You’re driving away from your house to start your holiday; but you realise that something isn’t right. 

You know the feeling – that little voice in the back of your head asking – ‘Have you left the lights on?’ ‘Locked the doors?’ ‘Left the iron on?’ ‘Will your neighbour remember to feed the cat?’ ‘What condition will the garden be in when you return?’

We all need to escape the burdens of daily life for a while, from things like mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, painting, gardening, home repairs, pet care, checking the mail and paying bills.

But weeds don’t pull themselves, bills don’t pay themselves and (unfortunately) most pets won’t feed themselves. Ironically, people become tied to their homes by the same responsibilities that they are trying to escape.

For homeowners, the solution seems clear: find somebody to stay at your house, and take care of everything while you’re gone. The challenge however, is finding somebody you can trust.

If you don’t have a friend, relative or neighbour who can keep an eye on your home while you’re away, a house sitter can be the ideal solution.

House sitting is the arrangement of someone to live in and care for your home while you are away. In exchange for free accommodation, the house sitter will perform specified duties to care for your home, and if required to, take care of your pets as well.

A live-in house sitter offers you an affordable way to ensure your home, garden and pets are well looked after while you are away.

What are the benefits of using a house sitter?

• Security - Your ‘lived in’ house will be a deterrent to intruders.
• You need not impose on friends, relatives or neighbours - asking them to go out of their way to keep an eye on your house or mind your pets.
• Avoid the cost that comes with boarding your pets. A house sitter can look after your pets, in their familiar home environment, reducing any stress they may have suffered from being boarded away from home.
• A house sitter can mow your lawns, take in your mail, weed your garden, and look after your pool, or any other tasks you may require. Your house will be aired and yard will be in good condition for
  when you return.
• Having someone collect and redirect your mail (at no extra cost), and take your phone messages.

What are the benefits of being a house sitter?

• Housesitting is a wonderful way to enjoy a holiday without having the expense of renting accommodation.
• You are able to travel around the country, living in and exploring different areas at your own pace.
• It is a wonderful way to save money, perhaps for a first home or similar goal.

Another popular option is to combine motorhoming and house sitting. In between house sitting opportunities, you can travel towards your next location in your motorhome, and while your house sitting the motorhome can be parked in the driveway. This also provides the perfect opportunity to give your motorhome a holiday, a good airing and freshen up before re-stocking and heading off on your next journey.

It is obvious from searching on the Internet, just how many house-sitting websites and services are now available. Some sites are absolutely free; however please be aware that some advertise no cost for ‘home owners’ and a fee for ‘house sitters’.

So whether you want to enjoy the adventure and low cost holiday-home-away from- home as a house sitter, or as a home owner who heads off on their dream holiday with perfect peace of mind, it might be time to consider house sitting today.

Category: Features
Written: Tue 01 Jan 2013
Printed: January, 2013
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