You'll find extra news, reviews and snippets throughout the magazine!
A Fresh Perspective with the National Trust Ian Usher
House Sitting & Teaching English Shauni & Andy
Part-Time House Sitters Collaboration - Steve Ullman, Carolyn Hanson, Jane & Dan
First Impressions Count (Dog Leadership Course Review) Ian Usher
The Benefits of Owning Pets Tamara Labelle
Create a Pet Profile Emily Parker
Traveling the Back Roads of Europe Doug Dyer
Is There Anything Better Than Chocolate? Vanessa Anderson
High Altitude Cooking Vanessa Anderson
A Leap of Faith Debs & Rich Southwood
What Do You Really Want To Be When You Grow Up? Arianna Luz
The Importance of Good Communication Ian Gledhill
In the next issue...
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE by Ian Usher
House sitting offers many great lifestyle choices. You can apply for long sits on tropical islands, offer to look after homes in remote off-grid locations, or focus your efforts on securing city-centre apartment sits. Assignments are offered in many countries around the world, and often you can have too much choice about where to head for next. Last year Vanessa and I decided to return to the UK for a year or so, perhaps longer, after both spending many years in other parts of the world. We wanted to spend a bit more time closer to family, and to catch up with old friends. With some big family occasions coming up, this seemed like the ideal time to return "home". We've been pleasantly surprised over the past few months at how house sitting has enabled us to see our own home country through completely fresh eyes.
We've been doing lots of short sits, and have looked after bigger homes in the countryside, cottages in small villages, regular homes in towns, and even a lovely flat by the river in London. Each assignment has been unique, and many of them have been in places neither Vanessa or I have visited before. We've had a wonderful array of pets to look after, including, of course, lots of dogs and cats, but also horses, chickens, ducks, sheep, goats and fish.
We've felt like tourists in our own country, and have really enjoyed the sense of discovery that comes each time we move to our next location. I can't say I was too enthusiastic about spending a chilly winter in England. After all, that was one of the reasons I emigrated to Australia back in 2001. But winter is just about over now, and it has been quite a mild one, although we have had to build a more substantial wardrobe of clothes than we usually carry in more tropical destinations. With the weather improving as we now move into spring we've decided it's time to get out and about a bit more, and to really start to explore. So while in North Yorkshire at the start of April we became members of the National Trust, which manages all sorts of properties and countryside all across the UK. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ Annual membership is GBP £120 (approx. USD $160), but you can opt to pay monthly at no extra cost, so our first month's membership comes in at £10.
Our first National Trust visit was to the spectacular Yorkshire Dales destination, Brimham Rocks. I had been here as a child, but couldn't remember it at all. We were both greatly impressed.
There is no entry fee to visit the rocks, but car parking is £6 for up to 4 hours. However, as NT members, all NT car parking is now included as part of our membership.
nationaltrust.org.uk website Before we left our Yorkshire house sit we visited Fountains Abbey and Studley Water Gardens, picked simply because it was close to our house sit. We were both greatly impressed again! The ruined abbey is huge, bigger than any other I have seen in England. And the water gardens nearby are sculpted to perfection, and very tranquil. As members our entry and parking are covered. If we'd just turned up as non-members we would have had to pay £16 each.
At our next sit, in Chippenham, Wiltshire, we spent an afternoon visiting the little village of Laycock, and the scenic Laycock Abbey, just a couple of miles from our house sit location.
Laycock is very picturesque, and has been used as a location for quite a few movies. A couple of the Harry Potter movies feature scenes filmed here. Harry's parents' house can be seen in the village, and Laycock Abbey doubled as the interior of Hogwarts in the first two movies.
Our membership saved us £4 for the carpark, and £14.50 each for entry to the abbey. The upstairs part of the abbey was used as a country home for many years, and one of the most famous occupants was William Henry Fox Talbot, who lived there in the 1800s.
He is known as inventor of one of the first photographic processes, and a picture taken of one of the latticed windows at the abbey is believed to be the first ever photograph taken using techniques that are still used today for non-digital photography. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_photography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Fox_Talbot We took a picture of the same window, and for a short while had the most recent copy of a picture of the view captured by Talbot all those years ago, in the first photo ever taken. See pix on next page… So we're only just over 2 weeks into our first month of membership, and our monthly tenner has saved us £71 so far. Not a bad deal at all. I suspect we're going to squeeze a lot of value out of the National Trust over the coming summer! If you're traveling or sitting in the UK for any length of time I'd suggest you do the same! https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ We hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine. Ian and Vanessa (currently house sitting in Egham, Surrey, England)
Picture below: Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire, England
House & Pet Sitting Conference Swindon, UK 21-22nd Sept 2019 A new way to combine a passion for travel with a love of pets! Join us for a weekend of discovery – an event for anyone curious about the house sitting lifestyle as a way to approach retirement or as an alternative way to travel the world, while making your money go further. Throughout two full days, you'll be kept inspired and informed with relevant talks, tutorial sessions, and industry panels. Discover what works for success when starting out, and leave this conference with all the tools you need to make house sitting the next big travel experience in your life! Sponsors include TrustedHousesitters, HouseSitMatch, HouseCarers and Nomador
A PEEK INTO OUR WORKING LIVES House Sitting & Teaching English by Shauni & Andy Travel is an amazing experience enjoyed by many, but it can be expensive if it becomes part of your ongoing lifestyle. Unless you're retired or have worked hard all your life to create a nestegg, long term world travel requires some sort of give and take to make it work without financial pressure. Both Shauni and I are teachers who quit our jobs in Australia and moved to the UK to continue our studies, while still wanting to travel and see what the world has to offer. We are quite young (late 20s/early 30s) and don't have a large nest egg to rely on, so we are financing our travels as we go. We do this in a couple of different ways:
Job No 1 - House & Pet Sitting House and pet sitting is one of the ways we are saving our pennies. It provides us with accommodation, without the stress and worry of out-goings for rent and bills, while also allowing us to fulfil our love of having pets around us. We don't officially get paid to house sit,
but instead offer our services in exchange for accommodation. However, we do still approach house and pet sitting as one of our jobs. Looking after the needs of pets includes grooming, exercising, feeding, loving, playing and cuddling some wonderful creatures, and pet care to the standard we try to maintain can be quite time consuming.
Job No 2 - Online Teaching as a Profession The job that we combine with house sitting is teaching English online. This is how we earn our actual income and the way that we finance our travels, afford to eat and survive on a daily basis. A lot of people think teaching online is easy - that you can sit down and teach whenever you like, or just do an hour here and there - but it's far from that. We are generally working on international time and so most tutoring starts at 4am or occurs throughout the morning and early afternoon, therefore taking up most of the day. As well as this some people in our life imagine that we are on this grandeur holiday involving sleeping in, fun adventures, eating out daily and of course hitting up all of the tourist destinations. In reality, our lives are far from this glamorous portrayal, yet we are very happy with what we are doing and the life we are living. With this in mind we'd like to share a typical day in the life of an online English teacher who house sits and travels.
A Day In Our Shoes… Due to time differences, our days start early to suit the needs of our students, who are mostly based in China or Australia. Shauni's is currently tutoring students in Australia, so she's up at 5am, out of bed and showered to be in front of her laptop preparing for a 5:30am start with her first student. After teaching for 45 minutes or 1-hour blocks, she gets to have a short 15 min break when she may grab a cup of tea and a biscuit to keep her going. If she manages to get a longer break she sits down to have some breakfast. She usually teaches for 4-5 hours through until about 9:30 or 10am. Doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, don't forget to factor in cancelled classes which means she may get up for nothing or have an hour or two gap in between classes - lost time not foreseen the night before. My day is similar - up at 5:30am and teaching Chinese students from 6am 25 or 45-minute blocks. I'm just starting out with my online teaching gig, and I'm on a flexible timetable - I sit at my laptop and students can book in with me at their leisure, or I may pick up a "substitute lesson". Unfortunately, this means that I may be at my laptop for 3 hours but am only paid for the hours that I actually teach... sometimes none at all. After teaching I move onto tasks for our "house sitting job" and take the dogs for their morning walk at about 8:30am. Depending on the type of dogs and the homeowner's requests and expectations, this might be up to an hour.
