5 tips to ensure your first house sit is a success

It's so exciting securing your first housesit and to start planning for your new adventurous lifestyle. There are however, several things to be done to ensure it’s a success.

Having completed more than 50 housesits, seasoned Aussie House Sitters, Andrew and Christopher share their experience of what makes a successful first house sit.

Communication

This is the key to all successful housesits and happens from the moment you post a profile on a house-sitting platform. Once the sit is secured, regular communication with the homeowners is crucial. It's great to arrive at a house sit to have the owners say, "We feel like we already know you."

Checking with owners as to how often they like to be updated during their time away also ensures you strike a balance between being too communicative and leaving homeowners wondering what is happening at home.

Tip: Set up a WhatsApp or Messenger group with the homeowners so that all relevant parties can be informed quickly and easily. This group can be used before, during and after the sit.

Handover and Handback

These two events are crucial as they may be the only face to face interactions you have with the homeowners. Taking notes, as well as photos and videos communicates to the homeowner you are serious about following their instructions and also ensures you have something to refer to when the homeowners have left. If homeowners have a manual of their house, getting them to send it through before your arrival can allow you time to digest the routines and ask any questions for clarification.

The handback - At the conclusion of the sit, it’s just as important to ensure the owners are brought up to date with any changes and lets them know you were diligent in your role as house sitters. Keeping notes of things to tell the owners, having their mail organised and even filling them in on some of the local news and happenings while they were away are great ways to end the sit.

It's All About the Pets

Most house sits will involve the sitters caring for the homeowners beloved pets, and this role should be taken seriously. Sending regular photos of their pets is a sure way to put homeowners minds at ease that they have chosen the right sitters. Sending a photo and message within the first 24 hours is a good idea using the previously setup WhatsApp or Messenger group. Being mindful of the pet's behaviour and monitoring any changes is a crucial skill with housesitting, even if it means changing your plans and routines to accommodate the pets. In the initial few days, don't forget the pets are also adjusting to new people, so allowing them space to get used to you is crucial. If owners feel their pet may be overly anxious, get them to leave a piece of their clothing with their scent on it to reassure the pet.

Make a Lasting Impression

When the homeowners return, making their transition back to normal life as easy as possible can make a big difference in your house-sitting journey. Having a home-cooked meal ready upon their return, ensuring the home is spotless, even cleaner than when they left and having their bed made with clean sheets are examples of adding extra touches that are definitely noticed by the homeowners. Fresh flowers, a card of thanks or even having photos printed and framed of their beloved pets are other examples. Having homeowners say "The place looks as if we've never been away" is great feedback that you have done a great job.

Reflection and learning from your experiences

After a housesit, it is also a good idea to think about what went well and what you would have done differently. Doing this helps you identify the skills you need to develop further or even set boundaries around what your expectations are for future sits. As your house-sitting journey continues, you will find your preferences for pets, homes, locations etc. and a moment of reflection on each sit can assist this process.

A successful first sit can lead to many years of happy housesitting, while a terrible experience can sometimes mean the end of your housesitting 'career'. Investing time in the people, process and pets of your first house sit can ensure you have many happy memories and perhaps even life-long friends – both human and animal.

Also, don’t forget to ask for a reference from the homeowners. This could be done verbally during the handback or alternatively wait a few days and then send a message/email, meaning it is less likely to be forgotten. Receiving that first reference is certainly a buzz and indicates your first house sit has been a success.

We are two Aussie guys, originally from Sydney, Australia, who absolutely love the house & pet sitting lifestyle. We are full-time house sitters, having completed 51 house sits to date. We have been house & pet sitting across Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Switzerland and Mexico since May 2016 and have met some wonderful homeowners and their pets during our adventures.

Christopher is owner and admin of House Sitting World Facebook Group that supports its 17,000 members in regards to house sitting matters and Andrew is a keen contributor of articles and videos to various House Sitting organisations. Our travels are documented on our website www.globalwanderers.com.