SPONSORED — I remember the first time I tried house sitting. It was a small 1-bedroom apartment in south Brooklyn. With three weeks of accommodation, it was the perfect amount of time to explore a new part of the city and a neighborhood I otherwise would never have been able to afford living in. Always on the lookout for unusual accommodation options, house sitting gave me a unique way to live in New York City.

The house sit experience allowed me the chance to live comfortably for a month. And, it came with an adorable little cat—a built-in best friend for the month! My responsibilities included feeding the cat and changing her litter box—and a lot of cuddles!

Another time, my boyfriend and I did a house sit for a month in a London suburb. Normally, a month in London would’ve been cost-prohibitive, but here we had a full-size house to enjoy, two amazing cats (who quickly became best friends) and walking distance to the London Underground for unlimited nights out in the city.

Beyond the basic work required to keep the pets alive, I had the apartment to myself to catch up on my digital nomad work. And, I had an entire new city in which to make new business contacts at a more leisurely pace, as opposed to the pressure of typical business trips. As a verified TrustedHousesitters member, I was able to effectively take care of my host’s pets, but also grow my online business and experience a new city like any local.

House sitting is a unique way to see and experience the world. And, it offers people like me—digital nomads, retirees, as well as those looking for unique experiences abroad (and good stories!)—the opportunity to see and do more while traveling.

What is house sitting? If you’re not familiar with house sitting — it’s essentially a way to travel the world while watching over someone else’s property (and their pets) while they travel. There are a handful of house sitting communities and websites. TrustedHousesitters is the world’s largest pet and house sitting community, operating in over 130 countries. Through the TrustedHousesitters website and app, pet owners connect directly with trusted and verified sitters who care for the pets for free—in exchange for accommodation. Learn more about TrustedHousesitters online here or download the app to get started.

7 Reasons to Try House Sitting

Benefits of House Sitting to See the World

1. Every house sit comes with a best friend!

Sure, there are a lot of benefits to house sitting, but arguably the best reason why they’re so much fun is that every house sit comes with a best friend! Traveling abroad and to new places can be a lot of fun, but it’s also great to experience alongside a companion in the shape of a dog or a cat—or any other type of pet!

The best part is, they’re built-in companions for the duration of the house sit. Unfortunately, living in a tiny New York City apartment, I can’t have a pet of my own, so being able to travel the world and spend quality time with adorable cats and dogs is really special. For those of us unable to keep our own pets, being able to care for animals while traveling is a real treat.

2. More time to explore somewhere new

When house sitting, you tend to stay for longer periods of time. My house sit in London gave me almost a full month living in the city. With my flexible work schedule as a digital nomad, I suddenly had all this time to explore, make new friends, and see new tourist sites.

Long house sits give you plenty of opportunity to explore your new home. Whether it’s a private beach in South America, a suburb of a big city in the United States, or a fancy loft in Europe—the chance to travel slowly is just a natural part of house sitting.

3. Save money working while traveling

Some people might feel that house sitting is all fun and no work, but you do actually have a lot of responsibility. We all know how important our own pets are to us and our families, and so as a house sitter, it’s your responsibility to follow the house rules and respect the pets and their owners. As a house sitter, you get to stay for free in exchange for new experiences.

Saying that, though, there’s an obvious benefit of house sitting, as you are getting your accommodation in exchange for taking care of the owner’s pets and home. With TrustedHousesitters, you simply pay for an annual plan which gives you access to search possible housesits or find sitters for your own pets.

Plus: the experience is really fun! Walking a dog provides great daily exercise, and cuddling with a cat is 100% therapeutic!

4. Better amenities than a hotel

Rather than staying in an unoriginal Airbnb or a basic hotel, the accommodation options when house sitting are top quality, because they’re actually people’s homes.

That often means fully-stocked kitchens, comfortable beds, sheets, and linens, and furniture like you’d find in your own home. Plus, it means you’re keeping their pet happy at home, in their own safe environment. It’s the most comfortable type of accommodation.

You just might need a lint roller to get rid of all that pet fur!

5. Get the house to yourself

As a digital nomad and frequent traveler, finding space for yourself to hunker down and work, work, work, is one of the biggest challenges. Working from cafés, co-working spaces, or shared offices is great for a while, but there’s nothing like having your own space. A place to think, and refresh your work ethic. And for that: you need space!

Thankfully, many of the house sit options include spacious homes and apartments with all the amenities and space you need—not only to comfortably look after the home and their pets, but to focus on your work or your travel experiences.

6. A great way to make friends around the world

Like I mentioned above, house sitting means you get to meet a bunch of amazing pets from around the world. But that also means you get to know their owners as well. And there’s nothing like a rolodex of good contacts with beautiful homes from around the world.

Most owners who seek house sitters are frequent travelers themselves; and whether you meet up with them somewhere else in the world, or they ask you to return for another house sit in the future, it’s a fantastic way to network and make friends.

7. Refresh your work ethic

House sitting isn’t easy. Sure, it’s a lot of fun to play catch with a dog every day, or to have a cuddly cat to share the bed with, but having a routine of daily responsibilities is also really useful. Every house sit I’ve ever done, the homeowner has provided useful instructions on how to effectively take care of their pet.

But it’s not just the habits of taking care of another living being for a few weeks or months. It’s that responsibility and commitment to make the animal feel safe and comfortable, to regularly check in with the owner (if they request it), but also it’s the chance to accomplish your own work and life goals with that extra time in a new place, with new habits.

You get to exercise regularly by walking the dog. (I’ve even stayed in a house sit with a treadmill which changed up my gym routine for a while!) It’s a new office space that brings new energy or inspiration. It’s a job with a routine, but the flexibility to still do your own thing.

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House sitting is one of the most special ways to experience the world—affordably, comfortably, and responsibly. It’s a meaningful way to travel where you can easily make new friends (furry or otherwise), and a special way to exchange stories and memories. Learn more about house sitting here.

About TrustedHousesitters

TrustedHousesitters is the pet-loving community of owners and sitters helping each other travel by exchanging home and pet care for a place to stay. With members in over 130 countries, TrustedHousesitters is the world’s largest house and pet sitting platform. All members just pay a single annual fee to be able to arrange and enjoy unlimited housesits safely, securely, and at no extra cost. No money ever changes hands!

Download the TrustedHousesitters app for free.