An Overview of TrustedHouseSitters

Our full-time travel journey has been revolutionized by our experience with TrustedHouseSitters. Having completed 8 house sits, with a 5-week sit on the horizon, we’ve learned a great deal.

Three months into our full-time travel in a 24-foot R-POD, we found ourselves craving a change from our cramped quarters. That’s when we discovered TrustedHouseSitters. Within 5 minutes of landing on their page, we knew it was going to be our next chapter.

Our family highly recommends TrustedHouseSitters. It has allowed us to combine our love for animals and travel with a need to stay budgeted while living a value-driven life.

The community of like-minded individuals on the platform has been an added bonus, making each experience even more special. When you live an alternative lifestyle it is a breath of fresh air to connect with others who are willing to turn a fraction of their lives over to a complete stranger to take a last-minute trip. Americans are facing a loneliness epidemic and a dangerous lack of community, yet here we are connecting with people and their beloved pets in a way that brings us all closer together.

Using TrustedHouseSitters to Travel For Free

Think you’re ready to embark on a pet sitting adventure? Let’s dive into the journey with a step-by-step of what’s in store for you!

Before Your Pet Sit

As with everything worthwhile, there is a bit of setup before you can begin applying for house sits.

1. Select your house-sitting membership type

Will you be a pet sitter, a host, or both? Review the membership tiers, the house-sitting insurance options, and make your annual payment to begin.

TrustedHouseSitters offers several membership options for hosts, sitters, and people who choose to do both. Membership costs in the range of $129 to $259 per year to become a pet sitter on the platform. This investment has allowed us to enjoy over 100 nights of free accommodations in 7 different cities, all in exchange for pet sitting.

Because we planned to use THS to travel full-time, we opted for the highest protection plan available for sitters. This has given us peace of mind knowing that we are covered during our stays, as it offers travel protection if the host were to cancel. While we have yet to have any sit go awry, a little bit of peace of mind goes a long way when you travel full-time with young children.

2. Craft a Captivating Profile & Build Trust Through References

Fill it with charming snaps, shining references, and anecdotes of your pet care escapades. Now is the time to bust out your best copywriting prose so you can build trust with potential hosts. Help them understand who will be staying in their home and why you’re a person they can trust for the job.

Trusted House Sitters requires that you provide a few references from people you’ve helped in the past with house sitting, pet sitting, dog walking, and similarly aligned experiences. If you don’t have any available, ask friends or family if you can watch over their home for a period to earn a legit reference.

3. Search and Apply for Ideal House Sits

Now that you’re in, the fun begins! Embark on the quest for the perfect house sit. Scour through the listings and let your wanderlust guide you towards places that spark your curiosity. The app makes it very easy to sort and filter to find your ideal sit. You can select beachside properties, mountain scenes, family friendly pet sits, and more.

Carefully consider what you’re signing up for before you apply. Hosts base travel plans on the confidence that they’ll have a trusted person watching over their home. Take the responsibility seriously and make sure you understand the assignment.

Apply on the app or online by reaching out to the homeowners with a personalized and thoughtful message. Introduce yourself and express your genuine interest in caring for their beloved fur family. At the same time, don’t be afraid to apply for multiple sits that take place at the same time. You still get to decide if you want to accept the sit if it is ultimately offered to you, so you don’t have to worry about double bookings.

The Pet Sit Interview

Now that you’ve got your profile established and have begun applying, you’ll want to be prepared for a pet sit interview. Here’s what to expect.

1. Video chat with the pet parents

If a host responds to your application, you’re in the running! While video chats aren’t required, we always make a point of it. This 15-60 minute meeting gives up a chance to meet the host, learn of our responsibilities, make sure the space is clean and meets our needs, and make sure it’s a comfortable fit all around.

Here are some topics you may want to discuss:

• Pet’s routine and needs
• Arrival and departure times
• Emergency contact information
• Home and neighborhood safety and security
• Specific dietary needs or restrictions for the pets
• Expectations regarding cleanliness and maintenance of the home

Once the pet sit interview is over, the host will decide if they wish to invite you to watch over their home and pets. If they do, you’ll receive a notification within the app. If not, that’s okay, keep applying!

2. Accept the Sit and Make Travel Arrangements

It may feel like this is entirely up to the host, but you’re offering a valuable service and have the ability to accept or decline a sit that is offered. The process is as follows:

• You apply
• They extend a house sitting offer
• You accept or decline the sit.

Begin making your travel arrangements right away if house-sitting will take you out of town. Sharing updates like this with your host shows you are committed to the house sit. Occasional communication is always a good idea in the weeks leading up to the sit.

