Take the following five steps to go on your first trip where you don’t pay for accommodation if you see a companionship of a lovely pet is as a bonus!
- choose a platform & decide on membership
- create your profile
- find suitable sits & apply
- communicate with the owner & plan your trip
- enjoy your stay!
Choose a platform & decide on membership
There are plenty of platforms to choose from. Not all of them actually have enough users to provide enough sits to choose from. Some are also focused on only one country/area.
The worldwide leading platform (and probably the most legit and also expensive) is TrustedHousesitters. Memberships start at $129 per year. Read more about their memberships to choose the right tier.
Other than the cost of membership, there is little the platform lacks compared to others. Many sits are available to choose from, you can create searches and get notifications when new sits are added, you can see how many sitters have already applied for a sit. The web feels modern and works well enough.
This is the only platform we used so far and we love it and 100% recommend it. Nonetheless, we did some research beforehand. Feel free to read more about other big house sitting platforms such as MindMyHouse, MindAHome AU, MindAHome UK and House Sitters Canada.
Create your profile
There are no statistics on what features help profile performance. We summarize practices recommended by the community in three points: be honest, legit and personal. You’re welcome to read more in depth article.
Find suitable sits & apply
When finding a sit you need to balance how much you like the sit and whether you stand a chance against other sitters. We recommend what to look for in a sit to prevent a bad experience and also how to increase your chance of getting a sit in How to choose the right sit.
To apply, send a personalised message (include names of pets and/or owners). Offer to video-call, if you will already be nearby the sit, be sure to mention it. It proved to be a big plus in the eyes of house owners. Sample message.
Communicate with the owner & plan your trip
Try to imagine the roles are reversed: you are about to leave your house and beloved pets to a stranger. In other words be reassuring, be polite, respond quickly - no need to explain how to talk to people.
Read the manual and request it if they forgot to send it (it will appear in the app). Remember the pets name, quirks requirements and health conditions.
Try to be proactive. Let owners know that you already booked your tickets, and confirm a few days before the sits that you will indeed come. Let them know how your trip is going, let them know you arrived (if they have already left) and so on.
Enjoy your stay!
Be sure to enjoy yourself but bear in mind that pets should be your priority. The owners’ ease of mind should also be high on your priority list. Ask how often they want updates and deliver them! Pictures of the pets with thoughtful or fun captures are always a hit.
Read more tips on how to get a five-star review.