Editor's Note: For anyone thinking of teaching English, we can save you 35% off a 120 hour course with myTEFL - Ian and I spent 3 years teaching English both in China and online, and this is the organization we learned with, and highly recommend, having evaluated many courses available. Use Discount Code: HSM35
From teaching to pet care For us it's really important we adhere to the instructions we've been left by a homeowner, because we want to offer a high standard of care for their pets. This has resulted in us becoming more selective about the house sits we apply for, based on the responsibilities outlined by homeowners. As I said, we see house sitting as a job so any requests are taken as instructions rather than suggestions. Next up I feed the animals, prepare the house for the day (i.e. lighting fires, because the UK is fairly cold for a couple of Australians), and then complete a 20-30 minute workout.
Realigning our time By this time our schedules should have realigned, meaning we are both free.
So being the nice guy that I am I make us both a coffee, get breakfast and we sit down together and work out what our day will involve. The remainder of our morning will usually entail both of us on our devices completing a mixture of blogging, interacting on social media or talking to our families back home. We love blogging and find it both enjoyable and relaxing. Our afternoon is where our day begins to differentiate further and depends on our mood, impending tasks on our to-do lists, or how energetic we are feeling after our early starts. Typically they involve one of 4 things:
Cooking Going on an Adventure Studying Relaxing
Both Shauni and I enjoy cooking and trying different meals. As we're currently on a traveling budget, we are quite cost effective, making the majority of our meals and snacks at home. We eat a largely vegetarian diet, only adding meat to one of our regular dishes. We like to cook curries, soups and roast vegetables and our snacks often consist of chickpea burgers or banana and oat cookies. We try to cook large amounts of food on one or two afternoons which lasts us for all our lunches and dinners for the week. Recipes are found on Pinterest and we keep all our favourite meals on our own page to satisfy our future cravings. Depending on the weather, we might go on an outing or adventure. This may include exploring towns, trying new cafes or immersing ourselves in nature and getting lost on a walk. We have our own vehicle which we believe is a must for house sitters, and it provides us with the freedom to explore nearby locations. I'm a big coffee lover so I really enjoy tasting different coffees and checking out and reviewing establishments. Shauni is all about cakes, so we both find enjoyment in visits to cafes!
Making the most of nature We are both big nature lovers and have found the tranquillity of the English countryside very appealing - it's a great place to take a breath, relax and chat and explore ideas for the future. Studying is a huge part of what we are doing in the UK and this has to be factored into a few afternoons each week. Shauni is just completing her Psychology Honours and hoping to go on to complete a Master of Sports Psychology. I'm in the process of completing my Master of High Performance Sport. Along with everyone else, we sometimes just need time to relax and unwind. For Shauni this involves snuggling up on the couch and losing herself in a good book, or enjoying a nice long bath watching her favourite shows on Netflix. I love to delve into the computer game, Football Manager, and play for a few hours at a time. If we are both relaxing together, then sitting back and watching a TV series may be the way to go. By the time late afternoon rolls around, it's time to take the dogs for another walk. We probably enjoy these walks as much as the dogs as it gives us a bit of a break and gets us outside, active and in the fresh air.
From 6pm we feed the dogs, feed ourselves and then usually watch some TV, continue study or spend time on social media or writing blogs. At about 9pm we check our teaching schedules for the next day, put the dogs and ourselves to bed. Ready to start it all over again the next day..
Why We Love Our Lifestyle This is our routine for 4 or 5 days a week depending upon our teaching and study workloads. We try to leave Friday and one day on the weekend free to explore and do something fun. It's important for us to schedule this in because we really want to make the most of the freedom this lifestyle allows us. Teaching online can sound really easy and straightforward, with guaranteed hours and pay, but this is not really accurate. I guess it is like the old saying "if it was as good as it sounds everyone would be doing it". The process from applying to actually teaching with regular repeat students is frustrating, stressful and can be quite depressing. It's often difficult to build hours without contributing a huge amount of unpaid work. There are many online teaching agencies who you can work through and each one has specific needs, requirements and pay rates. Many don't tell you exactly what's involved until you have completed the interview process or mock/demo lesson. If you aren't successful, that is wasted unpaid time. So you can see this is not the typical day of a traveler or someone on holiday - it's certainly not the constant holiday that many imagine we do, but it's what currently works for us and I'm sure it's quite similar to many other freelance and digital nomads vocations. We love exploring the UK, but we also need to work to finance our living expenses and ongoing travels. House sitting is an awesome way to see smaller towns and communities and the hidden gems of the countryside. Back in Australia, we were both stuck in careers that we didn't want, and we were very much living to work, and not working to live. Our current lifestyle is the flip of this and until a job that we really want comes along, we can think of no better place to be.
Shauni & Andy are Aussie house sitters traveling the world on a limited budget. They find joy in nature and experience over money and possessions. No longer part of the 9-5 routine back home, they've created a new lifestyle which is flexible enough to enjoy in any location around world. You can read more about their fitness and healthy eating at Pant-n-Purr.com or on Pinterest, and follow their adventures on Instagram and Facebook
HOUSE SITTING FOR PART-TIME TRAVELERS Collaborative Article (Intro by Vanessa Anderson)
House sitting provides a travel alternative, not only for full-time nomads and retirees, but also for those wanting to experience a different kind of vacation - a slower holiday. These days traveling can be quite stressful - so many people now have the financial means to travel to and visit popular destinations around the world. Coupled with a wide range of accommodation options and prices, it's becoming easier for all ages, from the young gap-year students to the more adventurous retirees and seniors, to travel further and more frequently. I don't know about you, but we find popular sight-seeing locations can now be over-run by tourists, pricey to visit, and in some cases you have to book long in advance to gain access, especially in the busier summer seasons. We've found that house sitting provides a slower more relaxed travel alternative. If you also love having pets around - it's the perfect solution for spending quality time in a destination and discovering a more insightful glimpse into the local culture.
More often than not, you'll be house sitting in residential areas away from the high prices and overcrowded hotels and B&B's around major tourist sites. Tips you'll get from the homeowners who know their area well can sometimes far exceed the "popular" tourist traps. We've found many a place to visit, quiet beaches, and to die-for cafes, by chatting with other dog owners in local parks while pet sitting! On the other hand, if you do want to stay in a fabulous city, or other tourist area, house sitting close by will give you more time to explore, with the added benefit of cost savings, making your money go much further. For instance, being able to cook and eat at home can increase your budget so that there is more available to pay for some of the more pricey iconic attractions. Think about how much money you spend on breakfast, lunch and dinner when on vacation! House sitting also negates the pressure of finding somewhere to eat out 2 or 3 times a day and gives you the opportunity to sample markets and local produce - you can use your savings to treat yourself to that special dinner! The pets do come first of course, so you'll need to factor that into your planning, but, for most animal lovers this isn't a chore, it's part of what makes house and pet sitting special.
Many pet lovers don't have the working lifestyle that accommodates having dogs, cats and other pets. Apartment living doesn't always allow for pets, or isn't practical. That doesn't mean they love pets any less. House sitting satisfies that fix of "pet love" as you share your time with your temporary charges, making your vacation even more meaningful.