3. Read the Welcome Guide

Before your house sit begins, your host will have created a Welcome Guide for you, and this should be read in detail before your arrival. It includes important information such as emergency contact numbers, expectations, instructions for the house, and local recommendations.

During Your TrustedHouseSitters Pet Sit

From arrival to departure, here’s what to expect during your pet sit.

1. Show Up on Sit Day

First and most importantly, make sure to arrive at the agreed upon time for your house sit. This is crucial as their travel plans depend on you.

Once you’ve arrived, immerse yourself in their world. This includes experiencing the local life, keeping up with their household needs and, most importantly, ensuring that the pet feels loved and secure in your presence. Maintain consistent communication with the host throughout your stay. Keep them informed about how their pet is doing, and promptly raise any issues or concerns that come up. This helps to reassure the host and build trust, making the entire experience more enjoyable and rewarding for everyone involved.

2. Don’t Overstep

During your pet sitting stint, it’s essential to remember not to overstep your boundaries. While feeling at home and comfortable is important, you should also respect the owner’s privacy and personal space. Before your stay, it’s a good idea to ask about their expectations regarding the use of their food, cleaning standards, personal space, and any potential dietary restrictions or allergies. This will help prevent any unintentional stress or inconvenience upon their return. Lastly, as part of being a responsible sitter, remember to tidy up before you depart. The aim should always be to leave the home in as-good or better condition than when you arrived.

3. Leave a Review

Part ways on a positive note by leaving a warm review on the app for the homeowner. Keep the door open for future house sits, and don’t lose touch with the amazing people (and pets) you’ve met on this journey.

Example TrustedHouseSitters Reviews

Every time we complete a sit, we can leave a review for our host and they leave a review of their experience using us as a house sitter. Our TrustedHouseSitters reviews have been resoundingly positive for us and our hosts. Here are a few snippets from our reviews:

Reviews we’ve left:

Chan and Marcus were amazing hosts to put it modestly! They went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. Communication was top notch before we got there and throughout their travel. They made sure that we would be comfortable in their home. The house is super clean, organized and comfortable. Olive and Winnie are super sweet and amazing with kids. The dogs do require a lot of outlets for their energy- but the neighborhood is safe and easy to walk and there is a park nearby to run them around. We hope to have the privilege of watching olive and Winnie again!

“What an amazing sit! The dogs were wonderful with their own unique personalities. Puggy ruled the roost despite his small stature! Sprinkles is nervous around adult men but kept trying to work through it and was totally comfortable around women and kids. Lacey was a joy! Older and getting tired, this lover will have a full on conversation when she wants to! Shes not up for long treks but is a great companion for short walks.

We loved the easy access to a ~1 mile trail for Puggy and Sprinkles, Garden of the God’s and all else Colorado Springs has to offer.

Beyond that, Bobby and Meggan were gracious, welcoming hosts with a beautiful and comfortable home in a safe neighborhood.

Jump at the chance to connect with these excellent people and pets.“

We had a wonderful time watching over Finn! Karla was kind enough to get to know our family and provided great suggestions in where to go around town. The neighborhood was fine enough in the immediate area, but some nearby areas were best to steer clear of. Finn was a blast and easy to carPippin and Barkley are two of the sweetest pups we have met! And so easy to care for! They would come and give gentle cuddles anytime we sat down on the couch or when we went to bed at night. They were also great with the kids. The neighborhood is safe and quiet to take the dogs for a walk. The house was clean and comfortable -zero complaints! Meredith and Justin were easy to communicate with and answered any questions we had promptly.e for. Beware of the speed mountains! Overall, we felt very welcomed and found this to be a great first experience with the platform

Reviews of us on THS:

“…. were WONDERFUL sitters & guests. We received so many updates and our pups were so very well-loved & played with while we were away! They went above and beyond in pup care and even worked with our trainer to reinforce/correct some of our 11-month old puppy Winnie’s behaviors. Our two dogs have lots and lots of energy and taking care of them is no easy feat, but <they> did a superb job and we never worried for one minute about our girls. They also took excellent care of our home and the real cherry on top of this sundae was coming home to freshly laundered and made beds and homemade chicken soup <3! After a 15 hour flight, that was sooo welcome. We’d give them 10 stars if we could. <they> are always welcome back to stay with us in the future!

