You'll find extra news, reviews and snippets throughout the magazine!
Time for some downsizing action Ian Usher
Downsizing for travel Nicky Mackenzie
Moving on - A retiree's guide Yvonne Bauche
The time capsule June Spindloe
Simple gardening techniques Liz Buckley
Help the world - Embark Passion Louise Vachon
Road trip New Zealand Jane Wilson
8 tips for packing lighter Brooke & Buddy Baum
Packing for your house sit Deborah Provenzale
Happiness is house sitting Ian Gledhill
Applying mindset to the house sitting lifestyle Doreen Cumberford
In the next issue...
TIME FOR SOME DOWNSIZING ACTION by Ian Usher
The Sun (British newspaper) ran a story branding the comic 'The Seven Penny Nightmare'. Over the long hot summer of 1976 the British press whipped themselves up into an outraged fury over the UK teenage boys' comic "Action". My friends and I bought a copy every Saturday... price 7 pence. The comic featured violently gory stories which paralleled movie and real-life favourites of the era:
Hook Jaw (Jaws) Death Game 1999 (Rollerball) Dredger (Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry) Blackjack (Rocky / Mohammed Ali)
Parents worried, according to the newspapers, about the impact this graphic violence was having on impressionable young minds. However, I remember my dad enjoying a flick through my copy of "Action" every now and then.
As kids, we just couldn't wait each week to see how high Hook Jaw's bloody death count would be. It was all detailed in glorious colour on the centre pages.
KIDS RULE OK! The un-doing of the comic came towards the end of the year, when the new story, 'Kids Rule OK', caused concern to the point of debate in the House of Commons over the outrageous violence. In a world where older people were getting killed off by a deadly virus, teenagers were free to run amok. And they did, brandishing chains and knives, and generally causing mayhem.
BANNED ! On Saturday 23rd October 1976, thousands of boys across the UK were in for a big shock. There was no sign of "Action" on the newsagents' shelves. It had been banned. Several weeks later, on 4th December, the comic returned in a much watered-down format.
'Hook Jaw' had been moved from the centre pages, so blood only flowed in black and white, and the deaths took place 'off-screen' 'Look Out For Lefty', a football story which was my least favourite, now took pride of place on the colourful middle pages 'Death Game 1999' had been re-branded as 'Spinball' 'Kids Rule OK' had simply disappeared, replaced by some bland racing cars drama
I continued to remain a loyal, though slightly disappointed reader. The comic limped along for another year or so, but when I look back I can't even remember what happened in stories like 'Slater's Steamer', 'The Loner' or 'Jinx Jackson'. Nothing from the tamed post-ban issues is burned into my mind like the horrific surprise death of Rick Mason, Hook Jaw's long-time heroic adversary, from one of the pre-ban issues.
END OF AN ERA The post-ban version of the comic died with a whimper at the end of 1977. The cover of the 12th November issue of "Action" announced 'Exciting news inside!'
The 'exciting news' was that "Action" would be no-more. It was to be merged with "Battle", which featured mainly war stories. I never bought a single copy of "Battle-Action". My comic-buying days were over.
CLEARING OUT Vanessa and I have recently started the process of downsizing again! We head off to the States in April, and will be selling the little van we've had for the past 18 months. We've gathered quite a bit of 'stuff' and need to lighten the load again. For me this will be the fourth major downsize in my life, although this time it is on a much smaller scale than the previous three.
DOWNSIZE #1 - MOVING "DOWN UNDER" My first huge downsize was in 2001, when my wife and I decided to move from the UK to live in Australia. We were in rented accommodation at the time, so had furniture to sell, along with all the things we'd both collected over the course of our lives to that point. We sold pretty-much everything we had. For me the hardest things to let go of were my various sets of sports equipment - climbing gear, motorcycle clothes and equipment, wetsuits - all sold at car boot sales for far less than I felt they were worth. And my collection of music CDs. I digitised most of my favourites, so still had access to much of my music. However, one thing I couldn't bring myself to sell was my collection of "Action" comics, along with the Summer Specials and Annuals I had kept in pristine condition. I boxed them up carefully and stored them in my mum's attic.
DOWNSIZE #2 - A LIFE FOR SALE In 2008, in Australia, after my wife and I separated, I decided to downsize again. This was by far the most radical downsize of my life, and became a very public event. After the divorce I'd realised it was time to sell up and move on, as that part of my life was obviously over. I had the idea of selling my 'whole life' on eBay, and when I announced my intention to do so, the worldwide press coverage was astonishing. I planned to sell everything as one single item, and leave Australia with just one set of clothes, and my wallet and passport. I'd forgotten that I still owned a collection of comics, stored in mum's attic back in the UK.
DOWNSIZE #3 - PARADISE SOLD Vanessa and I met in 2013, and lived together on my little island home in Panama for a year. The island was already up for sale when we met, and we knew our future would revolve around travel and house sitting. It took a while to find a buyer, but when we sold up we left pretty-much everything with the new island owner, setting off with just one backpack each in May 2014. This was my third major downsize, and was by far the easiest emotionally. This time I had very little attachment to any of the 'stuff' I owned, and it was very easy to just walk away and leave it all behind. But my comics were still there, tucked away in the darkness.
A PERIOD OF INACTION Vanessa and I have spent most of the past 18 months house sitting here in the UK, and have had much more time to spend with friends and family. My mum has asked on several occasions, "When are you going to get rid of that box of mouldy old comics in the attic? It's probably full of moths." I've put off dealing with this for over a year, using the old "I'll get around to it when I have time..." excuse. The real reason was that I just couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of this vivid part of my youth. The idea of just putting them in the recycling was unthinkable. Over Christmas I realised the "I don't have enough time" excuse was no longer valid. With some longer sits coming up I did have time. I got the box out of the attic and crammed it into the over-stuffed van with the rest of our belongings. Maybe, I reasoned, being 43 years old, and having had their 1970s moment of infamy, they might be collectible..? I did some research online... going back to eBay again... and discovered there were quite a few issues of "Action" listed online. Prices were encouraging, but none of them seemed to actually be finding buyers, and I wondered if there really was a market for them. The box remained in the back of the van for several more weeks, as I failed to act, reluctant to face the potential disappointment of nobody wanting to buy my childhood memories. It was a heavy burden to carry, both physically for the van, and emotionally for me.
TIME TO LET GO At our last house sit I buckled down and got to work, photographing each cover, and listing them online. I set my prices way lower than those that didn't seem to be selling, and was pleasantly surprised by the response. I got messages, questions and comments, and a lot of bids and offers too.
The best sum I received for a single issue was £12.50... not bad compared to my original 7p investment. Most pre-ban issues sold for £4 to £5, and post-ban issues for £3. My biggest success was with the 8 Annuals and 4 Summer Specials I owned - I believe a complete set of every special ever printed. They were still in pristine condition, and a buyer in the States purchased the lot for £260.
Overall I'll raise around $600 when all are sold... not bad for "mouldy old comics in the attic." (Mum's words, not mine!) I'm down to the last 15 issues still to sell as I write this. It's not all about the money, although it will come in handy, of course. I am just happy that the comics have gone to people who really appreciate them, and who will get a lot of pleasure from them. It would have been far harder to put them in the bin, knowing they'd be pulped, never to be seen again.
EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT Isn't it funny... the things to which we have the biggest attachment? I have known for years that my box of childhood memories was going to be one of the hardest things to deal with.
Before I listed them for sale I really did feel worried that they wouldn't find a buyer, and that I would find it all an emotional wrench. But once the sales started coming in my mood lightened, and I became quite enthusiastic, enjoying mailing the comics to their excited new owners. And once again, as in previous downsizes, I have been amazed by the feeling of lightness and freshness that comes with off-loading this huge chunk of the past. I only have 15 more issues to sell, and they'll soon all be gone... well, almost! Apparently I'm not quite 100% ready to let everything go... I'm keeping one copy, and plan on framing the front cover. It is one of the iconic issues, with Hook Jaw causing terror and mayhem in New York. Quite fitting, I think, as New York is one of our next destinations. Maybe one day I'll have a wall to put my framed cover on. Best wishes, Ian (and Vanessa) (currently house sitting in Maidenhead, UK)
MORE ACTION Find out more about the story behind "Action" in these two great articles: ACTION: How Britain’s most brutal comic laid the real ’70s bare Too much action: how kids' comic Action drowned in its own ultraviolence
THE DIFFICULTIES OF DOWNSIZING
Have you downsized, or are you considering doing so? What was / will be the hardest thing to get rid of? Do you struggle with emotional attachment to 'stuff'? What do you own that you just can't let go?
This month's issue of House Sitting Magazine contains a couple of stories from other readers about their experiences of downsizing. We hope you find them interesting, inspiring and informative.
DOWNSIZING TO TRAVEL by Nicky Mackenzie It had been one hell of a dark, wet and dreary day back in the winter of 2012. We’d both had to contend with long traffic queues on several of northwest England's motorways during our daily commute to and from work. And we were truly glad to get home. Once the door to the real world was locked, I turned to my husband and quite firmly declared "I don’t want to do this anymore. I want to travel the world and start living again." Thankfully he agreed and, within days, we’d formulated a plan which would see our lives change forever. We'd resign from our corporate jobs, buy one-way tickets to Thailand and spend the foreseeable future exploring the world. Just one problem. What would we do with all of the "stuff" we'd accumulated over the years? The cars? The house? There was only one possible answer. Downsize. Big time. Unfortunately, we didn't really know where to start. We scoured the internet looking for inspiration from others who might have done the same. But nothing seemed to match our
circumstances. So, armed with nothing more than blind optimism and an eagerness to relieve ourselves of anything that would hold us back, we bumbled through on our own. With, of course, a mixed bag of results. Back then, we were far too attached to our "stuff" to have the foresight to sell it all. What would happen if we hated traveling and had to return? We felt we needed a security blanket. As it turned out, this was a very expensive security blanket.
We secured a grossly overpriced storage unit and threw everything that would fit into it. And then tried to forget about it. Which we did successfully for the first twelve months or so while we jumped with both feet into our new house-sitting, road-tripping, and backpacking lifestyle. But then the niggle of anxiety returned in the back of our minds. We were still paying every month to keep our belongings secure in the storage unit. Fast forward almost five years and our stuff was still there. By which time the penny had finally dropped. We'd probably spent more on securing our belongings than what it would have cost to replace them had we ever decided to settle down again. Suffice to say, the unit is now empty and our stuff is long gone.
What lessons did we learn and how would we advise others? Decide what you want your future to look like This is probably your biggest consideration. After all, you’ve already decided to take the step of becoming nomadic, travelling the world and possibly caring for other people’s homes and pets along the way. Will you keep a base in your home country? Will you buy a smaller property? Or will you sell or rent out your home? Obviously, each of these options comes with its own set of downsizing considerations. Unless you’re keeping your home intact, packing your bags and skipping happily into the sunset! All the other options involve "stuff" management. Adopt an all-or-nothing mentality Although we could have rented out our home, we quickly decided we wanted a complete lifestyle change without the pressure of ties calling us home. And quite frankly, we didn’t want to deal with resolving tenant issues while we were half-way up a Patagonian mountain. So the "For Sale" sign quickly went up and we began the protracted process of selling our property in the UK.
Where do you start? Two words. Be ruthless. You’ve decided what your home base (if any) will look like. Whether it’s a 2-bedroom cottage, a studio flat or a corner in your friend’s garage, it’s time to cut your cloth accordingly. What you'll want to avoid is making the same mistake as us and renting a storage unit for five years. So, if it doesn’t fit in your future space, spark a wonderful memory, or make you sad to think of parting with it… it has to go. The crippling emotion I felt when we opened the doors to the storage unit to finally begin the last step in our downsizing journey was unbelievable. How can "stuff" do that to you? It’s not the actual objects, but the memories. Take our 10-foot long French oak, custom made dining table, for instance. That in many ways was the focus of our home. And for the many people who'd sat around it (and occasionally danced on it) over the years at celebrations and dinner parties. But now it's just a memory. A relic of our past. The whole process is undoubtedly an emotional roller-coaster. But, having been through it, I can say without hesitation that the sense of freedom and relief has made it all worthwhile. These objects did their jobs. They gave us plenty of joy and provided us with fond memories. But it was time to let them go and let other people enjoy them.
Practical tips
Use sites like eBay, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace and local buy-and-sell groups to get rid of items you aren’t going to keep. Start finding new homes for the treasured items you want to keep within your family. This is where you need to employ manipulation as a tactic! "If I die in a hurricane in the Caribbean, I want you to have my Royal Doulton 16 place dinner service...so you may as well take it for safekeeping now". Works a treat! Appliances like TVs, DVD players and sound equipment quickly date as newer models come on the market. Sell them. Depending on your plans, line up a buyer for your car. We sold one car privately and then used an online car buying website to sell the other the day before we flew out. Although, if you're planning on returning to your home country at regular intervals, covering and parking it on a relative's driveway could be more cost-effective. Stop buying more things. Often harder to do than you’d think as we’ve been conditioned over the years to collect more and more nice things. But house sitting means that I now get to look at new-to-me, nice things in other people's homes, all the time! Clothes and shoes take up a huge amount of space. You only have one pair of feet so why do you need 100 pairs of shoes? Simply put, you don’t. The 80/20 rule put it into perspective for us. That is, a small amount (20%) of your belongings sees the majority (80%) of use. It’s time to choose your favourite pieces and donate the rest to charity. Noone needs five evening gowns! There are lots of books, CD, and DVD buyback schemes. Just do an internet search in your own country. Once you've downloaded the site's app, you simply scan the item's barcode and it'll tell you much they'll give you for it. If you've got a sizeable collection, that can soon add up. And then you can donate any that don't merit a valuation to charity shops, schools and/or libraries. Old photograph collections can take up a huge amount of space. Borrow a scanner if you don’t have one already. Make digital copies of all your photos and then dispose of your old albums. And the scanner of course if it’s yours! Use auction houses to sell your belongings as a last resort. You can always place a reserve on items of value and take them back if they don’t sell.
