Greetings from Utah!
If you’ve been following me on Instagram for the past year and a half, you’ve seen me from a number of different locations:
- New Hampshire
- Pennsylvania
- Vermont
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Colorado
- Utah
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- British Columbia, Canada
- and more!
That’s because I gave up my apartment in November 2023 and hit the road full time. I desperately needed a change of scenery and my new lifestyle fits the bill. New locations, new perspective.
But I get asked all the time HOW I am able to travel full time, and the answer is: www.trustedhousesitters.com.
Yep, I’m housesitting—and often petsitting!
Through this new lifestyle, I’ve visited places that I’ve always wanted to see and also places I’d never heard of. I’ve experienced:
- The beauty of a rainbow over the Grand Canyon
- Rapid City, South Dakota, during the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
- The coldest temps of my life (-12 F) in Evergreen, Colorado
- The magic of Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia
- The taste of ice cream right off the line at Ben & Jerry’s first factory
- The Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas
- and so, so much more.
Curious about TrustedHousesitters? Here’s the breakdown of this wonderful community that I’ve been a part of since 2017.
Q: Do you get paid?
A: Nope. I stay in people’s houses for free in exchange for caring for their home and/or pets. Similar services where you get paid are usually built for finding someone local. If you want to stray outside your area, it can be hard to find gigs because they aren’t built to search in that way (from my experience). On the other hand, TrustedHousesitters was built specifically for people who love to travel. And it is a worldwide service!
And though I don’t get “paid” for this service, I am often given gifts, groceries, experiences, gift cards, and sometimes even cash.
Q: How long are the stays?
A: They can be anywhere from one night to months and months. Pre-pandemic, the stays I had were just a few days up to about 10 days, like a regular vacation. So, they work with anyone’s schedule.
But because I gave up my apartment and am technically without a home—and can work from anywhere—I’ve been choosing longer stays. I was in New Hampshire for five weeks, Cape Cod for four weeks, Colorado for seven weeks, and Washington for a month. But I’ve done many shorter stays as well, especially if it’s to get to a place I’ve been wanting to visit.
In between stays, I have home bases in Atlanta and Nashville with friends. Other than that, it’s Airbnb or a hotel if I’m not near a friend or family member or am on my way to my next stay.
Q: Does it cost to participate?
A: Yes, but the fee is nominal. To simply be a sitter or a host, the cost is $129-$259. To be both, the cost is $189-$319. So, basically, you’re talking the equivalent of just a night or two in a hotel.
>> BUT with my referral link, you can save 25%. Just click here to take advantage of it.
You’ll renew each year—and, hopefully, be glad you did.
Q: What’s the process?
A: After filling out your profile, it’s kind of like a job interview. You apply to a sit that you’re interested in and after getting a few, hosts will interview everyone to see who is the best fit.
And if you’re a pet owner, you upload pics and fill out your profile in such a way to entice people to come to your place. You’ll receive applications and interview people to see who you’d like to keep your pets.
Q: What kind of pets can you choose from?
A: There is everything across the board: from dogs to cats to entire farms to reptiles. You choose based on your experience and comfort level, and how well you can meet their requests or requirements. Again, just like a job. And sometimes people don’t have any pets but don’t want their house to sit empty or have plants that need to be watered.
Q: What about safety and security?
A: Yes, there’s an element of risk, but really, when isn’t there these days? For yourself, you can add a background check so hosts feel more comfortable. And as hosts and sitters, you review each other so you can hear about others’ experiences.
But that’s the gist of www.trustedhousesitters.com! Pretty easy and straightforward. I’ve certainly enjoyed it in the past and am grateful to be a part of it.
So, what do you say? Want to travel the world and stay for free?
MY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- A massage gun for all that driving
- A travel extension cord because older houses don’t have many plugs
- A super compact electric kettle
- A portable fan because not all houses have air conditioning, especially in the north
- A camping lantern that you may need if the lights go out—plus, it charges your phone
- Downey Wrinkle Release spray, if you hate to iron as much as I do
- A laptop stand for all those Zoom meetings
- A portable desk if you need more than a stand
- An air purifier because of all the different houses and pets
- A car phone mount to keep beverages and directions handy
- A seat gap filler to keep items from falling out of your reach while driving
- A FitBit to track all those steps during your explorations!
- Good insoles to partner with that Fitbit
- A camping chair . . . just in case you need a seat somewhere
- A big insulated bag to keep food cool while traveling
- A water sensor to tell you how to care for plants no matter where you are (plants scare me more than pets!)
And now you can see why my Prius is full! 🙂
*updated June 2024
Mental Post-Its 