And it's not just couples and families that can benefit from part-time house sitting. According to The Guardian (based on 2018 stats), there is a rise in solo travelers opting for trips that allow them to "do what they want". "Around 15% of travelers took a trip on their own - up from 12% on the previous year". The age range with the biggest increase was that of 35-44 years old. We get asked over and over whether house sitting works for solo travelers and it most certainly does. If you have a small apartment and a couple of kitties, or a timid pet that's maybe a little nervous around new people, then a single person is sometimes preferable to a couple. It will depend on the complexity of duties and the size of the property - a big off-grid house, with 5 dogs would in many cases necessitate a couple. Here are two relevant articles to read if you are interested in solo house sitting.
House Sitting as a Solo Female Is Solo House Sitting More Difficult for Men?
This month we asked three of our House Sitting Magazine Facebook Group members, to write about how and why they currently house sit part-time. Discover their reasons, the benefits and how starting part-time might lead to more longer term house sitting in the future!
Steve Ullman (from the USA) Find Steve on TrustedHousesitters I love to travel, but not as a tourist. And I love animals. So, when I discovered the world of house sitting, it was a perfect match. Unlike some, I don't house sit full-time. Professionally, I am a Theatre Producer and much of my work can be done from anywhere in the world, provided I have an internet connection. Of course, when a show is going into production, I must be there, so part-time house-sitting fits perfectly into my lifestyle. I began in 2014 with a sit in the Brittany region of France. It took several applications before I landed the first one, but it helped that I had some references from friends who I'd sat for, before I registered with the TrustedHousesitters house sitting website. If you are new to house sitting, be patient and apply to any and all sits that interest you. And, when you compete a sit, be sure to get a review or reference from the homeowner. Reviews really are the key to getting more sits. Arriving at my first sit, I was nervous - all sorts of questions ran through my mind. Would I do everything correctly? What if something happened to the dog for whom I was caring? How many hours would be required to tend to the vast yard and gardens? And then it was all fine. I fell in love with the system of reciprocity – a homeowner wants to travel and have a responsible adult care for their loved one(s) and home, and I want to travel and am happy to provide those services.
I've now completed more sits than I can count in nearly five years and have done so all over France, in England, Italy (2 dogs, 1 semi-feral cat, two pigeons (one with only one leg) and 7 alpacas on a large farm in Tuscany), New York, San Francisco and the Bay Area, San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, and more. I've had to take animals to vets, give medications, contact the homeowner about a medical emergency, etc., but things always work out. Here are a couple of things I make sure to do on every sit:
Keep in touch with the homeowner very regularly, sending texts and pics of their babies almost daily. Always leave a home neater and cleaner than I found it, which gets mentioned in my reviews.
When I embarked on this journey, I thought it was about the travel, but it is so much more. I've established deep friendships, lived as a local, and discovered places I would have never known or chosen to visit otherwise. I have even found the village in the south of France where I'm looking to buy a house and "retire" - although honestly that word isn't really in my vocabulary!
Carolyn Hanson (from New Zealand) KiwisOnAdventure.com When we decided a take a year off to travel and explore (mainly Spain) we looked for ways to maximize our experience and reduce our costs. House sitting appealed to us on many fronts, it would give us a home base for "normal" living, allow us to meet new people and their pets, and introduce us to parts of the country we hoped to see.
For us, house sitting was only a part of our adventure, not the sole reason for our time in Spain, and we weren't desperate for back-to-back or long-term sits. We had only four confirmed house sits (one in the South of France and three in Spain) before we left New Zealand, which gave us some initial destinations to aim for. We wanted to explore as much of Spain as we could and so based our applications on areas that offered us a jumping board and didn't limit our options to travel between sits. More and more openings gave us home bases all across the south of Spain and allowed us the time and opportunity to travel around the rest of Spain (and beyond) between house sits. Because we didn't need to glove-tail our house sits, we could be patient and wait for the right assignments.
In the end we completed 16 sits, caring for numerous dogs and cats, chicken, and fish in the 10 months we were in Spain. They were mainly short sits, ranging from 4 days to 5 weeks, with most averaging 10-15 days. The most time we had without a sit was a month - planned to allow us to cruise the Baltic and see the north of Spain.
Knowing we would need to budget for a rental car and cheaper accommodation if there were no house sits for extended periods of time, we did save up for our year away. For us the year was about the adventure, rather than living away from home with minimal personal cost. We knew this year would cost us financially, but having these wonderful opportunities to look after homes and pets added so much to our experience. As the year went on, we were invited back for two return sits and built up wonderful relationships with the homeowners. As a result of house sitting and recommendations from homeowners, we stayed in places well off the tourist tracks and discovered far more than just the known must-sees. We traveled far and wide and saw almost all of Spain, had a taste of Portugal, and Morocco, and so much more between our scheduled house sits. It has been such a wonderful experience that, before we returned home last month, we decided we would love to continue this lifestyle and are now committed to at least 7 months of almost full-time house sitting back in our home country of New Zealand. Now, we WILL be looking at back-to-back, longer term opportunities and have already confirmed over 8 different locations. It will be interesting to see how a more full time year works for us…
Jane & Dan (from Australia) Instagram We both love animals, particularly dogs, and traveling is in our veins, but living in a townhouse has its restrictions, when it comes to owning pets. And, having pets, as you may well be aware, restricts the ability to travel at a whim! So, when Dan decided to take early retirement two years ago while I was working freelance part-time, house and pet-sitting seemed like the ideal solution.
Our first opportunity arose through close friends here in Brisbane. We moved into their apartment for two weeks to look after their little dog whilst they went on an overseas holiday. Despite knowing their dog well and having been to their home many times, it took us a few days to adjust and settle in. However, by the end of our first week, neither of us wanted to return home. We were hooked! The next sit came through friends of friends – a month long sit with a lovely old black lab on the Gold Coast. The dates coincided perfectly with my contract end date, so there was no question for us in accepting the offer. The home owners were so happy, they booked us in for another month the same time the following year. We quickly got to thinking about how we could make this a lifestyle. Not only were we enjoying the change of scenery with a regular base and wonderful pets to hang out with and care for, we also found ourselves meeting new and fascinating people – at the beach, the park, at cafes and just walking around the block! After browsing the web, we discovered the House Sitting Magazine Facebook Group which opened our eyes to the global possibilities on offer. This in turn led us to join TrustedHousesitters, in the hope of more opportunities to travel abroad in-between my work contracts. Amazingly, we scored the first sit we applied for – in Thailand. We couldn't believe our luck and not only did we fall in love with the dog and enjoy living like the locals, but we have since become very good friends with the home owners and have kept in regular weekly contact. We just recently returned from another wonderful sit with two adorable dogs in New Zealand another success for us with TrustedHousesitters. There isn't a day I don't check the available assignments around the globe or jump online to see what everyone else is up to. Whilst our long-term goal is to travel overseas house and pet sitting for an extended period, we are currently bound by some family commitments and are not quite ready to "take off" in the way we had initially hoped to. For now, we'll continue to take time out when and as we can, either overseas or within Australia, be it a few days or a few weeks. And of course, we'll continue to plan for that future "lifestyle choice" - it's under our skin now!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT by Ian Usher
House sitting is all about the pets. When did you last have an assignment that didn't entail at least some element of animal care? The most common reason by far that people contract the services of house sitters is to look after the precious furry members of the family. And one of the most commonly owned pets is of course the dog. Depending on the length of the sit, we are going to spend the next days, weeks, or even months with these animals, so it is vital that we build great relationships with them as quickly as possible. These relationships begin the second the door opens when we arrive at the house sit, and we are greeted by the home owner, and almost immediately afterwards, by the dog (or dogs) we will be looking after. Dogs tend to be very intuitive creatures, and the first few minutes of our initial interaction with them will set the scene for the relationship we create.
