Housesitting is one of the most underrated ways to travel. Instead of paying for hotels or Airbnbs, you watch someone’s home and pets while they’re away and stay for free. We’ve used it to spend 10 weeks in the UK and three weeks in the Netherlands, all without paying a penny in accommodation.
Whether you’re housesitting for extra income or using it as a travel strategy, the rules are the same and getting them right matters. Good sitters get great reviews, great reviews land better sits, and better sits take you further.
Housesitting is a very common way to make some nice income on the side. But what about using housesitting as a means to travel the world? It’s a super budget-friendly way to explore foreign countries (or your own!), meet locals and make furry friends. Whether you’re housesitting for a paycheck or watching someone’s home and pets in exchange for free accommodation, the do’s and don’ts are the same!
We used TrustedHousesitters for all of our sits can’t recommend it enough, especially for pricier destinations. It was the perfect way to travel in more expensive countries like the UK and the Netherlands. For more on how we traveled our way around as housesitters, check out our TrustedHousitters review and get some tips on getting started.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Housesitting
You could be traveling the world through TrustedHousesitters or just watching a home down the street, housesitting relies entirely on trust. If you want to secure five-star reviews every single time, you need to treat the property with the same respect you’d want shown to your own.
Here is our ultimate checklist of house sitting do’s and don’ts from our months on the road in the UK and Europe.
Maintain the cleanliness of the home
- Why it matters: Cleanliness signals respect for the owner’s trust. A messy house makes owners assume the pets were neglected too.
- Action: Keep up with daily tidying, then do a thorough clean before they return.
- Goal: Leave the house cleaner than you found it.
Cleanliness is just as important as taking care of someone’s pets. The whole point of housesitting is that someone is trusting you to watch over their house and pets while they’re away. They are trusting you. The best way to lose that trust is to leave their house a pigsty when they return. If the place is a mess, the owners will probably assume their pets didn’t have a great sit.
While they’re gone, you need to keep the house neat and tidy and give it a good, cleaning just before they return. Vacuum, sweep, clean all surfaces and make sure all dishes are washed and put away.
Leave the house the way you found it. Or if you want to be an awesome sitter, have it cleaner than it was before!
prioritize and Take Care of the Pets
- Why it matters: The pets are the whole reason you’re there. Their well-being is your top priority.
- Action: Ask the owners every question you can think of before they leave, and write the answers down.
- Goal: Confident, independent care without bothering owners on vacation.
Our favorite part about housesitting is taking care of the pets. Make sure you know everything you need to know about the pets before the owner leaves.
When do they eat and how much? How often do they need to be walked? Should you give them a bath? What’s their personality like? What should you do in case of an emergency? Try to ask as many questions as you can. And write them down so you don’t forget!
It’s important to have all these questions answered so that you’re not bothering the owners about every little thing while they’re tanning on a beach somewhere.
The best part about housesitting? Playing with the pets and getting to know them!
After 10 weeks in the United Kingdom and three weeks in Amsterdam, there were 9 dogs we wanted to take home with us. A bonus of watching other people’s pets is learning how they’ve raised and trained their animals. You can take these tips back home with you to your own pet.
communicate with the Owners Often
- Why it matters: Owners are trusting you with their home and pets from a distance. Regular updates give them peace of mind.
- Action: Ask owners upfront how often they’d like updates, then stick to it. Communicate immediately if something goes wrong.
- Goal: Owners who feel informed and confident, not anxious, while they’re away.
Whether it’s regarding the pets or the house, be sure to keep the owners in the loop about anything that they might think is important.
For example, we housesat in England for a couple who were away for three weeks. Within the first couple of days a huge leak sprung in the ceiling of the kitchen. For the next 17 days we met with plumbers on their behalf but kept the owners in the loop about every new development. Sometimes housesitting doesn’t go according to plan!
If you break something or an accident happens, be sure to let the owners know. If it’s not an emergency, then it can wait until they return but it’s important that they know what’s going on in their home.
We like to ask the hosts how often they’d like to be updated before they leave. Most of them wanted frequent updates but there were a couple who didn’t worry much so it will vary.
In addition, the hosts may introduce you to the neighbors. They can be a big help in an emergency as they’re nearby and know the area.
Lock Up Every time You Leave
- Why it matters: It’s not your home — you’re responsible for keeping someone else’s property and pets safe.
- Action: Before every single departure, check that the oven and stove are off, taps aren’t running, and all windows and doors are locked.
- Goal: A secure home every time you walk out the door, no exceptions.
It’s not your home. It’s someone else’s home. You need to take extra caution before leaving. Every time.
One thing that’s easy to overlook: make sure you have the keys before you leave. If the door locks automatically behind you and you don’t have them, you’re in a tough spot. It has never happened to us, but it’s the kind of thing that only needs to happen once.
Make it a habit, a quick mental checklist every time you head out. Oven off, taps off, windows shut, door locked, keys in hand. Done.
