My last post included a travel list for 2013. I created a calendar grid, started the requisite research and examined the travel budget. Sadly,my travel bucket list will max out my travel budget restrictions in very short order. It’s time to get creative. I sang the praises of home and flat rentals in a previous post and plan on staying in quite a few, but this year’s travel plans will require some additional financial and logistical creativity. Enter Dalene and Peter Heck of HeckticTravels.
Darlene and Peter gave up corporate life to travel the world. Does it sound inspiring, but impossible? I thought so too until I discovered that they are “expert” world travelers/house-sitters and wrote a book to guide potential house-sitters through the process. Their blog outlines their motivation for their slow-travel lifestyle, includes stunning photos and advice about living a life of travel. Honestly, it’s a great read. You should subscribe. I’ve spent hours during the holidays on their site and I blame them for my lack of posts lately (that and the fact we are back in the US for a bit).
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- Devon, England
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- Poitou-Charentes, France
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- Charente-Maritime, France
Inspired by their advice, I researched two housesitting sites TrustedHouseSitters.com and Housecarers.com. Both sites allow non-registered users to peruse their listings before deciding to (or not to) register on the site as official house-sitters. There were intriguing opportunities for long weekend and multiple month sittings in the UK, France, New Zealand and Italy. Most listings required pet-care responsibilities, which suits me just fine. I love the idea of living someone else’s life for a week or two or ten in exchange for a little dog/cat/sheep/chicken watching and gardening. It doesn’t even matter where…I registered with TrustedHouseSitters, created an online profile and paid my registration fee. I wonder where our first housesitting experience will be?!
Are you a house-sitter with a little advice or experience? Have you ever taken on a house-sitting opportunity ? I’d love to hear from you!
I’ve always thought it was an interesting concept. Is there flexibility in dates – or do the owners just post dates and that’s when you have to go?
Hi! Some owners post dates and some just want to have someone “lined up” for the future. I get updates with new listings every day and there are house sitting opportunities that range from one week (London) to a year (In Thailand!). It is an interesting concept and even more interesting when you realize some people live/travel like this 24/7. Thanks for reading!
Hi, we have done seven housesits through Trustedhousesitters since April, I was worried our lack of experience may be a issue but if you have a well written profile and make it obvious you are a animal lover you should be fine. We are going to France and the Netherlands sitting this year, its become our favourite way to travel by far.
7?! That’s amazing! Can I ask where you’ve taken housesitting jobs so far? I’ve found a few that seem like they’d work well, but haven’t “jumped in” yet. I’m still trying to nail down my own travel schedule! I do love the idea of taking care of someone else’s animals since we no longer have any of our own
We didn’t actually intend to do seven, bit of a oopsie on my part – I applied for a lot being new to the site and most of them said yes somehow. We’ve done two in Wiltshire, Brighton, Oxfordshire, Bath, Somerset (we actually live in Somerset but the area and cats really appealed) and Brittany, France. This year its Cornwall, Oxfordshire, West France and the Netherlands.
Im sure you will find something that suits on Trustedhousesitters, I am always amazed at how many new ones get posted each day. We would like our animals but want to travel so it offers best of both
I’ve used Trusted Housesitters to live in France as a house sitter. Currently into month 8/9. It’s been a really great experience: have lived in the Charente, Pyrenees Atlantique and Midi Pyrenees and have really got to experience French life as someone who lives here rather than is just visiting.
Did you apply for any housesits in the end?
I did! I just returned from a week in the English countryside. It was fabulous. I keep watching the opportunities in France, but my French is absolutely abysmal.
Are you planning another housesit when this one is finished?