Tim Foley and Louise Read of House Sitting World have just released a video course called "Dog Leadership for House Sitters", which covers these vital first moments, as well as the on-going relationship we build with the dogs we care for.
The most important thing, Louise says, is to earn the dog's trust and respect. Once you build this important foundation, the rest follows naturally. "Building trust with a dog is easier than one may realize. You need to show good manners, a calm and confident attitude, and respect for the fact that a dog is not a human." The video course covers all aspects of meeting a "stranger dog" - a dog you don't know at all as well as covering all the basics, such as body language, feeding time, going for a walk, recall, and more. The course can be completed in less than a couple of hours, and this is time well invested to gain a much deeper understanding of how a dog views our interactions, and how we can get the best from our relationship with our new friends. As responsible house sitters it is our duty to do the best we can for the animals we care for, and a deeper understanding of the way they think can really help to make our arrival at the house sit as easy and stress-free as possible for the pets. It will also help make the sit so much more enjoyable for ourselves too, when we have a better relationship with the dog(s), based on mutual trust and respect. Take a look at the course here: Dog Leadership For House Sitters
THE BENEFITS OF OWNING A PET Survey Results - Exotic Pet Owners by Tamara Labelle
A survey by ExoticDirect has revealed that happiness, love and calmness are the 3 most popular emotions pet owners feel when stroking their pets. The survey ran by ExoticDirect was aimed at understanding how exotic pet owners feel about their pets, and included both single and multi-pet ownership. Over 50% of exotic pet owners had a reptile, this included snakes, lizards and tortoises. And birds were owned by over 51% respondents. Rabbits were the most popular pets, followed by hamsters. Guinea pigs were also popular, although more pet owners owned small birds. More unusual pets included a hissing cockroach and a tarantula. With some exotic pet owners also having fish, dogs or cats.
Happiness You'll probably agree that cuddling and stroking a pet makes you feel happier. This is because our brains release the feel good hormones Oxytocin and Dopamine when we stroke our pets, and according to an article by Beetz et al 2012, published on Frontiers in Psychology, it's not just us this happens to. Our pets feel it too. In fact the same hormones are released even if we only make eye contact. With the release of Oxytocin we also see a reduction in our stress and anxiety levels, and other benefits to our health. Birds too are thought to bring the same sorts of benefits – the same report published by Beetz et al (2012), revealed that birds have been seen to reduce depression in elderly veterans, both as companion pets, or aviary birds.
Pets help bond people! A better family relationship, feeling less lonely and new friendships are all positive benefits of pet ownership according to survey respondents. "It has us as a family all taking care of it" said one owner. However not surprisingly nearly a quarter have less money. A pet owner told us "more pets equals more costs, not just food and bedding but vets as well". However, this doesn't put the owners off. The correlation between stronger relationships and pet ownership has been seen in further studies, showing that people are more likely to build closer bonds with other people as a result of owning an animal. Studies also show that people are more likely to interact with someone if they see their pet as being friendly. This can help to build friendships and is known as the social catalyst affect. On the whole, most pet owners in ExoticDirect's survey emphasised just how good their pet makes them feel, helping them to feel less lonely, make new friends, and that it was a mutual family interest.
Pets also help you to keep fit! The majority of owners said they're more physically active because of their pet. This is interesting because most pet owners surveyed didn't own cats or dogs! Rabbit owners, followed by hamster, small bird and guinea pig owners were the top 4 owners to see increased fitness. Perhaps its due to running around after the pet!
Are pet owners more responsible? It seems pet ownership makes us more responsible, with 64% of owners saying this is the case since they've owned their pet. In contrast just under one third said the opposite. Pet ownership for children is thought to teach responsibility and empathy as animal carers, and it seems the same can be said for us too!
We turn to our pets more than our partner! Our survey revealed that 36% of owners turn to their pets when they're unhappy. This is compared to 27% who turn to their partner! Pets are uncomplicated and unconditional, and just want our love, to be fed and watered. Whatever mood we're in, they'll still love and accept us. This can't always be said for our partners!
So what do pets actually think of us? We asked their owners. The majority said they think their pet loves them, (which in itself promotes a feeling of well-being), or sees them as a provider of food. Some responses included: "I think he likes being held, he falls asleep on my shoulder so he must feel safe with me" and "Here's the lady that's got my grub!!".
So why do people buy their pets? For snakes, "interesting" and "cute" were the two most popular responses given by owners. With "unique" also a close contender.
Lizards were purchased because they were also interesting, cute or because another family member wanted them. These received the majority of first place responses in the multiple choice survey. For our "shelled" friend the tortoise, the same range of responses as lizards were given. Large birds such as African Grey's were seen as cute, interesting and easy to care for - these were the three most popular first place choices for these owners. While for small furry pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, cute and another family member wanting them, were the most popular first place reasons for purchasing. Overall, the cost of setting up for a pet doesn't put owners off, with this receiving a low number of responses as a main consideration when buying the pet. This is great news, as pets like snakes and lizards can be expensive to setup. From lizards to rabbits, it seems that our pets bring us lots of happiness in many different ways. And even though we may have a little less money in our pocket as a result, the emotional benefits completely outweigh this. As long as you love them back, they'll be a friend for the rest of their life. ExoticDirect offer pet insurance for large and small birds, lizards, tortoises, small and exotic mammals and birds of prey. You can get a quote here. Insurance cover is only available in the UK. Source of academic research: Beetz A, Uvnas-Moberg K, Julius H, and Kotrschal K, Frontiers in Psycholog, "Psychosocial and psychophysiological effects of human-animal interactions: the possible role of Oxytocin", online, 2012.
CREATE A PET PROFILE TO SHOW PROFESSIONALISM by Emily Parker When someone selects you to house sit their home and pets while they're away, they need to be sure that they're dealing with a professional who knows how to take care of everything properly. And, one of the best ways to demonstrate this professionalism as a pet sitter, is to create a "profile" for each pet you are looking after. Either before by email, or at the point where you meet with your homeowner for the first time, it can be helpful to have them fill out a "pet profile" questionnaire, giving you all the information you need to look after their pet without stress (for you or the pet!).
What information should go into a pet profile? This list is more applicable to a pet cat, but you can adapt it for dogs and other pets. It gives you some idea of what type of information would prove useful to know before starting your house sitting job:
Usual waking hours of the pet Daily meal plans, including treat usage/frequency Litter-box changing routine The usual activity level and play periods Attention levels the pet requires for play and petting Any usual hiding spots Vets to contact in an emergency Contact info to reach the homeowner during the trip Medication needs and schedule Other more general information
1. Usual Waking Hours Pets have very distinct sleep patterns that differ from our own by a considerable degree. Cats can sleep for around 15 hours a day! They can wake you early in the morning and be persistent in their need for attention. Including profile information that indicates when the pet is most likely to be awake is one way to time their play, exercise and walks so that it works within their normal routines.
2. Daily Meal Plans Keeping to the pet's usual meal schedule will help overcome any anxiety they may feel about their owner being away. Your profile can also include the pet foods given - dried, wet food, specially prepared etc. Dogs, in particular, do well when kept to a precise feeding schedule, and care should be taken to make sure nobody becomes combative over food. One way to help keep feeding as stress-free as possible is to follow the owner's normal habits regarding the use of treats. If the kitty is expecting a treat around mid-day, she’ll definitely notice and be more out of sorts if you miss this important part of the routine.
