Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read House. Sit. Stay. Lessons in Being a Good Housesitter.
As most of you know, I am a nomad and an international housesitter. I take my house sitting responsibilities very seriously. I am in charge of the homeowner’s most prized possessions – their house and their pets.
Taking care of the pets is my number one responsibility – food, walks, and other needs met. I maintain the house as if the homeowner should unexpectedly walk in the door. They will never find empty beer cans and pizza boxes littered around their house. I might not be Mrs. Clean, but I’m not a slob either.
Let’s start with a myth: housesitting is free travel, a chance to live in luxury, maybe post some great Instagram pics.
Now throw in the reality: you’re essentially applying for a temporary role as a caretaker, security guard, and surrogate pet parent. More than likely in a very normal working-class neighborhood. And you’re paying your own way to get there.
This is very important. If you make a commitment to housesit – then you follow through. You get there on the date you and the homeowner have agreed upon. It’s bad practice to accept a housesit and then keep your eyes open in case a better housesit comes along and then cancel your first sit. Always check the cost of transportation to make sure you can swing it before committing to a house sit.
So you think you can housesit
(Spoiler: It’s Not a Free Airbnb With Fur)
There’s a persistent myth out there that housesitting is just a fancy way to get a free vacation. You get to stay in someone’s home, maybe cuddle a cat or two, post a sunset pic, and waltz out without paying a dime. Sounds dreamy, right?
But here’s the reality check: Housesitting is not a free stay. It’s a job. A real one. In someone’s actual, lived-in, emotionally-invested HOME.
Maybe you’re not getting paid any money. More than likely it’s an exchange. The housesitter gets a free place to live in exchange for taking care of the home and the pets.
It has to be a fair exchange. The homeowner should not expect the housesitter to be doing manual labor during their stay. Check out my article Top Reasons Homeowners Struggle to Get House Sitters. Which could have also been titled Top Reasons Housesitters don’t Apply for your Housesit.
You’re not just a guest – you’re the temporary CEO of the house
Let’s break it down. When someone invites you into their home to housesit, they’re handing you the keys not just to their front door, but to their life: their pets and their routines. Also their espresso machine (please don’t break that). Handling their mail. And probably watering their plants that they’ve somehow kept alive for three years and are not replaceable.
It’s a big deal.
So when a homeowner posts looking for a reliable sitter, and you reply with, “Pick me!!” and nothing else, you’re not coming across as enthusiastic – you’re coming across as someone who doesn’t realize there’s actual responsibility involved. You might as well be shouting “YOLO!” into a job interview.
Privacy and security aren’t optional
You’re not just there to keep the cat fed and the kitchen clean. You’re there to protect the home. That means locking doors. It also means not inviting your cousin, her three kids, and their inflatable pool over for the weekend. And it especially means not broadcasting to your entire Facebook feed that you’re currently living rent-free in someone else’s well-furnished living room with a fully stocked bar. And sending out a party invite and providing the address!
Yes, this actually happens. One housesitter bragged publicly about how drunk they got during the current sit, and then posted about falling down the homeowner’s stairs.
Now ask yourself: would you invite this person to a be a housesitter in your house?
Methinks not.
This is a housesit. Not a party house.
Pets are not props
Here’s the thing about pets: they’re not vacation souvenirs. They’re not a quirky backdrop for your Instagram. They’re living, breathing, pooping creatures with habits, schedules, and occasionally deep-seated trauma about the vacuum cleaner.
Your job is to step into their world gently, keep them safe and calm, and maybe even win them over with treats. Not to teach the parrot new curse words or dress the chihuahua up like a cowboy for TikTok.
Sure, I take lots of pet photos to send the homeowners while they’re away. Sometimes I post them on Facebook. I have a private page, locked down tight. Only my friends can see. And yes, they’re interested in what I’m doing and where in the world I am. Yes, some of those photos make their way into blog posts here. This is to show that I am a fun house sitter who takes good care of the pets. I never, ever, ever post the address or any other identifying information that could help some random person find their way to this house.
Facebook might be your resume
Due to attracting a stalker many years ago who tried to hack into my Facebook account, I’ve got it locked down tight. Only my friends can see it. And my friends are actual people who I know. I don’t have that many friends LOL! In other words I’m not accepting random friend requests from people I don’t know and I’m not sending friend requests out into the wind to see who will bite.