Leave the Owners a Welcome Home Gift
- Why it matters: A small gesture goes a long way toward a glowing review and a lasting relationship with the host.
- Action: Bake cookies, leave flowers, or write a card — something personal that shows you appreciated their pets and their home.
- Goal: Owners who feel genuinely welcomed back and are excited to have you sit again.
This isn’t necessary but it’s definitely a nice touch. For most of our housesits we baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies and left them on the counter for the owners to enjoy. It doesn’t have to be cookies, though. You could leave a vase of flowers or just a simple handwritten card saying how you enjoyed the stay and the pets.
These little touches go over great with hosts and if you use a site where hosts are encouraged to review their housesitters, like TrustedHousesitters, then this kind gesture can be the difference between a good review and a great one.
Pro Tip: If you bake cookies, be sure they’re well out of reach of furry friends. We encountered quite a few counter grazers and luckily we had the foresight to keep anything edible beyond their reach.
Make the Bed
- Why it matters: Owners have been traveling and coming home to a clean, made bed is one of the best feelings.
- Action: Wash the sheets before they return and make the bed neatly — ideally the day they arrive home.
- Goal: A bedroom that feels fresh and welcoming, not like someone else just slept in it.
We wanted to separate this from cleaning the house because we think it’s super important, especially if you’re sleeping in the owner’s bed during your sit. They’ll have been traveling and nothing is better than coming home to a clean and made bed.
When we were housesitting in the United Kingdom, there wasn’t always a dryer so there were a few instances where we washed the sheets but they didn’t air dry in time. In this situation, check to see if there are extra sheets you can use. If not, the host will surely appreciate the clean sheets even if the bed isn’t made.
Enjoy Your Time
- Why it matters: A sitter who is happy and engaged takes better care of the home and pets — and is more likely to housesit again.
- Action: Choose sits that genuinely excite you — great animals, interesting locations, or both.
- Goal: A housesit that feels like an adventure, not a chore.
Many people treat housesitting like a vacation and honestly, with some wonderful animals to look after and beautiful surroundings, it often is.
If you’re housesitting as a way to travel, be selective. Choose sits that are the right fit for you: the right location, the right pets, the right length of time. A sit that checks those boxes will always feel more rewarding than one you took just to fill a gap in your calendar.
Not every sit worked out perfectly for our travel wishes. For a sit in eastern England, the train was under construction and London was no longer reachable within a short train ride, a major bummer for our multi-week sit. But the pup was amazing. There’s give and take. Stay flexible and you’ll find something to enjoy in any situation.
Don’t Invite Guests Over
- Why it matters: You agreed to watch the home, not host in it. Uninvited guests are the owner’s biggest trust concern.
- Action: Don’t invite anyone over without explicit permission from the owner — and get it in writing if you can.
- Goal: A home that stays exactly as the owner left it, with only the people they approved inside.
It’s not your home so it’s not your place to invite people over. There may be hosts that say it’s okay but even so, make sure you’re strictly following the rules and treating the house with respect.
Remember you signed up to take care of their home. Guests did not. Any mess, damage, or issue that comes from a guest is still your responsibility. It’s not worth the risk to your reputation as a sitter.
Don’t Raid The pantry or Liquor Cabinet
- Why it matters: Helping yourself to the owner’s food and drink without permission is a breach of trust that’s hard to come back from.
- Action: Only eat or drink what you’ve been explicitly told you can, and replace anything you use up.
- Goal: An owner who returns to their home exactly as they left it — fridge, pantry, and liquor cabinet included.
Many of our hosts have told us to eat whatever is in the fridge or some have even left us some groceries. How nice! In that case, go ahead.
If the host didn’t expressly give you permission to eat their food or enjoy their drinks, be prepared to replace it if you consume it. Even if they did give the green light to help yourself, it’s a nice thought to replace an item you used up. When in doubt, ask first. A quick message goes a long way.
Don’t abandon the Housesit or leave Early
- Why it matters: You made a commitment to the owner and their pets. Leaving early puts everyone in a difficult position.
- Action: Honor the agreed dates no matter what and if a true emergency forces you to leave, do everything possible to find a replacement before you go.
- Goal: An owner who never has to scramble because their sitter bailed.
This one should be a no-brainer. That said, one of our hosts had housesitters leave the sit just two weeks into a six month house sit. They stayed just 14 days out of an agreed 180 days. The reason? Because the house was too cold. Granted, the house was pretty cold for us in March so we can imagine how brutal the true winter must have been. But the host was transparent about it beforehand.
We spent nearly three weeks with no hot water because of a plumbing catastrophe in the UK. While it was very inconvenient and we definitely wanted to leave, we stayed because we made a commitment.
Unless you have a true emergency, there’s no excuse to leave early. If an emergency does come up and you have no other option but to leave, then you need to do everything you can to make sure the host has time to get home or find a replacement. Do not leave their pets.