3. Litter-box Changing Routine Having a stranger in the house might upset some cats, who are likely to express their displeasure by avoiding using the litter-box. The cleaner you keep the box, the more willing the cat will be to keep using it. Using best practices that include consistently cleaning throughout the day will help everything stay tidy. If your client uses a self-cleaning litter box, be sure they show you how to work it.
4. Usual Activity Level & Play Periods Knowing about the pet's activity level and their usual play period times is essential. Take time to find out which are their favorite toys, how long they like to play for, and for dogs whether they have any doggie "friends" at the the dog park.
Even though a pet's strongest bond will be with the owner, taking time to play will help them get more used to you as their caregiver. Ensuring that your client has documented how active their pet is and when they like to play will make your job easier.
5. Attention Levels for Play & Petting Another advantage of pet profiles is being able to devote the right amount of attention based on the pet's personality. Dogs are likely to have greater attention demands than cats, although there are exceptions. Profiles that address how much attention each pet tolerates or demands help make things easier for you as a caregiver.
6. Any Usual Hiding Spots Pets look to hiding places to feel safe - cats can squeeze into surprisingly small spaces, and dogs might have favorite hiding places in the garden. Asking the owner about places where their pets might decide to hide will make it easier to locate them at feeding or medication time. You'll be able to respect the animal's space without skimping on their needs.
7. Vets to Contact in an Emergency Making sure your pet owner provides contact information for their preferred vet in the event of an emergency is one of the most important parts of maintaining profiles.
When an emergency happens, it is easier to have the pet seen by the vet who usually treats them. A pet owner's regular vet will know their pet's detailed medical history. Make sure you know where crates or carriers are stored and check whether they have pet insurance or an account.
8. Contact Info for Homeowner While Away Having this information on a Pet Profile allows you to make calls quickly, should something unfortunate happen. Even a minor injury or incident easily treated with a home first aid kit should involve updating the owner. You'll instill more confidence in your clients by doing this. Unless of course they have specifically asked you not to contact them.
9. Medication Needs & Schedule Giving pets pills or other medications is one task where guidance from the owner in a profile is a good idea. When you have to give medications often enough, you'll develop a certain routine for administration. It also helps to make sure you know about any special tips that the owner uses for getting the pet medicated, as some are more difficult than others about medications. They've usually discovered the most effect method!
10. Other General Information Some of this information might include which days the trash and recyclables go out for pickup, the owner's preferred pet store, unfriendly dogs that you might need to avoid while walking, and expected deliveries from pet sites. Asking about these details will help eliminate confusion. The better the profile you request from your clients, the more comfortable you will find sitting their pets. More time can be spent giving them the attention they need while their owner is away. Successful house sits often lead to repeat jobs, and having a pet profile to refer to at a future repeat house sit serves as a great reminder, without having to go through everything again with the pet owner. The home owner will in turn see you as a highly credible and professional pet sitter. At the handover you can simply check that nothing has changed in terms of health and the regular routines of the pets.
Emily Parker is a cat food and behavior expert who writes for Catological.com. She’s a cat mom to 2 black cats, Gus and Louis, who she rescued from a local shelter. When she’s not writing about cats or playing with her own, she loves to explore her neighborhood for the coolest new (cat) cafes.
<Click image below to read the guide online>
TRAVELING THE BACK ROADS OF EUROPE by Doug Dyer
For us, one of the many additional benefits of house sitting is the opportunity to visit places that are not in the tourist brochures. Johanne and I are pretty much adverse to the stresses of crowded cities. We seldom spend more than a day or two in noisy environments. As a result, our preferred house sits are in small towns or remote rural settings. We recently spent a lovely 3 months in rural sits in Spain and Portugal which reinforced our appreciation for quiet settings. We also re affirmed that we are not very keen on joining the hordes at every "must see" tourist attraction. We were able to visit the Alhambra which was most memorable; it was also the off season so the line-up of bus traffic was modest and manageable. As house sitters, our day-trips took us on many twisty back roads where we experienced historic sites just as amazing in their own right. The rugged ruins and castles that we climbed through were not so grand in scale but every bit as fascinating. The history they portrayed and the lifestyle they demonstrated was remarkable.
Most importantly they were ours to enjoy; often we were the only visitors. Selfie stick free zones!! All three of our European sits came with cars and the home owners encouraged us to explore their areas. Traffic was nonexistent and there was always a quiet village for a traditional lunch - "menu del dia" - which simply means, menu of the day! This is stress free travel, just the way we prefer it. We found that most roads, even the small ones, are well posted and the villages marked. We also used a free app to find our way home, which Johanne, the navigator, highly recommends. Driving Tip: maps.me - This is a great free app that we use on our tablet. It allows us to download in advance the maps of where we will be and then use them as we go. It has a GPS tracker and you can set you trip before you set out and stay on course.
Alegrete, Portugal Near to our sit in Portugal was the tiny village of Alegrete with a castle at the top of the hill.
We have learned from experience not to attempt to drive through the town and up to the castle. The roads close in and turning around is not an option. So we just park in town and walk up through the quiet streets. This also eliminates the chance of a tour bus invasion. The Alegrete castle is mostly intact and well cared for. The view is stunning. The site is not grandiose but it was ours to enjoy without lines, hawkers or entrance fees. It feels more authentic.
Bocairent, Spain A village we found while traveling to another destination was Bocairent in Spain. Because we are prepared to get out and walk a bit, we were treated to some amazing views of the town and monastery. Once again the place was ours for the afternoon. We have stood in dozens of squares in tiny towns and felt surrounded by everyday Europe, not the Youtube version. We always ask our home owners what day trips they would suggest for us. Setting off on your own, with map in hand and a tank of gas can also be very rewarding. Fortunately Johanne and I are able to enjoy where we travel without having to urgent need to check off the next “must see”.
You can connect with Doug and Johanne at: http://www.joyfultravellers.com/
You can also learn more about their lifestyle by picking up Doug’s first book: A Tale of Two Geckos (available here on Amazon)
IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE? by Vanessa Anderson Since starting our Keto diet in Australia a year ago, we've found it's morphed into a lifestyle choice as far as food and eating is concerned. It's no longer a diet as such, but a series of food choices that's kept the pounds off, while providing us with foods we really enjoy. We do still have the occasional treat - it's hard to sometimes explain our food choices to home owners. It's not easy to offer alternatives to bread, pasta, rice and potatoes - so we just go with the flow at handover meals and enjoy our moments of remission!
Gin - Mother's Ruin? Not any more! One thing that's changed is that we now only drink red wine and gin … not together of course! The rise in popularity of gin in the UK since returning after most of 4 years away has been a huge surprise.
Apparently (as of 2018) there are now 315 distilleries in the UK - more than double the 152 which were in operation five years ago, and gin sales almost doubled in just two years! We rediscovered gin on a recent house sit in Southern Spain in Antequera where we sampled Tanqueray's Seville Orange gin, courtesy of some new Spanish friends!
But on my UK gin wish-list is a "hedgerow infused gin" marketed as the "British Spirit with Yorkshire Heart". The Sloemotion website goes on to entice you with… "Born and raised in the countryside of Yorkshire, our "Hedgerow Gin" brings together the nip of crab apple, grassy nettle leaf and sloe stones with the sweet tang of rosehip, cloudy elderflowers and heady wildflower meadow hay". Who could resist that!! However at around 40.00 GBP for 70cl I suspect this might stay on my wish list for a while!
