OK, so you’ve signed up with a house-sitting website, uploaded pics of your home and pets, read reviews, found a match, and agreed on a date for your sitter to take up residence before you jet off on holiday.
Done and dusted, right? Wrong! There’s more to a mutually beneficial and successful housesitting experience than simply handing over your keys on the way out. Proper preparation on your part is paramount and will ensure that the process runs smoothly for all concerned.
Here are ten tips for preparing your home for a house sitter. Then it’s bon voyage!
1. Put a plan on paper
Once you’ve found a house sitter and the dates are locked in, start by making a plan to prepare your property. Create a list of all the things you must do beforehand, so that nothing gets missed. Your plan may include things like writing instructions about garden or veterinary care, providing details for the operation of appliances (including the TV remote!), stocking up on pet food, informing the neighbours about your trip, etc. The more you put down on paper, the less likely it is that something important will be missed.
2. Organise a pet meet-and-greet
If you’ve arranged a house sitter, it’s highly likely that you own a pet. It’s one of the key reasons travellers opt to have someone live in and look after things at home. If so, try to arrange a pre-trip meet-and-greet — so that your fur baby is somewhat familiar with the sitter before they move in. Go for a short walk together and perhaps ask for the sitter’s help with feeding. It’s not always going to be possible, but if you can arrange a pre-introduction, it will be a little less unsettling for your pet when you leave.
3. Prepare a welcoming bedroom…
While house sitting is a transactional exchange (your sitter gets a roof over their head, and you get a holiday), it’s still important to make the sitter feel welcome and appreciated. One of the easiest ways to do that from the get-go is to put some effort into preparing their bedroom. Make sure the room is freshly cleaned and aired, and that the bedding looks and feels inviting. Make power points easily accessible and add a bedside light if there isn’t one in place already. Simple touches like a vase of fresh flowers or a scented candle will undoubtedly be much appreciated.
4. …and bathroom
Preparing the bathroom your sitter will use is also important. Pack away your personal items and leave surfaces clear for the sitter’s own toiletries. Ensure the bathroom is clean, well-stocked with basics like soap and shampoo, and that there are plenty of fresh towels at hand.
5. Clear the clutter
It’s not necessary to depersonalise your home completely when leaving it in the hands of a house sitter, but you should make an effort to clear personal clutter. Pack away things like diaries, bills, loose paperwork, and other bits and pieces awaiting your attention. If you give the house an air of organisation, it’s likely the sitter will endeavour to run things the same way.
6. Create space in the fridge and pantry
As in the bathroom, you’ll need to make space for your sitter in the kitchen — including in the fridge and pantry. This is actually a good opportunity to go through the fridge and dispose of any out-of-date condiments and foodstuffs. Give the whole fridge a good wipe out and clear an entire shelf for your sitter’s use, then repeat this process in the pantry. If you’re happy for them to do so, invite the sitter to make use of your fridge and pantry staples.
7. Do a light spring clean
You’ve tackled the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen; now it’s time to give the rest of the place a spruce up. Air the house, dust, vacuum, and freshen your pets bedding. Again, the sitter is likely to follow your obvious example in how they look after the premises.
8. Clean up outside and stow your tools
Are you expecting your sitter to keep the garden in shape? If so, be clear about the expectations. Do a tidy up before you depart and ensure that your garden tools are clean and functional. If you’re really behind the eight ball outside and need to get things organised quickly, some of the best sheds on the market are very easy to assemble and install.
9. Keep neighbours in the loop
We mentioned earlier about informing the neighbours of your trip and house sitter. It’s obviously important to do so, as they’re likely to see a stranger coming and going from your home! If you get on well with them, they may also be happy to act as a point of contact for the sitter if questions or issues arise while you’re gone.
10. Make arrangements for an accessible spare key
It’s very easy for someone who is unfamiliar with the routine of coming and going from a home to get locked out — especially if you have doors that deadlock automatically. Arrange to stow a spare key externally and securely; leaving one with the neighbours would be ideal.
This post was published thanks to Easyshed.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of tips for preparing your home for a house sitter? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
The information contained in this story is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice in any way. We make every effort to ensure this content is accurate, but we do not guarantee it. You should do your own research and seek the advice of professionals before acting or relying on any of the information provided in this story.
Additional images: Depositphotos, Bigstock, and Envato
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