Don’t Go Snooping Around Their Stuff
- Why it matters: Going through someone’s personal belongings is a serious violation of trust — and their privacy.
- Action: If you need something, ask the owner before you go looking. If a room is off-limits, respect it.
- Goal: An owner who feels their privacy and belongings were fully respected throughout your stay.
This one comes down to basic respect. If you need something, ask. Don’t go rummaging through drawers, closets, or cabinets looking for it. If something is hidden away or tucked out of sight, there’s a good chance the owner doesn’t want you using it.
If you’re told a room is off-limits, then leave it be. You’re a guest in someone’s home and the boundaries they set should be honored.
Don’t Neglect the Plants
- Why it matters: Plants are living things too — a dead fiddle leaf fig is just as upsetting to an owner as a missed dog walk.
- Action: Ask the owner exactly which plants need watering, how often, and how much before they leave.
- Goal: Plants that are just as healthy when the owner returns as when they left.
It’s easy to get so focused on the furry residents that the green ones get forgotten. But for plant lovers, their collection can be just as precious as their pets. Some plants need daily water, some need none at all, and overwatering can be just as deadly as neglect.
Before the owner leaves, walk through the plants with them if you can. Which ones need water and how often? Are any of them temperamental? Are there any outside that need attention too? Write it down, add it to whatever notes you’re keeping on the pets, and check them regularly throughout your sit.
The owners will notice if something wilted on your watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
On TrustedHousesitters you pay an annual membership fee but stays in homes are completely free in exchange for caring for the pets and property. Either way, replacing hotel and Airbnb costs with free accommodation makes a massive difference for budget travelers, especially in expensive countries like the UK or Netherlands where we did our housesitting.
For us, absolutely. We used it to travel through the UK and Amsterdam and the membership paid for itself within the first sit. That said, it works best if you’re flexible with your travel plans since you’re working around available listings. We have a full TrustedHousesitters review if you want the details, including tips on getting your first sit!
You need reviews to land a sit but you need sits to get reviews. A few things that helped us: write genuinely personal applications that mention the pets by name and reference specific details from the listing. Generic applications get ignored. Also consider applying to longer sits first since they’re harder to fill and hosts are more open to taking a chance on a new sitter. Build your profile out fully before you apply. Photo, bio, and references from sources like friends, family as well as a landlord or employer all help. Any reference that can support how you care for animals is a bonus!
You address it and you communicate immediately. We had a ceiling leak spring up within the first couple of days of a stay in England. For the next 17 days we coordinated with plumbers on the owners’ behalf while keeping them updated on every development. It wasn’t fun, but staying calm and transparent is what separates good sitters, and it still led to a great review. Things can go wrong but that’s okay. How you handle it matters most.
We did not have additional insurance outside of our credit card. However, it’s the safer bet to have insurance, especially for international sits. Standard travel insurance won’t always cover situations specific to housesitting like accidental property damage or a pet emergency. Read your policy carefully before you go and consider supplementing with an insurance that provides the right coverage. TrustedHousesitters offers some insurance plans to members.
Yep! Just make sure both people are listed in your application and profile upfront. Don’t show up with someone who wasn’t mentioned. Hosts appreciate transparency about exactly who will be in their home.
It varies a lot. We’ve seen everything from a weekend to several months. Most listings on TrustedHousesitters tend to run one to three weeks. Longer sits are rarer but highly sought after by location-independent travelers. As a new sitter, longer sits can actually be easier to land since the applicant pool tends to be smaller.
Housesitting generally means you’re staying in the home full-time while the owners are away. You care for the property and the pets together. Pet sitting can mean you take the animal to your own home or visit daily. Most housesitting opportunities involve both, which is honestly part of what makes it so great. You get a real home base and some furry company while you travel.
Summary of the Do’s and Don’ts for Pet and Housesitting
Housesitting genuinely changed the way we travel. It took us to corners of England and the Netherlands we never would have found on a standard tourist itinerary, put us in real homes instead of hotel rooms, and introduced us to some incredible animals and people along the way. After 10 weeks in the UK and three weeks in Amsterdam, the nine dogs we wanted to bring home with us are a pretty good measure of how much we loved it.
It’s not always perfect. We’ve dealt with ceiling leaks, almost three weeks without hot water, and some sits that tested our patience. But that’s travel! And the reward of exploring a place from the inside, with a real home base and a couple of furry companions, more than makes up for the occasional curveball.
The rules are simple: treat it like you’d want someone to treat your own home. Be communicative, be reliable, leave things better than you found them. Do that consistently and the reviews come, which means better sits, better destinations, and a completely different way to see the world on a budget!
If you’re ready to give it a shot, TrustedHousesitters is where we’d point you first. It’s the platform we used and the one we’d use again without hesitation. And if you want a deeper look at how it all works, our full TrustedHousesitters review covers everything from setting up your profile to what to do when the ceiling starts leaking.
Happy travels and happy housesitting!