Downsizing is certainly difficult. Especially as we’ve been programmed for years to accumulate possessions and think "bigger is better". It’s a hard habit to break. But for many of us on this wonderful journey, it’s a necessity. For us, downsizing so dramatically has enabled us to continue our shared passion for traveling this beautiful world of ours and connecting with strangers who are soon to be friends. And these days, we're proud to say, we collect friends rather than possessions.
Nicky MacKenzie is one half of Above Us Only Skies, a world travel blog for travelers, would-be travelers and anybody else with a curious interest in ditching the routine and exploring our planet. She’s been traveling since 2015 with her husband Ian, backpacking, house sitting and road tripping their way, slowly around the world. And, at just under five feet fall, she remains in search of that magical growth serum. Has a theory that stretching out on a tropical beach for hours on end might just do the trick. Deluded. Check out their website at AboveUsOnlySkies.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
MOVING ON A retiree's guide to selling your stuff, simplifying and seeing the world! by Yvonne Bauche
It was early 2011, after the death of a dear friend, that we decided life was too short to do anything other than what "we wanted to do". Working full time to maintain a house, two vehicles and pay for the occasional holiday, was no longer what we wanted! We wanted out, we wanted to see and experience all this big wide world has to offer, whilst we still could. Having both worked hard for many years, we had a mortgage free home, no children and some savings, but it wasn't enough to travel on indefinitely. The search was on to find a way to make this happen! House and pet sitting was the answer and after crunching the numbers, we knew that this could work well for us, at least for a couple of years anyway.
Once we had made up our mind (which in itself was a huge hurdle) it was time to get down to the logistics. We had decided to rent out our four bedroom home and after finding a property manager, knew that it would be better if we rented it unfurnished. The challenge though was what to do with 11 years of accumulated "stuff". After hearing stories from other people who told tales of spending over $3,000 to store (what they ultimately decided was junk) for three years, we rejected that option. We decided to downsize to the bare minimum. Little did we realize how much work was involved. At first it was relatively easy by following the motto… is it a dear friend, an acquaintance or a stranger?
a "stranger" was anything we had not used or touched for months. an "acquaintance" would be something rarely used and of course a "dear friend" was an item used on a daily basis, or your favorite pair of shoes.
Slowly we tackled each cupboard and each room, keeping our "friends" while acquaintances and strangers were sorted into recycling, garbage, donation, or sell piles. This in itself was not an easy process as our personal definitions of each category differed. My husband Michael was deeply attached to his stack of paperwork and books from his university days (untouched for 20 years). Common sense eventually prevailed, but his packed bookshelves were another matter! Once everything had been sorted, we disposed of as much stuff as we could by donating, through boot/garage/yard sales and through Craigslist.
Here are a few tips and tricks to bear in mind especially for yard sales (something more typical of North America): Firstly, don't allow any "early birds" as these are usually dealers looking for bargains, and they are very clever at getting items for very little. Rope off your driveway if you have to and be firm. Second trick is to price every item, especially if you have friends helping, that way they are not guessing and can just reiterate that's the price. Top tricks for selling on Craigslist.org, or Kijiji.ca (Canadian Site) are to include good photographs, dimensions and to "sell" it a little. For example: "Need to keep that New Year's resolution and get in shape? Grab this complete set of adjustable weights now before someone beats you to it". Eight years ago there were a few online sites for selling items such as EBay & Etsy. However the online sales world has grown in leaps and bounds since. It is now huge business and makes the task of de-cluttering so much easier. We even sold some of our furniture to our new renter, which was a perfect solution, as we had at least a sofa and a kitchen table for our last few days. As our home emptied we began to feel a sense of relief, almost of euphoria. It was also cathartic, the more we disposed of the lighter and freer we felt. We eventually reduced the contents of our home to a dozen banker's boxes and four suitcases of clothes. Two of the cases went with us and the rest are stored by family and friends.
What about mail and finances? Be warned getting rid of the "stuff" is only one part of downsizing, especially if you want to travel full time. Have you considered what to do about your mail, or how you are going to manage your finances while you travel? We started monitoring how much mail we were getting at the beginning of this process. We had considered ourselves paperless and were shocked to see how much physical mail was still arriving. As each piece came in we switched it to online/paperless or cancelled it. After eight years of travel, six months' worth of mail is down to a small bundle, as opposed to the box full that was redirected to family when we first left. Finances were a big time sink as well. We wanted online banking, minimum ATM fees and the ability to switch money from different accounts. We interviewed five different banks to find our solution. We now have our primary account, which as long as we keep a minimum balance in it has no monthly fee, a no fee travel credit card, a complementary safe deposit box, great online flexibility and no ATM fees on their end. We also supplement this with another account, which is again no fee, all online and at times has decent savings account rates. These are just the big pieces there is a lot more, like getting prescriptions, necessary inoculations, health coverage, insurance etc. etc. All in all it took us six months to go through the whole process and if it hadn't been for Michael's project management background it would have been a nightmare! He broke the process down into all the necessary steps and made up a ‘Gantt' chart, so we could see what had to be done and when. Without this we would never have managed to retain our sanity. Downsizing and preparing to travel full time is a complicated process with multiple pieces to fit together.
We flew out of Vancouver on the 26th April 2012, with a few treasured possessions safely stored, our finances sorted and two carefully packed carry on suitcases. Our home was empty and pristine waiting for our tenants, whose rental payments helped make our dream a reality. This is just a small fraction of what we learnt from the "downsizing" process and realizing firsthand what else had to be done. So much so, that we decided to cover the whole process in full detail in our kindle book "Moving On". Eight years later we have downsized even further (we no longer have the house) and have reduced our storage boxes to six. We have visited over 50 countries, house sat on four continents and are happier, healthier and in many ways, wealthier than ever before. Hope this helps your transition and we look forward to seeing you somewhere in the world. PS Those packed bookshelves (after much compromise) were eventually reduced to a dozen books. The rest we gave away to family and friends.
THE TIME CAPSULE by June Spindloe
Becoming a nomad a few years back meant letting go of almost everything I owned. It's not hard to find new homes for furniture, clothes, unwanted ornaments and tools, but when it came to deciding what to do with my trunk, I knew I would need to make different choices. The trunk sat in the basement of our home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and I was fiercely protective of the contents, refusing to let anyone see what it contained. To me the trunk contains memories, good and bad, which over time had merged into a bittersweet mix of pleasure and past all in one place. All evidence that I was there, that it had all really happened. You may ask why would I want to remember? But indeed, why also would I ever want to forget? I'm now in my sixties so I have plenty that I want to forget, but as much as I want to leave behind the past, I'd find something worth holding on to and know that one day I would see things differently. And yes this is true, as I sit here now writing this hindsight is a valuable thing.
Looking back I realize that I have always been on the move in one way or another. From the point of leaving home at seventeen, to emigrating to Canada in my mid twenties, then again in my forties. Each time choosing what precious objects should go with me. In the days before computers and digital storage I would sort through photographs selecting which ones would stay with me. There would be reminders of people and places. Some would become memories for my children. I wondered if they, like myself would one day seek out information about grandparents? With me long gone, would they turn to my stash of treasures for information?
