For adventurous folks who have had their travel wings clipped due to expensive kennel and dog walking costs, realizing there is such a thing as free house and pet sitting services can feel like you just got a surprise visit from the vacation fairy. Housecarers.com and other opportunity matching websites have made it easier than ever to connect with individuals who are willing to provide loving care for your pet or home. Following are a few tips and tricks to make sure your first experiences flows as smoothly as possible.
Resources: While it would certainly be convenient if everyone who house sat for you had the capacity to remember every single detail you throw at them when they arrive at your house, the truth is most people need something to refer to when questions arise regarding home appliances, veterinary contact information, security procedures, or your go-to person for plumbing emergencies. In such instances, a home operations manual can come in handy.
There are many formats you could choose, but a three-ring binder is an easy-to-use solution that can be divided by tabs into sections for pets, home maintenance, emergency water and power switches, fire escape routes and more. Pocket folders can be added to hold loose pamphlets with community information about takeout restaurants, public transportation and other resources your sitters may find useful.
Supplies: It's generally expected that your house sitters will take care of their own groceries and other essentials. However, your sitters are generally traveling a distance to get to you, and if you've only allotted for a quick orientation before you head for the airport, there's a chance they won't have an opportunity to hit the grocery store until the next day. Since in most cases you are getting a free service that would otherwise cost you major bucks, it's a nice gesture to at least stock a few basics such as bar soap, toilet tissue, and perhaps some bread and peanut butter to tide them over until morning. I've even had a pet parent leave me a bottle of wine with a welcome card, which was also quite thoughtful.
Also, you should definitely make sure you have the supplies on hand for the sitters to provide the service they have agreed to provide. These include things like trash bags, pet food, any medicine your animals need and vacuum bags to name a few.
Emergencies: You never know when a minor home or pet emergency will occur. When it does, it's helpful if you have prepared in advance to a certain degree. Simple ways to do this include having an envelope of petty cash where sitters can file receipts for miscellaneous expenses, leaving your current credit card on file with your veterinarian in case a pet falls ill, and any necessary transport kennels for your animals. If you happen to live in a location with certain risks built into your daily equation, then make sure your sitters know the evacuation procedures for things like floods, severe storms or unforeseen political unrest.
