House Sitting Process Map

The Steps in More Detail…STEP 1 - COLLECT YOUR REFERENCESThe first step to start in house sitting is to gather your personal and previoushouse sitting references (if you have any). As these can take time to request andreceive back, it is a good idea to start this process as soon as you can.STEP 2 - CREATE A PROFILENext you will create a house sitting profile, one that represents who you really areand what unique qualities you bring to the table on a house sit.STEP 3 - SHOOT A PROFILE VIDEONow it’s time for the part most people despise… shooting a profile video! Whilethis might be as fearful for you as public speaking, it is also one of the mostpowerful things you can do to increase your chances of securing sits. Sorry to tellyou that! ;)STEP 4 - CHOOSE A PLATFORMChoosing a House Sitting Platform is perhaps the biggest step you will take onyour journey to spreading your travel wings and putting yourself out there to findsits. Now you are really playing the house sitting game!STEP 5 - STAY UPDATED WITH PLATFORM LISTINGSOnce you have your profile and references loaded onto the platform, you mustnow endeavour to keep up to date with all of the listings that interest you. Goodsits get snapped up quickly so this step is essential!STEP 6 - APPLY FOR A SIT YOU LOVEOnce you find a sit on a site you love, then of course you need to apply for it bywriting an enticing message to the owner with your profile and references.

STEP 7 - HAVE A HOME OWNER INTERVIEWMost home owners will want to interview you (and you interview them to see ifthe sit is right for you also of course!) so this is usually done via Skype, whereboth parties have the opportunity to ‘see and meet’ each other via video (internetpermitting).STEP 8 - GET THE GIG!Once the home owner has completed all the interviews they wish to do, they willmake their selection and let you know. Hopefully it is you!STEP 9 - SEND BRIEFING DOCUMENTS TO THE OWNEROnce you have confirmed you have the sit it is important to start the process ofgaining the information you need for it. Sending over a document that the ownercan fill out about all the details you are going to need to know is wise if they donot have something in place already.STEP 10 - TRAVEL TO THE SITThen of course you make arrangements and your way to the sit on the set date,which is usually a day or so before the owner leavesSTEP 11 - HOME OWNER BRIEFINGThis is a critical time to spend with the owner so they can run you througheverything you need to know about their home, pets and routine.STEP 12 - OWNER LEAVESAnd you are on your own!STEP 13 - THE SIT ITSELFThroughout the sit you may have a variety of duties to perform, anything fromwalking dogs, taking them to the vets for routine checkups, gardening, rubbish,cleaning the pool, keeping the home owner up to date with what is happening,and possibly even opening their mail and letting them know what’s there.

STEP 14 - THE OWNERS RETURNAt the end of your sit you will usually stay that first night back with the owners soyou both have time to relax and debrief about the sit and their trip away.You will then request a reference from the owner (either verbally and/or throughyour house sitting platform) and you would ensure this gets added to your profile.References are GOLD in house sitting!STEP 15 - DO IT ALL AGAIN!Then it is time to start all over again… finding a sit somewhere you have alwayswanted to go… or maybe a place you have never even dreamed of before!So that’s it! House sitting in a nut shell :)