Ready to land your first housesitting gig? Congratulations! Housesitting/Petsitting is a wonderful way to get free lodging while traveling, and to really feel like you’re one of the locals!
If you haven’t already, sign up for TrustedHousesitters.com. Here is my affilate link which will offer you a % discount. And read my other post about how to travel Europe for cheap!
If you’re looking for a cheaper housesitting membership, I also use MindMyHouse which is only $20 for the year, but I’m afriad there are fewer opportunities on that site. I recommend TrustedHouseSitters because they are the most comprehensive, have house/petsits all over the world, and have a lovely functioning site. The membership with the discount only costs X, which is still incredibly cheaper than any housing you could get. Plus, some of the sits are really long!
Ready to get book your first housesit? Here’s my tips for how to optimize your housesitting profile.
Take the time to fill out your profile.
-Did you grow up with pets? Posts those pictures!
-Did you petsit for your neighbor down the street? Talk up your experience!
-Did you housesit for your sibling for a weekend? Brag about it!
-It doesn’t matter how little or how much experience you have-if you are a responsible, caring person, then you’ll be able to take care of someone’s house.
-Mention words like -cleanliness, organized, responsible, kind, caring, and obviously talk about any pet/housesitting experience you have!
Know the busy seasons
-A lot of housesits become available around the holiday season. I started applying for sits in late October/early November, but I didn’t get booked until middle of November when suddenly there were hundreds of housesits, and only so many petsitters. I got asked by 4 different people to be their housesitter! After getting rejected for weeks, I was suddenly overwhelmed by choices! Sometimes, it simply comes down to timing, and crafting a good profile.
Craft a personalized message to each housesit
If you’re not studying each housesit and sending a personlized message, then that homeowner will not trust you with their house.
It really doesn’t take much to send a personalized message. Compliment their home, talk about their specific pets and their needs, and always include your experience with animals and caring for homes. You might want to change your message content for a dog versus a cat sit.
Here’s a template I use that I would tweak per each housesit.
Dear NAME,
I would love the honor of taking care of your adorable pooch/kitty, PET NAMES, and your beautiful home. My name is YOUR NAME, and I am a OCCUPATION who works from home/is travelling for a few months, etc. I am new to Trusted Housesitters, but I have taken care of many friends’ pets and homes in my life. Recently, I housesat a (INSERT YOUR OWN HOUSESITTING EXPERIENCE) condo in Chicago during hurricane/tornado season! I cared for two rowdy and energetic cats, and watered and gardened the condo’s rooftop garden. (MENTION PLANT/GARDENING EXPERIENCE) I also have experience taking care of a friend’s Philadelphia apartment with their sweet cat and friendly dog. I would walk the dog twice a day, in addition to a walk right before bed.
(INSERT PERSONAL PET EXPERIENCE) I grew up with two cats with big personalities, Simba and Nala. Simba was an indoor/outdoor cat and we thought he was quite dog-like! He lived to 15 years old. Nala is 17 years old and is still doing well and she is the ultimate cuddler.
Your home is beautiful and I know I would keep it organized and in pristine condition. I would enjoy spending company with your sweet (ANIMAL) as I work from your home. I hope you decide we are a good fit and that we can chat more soon!
Get ready to send out multiple messages
Like I said, it took me a couple of tries to land my first gig. Sometimes, it comes down to timing and crafting the right personalized message. I got into a habit of sending out ten messages a day because I really wanted to land my first gig.
Have reviews on your site!
Even if you haven’t sat with a housesitting site before, you can still get reviews on your site.
You can send a link to your friends/family/neighbors and ask them to write you a personalized review. This will definitely help your profile stand out and make you a more desired housesitter.
Have any other Housesitting Profile tips? Please share them below!
Happy Housesitting!
-Emma <3