Embarking on Full-Time Housesitting

Want to travel the world but at a reasonable price? Housesitting could be a way to make your dream travels become a reality!

When I suggested that I take a year off of work and we explore the world through housesitting, my husband was rightly nervous about how it would all work out. After living and working abroad for so many years now, we have gathered a large network of friends and family all over the world. But the saying goes, "guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days". So in my mind, house sitting was the perfect solution for us to spend time with our friends and family without wearing out our welcome.

I had completed housesits for friends and family regularly when I was studying and working in Australia, and this had been either super long term sits or helping out for a short break. But to take this show on the road seemed a little daunting at first. Enter Trusted Housesitters.

After doing a bit of research, this seemed that this site would be the easiest and safest way to get into the game for beginners. It's free to join initially so you can see what is available, and then there are three levels of verification that you can choose to undergo once you have decided to become a member. A yearly membership is paid and you will then be able to contact the owners and apply for sits. We decided to get the enhanced verification as first timers who will not necessarily be able to meet owners in person before accepting the sit. This involved the site obtaining a one off police check on our behalf at a cost. This was money well spent in our eyes!

After completing some housesits in Europe, we have found that while there are perks to this lifestyle, there are also some things to be mindful of.

Perks

1. Free accommodation: Done with hostels but can't afford super luxe accommodation all the time? Housesitting is a lifesaver! You get to explore new or familiar places with the insight of locals and all the amenities of home (and no snoring bunkmates!).

2. Furry friends: Just look at these faces! How could we pass up the opportunity to hang out with these guys?

1. Kitchens: As a vegan, this one is a biggie for me because not all places are "vegan friendly" when eating out. Add a language barrier to this and a fully functional kitchen seems like a lifesaver! Having access to simple things like a saucepan and a wooden spoon can have a huge impact on your travelling experience by allowing you to cook the food you enjoy and need to keep energised and happy.

2. Less luggage: When backpacking and staying in hostels it was all about having tiny towels, sleeping bags and wearing the same thing over and over again to save space and cash while jetsetting around. With the advantage of being in someone's home, you already have the necessities for your stay ready for you. This means you can take that extra pair of shoes guilt free.

Things to be mindful of...

1. Last minute: While housesitting can be quite lucrative, it requires you to be flexible in your plans for the future. If you are the kind of person who needs a holiday mapped out 2 months in advance, this might not be for you. If you can be flexible with destinations and dates (by one or two days)

2. Responsibility: With the bonus of furry friends, there is also the responsibility to take good care of them. Your ability to travel further afield may be restricted by the needs level of the animal in your care. Some are very low maintenance or can accompany you on day trips while others need more attention at home. Keep in mind what you are willing to do when applying sits.

3. Travel expenses: With the last minute nature of some housesits, it can mean that flights or other transportation is booked last minute. While this can mean the cost of travel is higher, it is usually offset by the benefit of free accommodation.

4. Date alignment: You may find yourself without a place to stay between sits. All it takes a little patience and research to try to minimise this, but sometimes you need to get creative!

5. Availability: Some countries have loads of sits, while others can be quite sparse. Sometimes you just have to wait it out and see what comes up or plan to travel around areas with plenty of sits available.