Chocolate is no longer a sin! Chocolate on the other hand is still affordable, and as our diet now includes acceptable dark chocolate with at least 85% cocoa solids, we've been trying lots of different varieties. Green & Blacks Organic is always a favorite, although it's extra thick bars are hard to break evenly, As both Ian and I have an equal love of dark chocolate, any uneven distribution is quickly noticed!
Most of the supermarkets in the UK do their own versions now (although not organic), and Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-op and even Aldi have a great selection of bars under 2 GBP. As Easter approaches chocolate has been on my radar - it's impossible to avoid the commercial nature of this long weekend and the array of sugary Easter eggs that now take up almost two full aisles in our local supermarkets. It horrifies me when I think of the amount of unnecessary packaging that's created through this annual event! For our Easter weekend, I'm going to try making some dark chocolate truffles, and in my hunt for a good recipe I've come across some tips about using chocolate in more minimalist ways.
How to successfully melt chocolate Chop or break the bar in to equal size pieces and place in a heatproof bowl - a glass pyrex disk works well for this. Set the bowl over a pan of just simmering water, but don't let it touch the water. When the chocolate is almost melted, remove from the heat and stir until smooth. You can do this in a microwave but it's easy to "seize" the chocolate if you overheat and for too long - meaning that it has turns thick, dry and grainy because of contact with water or high heat. Always melt over a low heat and add any liquids to the dry chocolate before starting the process. If it does seize, remove from the heat and stir in 1 tsp boiling water a time until smooth. It's best to stir melted chocolate in one direction to keep it super smooth.
How to marble chocolate Melt two or more different coloured chocolate bars in separate bowls. White, dark and milk chocolate provide the perfect marbled effect. Pour one colour into a lined baking tray, or on top of a bake, spreading it out to form an even layer. Then dot the other colours over the first layer and use something like a skewer or cocktail stick to create a marble pattern. Dot the third and subsequent coloured chocolate to complete the effect.
What does it mean when we say chocolate has bloomed? A "bloom" is the white powdery coating or grey streaking that forms on the surface of chocolate. This can occur if the chocolate gets damp and the sugar crystallizes, or if it gets too hot and the cocoa butter separates. It's still edible, just not as attractive to look at. It doesn't mean, as I used to think, that it's past the sale by date!
How to store chocolate Chocolate tastes better and is less likely to bloom at room temperature (in the UK and more temperate climates), so store it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Once opened, keep in an airtight container as chocolate can pick up odours. There's nothing worse than onion flavored chocolate!
Creative ways to use chocolate Give your breakfast a boost - add a luxurious twist to porridge by grating over a little chocolate. White chocolate works well with cranberries, and milk with sliced banana, and dark is a great pairing with raspberries or strawberries. Pair with drinks - Chocolate works really well alongside a good red wine! I've found if you take a bit of dark 85% chocolate, and swirl with a mouthful of wine… it turns into a rich cherry taste! Devine! Instead of afternoon tea, try the newest sea salted caramel hot chocolate drink from Aldi. Pure indulgence! Match with spice - Chocolate and spices bring out the best in each other, and in fact, original hot chocolate drinks were full of spices. Which reminds me… if you want to have a real indulgent chocolate weekend over Easter, settle down with your favorite chocolate indulgence and watch Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche in the 2001 movie Chocolat. Spices that work well with dark chocolate include chilli and cardamom. Top your hot chocolate drink with a pinch of chilli, grate a little dark chocolate into a chilli-con-carne, or mix ground cardamom seeds into white chocolate chip cookies!
What's your favorite chocolate tipple?
HIGH ALTITUDE COOKING by Vanessa Anderson It's not difficult when house sitting in the Americas to find yourself living at higher altitudes than you are maybe used to while house sitting. As a Brit this isn't unusual at all. Our highest peak is in Scotland. Ben Nevis is 1345m (4409 ft) and it's pretty uninhabitable, so we rarely have to deal with any of the issues that high-altitude living can present. But if you visit places like Colorado in the USA, you could easily find yourself at 1800m (around 6,000 ft) and beyond. Even while we were house sitting in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico we found ourselves having to adjust to the altitude at 1930m - only a little less than that of Mexico City. It doesn't take long for the lungs to adjust at these levels, but have you ever wondered about the effect of altitude on others areas of your life? Have you ever wondered why your kettle takes longer to boil? Why oven chips take longer and don't crisp quite so well? And if you are into baking, you may have noticed your bread is full of air holes.
Why and how does high altitude affect cooking? Primarily it is because the air pressure is lower, and this means that foods take longer to cook. Water boils at a lower temperature, so any food cooked with water, such as rice, pasta, soup etc., can take longer to cook. Temperatures may also need to be adjusted upwards to compensate for this. If you've ever been camping at altitude you'll probably have experienced this when boiling water for a welcome hot drink at the end of a long days hike in the mountains. The phrase "a watched kettle never boils" takes on a whole new meaning - it really does seem to take forever! For home cooking, this effect becomes relevant at altitudes above 600m or 2000 feet. At this level the effect is minimal and probably for most, you won't even be aware of any difference. But, as you get progressively higher the effect will become more noticeable. In San Miguel water boils not at 100 degrees Celsius, but closer to 95 degrees C. At very high altitudes, you'll often find people use pressure cookers to compensate for the low atmospheric pressure.
Baking at high altitudes Baking is also affected, and this is probably where more patience and experimentation is required. The lower air pressure means that baking times and temperatures may need to be increased. Because liquids evaporate more quickly, you'll also have to adjust the amount of flour, sugar and liquids that you use. Gas expands more, so bread dough will rise faster. Rising agents such baking soda and baking powder, might need to be decreased. Rising times will need to be decreased and you may even need to deflate your dough a couple of times during the rising time. Most recipes work fine between sea level and around 1000m (3000 ft).
Tips for successful cooking and baking There are many useful resources online about cooking and baking at high altitudes, but it helps to understand first what might need to be adjusted. You might find your own simple adjustment and experimentation makes all the difference. This information comes from a great book by Patricia Kendall, called High Altitude Baking (2nd Edition).
Sponge cakes: It is important not to beat too much air into the eggs used in these cakes. Beat egg whites only until they form peak that fall, not until stiff and dry. Over-beating causes too much expansion of air cells and leads to collapse. Use less sugar, more flour and higher baking temperatures to help strengthen the cell structure of these cakes and prevent collapse. Cookies & Biscuits: A slight increase in baking temperature and a slight decrease in baking powder, fat and sugar, or a slight increase in liquid ingredients and flour. Pie crusts: Pastry crusts are not generally affected by high altitude, however, slightly more liquid can be used. General Cooking: Adjust cooking times according to the boiling point at the altitude you are living at. For instance a "3 minute egg" will take more time. Generally, you'll find things will just take a little longer to cook - experimentation will help you adjust cooking times successfully. Deep fat frying: The lower boiling point of water means that you need to lower the temperature of the fat to prevent food from over browning on the outside whilst undercooking on the inside. A rough guide is 3 degrees Fahrenheit for every increase of 1,000 feet in elevation. Check the plentiful recipes and guides online that will help you if you want to learn more about successfully cooking and baking at altitude. Simply search for "high altitude cooking" or "high altitude baking" and you won't be short on advice!
A LEAP OF FAITH HOUSE SITTING & LIVING LIFE ON OUR TERMS! by Debs & Rich Southwood “We travel not to escape life, but so life does not escape us.” In 2017 we came to a realization that life was passing us by. We were trapped in the 9-5, living for the weekends, with just 20 days holiday a year, and we decided it was time to do something about it. After much deliberation we decided to take a year out - what we liked to call a "miniretirement" - leaving our 9-5 jobs, renting out our home, selling our belongings and taking time out of the life we knew, for a year of adventures! Six life-changing months later, traveling and volunteering in Asia, we quickly realized how much we loved the freedom of travel and didn't want this time out to have an end date. The thought of eventually ending up back in a 9-5 job quite frankly, terrified us!