Small beginnings My trunk didn't start out as a trunk. It began life as a small green square box with a sturdy lid that had once contained perfume. It became a receptacle for photographs, and cards, romantic love notes and keepsakes. Sometimes it was months or even years between visits to my box, often triggered by nostalgia, or life events, or love, or grief. Each time I opened the lid, the familiar fragrance grew fainter, softened and warmed by time, just like me. As time went by life happened. Divorce, births, deaths, marriage, moving to new countries, beginning new careers, making new friends. As I grew, the box overflowed and I added a sturdy shoe box or two, and a box file for documents.
In 2008 my mother died, and it was many months later that I returned to England to help my siblings sort through some of her personal effects. We sat on the floor and opened up a large battered suitcase and spread the contents out on the floor. It was as if we were looking at a giant jigsaw puzzle of my mother's life! There were photographs of relatives we couldn't identify, sat next to wartime photos of men in uniform . There were newspaper clippings and school pictures from when we were small, but we struggled to identify ourselves in various holiday snaps that were now just tiny faded prints in black and white. It was in that moment that I knew I could not let history repeat itself. I would have to leave some semblance of order behind. We don't move forward by packing everything away and never looking back. Not long after that I started writing journals, carefully placing them in year order in the trunk, next to the green box and the shoe boxes, and the other items I had inherited from mum. There was also a carefully written timeline of my life, and who my parents and grandparents were. I took old photographs and wrote dates and identified people and places - there would be no confusion when my family opened this trunk ! And so back to 2017. My trunk made its move from the basement to a storage locker as we ceremoniously left the little of what was our lives behind, to venture out as nomads. It would be a full year later when we would return and load the trunk onto its final destination. I would stop just long enough to sort through it and let some things go with compassion while holding on to others even more closely. Then we would drive it from East to West across Canada to leave it at my daughter's home, where she too might unlock the mysteries of my musings, of my sadness and joy, in her very own time capsule.
June Spindloe had no way of knowing what life had in store for her when she uploaded her profile to a house sitting site and hopped on a plane with Mark her husband. All that they owned was packed into a few suitcases. One thing they did know was the inevitability of becoming nomads. You can read more of June's musing at Nomadic Mumsie.
SIMPLE TECHNIQUES TO KEEP YOUR GARDEN CLEAN & TIDY by Liz Buckley
Not everyone has a green thumb. Some of us are more indoor than outdoor folks. But if you're interested in becoming a house sitter you need to know, before you start perusing house sitting sites, that upkeep of the garden is sometimes as important as upkeep of the main house for home owners at different times of the year. So if you're more of an indoor than an outdoor person, what do you do? How can you ensure the house and garden look their best, that you get positive reviews, and secure new clients for your growing house sitting business? Luckily, we have a few tips and tricks for keeping a garden neat, so that no matter your experience, you won't get overwhelmed.
1. Talk through with owners This goes without saying, but before you do anything to the home, yard or garden, talk to the homeowners. It's the first job of a home sitter to keep the home in the condition that the homeowners would. But, the garden may or may not be included in your list of expected duties. If it is, they will likely have a routine they like to stick to, and possibly a full inventory of their lawn-care power tools and equipment. They'll also be able to tell you about outside help, such as tree-fellers, pest control, etc., should these be required during your stay. The more familiar you are ahead of time, the more prepared you'll be to tackle the work. Be honest about your experience and capabilities with plant care.
2. Watering the garden Many gardens have automatic watering systems, but you'll want to understand a little about how the system works, to make sure you know where to look if it stops working, the timer goes wrong, or it springs a permanent leak. You'll also want to check any pots or plants that need watering by hand, either with a watering can or hose-pipe. If they have a green-house, you might need to water more regularly and early morning, or later in the day. Green-house plants dry out very quickly in the summer months. Check too that there aren't any hose-pipe bans in place. This can happen quite regularly in the UK and Australia through dryer periods.
3. Finding the right tools Did we mention power tools? Gardening and yard work involves a lot of different tools, from the low-tech, like hoes, rakes, and spades, to ride-on lawn mowers, chainsaws, and leaf blowers. If you've talked to the homeowners about their expectations for garden maintenance, you will at least be a little familiar with the equipment available to you. Unless you're experienced, using a chainsaw for pruning and chopping is something you should avoid. Inexperienced users are potentially putting themselves, and others, in danger. Using a chainsaw really shouldn't be a part of your house sitting duties. You might also want to check your options for the best handheld vacuum for leaves, to ensure you're getting something that is a good size for you. These are all questions to ask the homeowners as you're preparing to house sit. If there are tools you're unfamiliar with, a garden center can help you learn how to operate and maintain them, and even give advice on how to prune properly, whether it's a rose bush, a shrub, or an overgrown tree. But, ideally you should get this information from the homeowners, so ask for an extended handover, where you have plenty of time to discuss and try out equipment. If tools are locked in an outside shed, make sure the home owner doesn't forget to tell you where the key is!
4. Designate a pet-safe area A big part of house-sitting is obviously taking care of pets. If there are dogs or cats to worry about, designating pet areas makes it easier to clean up messes, and avoid damage to lawns, flower gardens, and other undesirable spaces. Keep a regular schedule, and take dogs to the same spot every day to get them used to a routine, and ensure you start off on the right foot.
5. Don't over-mow the lawn It sounds counter-intuitive, but cutting the lawn too often can actually make it look less neat. Short grass casts less shadow and leaves space for weeds to grow. Keep unwanted weeds out of a garden by sticking to a bi-weekly mow, and keeping your grass cut higher. Never mow the grass when it's wet. Not only will it cause clumping that can leave the lawn looking smothered, but it is also unsafe for you, because of the risk of slipping, and it's very bad for the mower. The last thing you want is to have to explain the clogs in the lawnmower when the homeowners get back.
6. Keep to a schedule Different parts of the garden have different needs. Some tasks, like weeding, or clearing daily debris like sticks and leaves, may be a daily task. Others, like mowing, leaf blowing, or composting, may be weekly. Other still, like clearing a pond, or pruning back a shrub, might be seasonal. If you know the homeowner's schedule, it's that much easier to adapt to fit your own needs. If there's no written instruction, get as much information as you can about the garden, and create your own schedule, so you're able to leave the garden exactly as you found it, no matter how long the job is.
House sitting is a big job, and it's only made bigger when you factor in the client's garden. It's easy, rewarding, and even fun to house sit where pets are involved, but looking after a garden or a yard can be a different kind of adventure. But if you're not afraid to get some dirt under your nails, it's a pretty simple job to keep the garden looking great. Remember at all times that to follow the instructions of your home owner - you will probably be asked to carry out simple maintenance, not landscaping or making significant changes to a garden.
Liz Buckley is a part of the content team at Best Vacuum Expert, sharing expert knowledge and best tips on how to have a clean house.
