House sitting is one of the most preferable ways to travel the world without paying for accommodation. But do you know the right way to do it? I didn’t either until I read a book by a friend of mine – Laura, who house sits basically everywhere in the world. She spent 9 months house sitting in Australia, so what better way to learn the ins and outs of house sitting than from a pro like her and her fiancé Tanbay.
Laura and Tanbay are travel bloggers at Travelling Weasels and full time travellers. I’ve known them probably since my first few days in the travel blogging world and I only have good things to say about them. We’ve made many collaborations together, Laura helps me with editing whenever I need it and I wait for them to come visit me in Sofia soon.
Laura’s book “House sitting in Australia” shows the basics of house sitting, the key elements of the approval, how to become a trusted house sitter, etc. Actually, the book is about Australia but there are many concepts that you can apply anywhere in the world. In my opinion, if you plan on starting or growing your house sitting resume, this book is a good start to learn more about what makes a good house sitter.
Because of House Sitting Laura and Tanbay saved $10,600 on accommodation for the 9 months spent in Australia. Isn’t that impressive?
What I like about this book is that it has a story behind it but it also gives you valuable lessons about house sitting. Laura talks about her journeys – the good and the bad ones, during her 9-months house sit adventure in Australia. She also shares 14 lessons she learnt during that journey and they’re all practical tips which you can easily apply in your own house sitting experiences.
They also show you how to take care of animals, what to do when they’re sick or they miss their owners.
I’m impressed with Laura and Tanbay’s 9 month adventure in Australia. They did 8 house sits and made a great resume and countless memories. They prove that you can do it too. You just have to follow some basic rules.
It would be even better if there were some more price comparisons in the book and details on dealing with the negative experiences during House Sitting. But there may be a second edition, who knows?
But if you want to understand the nature of house sitting, this book is the perfect start. You’ll find your answers there, you will also find some pretty good examples of dos and dont’s for the application process and for during house sitting itself.
Even though I don’t consider myself a house sitter, just because I travel part time and can’t spend too much time abroad, I feel more ready to dive into that journey after reading that book. That’s why I totally recommend it!
You can buy the book “House sitting in Australia” for just £5 here. If you have any questions about house sitting, contact Laura and Tanbay on travellingweasels@hotmail.com. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter and don’t forget to check their blog out – Travelling Weasels, for even more tips for house sitting.
Olga | March 22, 2015
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So does house sitting basically mean that you’re staying at somebody’s house for free (all bills paid), while the owners are taking a vacay? Sounds awesome, I should do that!
http://www.therussianabroad.com
Maria | Author | March 23, 2015
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Yes, that’s correct! You stay for free when the owners are away 🙂 But it’s hard to start, and as Laura says in her book, you have to work hard in order to get your first house sitting opportunity. Most of the people trust house sitters with positive reviews and history. But it’s a great way to travel and explore new places 🙂
Zascha | March 23, 2015
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I think house siitting is a perfect way to save money and at the same time stay local.
I’ve considered it right from when I decided to go travelling, so I’m looking forward to trying it 🙂
Maria | Author | March 23, 2015
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I wish you a lot of success with house sitting!