Josh and Jenalee were absolutely stellar! They took excellent care of our fur babies and our home, we returned home to very happy doggies (and lizard) and a very tidy house! They were entirely self-sufficient and sent us pictures and updates of the fun they were having together. We would absolutely recommend them to everyone and sincerely hope that they will be able to sit for us again!

Josh, Jenalee and kids were really wonderful pet/house sitters. It was great to have some kids around to make sure my pup got plenty of playtime. Communication was easy and they kept me updated and weren’t afraid to ask if they had questions. They left my house clean and tidy. Josh even mowed my grass! My neighbors got to know this family and remarked on how nice they are. I hope they have a great time in their onward travels, and know anyone they sit for will be lucky.

Pros and Cons of TrustedHouseSitters

Because sometimes you just need a pro’s and con’s list.

Pros

1. Save money on affordable travel- First and foremost, you can travel the world on a shoestring budget. With TrustedHouseSitters, you don’t have to pay for accommodation, leaving more money for adventures and experiences. Is TrustedHouseSitters worth the cost? You bet.
2. Unique experiences- Each house sit is different and allows you to experience new places like a local. You get to live in someone’s home and immerse yourself in the culture of the area. We’ve lived the lives of nearly a dozen people at this point.
3. Pets- This is the perfect opportunity for animal lovers to spend time with furry friends while traveling. And for those who may miss their own pets while on the road, house-sitting can provide a much-needed pet fix.
4. Flexibility- With TrustedHouseSitters, you have the freedom to choose your destination, duration of stay, and type of pet you want to care for. It just takes a bit of searching and patience as you wait for ideal sits.
5. Community- The community aspect of TrustedHouseSitters is a major pro. Connecting with other travelers and pet owners around the world creates a unique sense of community and friendship. At the same time, you’ll find some hosts like interaction with the sitter and others don’t. The focus is always on the pet first.
6. Short & long term travel- TrustedHouseSitters offers opportunities for both short-term and long-term house sits, creating a new way to travel, especially if you work remotely.
7. Family-friendly travel- Many house sits on the platform are family-friendly, making it a great option for those traveling with children. Many hosts prefer sitters with children as they can count on extra love for their pets. We find there is enough inventory to watch for sits that provide a home-like environment for our kiddos.
8. Unique solution to the US housing crisis- People need affordable places to live right now. While THS is not meant for permanent residence, we see plenty of multi-month sits on the platform and we haven’t paid for a mortgage in 9 months.

Cons

1. Competition- The best sits tend to get many applications quickly. Each listing can only receive up to 5 sit applications, so it’s common for long-term sits and those in top travel destinations to disappear quickly.
2. Membership cost- The membership fee for TrustedHouseSitters can be a deterrent for some, especially if you’re not sure how often you’ll use it.
3. Responsibility- While caring for someone’s home and pets is a fun and unique experience, it also comes with plenty of responsibility. You must be willing to take on that responsibility and be prepared for any unexpected situations that may arise.
4. Location limitations- Depending on your travel plans, the location of available house sits may not align with where you want to go. While it opens the door to tremendous travel opportunities, it’s important to know that you’ll need to be flexible with your plans, too
5. Communication- Communication between sitters and hosts is key to a successful house sit. However, there can be challenges with language barriers or miscommunication that may arise. Since you’re the sitter, you need to take ownership of communication and ensure
6. Background checks- While TrustedHouseSitters does offer the comfort of a background check for sitters and hosts, some may feel uncomfortable giving out personal information or may not pass the check due to previous history.
7. Limited insurance coverage- As mentioned earlier, TrustedHouseSitters offers basic sit cancellation insurance coverage for sitters, but we’ve heard mixed reviews. The coverage may be limited in certain situations and it’s important to fully understand what is covered and not covered before accepting a pet sit.
8. Not quite an AirBnb- While a petsit can often feel like you’re at an Airbnb that left their pet behind, you have to remember this is not somewhere you’re paying to stay. Don’t expect amenities or quick responses to questions. Many sits have great amenities, but you’ll want to adjust your expectations. Airbnb is for vacation, TrustedHouseSitters is for travel.

Summing Up Our Housesitting Experience

As a married adult with two kids, I had never anticipated being a house sitter. I wouldn’t have imagined I could feel comfortable being in someone else’s home, attempting to work remotely and explore the world. It can certainly be difficult and comes with it’s stresses, but overall it has been incredible. TrustedHouseSitters has presented more options for high-quality free travel than we could ever imagine.

Ready to change the way you travel and experience unparalleled connections with pets in exciting new places? Don’t wait! Join the TrustedHouseSitters community today, and transform your travels into unforgettable adventures.