What do House Sitters Do? More Than What You think!

As experienced house sitters who’ve been in the game since 2008 and embraced the digital nomad lifestyle since 2019, we’re often asked, “What do house sitters do actually?”

It’s a fair question, given that house sitting is a unique blend of responsibilities, adventures, and lifestyle choices. Sometimes it’s an easy task and other times it can be a heavy responsibility.

In this post, we’ll dive deep into the world of house sitting, covering everything from basic home care to the joys of pet sitting and the realities of balancing work and exploration. Let’s go!

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House Care Responsibilities

Every time we house sit, taking care of the home is at least a tiny bit of what we’re expected to do.

✅︎ Basic Housecleaning

House sitters become temporary custodians of someone else’s home. Basic housecleaning tasks include vacuuming, dusting, and maintaining common areas. A tidy home ensures a positive experience for both homeowners and sitters.

At the very least, be sure to leave the home as clean as when you arrived before the homeowners return.

✅︎ Mail Collection

Collecting mail is more than just preventing a pileup—it maintains the illusion of an occupied home. Regular mail retrieval also prevents potential theft or damage.

We typically just collect the mail and put it in a designated spot for the homeowners to go through when they return.

✅︎ Plant Care

Watering indoor plants and tending to any outdoor gardens are part of a house sitter’s duties. Keeping greenery healthy contributes to the overall well-being of the home.

We’ve had several house sits with massive gardens that take an hour or more to water. Thankfully, it’s much faster with multiple people and we’ve also been able to eat what’s ripe in the gardens while the homeowners are away!

✅︎ Security Measures

House sitters play a crucial role in home security. They monitor alarm systems, ensure proper lighting, and lock doors and windows. Their presence deters potential intruders.

We’ve never had an issue with security or intruders, but we do know that an empty home often welcomes people to help themselves to the goods inside. So we’re happy to live there to help the owner while they travel.

Pet Care Duties

If there’s pets in the home when we house sit (sometimes there aren’t), then we also need to ensure we meet their basic needs.

✅︎ Feeding and Exercise

For house sits with pets, feeding routines are essential. Sitters also take dogs for walks, engage in playtime, and provide companionship. Cats, birds, and other pets receive similar attention.

✅︎ Medication Administration

Administering medications to pets requires attention to detail. House sitters follow instructions carefully and ensure pets receive their prescribed treatments. We’ve done this several times.

With big dogs especially, it’s much more helpful to give pills or liquid medicine with two people.

✅︎ Emergency Preparedness

House sitters must know where to find nearby veterinary services in case of pet emergencies. Being prepared ensures the safety and well-being of the animals.

We always ask for this information before the homeowners leave, and ensure that we have the phone number for the vet in case of major problems. So far we’ve never had to use it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Personal Aspects

House sitting isn’t just catering to every whim of the pets and plants in a home. It’s also about living your own life as a house sitter. From grocery shopping to laundry, you have thing to do while house sitting as well.

✅︎ Working Online

As digital nomads, we’ve mastered the art of working remotely. Reliable Wi-Fi, a comfortable workspace, and managing time zones are crucial.

We think one of our major selling points as house sitters is we spend half to two-thirds of our time at home working (and schooling). Balancing work and house sitting responsibilities is key, and we tend to balance it in terms of staying home with the pets.

✅︎ Sightseeing Opportunities

You don’t need to stay in the home every minute of every day! You also get to explore the local area during your house sits. Visit nearby attractions, parks, and cultural sites.

Balancing work and leisure enriches your experience, and that’s basically the reason we travel in the first place, right?

✅︎ Prioritizing Pet Time

When house sitting, be sure that your love for pets shines through! Prioritize spending quality time with the animals you care for. We certainly do!

Their companionship enhances your house sitting journey. Otherwise you could just book a hotel like traditional travelers. We love coming back after a morning of exploring to play fetch in the yard or snuggle on the couch with our fuzzy friends!

Communication and Trust

House sitters are also responsible for keeping home and pet owners apprised of how things are going. This isn’t just a perk for homeowners, it’s a responsibility of the house sitters.

✅︎ Staying in Touch

Regular communication with homeowners provides peace of mind. Updates on the home and pets reassure homeowners that everything is running smoothly. We send photos at least every other day, unless the homeowner requests more or fewer updates.

We’ve had pet owners require daily updates before noon as well as pet owners who told us they’d be out of cell service camping or horseback riding for several weeks so not to send updates unless they texted us.

✅︎ Reporting Unusual Activity

House sitters promptly report any unusual occurrences—a leaky faucet, a stray cat, or a malfunctioning alarm. Transparency builds trust.

When homeowners know they can rely on their house sitters to keep them informed and take care of any issues that arise, they are more likely to choose them for future housesitting opportunities. We’ve had this happen several times!

✅︎ Building Trust

Reliability and professionalism are the foundation of trust. Homeowners appreciate sitters who treat their property with care and respect.

It’s a bit nerve-wracking leaving your home and pets in the care of strangers so as house sitters, it’s our responsibility to build that trust through reliability and professionalism however we can!

Final Thoughts: What Do House Sitters Do?

So what do house sitters do? The easy answer is it is what you make of it! But in reality, house sitting isn’t just about practical tasks; it’s an immersive lifestyle.

As you continue your journey, remember that each house sit offers a unique blend of responsibilities, adventures, and furry companions. Embrace it all, and happy house sitting!