STREET DOGS OF SRI LANKA by Louise Vachon
While shopping for a few new shirts in the Old Dutch Fort of Galle, I noticed a clothing store with fun looking apparel any dog lover would appreciate! So in I went. Indeed I was overwhelmed by the myriad of choices, and mostly by the fact that this store was part of a chain of non profit stores throughout Sri Lanka marketing almost anything to do with dogs - clothing, fun souvenirs, and pet supplies - all as a way to raise money to help the street dogs of Sri Lanka. The clothing on offer is excellent quality, made from natural fibres with fun designs at reasonable prices, and all for a good cause, as street dogs are everywhere in this country. They are homeless, and hungry, having injuries (new or badly healed) clearly visible, and it is heartbreaking.
Many roam the beaches and are quite friendly - we have yet to meet an aggressive dog in this country - they are all happy to roll over for a belly rub after a quick sniff, or to share your spot. It is obvious that forever homes, health care, and spay and neuter clinics are seriously needed here, and that is the focus of Embark, to fund these projects and stop the suffering of these animals.
So if you are here in Sri Lanka, I would encourage you to visit one of these stores to collect your souvenirs when visiting. Alternatively why not spend the last of your Sri Lankan currency at their airport location before leaving the country. To learn more, find a store location, or help by sponsoring a dog online go here
More about Embark Passion Source - EmbarkPassion.com Embark is an organization dedicated to improving the well-being of street dogs through its rescue and re-homing initiatives. It manages the population of strays and prevents rabies through sterilization and vaccination programs across the country. Most of their work is focused in the western province of Sri Lanka, but they try to reach out to other areas as well. Embark has been at the forefront, influencing policy in relation to animals and playing a vital role in making a significant change in the lives of animals and people alike.
Otara Gunewardene (Founder) Otara has loved animals of all kinds since childhood. She graduated from university in Ohio, USA, before returning to Sri Lanka years later. A chance request by a clothing manufacturer wondered if she could help dispose of surplus export garments. This led to a shop from the back of her car which eventually led to her first store. She now has 20 stored and is one of the largest retailers in Asia.
Whilst her career in fashion progressed rapidly, her love for animals and her interest in improving their lives never diminished. With pedigree dogs in popular demand, there were many street dogs in Sri Lanka who needed care and attention. It was with this in mind that Embark was initiated in 2007. With an inbuilt sustainability factor, Otara focused on numerous projects while partnering with different organizations and professionals to improve the welfare of street dogs in Sri Lanka. Understanding early on that animal welfare work requires a means to be self-sustaining, Embark was molded to support its own rescue work through profits made from its trendy clothing and accessories collections. This link to fashion also resulted in a paradigm shift where adopting a Sri Lankan street dog became fashionable. Otara consistently leverages her fashion and business success to create sustainable models for animal welfare projects, and she is particularly adept at using her retail skill to raise funds for the cause.
Mascots - Niko, Bandit & Rozzy The Embark fashion brand is characterized by its three mascots, Niko, Bandit and Rozzy – all street pooches adopted by Otara.
EMBARKPASSON.COM
<Advertisements>
Get 15% OFF your membership on all companies in the Kiwi/AussieHouseSitter Group with code: HSMAG15
ROAD TRIP NEW ZEALAND South Island glimpses and a house sit in the Marlborough Sounds by Jane Wilson
Nothing beats a good road trip right? And where better to hit the road than New Zealand. With scenery that never ceases to amaze, an endless array of natural beauty and the lure of seasonal year-round activities, it's no wonder that New Zealand house and pet sit listings are so sought after, and filled so fast! In February 2019, my partner Dan and I were lucky enough to confirm a TrustedHousesitters sit in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island. Despite New Zealand being just a two to three hour flight across the Tasman Sea from our home town of Brisbane in Australia, it had been close to 25 years since I last visited and Dan has never been! So with the house sit sorted and our shared desire to see more of the world "closer to home", we decided to make the most of it and began planning a mini road trip.
South Island? North Island? Why not see a little bit of both With just a two week holiday window and flights booked in to Christchurch and home from Wellington, we mapped out a rough itinerary to follow the South Island's coastal road northbound from Christchurch to the Marlborough Sounds via Picton. We booked car hire as a one way rental, dropping it off in Picton with the view of crossing to the North Island on the InterIslander ferry. As we had heard so many good things about New Zealand's capital city of Wellington, we were keen to spend a couple of nights there and explore on foot.
Be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment February has become one of the most popular times of the year for holiday-makers traveling to New Zealand. The last month of the summer season, it is (usually) still warm and sunny and far less busy than December/January. This also means you have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and major attractions without the crowds. Don't be fooled though. You still need to consider the cost of travel in February is at a premium in most regions and as we quickly discovered, accommodation is often booked out, particularly in small towns and in during â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;special event' times.
Where did we go and what did we see and do? As any road-trip itinerary does, ours took a couple of wonderful detours, surprising us with the accidental discovery of some truly amazing places:
Christchurch to Cheviot On arrival in Christchurch, we drove downtown and spent a leisurely afternoon strolling through the spectacular Christchurch Botanic Gardens then wandered around the buzzing art's district before heading off on the short drive north to the quaint historical town of Cheviot, where we spent our first night. Steeped in history dating back to the 1800's, Cheviot offers the perfect halfway stop between Christchurch and Kaikoura. After a hearty breakfast at one of Cheviot's funky cafes, we drove out of town towards the coast on a short scenic drive to Gore Bay; a popular surfing beach in the peak of summer but way too rugged and wild to brave the waters the day we were there. On the return drive to the highway, we stopped at the Cathedral Cliffs Lookout to view Cathedral Gully (feature photo), a well weathered canyon of clay rock almost 2 million years old. Through natural erosion, vertical pillars have formed to resemble cathedral spires. Our viewpoint was a bit overgrown but we managed to scramble through the scrub to snap a photo.
Cheviot to Kaikoura From Gore Bay (above right) we drove to Kaikoura, taking an unplanned turnoff before reaching the main town, to the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway. If you have the time to do the entire walk, it will take approximately 3 hours but there are shorter walks and tracks to explore, with informative stops along the way telling you about the history of Kaikoura; the geology, the native flora, the sea life and seabird migrations.
This is definitely a worthy stop for a leisurely walk, some fresh air and a scenic coastal panorama.
Kaikoura town is still recovering after the earthquake destroyed so many homes and business in 2016. Like Christchurch, redevelopment and regeneration is ongoing but Kaikoura is known for its marine life and whale watching cruises so is always abuzz with tourists.
Kaikoura to Picton 2hrs 15mins further north of Kaikoura is the harbour town of Picton. Pleasantly surprised by the town's charm and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;almost' cosmopolitan vibe, we were glad we booked a two night stay. As the gateway to the myriad of bays and inlets of the Marlborough Sounds and being in close proximity to the popular Marlborough wine region, this unassuming waterfront hub offers so much more than meets the reviewer's eye. Small coves with lovely beaches beckon below the many walking tracks in and around Picton and on the outskirts of town, you'll find one of the main access points to the Queen Charlotte Track. For wining and dining, there's no shortage of good restaurants and bars to enjoy a few drinks and a decent meal, especially if you love fresh seafood.
