It's so exciting securing your first housesit and to start planning for your new adventurous lifestyle. To make it successful there are a few things sitter can do.
Having completed more than 50 housesits, experienced house sitters, Andrew and Christopher share their experience of what makes a successful first house sit.
This is the key to all successful housesits and starts from when you post your profile on a house-sitting platform. Regular communication with the homeowner is crucial once the sit is secured. It's great to arrive at a house sit having the owners already say, "We feel like we know you." Clarifying with owners how often they want to be updated during their time away is important. It makes sure you strike the right balance between being too communicative and not updating the owners enough.
Using the private messaging system on a house-sitting platform is ideal as it provides a record of everything that has been agreed on and you can easily refer to it as it is written down.
Tip: Set up a WhatsApp or Messenger group with each homeowner so everyone can be informed easily. This group can be used before, during and after the sit.
Both these events are extremely important as they may be the only face to face interactions you have with the homeowners. Clarify any owner instructions by taking notes, photos and videos. This demonstrates to the homeowner you are serious about following what they need. It also ensures you have something to refer to when they have left. If homeowners have a manual of their house, getting them to send it to you before you arrive gives you time to understand any pet care and home care routines and ask any questions for clarification.
The handback – When a house sit finishes, it’s just as important to make sure the owners are brought up to date about how the house sit went. They will want to know how their pets went, and if there is anything they need to be updated about.
Keeping notes of things to tell the owners, having their mail organised and even filling them in on any relevant local happenings while they were away are great ways to end a house sit.
Most homeowners have a house sitter because they have pets who need caring for while they are away. This animal care role should be taken seriously. Sending regular photos of their pets is a great 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 start to the house sit. Being aware of a pet's behaviour and monitoring any changes is a crucial skill, even if it means changing your routine to accommodate the pets.
In the first few days, don't forget the pets are getting used to new people, so giving them space to get used to you is crucial. If owners feel their pet may be overly anxious, you can always ask them to leave a piece of their clothing with their scent on it.
When the homeowners return, making their transition back to normal life as easy as possible makes a huge difference. Having a home-cooked meal ready for their return, ensuring their home is spotless (possibly even cleaner than when they left) and having their bed re-made with clean sheets are extra touches that are definitely noticed by the homeowners. Many sitters leave some fresh flowers or a card of thanks. Having homeowners say "Our home looks as if we've never been away" is the best feedback that you have done a great job.
After a housesit finishes, it’s a good idea to identify what went well and what you would have done differently. This helps identify the skills you need to develop further and also boundaries around what your expectations are for future sits. As your house-sitting journey continues, you can adapt your future house sits to fully reflect your house sit preferences e.g., kinds of pets and locations. Reflecting on each house sit can really help this process.
A successful first sit can lead to many years of happy housesitting.
Investing time in the people, the process and furry friends of your first house sit can lead to many more house sits, happy memories and perhaps even life-long friends – both animal and human.
Also, don’t forget to ask for a review from all homeowners you house sit for. You can send a My Review message through the House Sitters Canada website, which makes it easy to do. You can also then review the homeowner. Receiving that positive review is certainly a buzz and indicates your first house sit has been a success.
Christopher & Andrew.
Great website, great service! Quick, efficient service when I needed clarification. The website is easy to navigate. I appreciated the extension of my subscription after COVID19 grounded everything. I highly recommend their service. Myrna
