time to create a profile that showcases all your amazing experience so owners can see why you are the best person to take care of their home and pets. Make it personal and demonstrate that you are trustworthy, reliable, and honest, and don’t forget to include some pics of you hanging out with furry friends for good measure!

Turn on alerts

Whether you’ve got a particular destination in mind or you’re super keen to spend Christmas abroad, you can save searches so you’ll be alerted as soon as a house or pet sit following your criteria pops up. Popular destinations get snapped up quite quickly, so it’s a good idea to apply for them as soon as you see them.

Apply for sits you want to do

You see a heavenly house with perfect pets, but is countryside living for you if you’re really more of a big-city girl? Likewise, a city apartment with an anxious Sighthound might not be your jam if you love the outdoors. Make sure you read through the details of the sit before you click apply to ensure both you and the owner come away from the experience happy. Consider the following:

• Will it suit your schedule? If you’re going to be working from home while you’re there, caring for a cat might be a good idea. 
• Can you get there? If you don’t have access to your own vehicle, is it possible to get there by public transport? 
• Most importantly, are you prepared to take on the responsibilities of the sit? Some homes require more dusting, some gardens need more regular pruning, and some pets have stricter routines than others.

Meet the owner

Before confirming your house sitting assignment, it’s a good idea to arrange a video call with the owner. This will give both of you the chance to ask further questions and get to know one another, ensuring that everyone’s on the same page. 

Tips for house sitting solo 

Arrive a day early

If it works for the homeowner and fits in with your travel plans, arriving a day early gives you a chance to get to grips with the responsibilities while they’re still there. Owners and sitters go from strangers to friends in no time! 

Prioritize the pets

More often than not, a house sitting gig will involve taking care of pets. When this is the case, you’ll need to make sure the pets are getting all the care and treatment they need before going off to see the sights. Of course, some pets will require more attention than others, so it’s an important factor to consider when applying for sits. 

Keep in touch with owners 

Most owners love hearing how sitters are getting on, especially when there are pets involved. Update them on your adventures with Fido, share a pic of him lying on his back, belly on full show, and show them their fur babies are in the best of hands.  

Follow the rules

This should really go without saying, remember to follow the rules the owner has set and be respectful of their space. You may enjoy the novelty of snuggling with your furry friend on the couch, but this is a big no-no if pets aren’t usually allowed on the furniture. Don’t help yourself to food in their cupboards or toiletries in the bathroom unless they’ve told you otherwise (and even then, it’s polite to replace what you’ve used). 

Leave things the way you found them

Cleaning up after a house sitter is the last thing an owner wants to do when they get home. Keep on top of the cleaning and tidying throughout your stay, and make sure the owner comes back to find their home exactly the way they left it (that includes restocking the fridge if they told you to help yourselves). 

Ask for a review

Once you’ve completed your first sit, make sure the owner leaves you a review. This shows other owners that you are as reliable and trustworthy as you say you are and will help you confirm more sits in the future. 

What to do when house sitting solo

Explore the local area

House sitting while traveling is an opportunity for you to truly live like a local rather than just visiting the tourist spots for a few days. So grab a coffee in the local cafe, go for a swim in the pool nearby, and have a wander through the neighborhood parks and public gardens. If you’re looking for activities to do with pooch pal in tow, we’ve got you covered with various guides to finding dog-friendly beaches, exploring dog-friendly national parks all over the US, and eating in dog-friendly restaurants all the way from Seattle to Edinburgh. 

Get to know the neighbors

One of the best things about house sitting solo is getting to know the people and pets that live there. While you may only have a fleeting opportunity to make friends with the homeowners, the neighbors will be a different story. Invite them over for dinner (if the owners allow visitors) or join them on their neighborhood run (if they’ll let you!) so you feel like a real part of the community. Whether you need to borrow a tin opener or you’re not sure which day to put the bins out, who knows when a local connection could come in handy.  

Take a breather

If you’re house sitting solo, you’re probably far from the stresses and expectations of your daily life and have more time to do simple things like reading on the couch, doing a puzzle, and cooking. If you’re lucky enough to be caring for a cute pet pal at the same time, this can be a great reminder of the need to slow down. Dogs, in particular, are proven to decrease stress, anxiety, and depression, and have a unique, calming presence that can be extremely beneficial to our health. 

Is house sitting safe? 

Yes, house sitting is safe for solo female travelers. You get to enjoy the run of the house all by yourself (with the added bonus of a pet pal for company, in most cases!), and you needn’t worry about noisy roomies (apart from the furry friend snoring at your feet!) or locking up your valuables. Really, it’s like being in a home away from home. 

As the name suggests, TrustedHousesitters is built on a community of trusting and trustworthy people. We find ourselves drawn to people who love travel and pets, and we know we can trust them because we see a little bit of ourselves in all of them. We provide a safe, effective way for members to communicate with one another, and ensure each member goes through a rigorous verification process. Read more about trust and safety here. 

That being said, house sitting is as safe as staying in any kind of accommodation. Follow the same safety tips you would normally, be mindful of the location of the house sits you apply for, and don’t tell random people where you’re staying.