The Marlborough Sounds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Six days, two dogs and a Tui in a tree Our house and pet sit was located in magical Moetapu Bay, a cautious 45 minute drive from Picton along Queen Charlotte Drive. Renowned for hairpin bends and narrow lanes, this winding road affords lush green views of native forests at one turn and aquamarine waters at the next. We spent six wonderful days with two adorable English Springer Spaniels in a secluded property right on the water's edge and were regularly mesmerised by our surrounds.
A haven for native birdlife, we were delighted to wake up to the sound of birdsong each morning and see the Bellbird and Tui birds feeding on the fruit trees around the property.
Spoiled for choice with day trips on offer in this stunning region, we enjoyed a couple of outings to the galleries and art studios hidden away at the top of steep driveways. And a drive to the small town of Havelock (not to be confused with Havelock North) didn't disappoint. Known as being the home of New Zealand's green-lipped mussel industry, we were glad to score a table at the world famous Mussel Pot Restaurant (picture on next page) for a truly delicious bowl of mussels! Another highlight of our time spent in the Marlborough Sounds region was a day cruise on board the Pelorus Express â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the mail boat which departs from Havelock on a daily basis, providing the residents who live on the outer islands with their mail and produce delivery. It can be a full-on day but if you love being on the water and nature as we do, it's an excellent way to explore the complexity of the waterways and to catch sight of the migratory Gannet and Shag Rock bird colonies.
Wellington â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a cultural and eclectic delight! Last stop Wellington and what a fabulous city it is! Sure, it gets windy and it often rains and you do need to layer your attire accordingly for a day out and about but there is a LOT to see and do both indoors and out, so don't let the weather deter you.
An incredible coffee and food culture abounds in Wellington as does the craft gin and beer bar scene. Cuba Street is the buzz of the city, vibrant and happening almost 24/7 and there are alleyways which lead you to amazing restaurants, art studios, book shops and boutique vintage design and clothing stores. Along the waterfront you'll find regular entertainment and events and a visit to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is a fascinating insight to the Maori history and culture. And if weather and time permits, don't miss a trip on the Cable Car for great views and Zealandia Eco Sanctuary for close encounters with nature. Will we go back to New Zealand? Absolutely, as soon as we have the opportunity!
Jane Wilson is semi-retired from working in the travel and creative industries. She has an eye for quirky things and admits she can't live without a good coffee! Since her partner Dan took early retirement three years ago, they have been enjoying a parttime house and pet sitting lifestyle which complements their shared love of travel and photography. You can follow Jane on Instagram
MINIMIZING YOUR LUGGAGE by Brooke & Buddy Baum Most travelers will agree that checking bags is often a costly hassle and there’s always the risk of the dreaded "lost luggage ordeal". After 24-panic-stricken hours in Poland, I can tell you it isn’t fun! So, many house sitters who fly take on the goal of minimalist packing – a daunting challenge to most of us! Of course, the easiest way to limit how many bags you take on a trip is to just pack less. However, that is easier said than done, especially when you are house sitting in multiple locations or across different seasons. While minimizing belongings is key, we’ve found it helpful to also find sneaky ways to fit a little more into our bags, so we don’t have to make too many sacrifices with what we pack. This has really helped us meet our carry-on only goals during our long-term trips! For a few months now, we’ve been hosting a #TravelTipThursday post in the House Sitting Magazine Lifestyle Group on Facebook and we recently asked our awesome community of sitters for their best tips for packing light. Here is a helpful list of what they shared, as well as some of our top suggestions
8 TIPS FOR TRAVELING LIGHTER 1. Wear the bulkier stuff If possible, we always try to wear as much as we can – including heavier hiking shoes or boots, jackets, scarves, and hats to limit the weight and size of our bags. However, Valerie Sullivan took this idea a little further by buying a ScotteVest – designed to keep tablets or small computers, as well as other items zipped up on your person, instead of packed. Very cool! 2. Don't roll but flat pack for more space During the House & Pet Sitting Conference last year in the UK, we were intrigued by Tracy McDermott’s packing tips presentation, especially the concept of "flat packing". This was something we had never heard of. The premise is that you fold clothes flat into each other and it uses the space much better while also keeping clothes less wrinkled than when rolling. You really have to watch a video to get the gist, but it is fairly simple and fun to do! 3. Consider compression packing cubes Depending on your bag, compression packing cubes can help minimize space and keep you organized. We flat pack into our compression packing cubes for bonus space savings! These cubes have two zippers, so once you zip up the first one, you zip it again to tighten everything down. Quite smart!
4. Put bulky winter clothes in vacuum bags If you need big, puffy jackets and other outdoor wear winter, but don’t plan to wear them for a while, a good option is to use vacuum bags. These squish down the items, by sucking out the air with a vacuum, hand-held pump. Or you can just roll around on top of the bag until all the air is out (this may or may not be my go-to method). This is a must for our multi-season travels since we love our big jackets. But, better yet, you could stock up on items made from high-quality, warm materials that aren't bulky. Heleen Westerman recommends cashmere or merino! 5. Use bag loops to tie on extra things We usually attach jackets or hats to the top loop of our bags and also have an external water bottle pouch. Making use of the outside of our bags and keeping our hands free is a win for us! We’ve seen other backpackers with shoes tied on as well as other odds and ends, but ideally you don’t want to push it when traveling via plane. 6. Buy solid beauty products When you are a carry-on only traveler, your liquids allowance is severely limited. Fitting your mini product bottles in a small quart-sized bag can be challenging and not very economical. We suggest finding some solid products you like such as shampoo, soap, and even deodorant bars. It’s nice also, not to be using as much single-use plastic. If easier, just hold off on taking toiletries with you and instead buy everything when you get to your destination. Sometimes this isn't practical or cost effective and you will need to be more flexible about the products you. As a possible negative, Mal Westwood did bring mention that solid soaps and shampoos can be bad for septic tanks - so be sure to check into that with your home owners.
7. Use thrift shops to prepare for a new season Instead of packing everything you need in one go, Janet Wall Sussman recommends donating items you no longer need to a thrift shop and buying new ones. This way you only need one season's clothing at a time! If we both didn’t despise clothes shopping with a passion, we would totally go this route and have been forced into it a few times. However, for some travelers, this makes for a fun activity they look forward to! 8. Get creative Traveling alongside house sitting makes you pretty adaptable and flexible – so use those skills! Leanne Argyle mentioned that she has taken the foam out of her neck pillow and filled it with clothes. This blew our minds. What a genius thing to do and so wonderfully sneaky – we love it! Hopefully, this list will give you some ideas of your own to help you reduce the amount of luggage you take on your next trip! Happy packing! P.S. We recently outlined everything we brought to travel and house sit through Europe for five months, if you want to see some of these tips in action – read more here
Brooke & Buddy Baum are digital nomads who pet and house sit while they travel full-time. During and between sits, they like to explore new areas, hike, and spend time chatting with interesting people. To pay their limited bills, they do freelance work - with Brooke focusing on writing and editing, while Buddy is the photographer and all-around tech wizard. They share their experiences on website TrailingAway.com and on Instagram
PACKING FOR YOUR HOUSE SIT by Deborah Provenzale Whether you're house sitting only once in a while or doing it full time, or somewhere in between, it's always a challenge deciding how much stuff to take with you. It's especially difficult if you have to fly to where you're going as extra luggage can affect the price of your tickets. Although there's no one-size-fits-all situation, following are a few tips based on nearly a decade of living and traveling overseas and house-sitting for long periods of time far away from home.