But how could we continue to travel? We didn't have an income, and eventually our savings would run out. That's when the wonderful world of house sitting opened up to us and said "Hey guys, come on in!" At first, we weren't sure if house sitting was for us, but it sounded like a great way to travel, staying in the comfort of a home and "living like a local", with the added appeal of looking after animals. It sounded like the perfect way to live without accommodation costs while we figured out how to generate an income. In return we'd be offering a loving service for homeowners and their pets - a win-win for everyone! Taking a leap of faith, we signed up to TrustedHousesitters and within 2 weeks we secured our very first house sit - 6 weeks in Romsey, UK, looking after one low-maintenance, but adorable cat called Kimi.
Fast forward to 2019 That was almost 18 months ago and we've been house sitting full-time ever since! After a successful first sit we decided to head to Europe and spent an amazing 6 months driving round France, Spain and Portugal - we loved it!
Traveling to places we would not normally have visited, we immersed ourselves in new cultures, met some fantastic humans and of course made endless furry friends. More recently, we've been house sitting back in the UK, spending Christmas in the Cotswolds, and are fully booked up until September 2019.
What is it we love so much about the house sitting lifestyle? The most obvious reason - FREEDOM! Freedom to choose when and where we go somewhere. Never been to Devon? Let's apply for house sits there. Fancy travelling round Europe? Great, that's where we'll look for assignments! Dreaming of a trip to New Zealand? OK, we'll get a six month visa and off we go to the other side of the world!
Do you see our point? But we also love the freedom of taking back control of our life and living it on our terms.
We decide when to get up - no alarms for us anymore, just the sunrise to wake us naturally from our slumber. We decide when we work - we can't tell you how much better our days are not having to deal with the morning commute. Instead we enjoy a drawn out cup of coffee with a pooch or kitty on our lap! But most importantly house sitting has given us the freedom of time. Time to enjoy a life together free from the constraints of a normal lifestyle. Working 40+hrs a week with only evenings and weekends to focus on ourselves, our well-being, is just not acceptable anymore. We now have the freedom of time to head-off on walks whenever we want, to enjoy a sunny morning down the beach, or go on an impromptu day trip if the mood takes us. We can practice yoga every morning, run, meditate, learn new skills, the list is endless… we have the freedom to be truly happy.
Our pathway to a dream life In addition to house sitting providing a pathway to our dream life, we've been encouraged and inspired by so many people we've met along the way; from open-minded home owners to fellow sitters and digital nomads.
Leaving behind our old conventional life was tough, as most of our friends were settling down to have families, taking that next promotion or buying a bigger house. Yet here we were, living in other people's homes with no fixed address or regular income, and living out of a backpack! They didn't quite understand us and to be honest, we questioned ourselves. But since we began house sitting we've met so many like-minded people who DO just "get it" and we don't feel quite so crazy anymore.
Staying motivated to live differently Breaking free from the life we'd always known has allowed us to see how other people live their lives. This in turn has inspired us to stay on the path we've chosen. New friendships and opportunities have opened up to us in ways we'd never imagined, and we've found support in the most unexpected of ways. We're so grateful for the new friends we've made and countless animals lives' we've had the pleasure to be part of. The many requests of repeat sits and consistent 5 star feedback we've received alone makes house sitting worthwhile. Providing an amazing service whilst making new friends is incredibly satisfying and puts a smile on our faces every day.
House sitting must have its downsides right? Of course, there's no Yin without Yang, but it's all about perspective and balance, and figuring out your priorities. Sure, we're away from friends and family; we move a lot; we don't have a base to call "home"; and we only carry what we can fit in our backpack. But for us this makes the times we spend with friends and family more precious, with the ability to focus on maintaining good relationships with people we don't spend so much time with anymore. We may not have a base to call home, but we now call many places home and feel connected to the world in a much deeper way. Moving so much keeps our life fresh and exciting and a house sit always presents a good marker for getting things done - "I will do XYZ at this sit" or "I will complete ABC by the end of this house sit". As for fitting everything in a backpack… that's been a learning curve but you know what? The freedom you have when you only have limited clothing to choose from is liberating and we are embracing life as minimalists!
What about the challenges? In any lifestyle choice there are challenges. Each individual sit presents its own dilemmas, and you can never prepare for this until it happens. Like a Spanish ice-storm in May which left us without hot water for 48 hrs; a flying ant infestation; a dog who thinks she's an escapologist; a deer-chasing whippet; figuring out how to use an Aga; how to build a fire and so on, but all of this is part of the fun and learning which we embrace on a daily basis. We're more concerned whether the bed is comfortable; if there's space to practice yoga; or how close the nearest pub is! A fair trade for the issues we no longer have to deal with. But the single most difficult thing from our 18 months of house sitting has to be saying goodbye after every sit. Goodbye to the lovely people we meet and the animals who have touched our hearts. But guess what's really great… it's not long before we have a new furry friend to distract us and ease the pain. When all is said and done, the highs far outweigh the lows, and we're only at the start of our journey. What started out as a "let's see what this is like" evolved very quickly into a new, exciting lifestyle. A different way to live, an alternative to a conventional life, and a way to build a life outside the ties of the 9-5. This ultimately gives us the freedom to live life on our terms. Are you ready to join us and take your leap of faith? Editor's Note: We are so pleased that Debs & Rich will be talking at this year's House & Pet Sitting Conference in Swindon, UK - 21 & 22nd September 2019. Open to all, this weekend is a must for anyone considering the house sitting lifestyle!
Debs & Rich are Two Northern Souls who in 2017 ditched the 9-5 for a new life on the road. Through house sitting and remote work they are breaking free from the chains of society and living life on their terms. They've recently launched their own website to document their travels and provide support and inspiration for others wanting to live a life less ordinary. Follow them at TwoNorthernSouls.com, on Facebook or Instagram
<Click image below to read the guide online>
WHAT DO YOU "REALLY" WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? by Arianna Luz As I sit on a couch that is not mine in Amsterdam, drinking coffee from a mug I do not own, and petting Fluffy, a cat that is not mine (but I love just the same), I think back to 10 months ago. This was when my boyfriend, Christian, and I quit our jobs, sold everything we owned, (got next to no money for our Honda Civic) and boarded a one-way flight to backpack through Europe. At that time I had no idea we would become full-time house sitters, teachers and travelers.
How We Got Here When we first started this journey in June 2018, we saved up every penny we could to fund our adventure. Armed in our "tool-belt" were a number of house sitting platform resources, along with work/volunteer exchange programs like Workaway and Helpx. Initially we didn't get accepted for many house sit assignments, but our love for animals was our biggest asset when we began using work exchange programs.
Our memorable first experience was working on a snail farm (yes, you read that correctly) near Dublin, Ireland, in a town called Kildare.
After staying in Ireland and then Scotland, we made our way to London, and most importantly, to our first month-long house sit in Brixton. We made a lifelong friend with Koshka the cat, and her owner, Mor. We learned a lot there and have now returned several times.
Mixing It Up Since that first sit, we've cared for some amazing animals in awesome places. We spent a month in Northern Germany with two of the sweetest cats ever, and also with Nala, the Bordeaux Mastiff, for a further month in Cambridge, England. This sit also had a tarantula room with 40 plus tarantulas - needless to say we were kept busy! A few work exchange projects have been peppered in, but we've mostly made the switch to house and pet sitting because it gives us the time and freedom to combine our biggest passions in life: animal care, travel and teaching! Inevitably, funds were going to run low, no matter how wisely we spent our savings. With our furry (and sometimes not so furry) companions at our side we slowly ventured into the realm of becoming "digital nomads". Funnily enough, we were on a return sit watching Koshka in London when we looked up and realized "this was it".
