When I started traveling, I learned about house sitting while teaching English online totally on accident. I thought I wanted to teach English in a foreign country, but I started teaching with VIPKID and loved it so much I didn’t want to stop.
I knew that if I wanted to travel for longer, I needed to find budget-friendly accommodation. Then I read a blog about traveling as a house sitter. Pets + unique travel destinations + the comforts of home sounded amazing, so I signed up.
Working remotely while house sitting has allowed me to travel longer, save money, and explore areas I never would have known existed. The two go hand in hand, and this post explains why.
(Post originally published in 2019)
What is house sitting?
House sitting means that you take care of someone’s home and pets while they’re away traveling. They get free pet care and someone to take care of the house. You get a great place to stay and pet friends.
You can find house sitting jobs on several different websites, most of which have an annual membership fee. I use and love Trusted House Sitters because they have tons of listings and a super easy interface to navigate.
House Sitting Pros
- Adorable pets to keep you company while you work remotely
- Access to a full house with your own space and privacy
- Affordable accommodation while traveling
- Opportunity to meet new local friends and live in a residential area
House Sitting Cons
- You’ll have to be very flexible with your travel dates
- You’ll have to be very flexible with your travel destination
House Sitting Frequently Asked Questions
You can read more about how house sitting works in this post. Here are some commonly asked questions and answers.
Who can be a house sitter?
Anyone can be a house sitter! House sitting is best for people who are flexible with their travel dates and locations.
Where do I find house sitting jobs?
These are some popular house sitting websites. These sites have annual fees ranging from $20-$120/year. Usually, the more listings available, the higher the annual fee.
What do I do to get house sitting gigs?
- Fill out a profile on your house sitting website
- Apply for sits as soon as you see them.
- Write a detailed house sitting application message to your host explaining why you’re the best fit for the job.
- Skype with the host to ask questions and get more details.
- Confirm the sit with the house sitting website
Do I get paid to be a house sitter?
Usually no. But you do get a great place to stay and pet friends to hang out with during your visit!
Where can I find house sits?
You can find house sits all over the world! There are a higher concentration of listings in Australia, Europe, and North America, but it’s possible to find listings anywhere.
How long are house sits?
It depends on the listing. I’ve done some that were only two days and some that were six weeks. If you want to save money, stick to longer house sits to save money on transportation costs.
What kind of pets do you care for?
All kinds! I’ve had house sits with dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and chickens. Each listing is different and it will say how many pets you’ll be caring for.
Why is house sitting a great fit for online English teachers and digital nomads?
House sitting goes well with a digital nomad or remote work lifestyle because you get to travel while still keeping those homey comforts (like amazing pets!).
Some house sitting hosts prefer sitters who are home for most of the day, which makes remote workers and online teachers a great fit.
Here’s why they work really well together.
House sitters get to care for pets, even while traveling
Digital nomad life can be lonely, and the biggest perk of house sitting is that you get furry companions to keep you company while you work and explore new places. There’s nothing better than unwinding after a long day with an adorable kitty friend in your lap. If you love pets, you’ll love house sitting.
You’ll experience different places than other travelers
House sitting gives you an opportunity to explore places that are a bit off the beaten path. Since you’ll usually be staying in a residential area, you’ll get to experience life as the locals do.
You might also find a house sitting opportunity that fits your needs perfectly that’s in a place you’ve never thought to visit. When that happens, I say go for it! You’ll see more of the world and find places that are off the traditional tourist routes.
If you want a more local experience, house sitting is a great way to find it. Most of my house sitting hosts have introduced me to friends and neighbors if I needed anything during my stay, which gave me more connections in the area I was visiting.
You get all the comforts of a real home
Another awesome part of house sitting is that you’ll be staying in a real home during your travels, which means you’ll have creature comforts like a kitchen, good internet access, and more privacy.
Gone are the days of fighting for WiFi in the hotel lobby — you might even have a proper home office set up you can use during your sit!
I’ve spent my share of uncomfortable hours on tile floors with my laptop stacked on a pile of packing cubes while I tried to look professional. It’s so much easier when you’re house sitting and have options to sit at a table or even a desk.
On my first house sit with a really nice desk and office chair, I felt like I could have taught for a month straight because I was so comfortable. It was a game changer.
House sitting keeps travel affordable
One of the big perks of house sitting, in addition to adorable pets, a nice home, and comfortable amenities, is that you don’t have to pay for accommodation. You take care of pets and a home in exchange for a free place to stay, so if you’re planning to travel longer in a more expensive region of the world, this can make your budget go much farther.
House sitting was a huge part of the reason I was able to travel to Europe for six months without touching my savings.
You can start locally
If you’ve wanted to get into traveling and working remotely but have been scared to start, house sitting gives you the chance to start small. You can book a house sit in your own town or somewhere driving distance and give it a go.
Pack up your traveling classroom, test out your travel background, fill your backpack with all that amazing digital nomad technology, and practice like you would if you were going somewhere far away. But do it locally.
House sits can be found all over and some are just a few days in length. It’s a great way to get some experience house sitting and test out your traveling teacher set up before going somewhere new.
No matter your travel style, house sitting is an awesome way to live like a local with the comforts of home. It’s a great fit for online teacher and digital nomads since house sitting is the perfect blend of convenience and adventure.
Check out these posts for more information about house sitting
- How to write an awesome house sitting application message
- Is house sitting for you? Ask yourself these 8 questions before signing up
Check out these posts for more information about teaching English online
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