1. You need less than you think One common mistake is to over-pack. You might think of different scenarios where you'll need these shoes and that jacket and those pants, but you probably won't need half of what you pack. Instead, be strategic in your packing by choosing items that can be dressed up or down for different occasions. Choose items that can be mixed and matched for multiple outfit combinations. In addition, prepare for different weather conditions by packing clothes that can easily be layered.
Shoes can get heavy and take up a lot of space, so choose ones that are functional and can go with a variety of outfits. If you'll be walking a lot, as many sitters do during their house sits, it's important to take comfortable walking shoes. Skechers, for example, are not only comfortable and light-weight, but their diverse styles make them a great combination with jeans, shorts, slacks, and even dresses.
2. You can buy most things wherever you go Unless you're in a really remote area with no access to any kind of grocery or convenience store, you shouldn't have any trouble getting most of what you need. Granted, you probably won't find your favorite brands, but unless you're house-sitting full-time and absolutely need specific products, you can make do for a few days or weeks with what you find. Charity or thrift shops are great for buying inexpensive items in a pinch. Instead of packing a bulky sweater, for instance, you can easily find what you need at a local thrift store, and for quite a bargain. In fact, to keep your packing light, you can even donate it back, along with anything else you don't need, when it's time to leave. In cases where you do need specific products that are hard to find locally, Amazon and iHerb are great resources. iHerb ship to 150 countries worldwide, so sometimes it's easier just to order the items on Amazon or iHerb and have them delivered direct to your sit.
If you're in a place where Amazon or iHerb aren't available, then try to research in advance if you can find suitable product substitutes. Worst case, you may have to sacrifice the space and just take the items with you, but it can be a rare occurrence if you do your homework.
3. Remember you can do laundry at your sit Although it seems obvious, when you're packing, it's easy to forget that you can wash and rewear your clothes. Instead of packing 15 pairs of socks and underwear, you can pack a week's worth and do your laundry once a week. The same goes for shirts, pants, and other items. You can even get by with one pair of pajamas by washing them in the morning and, in most cases, having them dry by evening.
4. Find out in advance what the home owner can provide In most cases, homeowners will provide things like towels, bed linens, hand soap, and dish soap. However, they might even have additional items you can use like a hair dryer. Some homeowners even go as far as providing shampoo, body wash and other toiletries. It never hurts to ask what will be provided so you can plan and pack accordingly. You might even find winter dog walking coats and "wellies" available in the rural UK and other countryside locations.
5. Some recommended items to pack
Laundry bags – to keep your delicate items from getting damaged through washing Light-weight towel – if you have to stay in a hostel between sits; or buy one at a thrift shop Power adapter – for sits in other countries Surge protecting power strip from your home country – although a bit bulky, worth the space by giving you an extension cord, plus more outlets to plug your devices into… as well as surge protection. Especially important if you work remotely. Earplugs and eye mask – if you're a light sleeper Reusable water bottle – so you don't pollute with plastic bottles International drivers license – if you can use the homeowner's car in another country Small light-weight folding or stuffable bags or backpack – small enough to carry with you and can be used when you need a shopping bag or to hold your water, keys, hat, poo bags, etc. when out for the day
You probably have your own "must-pack" items, as well, but hopefully these tips will help you lighten your load and only take the essentials. Happy travels and happy house-sitting!
Deborah Provenzale is a solo female traveler and expat. After living and working in Taiwan for eight years, she now house sits nearly full-time and is location independent. Deborah works online as a Life Purpose coach. She helps men and women find their purpose so they can have more meaning and freedom in their lives and make a difference in their communities and the world. Find out more at DeborahProvenzale.com
THE HAPPINESS OF HOUSE SITTING by Ian Gledhill There have been many studies into what helps people to live a happier life. It has been discovered that some of the factors include:
Having meaningful work Connections with others Spending time with nature Having a control over your destiny
Pet sitting can bring all of these things into your daily life.
Having meaningful work Meaningful work can be when a person enjoys and is engaged by their work. There is a sense of achievement in what is being done. There can also be a feeling of being in control and being comfortable in making any necessary decisions. All of these elements can apply to a house sit.
There is a home and garden to take care of while the owners are away. This will involve keeping the home clean and tidy while you are living there. There may also be some gardening work to be done such as mowing the lawn or taking care of a vegetable garden. We have done this at most of our house sits, with the largest fruit and vegetable garden at our sit in Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. Our benefit was eating the fresh produce each day! Then there are the pets to take care of. As well as being available for feeding duties we really enjoy going for walks with the dogs that we sit for. We have also taken one of our dogs to the vet to be weighed and another to the dog parlour to be washed and groomed before his owners returned. On other sits we have taken care of chickens and pigs, both of who needed to be fed twice a day. The chickens did of course have the added benefit of laying us the freshest eggs each day. Whilst in Devon, in the south of England, the owners encouraged us to help ourselves to the four freezers of various cuts of meat from the ancestors of the animals that we were looking after!
Connections with others In today's society there are many people who feel disconnected from others and feel lonely. House sitting brings people together and enables them to connect and be part of a mutually beneficial community.
As well as the house sitting platforms there are several FaceBook community pages and groups where discussions take place and questions can be raised and problems shared. On a French sit in 2019 I communicated with the owner between January, when we first applied for the house sit, and June when the sit began. As the sit approached I noticed that we had had over 60 messages between us on the house sitting website over that time. In the messages we talked about the house sits that we were on, our planned travels, the ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trips and plans and various other subjects. I had a new pen pal! We have since become good friends with these owners and they have invited us back for a second sit in June 2020. On several occasions we have posted photographs of where we are on Facebook group posts, and from these posts we have met up with other house sitters who are in the same area. Over time it really is quite amazing how many times we do cross paths with others.
Spending time in natural settings Nature is important for us and provides many health benefits. Most people love to get out of the city into the countryside or to a beach or lake. There are so many TV shows where people escape to the country or to the sun. We really enjoy being outdoors and pet sitting gives us the opportunity to be out in the open so much more than our previous office jobs did. Whether it's feeding pigs, or chickens or counting sheep or horses, as we have done on previous house sits, it is really nice to be out in the open.
We also enjoy walking, one of the benefits of house sitting for dogs is that it gives us the perfect excuse to go for a walk twice a day. There is nothing better than going for a long walk through a public footpath in the English Countryside, or along an Australian beach or around a French lake with dogs. We have done all of these over the last 16 months.
Having control over your destiny We enjoy having clarity as to where we are going and what we are doing. This can start with selecting a destination for house sitting, then looking on the various house sitting platforms for listings that fit the dates that we are considering. Then we apply for the house sits that fit our requirements. After taking early retirement from our careers we have been travelling non-stop. Over the last two years we have spent summer in both the northern and southern hemispheres. We are currently in Australia and enjoying our fifth summer in a row. After Australia we will head off for the European summer before travelling back to Australia in late October. House sitting has given us the freedom to travel where we like, when we like and for as long as we like. We are in control. So house sitting really can bring happiness to house sitters, home owners and the pets. There is also the unqualified love we receive from the pets we look after and the new friendships we build as we go along our journey.
