The Housesitting Guide
Housesitting: The Ultimate Way to Travel, Slow Down & Live Like a Local
Imagine waking up in a cozy home, enjoying your morning coffee on a sun-drenched terrace, with a happy dog wagging its tail beside you or a purring cat curled up on your lap. No rushed check-outs, no impersonal hotel rooms, no campground toilet or shower, just a temporary home in a place you truly get to experience.
For us, housesitting has become the perfect way to slow down, settle in, and enjoy a destination beyond the usual travelers experience. As full-time travelers, we love the freedom of the road, but sometimes, we crave a sense of home, even if just for a little while. Housesitting allows us to do just that: live like a local, care for adorable pets, and explore a new place at a relaxed pace.
In this guide, we will take you through everything you need to know about housesitting and petsitting:
✔ What it is and how it works
✔ Why it’s a game-changer for travelers
✔ How to get started & find great opportunities
✔ The biggest benefits (for both sitters and homeowners!)
✔ Some of the best destinations for housesitting
✔ Our personal experiences & favorite sits around the world
If you are looking for a way to travel affordably, connect with local communities, and escape the constant rush, housesitting might just be the perfect solution for you! Let’s dive in.
What is housesitting and how does it work?
At its core, housesitting is pretty simple, you take care of someone’s home while they are away. With people traveling more than ever post-COVID (for work, holidays, or digital nomad adventures), many homeowners are looking for reliable sitters to keep an eye on their place. And if they have pets, the need for a trustworthy housesitter becomes even greater.
While we have done housesits without pets, in recent years, we have mostly used Trusted Housesitters, where pet care is always part of the deal. And let’s be honest, housesitting is great, but housesitting with adorable pets? Even better.
There are many platforms worldwide, both international and local. A quick Google search for “housesitting” will lead you down a rabbit hole of endless websites. But for us, Trusted Housesitters is the go-to, it is simple, efficient, and has a massive community of sitters and homeowners.
Here’s how it works:
✔ You become a member (yes, there is a fee (starting at €125/year) but you can save thousands on accommodation).
✔ Homeowners post listings with details on location, dates, pets, and expectations.
✔ Sitters apply for housesits that match their travel plans and preferences.
✔ Homeowners choose from up to five applicants and usually arrange a video call to get acquainted.
✔ If both parties feel it is a good match, the housesit is confirmed via the platform.
✔ The Welcome Guide is shared, covering all house and pet-related details.
And just like that, you are all set for a free stay in a fantastic location, with a fluffy (or scaly, or feathery) new friend by your side.
Why it is a Game-Changer for Travelers
For frequent travelers, especially full-time travelers like us, housesitting is an ideal way to slow down and recharge.
Unlike traditional travel, where you are constantly on the move, housesitting allows you to pause and truly experience a place. Whether you want a long weekend in a buzzing city or a few weeks in a countryside retreat, there is always an option that fits.
Some of the key benefits:
🐶Choose your preferred type of sit: One cat? Three dogs? A parrot that mimics your bad singing? You decide!
🏡 Live like a local: You are not just passing through, you are actually living in the community.
💰 Save a fortune on accommodation: Travel costs drop significantly when you swap hotels for free, beautiful homes.
💆Build in rest days: No endless packing and unpacking. Just a cozy home, a routine, and a much-needed travel break.
Over the past four years, we have completed around 25 housesits, from city apartments to countryside retreats. Have there been a few surprises along the way? Absolutely. But for the most part, it has been a fantastic way to pause, unwind, and care for adorable animals while exploring new destinations.
How to get started & find great Housesits
Our go-to platform is Trusted Housesitters—a one-stop shop for finding amazing sits worldwide.
Step 1: Sign up & create your profile
A strong profile makes all the difference! Homeowners want to know who they are trusting their home (and pets) with, so be friendly, detailed, and honest.
Step 2: Verify your identity
Safety first! Before you can apply for sits, Trusted Housesitters requires ID verification.
Step 3: Search for housesits that match your preferences
Use filters to refine your search:
✔ Location – Big city or countryside retreat?
✔ Dates – Align sits with your travel plans.
✔ Pets – Love dogs? Prefer independent cats? (Or, in our case, once agreeing to care for a pet snake in Australia—yep, that happened).
Step 4: Apply & connect with homeowners
If you find a sit you love, send a personalized application. If the homeowner likes your profile, a video call usually follows. Once both parties agree, it is official!
We have successfully housesat in Australia and New Zealand during road trips, combining adventure with cozy home stays. No matter where you travel, there is almost always a great housesit waiting.
The Biggest Benefits (for both Sitters & Homeowners!)
For Homeowners:
🏡 Peace of mind – Someone is looking after your home.
🐕 Happy pets – They stay in their familiar environment.
✈ Stress-free travel – No need to worry about expensive pet boarding.
✅ Trusted sitters – Reviews and profiles ensure safety and reliability.
For Housesitters:
💰 Free accommodation – Huge savings on travel expenses.
🧘 Slower, more immersive travel – Live like a local.
🐶 Time with adorable pets – Who doesn’t want a built-in furry travel buddy?
🌍 Reliable homeowners – Trust-based exchanges through a secure platform.
One of the best parts? Both sitters and homeowners build profiles and reviews. After each sit, both parties leave feedback, ensuring transparency and trust for future sits.
Adorable cat Jax in Brisbane
This is Jax, one of the two cats we were sitting
in Brisbane in July of 2023
Best destinations for Housesitting
Housesitting is growing worldwide, with increasing demand for reliable sitters. While pet sits are more common in Western countries, opportunities exist everywhere, including exotic destinations.
Some of our favorite housesitting locations where we have done housesits include:
🏙 San Francisco, Melbourne, Amsterdam, Sydney
🌊 Auckland, Perth, Jeju Island, Christchurch
🌴 Phnom Penh, Singapore, and beyond!
Whether you want to care for a city cat or walk a beach-loving dog, there is a housesit for everyone.
Our personal experiences & favorite Housesits
🐶 Odie & Lola – Melbourne
We first looked after Odie & Lola in December 2022, and their owners, Julia & Jurgen, have invited us back multiple times since. These fun, cheeky pups now know us well, and we adore them!
🐕 Digger – Sydney (Northern Beaches)
In July 2023, we cared for Digger, a laid-back but energetic dog living near Sydney’s stunning Northern Beaches in Curl Curl. His family, Nicole, Lewis, Mathilda, and Harry, welcomed us warmly, and the coastal location made daily walks a dream.
🐱 Tilly – Christchurch
Tilly was a low-maintenance but adorable cat, and we hit it off so well with her owners, Sandra & Paul, that we now consider them friends. Housesitting has a way of creating lasting connections!
And yes, not every housesit is picture perfect. Sometimes a home is not as clean as expected, or a pet might have less-than-ideal bathroom habits (let’s just say we have had our fair share of surprises!). But honestly? That is part of the adventure.
Final Thoughts
Housesitting is an incredible way to explore the world while taking meaningful travel breaks. For us, it has become an essential part of our lifestyle.
And as I write this from a housesit in Hornsby, Sydney, I can’t help but feel grateful that this is even possible. The best part? We make it happen ourselves.