This is what we wanted to do as "grown-ups!" We wanted to be surrounded by animals, and be able to travel. To sustain this we found the solution in another passion - teaching! We became TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) teachers working remotely on our laptops. I'd now also like to take this opportunity to thank EVERY pet that has agreed to come on camera and help me teach my students!
What We've Learned Along The Way We've found that being a young traveling couple can make it more of a challenge to get sits, so the first step is to understand the caution and hesitation an owner has in trusting someone (especially 2 young strangers) to care for their fur babies and home. In doing that you can understand better what makes a great, responsible sitter. Simply put yourself in the owner's shoes and treat their pets and home as you would want your own to be treated (if not better). A lot of people hear what we do and assume it's a "free vacation". It's very important to us to stop that idea from rooting before it even begins. Pet and house sitting doesn't provide a free holiday. On the contrary… this is our full-time job and there is a lot of work (and also a lot of love) that goes into this lifestyle.
Our advice if you're just starting out as house and pet sitters: 1. Firstly we would say be honest with yourself and understand the responsibilities involved (and really this applies to sitters of all ages). As full-time pet sitters we've had to treat pet infections in an interesting assortment of places, and clean up more excrement than I ever thought possible. The reward is that we now have four legged (sometimes more, sometimes less) friends all over the world. I wouldn't have it any other way (okay, maybe a little less excrement)! 2. Secondly, we are happy to say that there are definite advantages to being young sitters! On our profile we advise that we can handle the most energetic and neediest of animals and it's held true; we've wrangled muddy sheep in Normandy and walked (or more accurately got walked by) bundles of big, strong dogs that could easily be mistaken for bears! 3. Finally, with the help of a great resource, we've learned to use social media to our advantage. We give homeowners the ability to constantly see their pets and home (with explicit permission to record and post content of course). That has been a positive factor for some of our owners who follow us on social media. But even without this, just a basic knowledge of tools like Facetime and Skype can help to put an owner at ease.
A Traditional Path - Hell No! While our path is not the most traditional, or even understood by our families, I look out the window at the picturesque canals of Amsterdam with Fluffy purring contentedly on my lap and can't help but feel we've made the right decision. We're often asked what we're going to do when we're done with this whole "travel thing", or when we're going to stop to settle down and "get a real job".
On our journey we've gotten to meet fellow animal and travel lovers who have been doing this for years. This is both exciting and inspiring to me - as it means we can continue to do what we love, and love what we do, every single day.
What's Next For Us? We'll end this year by finishing our European travels and are eager to embark on an adventure in Asia, then Central America, then... who knows, maybe the moon… does anyone know if there's a need for a couple of awesome pet sitters up there anytime soon?!? Although our future has a lot of question marks, we're not worried - who would be when we know we'll always have a sweet animal by our side along the way.
In the summer of 2018, Arianna and Christian sold the few things they owned, left their Las Vegas home and boarded a one-way flight to travel the globe. Now they are learning how to navigate the world as digital nomads, while learning what it means to be busy just "being". You can follow them at their website 19fingers.org or on Instagram
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD COMMUNICATION WHILE HOUSE SITTING Staying in Touch with Home Owners by Ian Gledhill The written communications between a homeowner and a house sitter are such a crucial part of the house sitting process - before, during and after a house sit. Both the homeowner and the house sitter will benefit when they communicate well with each other.
Communication Before the House Sit For the homeowner it's important to make your house sit appeal to as many house sitters as possible. This can be achieved by adding photos of your house and pets, and giving as much detail about the house, the pets and the requirements as possible. We never look at any listings that do not include photographs.
Similarly, for a house sitter it's important to have a well written profile with photographs, and if the platform accommodates them, reviews or references. We use three websites to find house sits and have copied our reviews from AussieHouseSitters onto our profile page on TrustedHousesitters. Personalize your application As house sitters, we think it carries great weight to write a personal application for each house sit that we're applying to, giving as many details about ourselves as possible. We also attach our last three reviews at the bottom of the application letter to save the home owner from having to follow links elsewhere. Once a sit is agreed we continue to stay in touch with the home owner. Firstly to ensure that we have all the relevant contact details, and secondly to ensure that there are no changes to dates etc. Be consistent We find it's good to be consistent with the method of communication, for example, by writing via the email communication option available on the website where the sit was advertised. It can get confusing if some communications are through the website and others through WhatsApp, Messenger or some other method, as the communication trail can be lost.
Confirm your travel plans It's also good to keep the homeowner informed of your travel plans for getting to the house sit. This may include sending flight booking confirmations that you've made, so that they are aware of both your personal and financial commitment. A week or so before the sit we write to the homeowner to confirm that everything is still going ahead as planned and to arrange a meeting or handover time to go through the procedures for the housesit. We also agree the communication method to be used during the sit. This could be WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger or whatever option the homeowner prefers.
Communication During the House Sit Once the house sit commences we keep in touch with the homeowners on a daily basis, or every couple of days if the house sit is for a period longer than two weeks. Of course, if something of importance happens then we let the owners know immediately. The homeowners want to know that their pets are well while they are travelling and we do this by sending them photos or by posting them on Instagram with cute comments. We've found that our homeowners have really liked this. We even drove to the local airport with one of our pets to get photographs of him waiting for their return at the arrivals terminal!
We also keep the homeowners informed of any mail that arrives or anything significant about the home, e.g., a storm that comes through causing any damage. We lost power in the middle of the night on one house sit on a 60 acre farm, the next morning we had to speak with the home owner to go through the procedures to ensure everything was working as it should.
After the House Sit Once the pet sit is completed we ask for a review of the sit and write our own review of their home and pets. We also write to thank the home owners for choosing us to look after their home and pets. We were lucky to have had three pet sits in the same area over the Australian summer, and so were able to return and meet up with the homeowners and their pets. We've had several dinners with some of them and have already confirmed one repeat sit for later this year.
Ian Gledhill is a qualified accountant who worked in the TV and music industries for 30 years in the UK and Australia. His partner Lloyd was a retail sales director in the UK and a general manager in Australia. They now travel between the northern and southern hemispheres enjoying summer in both. You can follow them here on Instagram
The next issue of House Sitting Magazine will be available from 15th June 2019
The small print Reproduction - Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited. Disclaimer - Information provided in this publication is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used as travel, lifestyle, financial or legal advice. You should always consult with your qualified and licensed professional practitioner. The publisher accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions, advice, representations or information contained within this publication. The publisher expressly disclaims responsibility for any adverse effect that may result from the use and application of the information contained in this magazine. Readers should rely on their own advice and enquiries when making decisions affecting their interests. Publishers - The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. House Sitting - The ultimate lifestyle magazine is published by Ian Usher and Vanessa Anderson. Email: contact@HouseSittingMagazine.com. The publishers assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Copyright 2018 by Ian Usher. All rights reserved. Affiliate disclaimer - Our website and apps do contain links to affiliates via advertisements and these are financial relationships. If you choose to apply for any service or product through an affiliate link we may be compensated by way of a small commission. This should never negatively affect the price that you pay for the product or service. House Sitting Magazine offers a FREE subscription service, and we use affiliate sales to ensure that our subscriptions remains free. They help us to fund the production of this magazine to the house sitting community. We will always try to link only to information we have tried or used ourselves, and that we think you will find beneficial and good value. It is your choice, as with any advertisement, whether to obtain further information or make a purchase.