Home sitting and pet sitting are undeniably nice methods to journey the world, meet new individuals, take care of animals, and obtain free lodging. I’ve been a pet sitter for a couple of years now, and whereas I find it irresistible, there are each professionals and cons to home sitting and pet sitting.
Home sitting is once you keep and take care of another person’s dwelling whereas they’re away. In change without cost lodging and utilities, you clear and preserve the home, water the crops, and supply the owners with the consolation and reassurance that all the pieces is secure and safe.
Pet sitters additionally deal with the home-owner’s pets, which may embrace feeding, watering, taking part in, cuddling, strolling, and grooming.
Pet sitting has allowed me to spend weeks caring for a golden retriever within the English countryside, a month and a half with a French bulldog in Tokyo, and a few weeks with a playful cat in Brussels, all with out spending a dime on lodging. It’s definitely my favourite method to journey.
However, like another dwelling scenario, there are each professionals and cons of home and pet sitting. So, for those who’re questioning if home sitting is best for you, proceed studying; I’ll define the 15 best benefits and drawbacks of home sitting.
With out additional ado, let’s get began.
☞ SEE ALSO: How To Change into a Pet Sitter
Lengthy-Time period Sits vs. Quick-Time period Sits
Earlier than I listing all the professionals and cons of being a home sitter, I first need to make clear the distinction between long-term sits and short-term sits.
Lengthy-term home sits sometimes vary from a couple of weeks to a number of months in length, whereas short-term home sits sometimes vary from a couple of days to a few weeks. Whereas each may be nice experiences for vacationers and digital nomads alike, every sort of sit gives totally different benefits and drawbacks.
As an example, long-term home sits give the sitters an prolonged period of time to immerse themselves in a brand new tradition and meet locals. I additionally love long-term home sits as they all the time present me with an opportunity to chill out, rewind, and reset after I’m feeling a little bit of journey burnout. In distinction, short-term home sits are nice for saving cash on inns and hostels when visiting a brand new metropolis.
To summarize, short-term home sits are the fitting selection for individuals on a tighter timeline wishing to journey to new locations, whereas long-term home sits are the fitting selection for digital nomads who’re trying to find a brand new dwelling base for some time.
Execs of Home Sitting and Pet Sitting
Now that we’ve clarified the distinction between long-term and short-term home sits, let’s focus on why home and pet sitting could be best for you. These are the ten final advantages of home sitting:
1. Free Journey Lodging and Utilities (One of many Biggest Advantages of Home Sitting!)
Firstly, one of many best benefits of home sitting is the free journey lodging and utilities in change to your time and a spotlight.
I’m certain you agree that inns (and even hostels) may be the costliest a part of a visit. Consequently, home sitting and pet sitting means that you can save tons of cash, no matter for those who’re occurring a brief trip, backpacking for a 12 months, or dwelling as a everlasting nomad.
You’re additionally geared up with the entire comforts and facilities it’s essential to really feel proper at dwelling, which (often) contains free, high-speed web. This makes it the proper gig for these working on-line.
The possibility of free lodging was one of many greatest allures for me after I first began out as a pet sitter, and it’s nonetheless one of many greatest perks. It’s particularly nice once you’re visiting an costly vacation spot akin to New York or Hawaii.
2. Journey from a Native Perspective
Not solely does home sitting mean you can lower your expenses in your journeys, however it additionally supplies you with the uncommon and distinctive expertise of dwelling like a neighborhood.
Somewhat than staying within the typical, busy vacationer areas, you get to remain within the residential neighborhoods, store on the native markets, and uncover some hidden gems you might in any other case miss if staying elsewhere. Moreover, you get to immerse your self within the tradition.
Home sitting is actually among the best methods to actually get to know town that you just’re visiting, and it’s one in every of my favourite elements of the job. I really feel like I do know the cities of Yokohama and London much better since I’ve had the alternatives to go to the less-popular sides of them.
3. Meet Locals
Equally, home sitting and pet sitting gives you the uncommon and particular alternative to satisfy and type connections with native individuals, from the owners to their family and friends, their neighbors, and extra.
These alternatives are far much less frequent in inns and hostels once you’re surrounded by fellow vacationers. You’re additionally sometimes staying in touristy areas when touring commonly and so are probably to solely encounter locals working within the tourism trade.
Consequently, the prospect to type native connections is actually one of many best advantages of pet sitting. I discover it significantly straightforward to make native associates when strolling canine. Because the canine sniff and say hey to one another, you even have the prospect to say hey to the canine proprietor; forming a pleasant native connection.
4. Keep in Luxurious Properties
One other superb perk of home sitting and pet sitting is that you just get the prospect to expertise luxurious like by no means earlier than (at little to no price).
