House sitting is a great way to get free accommodation while traveling. So what do house sitters do?
A house sitter cares for a home while the owner is away, usually while also physically living in the home.
This allows you to stay in a new place without the high cost of renting an apartment or house.
You can also enjoy the social aspect of making friends and staying in local areas.
What Do House Sitters Do?
House sitting is also much less expensive than hotels, hostels, and Airbnb rooms, while still giving you all the privacy you need as an independent traveler.
Though each house sitting opportunity is unique, here are 9 things that house sitters do.
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Care For pets
One of the biggest answers to ‘what do house sitters do?’ comes down to maintaining the well-being of pets.
Caring for a host’s pets usually is one of the main house sitting responsibilities that a housesitter holds.
This can involve anything from walking a dog to changing litter boxes, and everything in between.
Before taking on a house-sitting job with pets involved, it’s important that you’re comfortable with how they behave around people (and other animals).
It’s also important that they’re comfortable being handled by strangers like yourself—and that they know how far they can go when it comes to interacting with others.
If you don’t feel confident about handling certain pets just yet, let your client know so they can let you know if there are any particular challenges with their animal(s).
Also, make sure that you’re aware of any specific house sitting duties regarding the animal(s) before accepting a house-sitting assignment!
For instance, some dogs might not be well-behaved around cats or other dogs; some cats may not be okay around children; some reptiles may need special lighting or heating requirements; and so forth.
These things should all be discussed before signing on for an assignment so there aren’t any surprises later down the road!
Can’t wait any longer? If you’re interested in becoming a house sitter ASAP – you need this guide, 6 easy steps to become a house sitter!
Take Care Of Plants
For some of your house sitting duties, you may be asked to water the plants in the home, but you should still ask the homeowner for specific instructions.
This is because each plant has its own needs and requirements.
Some plants need more sunlight than others, some need to be fertilized regularly while others are content with less attention and care.
The type of potting soil used will also affect how often a plant needs watering based on its size and root depth.
In addition to watering the plants, make sure to keep them free of pests by inspecting them regularly for signs such as yellow leaves or mold growing on the surfaces of leaves.
If there are pests present then you should remove these using organic methods such as spraying with soapy water or gently rubbing off ants with a damp cloth before they have had time to harm your house sitter’s home!
It is also important that you check if any of these plants require repotting every few years – this will help ensure their health as well as make them look beautiful!
Tending To The Pool, Garden, Etc.
Depending on your house sitting responsibilities, you might have outdoor tasks to complete. The property could have a lot of space with certain features.
It’s good to be prepared to care for things like a pool, fountain, garden, lawn, etc.
If you’re lucky enough to have a house sit that has these amenities, it’s important to know how to take care of them.
This is especially true if your host has spent considerable time and money on these things.
In addition to providing maintenance services like cleaning swimming pools and planting flowers in the spring or summer, it’s also important to maintain the appearance of all other areas of the home as well.
This means raking leaves in fall and shoveling snow in winter (if applicable).
Collect mail, Clean Up Trash & Other Miscellaneous Tasks
During your house sitting jobs, you might be asked to collect mail and newspapers for the host.
You’ll also need to take out trash and recycling to the curb, as well as sweep the floors, mop kitchen floors, and clean bathrooms.
This is a huge help because it means that when the homeowner returns home they don’t have to worry about these tasks!
Cleaning windows is another house sitting duty that you may take on during your time at someone else’s property.
Windows can get dirty very fast in areas where there are trees or heavy traffic due to dirt being kicked up onto them by cars passing by.
Vacuuming carpets is yet another common house sitting responsibility to perform while taking care of other people’s homes.
Look After The House
What do house sitters do in general? If you’re a house sitter, it’s important to make sure your client’s home is well-kept and everything is in order. This means:
- Keeping the place clean and tidy
- Make sure all areas of the house are secure (doors locked, windows secured)
- Being aware of any problems that could affect the status quo (leaky faucets, malfunctioning appliances)
- Stocking up on food supplies so that there’s no need for frequent trips to the store
Of course, if your client doesn’t live in their home full time or is only going away for a short time (say, 10 days), then some maintenance tasks may be unnecessary or not needed at all!
Giving The Appearance Of Occupation
If you’re house-sitting for an entire week, it can be helpful to leave certain lights on to give the impression that someone is staying in the house.
This is fine as long as it does not exceed your owner’s electricity allowance or cause them any discomfort.
If you aren’t staying there, frequent visits are necessary to create this impression.
Arrive And Leave On Time
Arriving on time is a sign of respect for the homeowner, and it also shows that you are a reliable worker.
When there’s an emergency, either with your pet or the home, it’s helpful to have someone who can be counted on to show up when they say they will.
As long as you’re able to communicate clearly with the homeowner, if there is a change in plans—like an unexpected delay or even cancellations—it’s okay to ask if they would still like you around longer than originally planned.
Be A Good Houseguest
- Be respectful.
- Be tidy.
- Be quiet.
- Be clean—you’re still a guest, even if you don’t have to pay rent.
- Be friendly and polite with your hosts.
You should also try to be as self-sufficient as possible.
Make sure your hosts know you’re coming; buy groceries and cook meals for yourself; clean up after yourself; take out the trash when it’s full; get extra toilet paper from the bathroom closet when you run out of TP… things like that!
Be Flexible / Open-Minded
Being a house sitter means you have to be flexible with your schedule.
It also means you’ll need to be open-minded and willing to explore new things—including taking on a job that might not seem like your usual style.
As a house sitter, you need to be flexible with your schedule and open-minded about the people you’ll meet.
You might be asked to do things that are outside of your normal routine, but it’s important to remember that this is part of the experience.
House sitting may not be the most glamorous job, but it’s a great way to experience life in another country.
It can also be a fun and rewarding way to meet new people and experience new lifestyles.
Final Thoughts On House Sitting Duties
House sitting is a great way to make some money and get to travel.
It’s also an interesting way to meet new people, spend time with animals, and get a feel for different places around the world.
I hope this article has explained typical house sitting duties and answered your question of what do house sitters do!
If you’re thinking about starting, check out this full guide to house sitting.
You’ll find all kinds of information here including:
- Is house sitting safe?
- What are the benefits of house sitting?
- What are some tips for finding house sitting opportunities?
Want to browse worldwide house sitting but don’t know where to start?
Create a free account on TrustedHousesitters and browse the opportunities around the world that are waiting for you. It’s the biggest and most well-known house sitting platform!
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