Ian Gledhill and his Partner Lloyd Pickering took early retirement in 2017. Since then they have travelled between the northern and southern hemispheres enjoying the summer in both. In late 2018 they commenced house sitting and have since completed 18 house sits in Australia, England and France. You can follow them at NomadicSummer.com or on Instagram at Petsitboys
APPLYING MINDSET TO THE HOUSE SITTING LIFESTYLE by Doreen Cumberford As full-time house sitters we constantly evolve and are frequently offered opportunities to adapt. We adjust to climates, languages, countries, environments, people, and of course, the beloved pets we care for. In fact we are in a constant state of flow or adaptation everywhere we go. During our daily house sit routines, everything is different, and change occurs with such frequency that questions continually arise, like
Where is the peeler? How do I ask how much something costs in Spanish? Which bus will take us to the city centre? Where is the cat carrier kept? Which leash do we use for which dog?
I could go on and on.
Negotiating each house sit necessitates asking hundreds of questions that provide natural development of a growth mindset. Our travels, daily adjustments, and our adaptive behaviors require us to continually meet new challenges, and an ever changing set of situations. We are constantly absorbing new information and honing our skill-sets along with our mindset as we go.
What do we really mean by mindset? Mindset is a modern word used to indicate a "frame of mind", or a set of attitudes. Each of us has an established mindset around the way we think and what we think. Some of us are willing to change these attitudes, while others seem happy to hold on to their patterns of thinking. This ultimately affects how we feel and the actions we take when relating both to other people and to the circumstances we find ourselves in. I believe that with all the required change and adaptation, the house sitting lifestyle provides the perfect arena to practice the power of a growth mindset. While each of us is totally unique and different, we all enjoy fixed and variable factors that are shaped by our natural intelligence, cultural backgrounds and cognition patterns. Generally speaking we fall into one of two categories, either a "fixed" mindset (no room for change), or a "growth" mindset with a pattern of constant change and flow.
How our mindset is challenged day-by-day It's reported that the average human being has a total of 60 to 80,000 thoughts per day of which up to 98% can be repetitive. In the daily routine of a house and pet sitter, isn't it possible that we have even more new thoughts to contend with each day? From the moment we apply for a house sit to the moment we review the experience, we are growing. Some very specific competences and skills are called for along the way. We are required to be socially aware. We are reaching out to strangers, people we have never met, and it's our first opportunity to demonstrate a really positive attitude and a productive mindset. Emotional intelligence and crystal clear communication skills go a long way to build trust and confidence in our abilities. We have to convince home owners that we will competently hold the fort while they are gone.
Self awareness is key It's helpful to be self-aware of one's mindset and to know one's strengths and weaknesses. For example, when looking for house sits, we've occasionally seen listings with large packs of dogs, sometimes 6 or more. Self awareness dictates that we know our limits - a large pack of dogs would be physically and emotionally too demanding for us. Our growth mindset could be stretched to the point of overwhelm which would not be in service to us or the assignment.
On one house sit we took on a nine month old Australian Shepherd puppy while living in a five story city house. While we were very aware at the outset that this would be a high energy sit, our mindset grew as we realized the amount of exercise, attention and constant stimulation this puppy required. In hindsight we would consider this one of our most successful sits, because the home owner was crystal clear about her dog and his needs and what physical abilities would be required to manage him. We also knew on arrival that we would have to be physically "all in". In this situation a "can do" attitude, communicated loud and clear,went a long way to reassuring the home owners that yes, their property and their pets were in very capable hands. Sometimes these situations require that we stretch ourselves a bit, and that's where a growth mindset comes in very handy. It's almost like we "grow" into the position.
The affect of mindset on confidence Confidence and a growth mindset seem to be linked. In taking on an old property built in the 16th century, we didn't consider its age or the affect of weather on an old property. We showed up blissfully ignorant. After a major blizzard where we were rained on, snowed on and dripped on while in bed, we realized that yes, there are unique challenges with older properties. We realized that the next time we applied for a sit, we would need to ask both more and different questions. Yet another opportunity for us to grow. While we can't afford to allow these types of experiences to hold us back, it's important to learn our lessons and grow from them. Re-framing negative situations and transforming them into opportunities to grow is one of the qualities of a successful pet and house sitter. This clearly demonstrates a growth mindset. The more we adapt our attitude, the more our confidence to handle any situation grows. Home owners want to know that we can take on a property and deal with anything that may come up in their absence. If we have an indecisive or negative mindset, it shows and it consequently affects their confidence in us. Demonstrating a growth mindset sometimes looks like we are leaning into risk, but it can also be seen positively as learning a new behavior or skill, embracing change, or showing up and with the willingness to be taught a new task. "If it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you." Fred Devito The ability to make decisions also shows a mindset open to change. We have learned to ONLY apply to house sits that really resonate with us - those sits that make us feel positive about this lifestyle, for which we both feel wholeheartedly excited about. Authenticity also seems to be linked closely to mindset.
Resilience is critical Having flexibility and patience is frequently called for. We had booked non-refundable business class flights across an ocean when suddenly we were informed that the home owners needed to cancel. This required a very sudden growth mindset. After taking deep breaths, responding graciously to our hosts, and then researching all the alternatives, we moved forward to make the necessary changes to dozens of well-laid plans. Another opportunity to grow! Often these come wrapped in the most challenging situations. Growth mindset can be transmitted to home owners by demonstrating previous life experiences. Talking about our skills, such as maintaining pools, caring for horses, gardening and managing households, has reassured home owners through evidence of a growth mindset at work. If you are a new house sitter or home owner, it's important to communicate your life experiences in a way that shows your natural resilience and ability to bounce back when things go awry. Empathy can go a long way in aligning your mindset to a home owner's needs. Being able to see the other person's perspective, with an ability to meet them where they are in their thought patterns, frequently requires changing our mind about our first impressions.
People need to know we will guard, protect and love their animals through thick and thin, so a growth mindset frequently displays as an expression of sympathy, understanding or rapport, all facets of empathy. Our own dog was held in the arms of house sitters as she passed away. They did a brilliant job of communicating the entire process and of memorializing her in a way that built meaning and empathy between us. We all grew in the process. "Becoming is better than being." -- Carol Dweck A growth mindset is clearly beneficial within the house sitting world. Asking questions, being socially aware, knowing one's strengths and weaknesses, being emotionally intelligent, assessing risk, building resilience and creating clear communication with empathy are all strengths we can apply to house sitting. Ultimately finding true meaning and purpose through the service of house sitting is a mindset journey that each of us in this field can celebrate, while applying a growth rather than a fixed mindset.
Doreen Cumberford and John Palmer are former expats who have lived and worked for decades outside their native countries. They believe in the benefits of adventurous living. Doreen is about to publish "Life in the Camel Lane: Embrace the Adventure!" Follow them at "Life in the HouseSitting Lane" on Facebook or at DoreenMCumberford.com
The next issue of House Sitting Magazine will be available from 15th April 2020
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.