In the event you’ve ever imagined spending a month in a villa in Central America, a winery in California, a mansion within the French countryside, or in a penthouse in London, home sitting is a budget-friendly means of attaining these goals.
Evidently, many pet and home sitting jobs contain staying in luxurious properties (like mansions, vineyards, or homes with swimming pools). Whereas these gigs can often be fairly aggressive, it may be surprisingly straightforward to seek out an unbelievable, luxurious pet sitting job within the countryside; you simply should be ready to remain exterior of town.
5. Cuddle with some Cute Animals
Subsequent, for those who’re an animal lover who isn’t in a position to personal a pet proper now, then pet sitting is the proper method to get some high quality, loving, one-on-one animal time.
This was one of many greatest the explanation why I began home sitting within the first place; I used to be dwelling a nomadic life-style alone in Japan, and I actually missed the companionship of animals. Pet sitting allowed me to cuddle and take care of some lovely cats and canine whereas additionally getting free lodging and dwelling like a neighborhood.
It actually was a win-win-win scenario.
Pet sitting additionally means that you can get a full vary of experiences with all kinds of animals, akin to cats, canine, guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, bunnies, birds, and horses.
6. It’s Versatile
One other nice benefit of pet sitting is its flexibility. When trying to find home sitting alternatives, you may be picky with what you need out of your perfect home sit. And since there are a lot of alternatives obtainable, likelihood is you’ll be capable to discover a pet sit that fits your needs.
Most home sitting web sites (together with Trusted Housesitters, the largest pet sitting platform) means that you can select the size of your own home or pet sitting gig (from a couple of days to some months), the dates, the locations, and the sorts of animals you’ll take care of.
Nonetheless, it might typically be tough to seek out the proper pet sit in sure areas. For instance, there’s sometimes an abundance of jobs within the UK and the US, however fewer choices in locations like Kenya or Laos.
That being stated, every time I’m significantly taken with home sitting in a particular vacation spot (for instance, Kauai or Okinawa), I arrange alerts. This permits me to be one of many first individuals to use for these home sits, which in return, will increase my odds of securing the gig.
7. The Work is Comparatively Simple
In the event you’re apprehensive that home sitting will probably be too tough and time-consuming (taking away valuable time out of your travels), don’t; one of many greatest advantages of home sitting is that the work is comparatively straightforward. That is very true when in comparison with different jobs that require comparable ranges of duty.
Completely different home sitting jobs could have various ranges of labor anticipated of you, however in essence, all you must do is regulate the home and ensure all of the pets are effectively taken care of.
Usually, caring for cats is simpler and fewer time-consuming than taking care of canine; more often than not, all you must do is be sure that their meals and water dishes are full and cleaned commonly, present them with common train, cuddle with them, and be certain that their litter field is saved clear.
Canines sometimes require extra consideration and train. Moreover, if the home you’re taking care of is on the bigger finish of the size, there’ll be extra cleansing and maintenance required.
Nonetheless, from my expertise (staying in smaller homes and flats), I sometimes spent not more than two to 3 hours a day on home and pet sitting work, and it was all pleasing and straightforward.
8. A number of Time to Discover
One other nice good thing about pet sitting is that it grants you loads of time to journey, sightsee, and discover the native space.
As I stated within the earlier part, home sitting duties typically take lower than two to 3 hours a day (round one hour within the morning, and one hour at night time). This supplies you with tons of time in the course of the day to go to native sights and do as you please.
Nonetheless, this does differ with the pet sit; I had some gigs the place I couldn’t depart the pets alone for greater than 4 hours at a time. Even with restrictions like this, you’ll nonetheless have plenty of alternatives to wander and discover the native space, particularly in long-term home sits. I additionally tremendously take pleasure in any such sightseeing, because it prevents me from getting exhausted and burned out from touring.
9. An Workplace to Work (for Digital Nomads)
One of many greatest benefits of home sitting for digital nomads is that it supplies you with your individual free, snug, non-public, and safe workspace.
Moreover, many pet sits are sometimes positioned in residential neighborhoods, which supplies you with entry to much less crowded workspace areas in locations like cafes, eating places, co-working areas, and even parks.
I personally prefer to search for home sits with significantly good work areas, as working in distraction-free areas full of pure gentle boosts my productiveness and ardour for the work I’m doing.
10. Time to Clear and Reset
Final however not least, one of many greatest advantages of home sitting (particularly for long-term vacationers and backpackers) is that it offers you time to scrub and reset.
Whereas touring long-term is superb, it might get exhausting (particularly for those who’re primarily staying in hostels with little to no non-public areas). This is the reason I completely love utilizing home sitting as my time to chill out and reset.