Other people? Facebook is an open book.
Homeowners will look you up. And if your profile is full of unhinged conspiracy theories, shirtless beer pong tournaments, or declarations like “I HATE mornings lol,” don’t be surprised when your messages go unanswered.
Clean up your online presence. No, you don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not, but maybe tone it down a little. Especially the bit where you joked about “borrowing” your last host’s bathrobe indefinitely. (We saw that. So did they.)
I belong to some housesitting groups on Facebook, though I’ve never gotten a position through Facebook. It’s just one of the tools I use and is a source of information. But you can be pretty sure that homeowners and housesitters connecting through Facebook groups are checking out each other’s profiles.
I would not apply to anyone on Facebook if their page has no friends and no content. Probably some kind of a scammer.
References are not just a formality
“I’m responsible, I swear!” is not a reference. If you want to be taken seriously, bring proof. Past housesitting reviews, work references, character references from someone other than your mom – they all help. And if you’re just starting out, show that you understand the seriousness of the role and are willing to earn that trust.
I belong to some housesitting websites and after a sit ends, both the homeowner and the housesitter can leave reviews for the other person. No one else can leave reviews, so you and your friends can’t post glowing fake reviews. It’s only for confirmed housesits through that site.
Often those reviews speak for themselves and the homeowner will not require other references.
I also have a police criminal check I can provide, though most homeowners decline that.
Would you hire you?
That’s the question every aspiring housesitter should ask before sending a message:
Would you feel good leaving your home, your pets, your plants, and your beloved air fryer in the hands of… well, you?
If yes – great. Prove it with a professional message, a clear understanding of the responsibilities, and a little common sense.
Because at the end of the day, a housesit isn’t just a place to crash – it’s a trust-based arrangement. And trust, unlike towels, shouldn’t be taken and never returned.
Unfortunately some housesitters have overinflated opinions of themselves. They might even lie to get a position. Many times homeowners go with a gut feeling, or some random connection to the candidate. I have an upcoming house sit where the homeowner noticed I did a sit in Folkestone, England – a town near where they’re from! Yes, we hit off.
So you wanna be a housesitter
I have websites where I’ve signed up to be a housesitter. These are paid sites meaning the housesitter pays an annual fee and the homeowner pays a one time lifetime membership fee.
If you’re interested in signing up, I have some referral codes so you can save a few bucks!
All the housesitting positions I found in England are through Housesitters UK. This is like a matchmaking service for homeowners and housesitters. Homeowners pay £15, a lifetime fee to place ads. Housesitters pay £29/year to keep their profile active.
Housesitters UK has a discount for housesitters who renew each year, in £3 increments until it caps out at a £9 discount. If you are interested in signing up with Housesitters UK, please use my referral code A3K93Y. You will receive a discount of £5 off your membership and I also will receive £5 off my next membership renewal.
I also have a membership with their sister site, Housesitters Canada. The good thing about having memberships with both these sites is that my reviews can be linked between the two sites on my profile. In other words, all the reviews homeowners left me on Housesitters UK show up on my Housesitters Canada profile.
It costs homeowners $29, lifetime membership, to place an ad with Housesitters Canada. Housesitters pay $59/year for a membership and to put up a profile. If you’d like to join Housesitters Canada, please use my referral code TKR9AG. You will get $10 off your membership and I will get a $10 discount when I renew.
For a selection of worldwide housesits I use Housecarers.com. Now, if you click that link, or click here, you will be taken to the Housecarers website and that is my affiliate link. If you buy a membership (good for one year) using my referral link, you will receive a bonus 6 months to your membership. And I also will receive an extra 6 months! It costs me $50 Canadian a year. I’m not sure what the cost is for other countries, but it will be similar. I believe the cookies on Housecarers can see where in the world you are (they’re in Australia) and it adjusts the currency.
Using professional housesitting sites is a safe way for homeowners and housesitters to connect.
I would like to thank all my readers who have used one of my affiliate links to sign up with one of these housesitting websites. 💗
xoxo
House. Sit. Stay!
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on August 14, 2025.