After spending weeks in (often dingy) communal showers and dorm rooms, consider me after I say that it’s an absolute luxurious to have your individual clear house, your individual bathe, your individual non-public sleeping space, and infrequently, entry to your individual laundry machine.
Cons of Home Sitting and Pet Sitting
Now that we’ve mentioned the ten greatest upsides of home sitting, let’s discuss concerning the downsides of home sitting. Whereas they’re not as quite a few, these 5 disadvantages to pet sitting may be fairly cumbersome, so it’s as much as you to resolve if home sitting is price it ultimately.
With out additional ado, let’s start.
1. You’re Not Utterly Free to Go Out (One of many Biggest Downsides to Home Sitting!)
First, one of many greatest downsides to pet sitting is that it might forestall you from exploring or going out as a lot as you need. In different phrases, as a result of you may have dedicated to caring for the home-owner’s home and pets, your freedom is proscribed.
There have been a number of events after I was taken with a specific day journey, however I needed to decline attributable to timing points.
For instance, if a canine I used to be pet sitting couldn’t be left alone for greater than 4 hours at a time, and my desired attraction was 1.5 hours away, then I’d solely have an hour to sightsee, which for me, wasn’t well worth the journey. In these conditions, I’d typically keep within the metropolis after the home sit with a purpose to go to any locations I missed out on.
Nonetheless, this does differ per pet sit; you’re sometimes freer to exit when cat sitting than canine sitting. Regardless, it’s all the time important to ask owners how lengthy their pets may be left alone and to respect this.
2. You Would possibly Should Cope with Tough Shoppers
Subsequent on our listing of the professionals and cons of being a pet sitter, a big draw back to accommodate sitting is that you just often should cope with tough, tough, or overbearing owners.
Whether or not they have an extended listing of duties and calls for, they’re continuously pestering you about issues to do (including to your listing of duties), or they’ve an extended listing of complaints after a home sit, coping with tough purchasers may be exhausting.
Fortunately, many of the owners that I’ve met have been form, welcoming, and understanding. Nonetheless, as a home sitter, you might have to cope with some less-than-ideal purchasers each every so often.
3. You Would possibly Should Cope with Mischievous or Naughty Pets
In relation to pet sitting, one of many greatest downsides is that you just often should take care of some misbehaved or unruly pets.
This may be tremendous irritating irrespective of how a lot you like and adore animals, particularly if their damaging behaviors injury the home-owner’s property.
I all the time prefer to ask the owners about their pet’s conduct previous to the pet sit, and what they do to mitigate the extra adverse behaviors. As an example, after I pet sit energetic and hyper canine, the pet house owners sometimes have toys or enrichment that assist the canine launch their extreme vitality in a wholesome means.
4. The Home Sitting Membership Charges
One other important draw back to accommodate sitting is the price of the home sitting membership charges.
The simplest method to discover home sitting and pet sitting alternatives is on-line, on platforms like Trusted Housesitters, Nomador, MindMyHouse, and Home Carers. Whereas these web sites are full of a plethora of home sitting jobs, you must pay an annual (or semi-annual) membership charge with a purpose to apply to them.
These subscription charges vary from $50 to $200 per 12 months, and so they can stack up rapidly (particularly for those who signal as much as a number of home sitting web sites).
To beat the fees, I prefer to view these membership charges as a small funding. As an example, Trusted Housesitters cost an annual membership charge of $129 per 12 months. If I home sat in a metropolis the place the common lodge room prices $50 per night time, then I’d solely have to accommodate sit for 3 days to cowl the complete membership charge.
General, it’s price it in the long term.
5. It Can Get Lonely
Final however not least, one of many worst elements of home sitting is that it might get lonely.
Home sitting may be isolating for quite a lot of causes. As an example, for those who’re in another country with language boundaries and totally different customs than your individual, it may be tough to satisfy and join with locals.
And for those who’re used to backpacking and staying in hostels, you already know that it may be straightforward to make associates on the street. So, even once you miss your family and friends again dwelling, you’re not utterly alone. Sadly, it’s a lot more durable to satisfy new associates once you’re home sitting.
Is Home Sitting Value It?
General, the reply to this query comes all the way down to you. Whereas home sitting and pet sitting supply an effective way for vacationers and digital nomads to discover the world with out breaking the financial institution, it comes with disadvantages that should be thought-about too.
I personally love home sitting, so I undoubtedly suppose it’s price it. I tremendously take pleasure in spending high quality time with animals and exploring the native areas of a brand new metropolis, even when I’ve to cope with tough purchasers or pets.
Nonetheless, I hope this text on the 15 greatest professionals and cons of being a home sitter helped you resolve if being a home sitter is price it.
