Thanks for sharing, Maren. I can relate to what you're saying. I'm also active on Trusted Housesitters as a traveler/nomadic type. So, I've seen the pros and cons after doing over 40 petsits.
@@bradellebrecht5507 wow over 40 pet sits!! That’s very impressive. How long do you typically housesit for at a time? Do you favor the longer housesits too? I generally like being in one place as long as possible. Thanks for leaving this comment! I always love to hear about others’ experiences.
@marenmakesit I tried responding but am not seeing my response up here. It varies on how long I'm at a certain petsit. I also try to stay in one area for awhile if I can. I'm starting to get more opportunities on Rover, which is a paid petsitting app. I like Rover much better than Trusted Housesitters because it's a real, paid gig!
I figured some people might tip you on the side. I’ve done house sitting for acquaintances and don’t ask for anything but they have left me money. Nothing agreed upon or anything. Surprised no one does that in these cases just as an extra little thank you
Hi Fifty Figures!! Thanks for your comment. No one has done that for me yet in all the housesits :/ I’m not sure if that’s just the culture that the site promotes or what. I have been paid or tipped in the past by friends and family to housesit though.
hi , im looking over your other videos after finding your channel. Ive been nomadic for the last 5 or 6 years and am currently using THS to save a bit of money away from airbnb and have some furry company. Im finding some sits are such a relief and I dont want them to end ( im at one now where they let me use their car - the owners are chill and very sweet to me , and I like the neighborhood and house )...It's also in the city where I have my belongings in storage so I can visit it for any comforts I may want ( I sold my car years ago and gave up my apartment). Other sits- I find the owners to be uptight- the dogs have personality demands, cleanliness issues, and/or the homes have security cameras and the owners are basically spying on me. Im not sure how sustainable this will be for me- its alot of work sending applications- settling in- etc. I would have assumed some home owners would leave tips - or show more appreciation for us sitters- but it doesnt seem to be so. I grew up in a time where if you wanted to board your dog or have a sitter come to your home- you would expect that service to have a daily fee of $50-100 at the least. The review system on this platform is clearly flawed as well. You've kind of inspired me to document some of my journey- so thanks for that. Id be curious how you set up your camera while doing those errands like watering the plants and stuff haha. I might try to play around with it. ive been all over the world these last several years and always said I would start recording it but always opted not to and kind of regretted that. how long have you even at this life? im 7 or 8 sits in and trying not to get burnt out...
Hi Chris Tina, thank you so much for taking the time to write all this out!! I love hearing your story and about your travels! I love this side of youtube (engaging with y'all in the comments) just as much as I love making the videos themselves, so longer comments like yours always make me smile. I agree with you. THS is an interesting site -- on the one hand, you save a lot of money not using AirBnB, but on the other hand, it feels odd to do a job for free that many people/businesses get paid to do.. ..especially when there are high maintenance owners/pets involved. I can also say that I have never got a tip from the pet owners either. I'm impressed by how long you've been nomadic!! I know what you mean about regretting not-documenting stuff. I did a lot of national parks previous to starting the channel, and wish I had documented those. HOWEVER, that being said, documenting them definitely takes you out of the present moment and changes the experience of being in these places. It's something that is difficult to balance: documenting while also really feeling like YOU experienced it (not just through the lens of a camera). I use my iPhone to film and basically just hold that up a lot of the time (anytime you only see one of my hands while I am talking haha). I have a very lightweight tripod for my iPhone that I can set up super quick and that's what I use for the shots when I am far away. I can get you the link for it if you're interested. With regards to the burnout, it is real. I got pretty burned out and had to take a break from it... you'll hear more about it in future videos... Just remember that YOUR HEALTH is more important than the money you're saving by housesitting. Without your health, you can't do any of it.
@@marenmakesit hey hey! yes please send that link- thanks! Ive already tried like 6 or 7 and found them all to be big and bulky so they all went back to amazon haha. I definitely appreciate your comment about the health aspect..mental and otherwise. although im proud of how long ive been nomadic, It has not came without some consequences. flying by the seat of your pants- is stressful af..and sometimes all of your energy gets directed into figuring out the basics of where you'll sleep in the next days/weeks rather than focusing that energy elsewhere. im tireddd but im also fearful of feeling locked into a high priced apartment in a city that doesnt always feel the most inspiring or like a good fit. im at a big crossroads with where to rest for a bit but definitely knowing I need to rest..and soon. look forward to hearing about your experience as well. cheers to good health and the journey !
@christina9238 I can relate to what you're saying, as I've been a nomad for several years now. Trusted Housesitters can be a great resource, like you said, but it can be too much work for no pay, especially when us sitters encounter demanding or difficult pet owners. I'm slowly but surely building my Rover profile, because Rover is an actual real paid petsitting job. Interestingly enough, most of the Rover petsits I've done were easier than many of the Trusted Housesitters ones, which is bizarre but true! I feel much better getting paid on Rover. Pros and cons to each I guess. It's also possible to be an independent petsitter and market your services independently, and you can make better money.
Hi, and thanks for your content. How much time do you have away from the house to go shopping, sightseeing, etc.? No one would expect you to be home 24 hours a day, would they? I want to tell you about a very recent experience that upset me. I finished a house/pet sit at 11 a.m. because the owners said it was okay and they would return from a holiday in about 4-5 hours. I cleaned up and finally swept the white-tiled floor and left. The homeowners came back some 5 hours later. The dogs had never been left alone that long before. About 30 minutes after they returned home, I dropped off the keys as arranged, but while I was there, the lady slipped and hurt her wrist in a pee puddle outside her bedroom. One of the animals had left. I immediately felt guilty, but I knew I had cleaned the area where the puddle was. I suspect being left alone for that 4-5 hrs was too much of an anxious experience for one high-strung dog, and while having access outside, nevertheless peed inside. Indeed, I had found one other puddle during my nine-day house/pet sit. I advise thoroughly inspecting the tiles before leaving and letting the owners know you have done so, especially if an accident has happened previously or the dogs have been gone for a longer than usual period. What are your thoughts?
I did teleheath & nutrition counseling all remotely. The housesitting doesn't pay you, but it does give you a free place to live, which eliminates the biggest expense for most people (rent or mortgage).
@@marenmakesit did you start your own business ? or maybe you have a company you could recommend to someone wanting to get started ? ( cant hurt to ask haha - im very passionate about holistic health and this is up my alley ) thnx !
I unfortunately don't have any really good leads for you right now. I will keep you in mind for the future though if I do. Totally agree - never costs to ask.
I would be willing to hire a housecleaner when I leave... do you think homeowners would appreciate this if I put it in my profile because I'm sure that some sitters leave the house dirty. Second question: I am sensitive to all chemicals (air fresheners, candles, cheap laundry detergent, chemical cleaning products). Should I put that in my profile?
Yes I think that’s a great thing to put in your profile that homeowners would appreciate! No one wants to come home from vacation to a messy or dirty house, and I think many would view this as an added perk of choosing you. If you’re worried about it, yes you definitely can. I think it’s going to be hard to control what people have in their home entirely, but you can definitely choose what you use while you’re there. For example, not burning the candles they have sitting around the house or bringing your own detergent and using that to do laundry while there so you know you can be comfortable in their space.
Clean bathrooms. No dishes in the sink, wipe out sink. Take out any and all trash. Throw any sheets, towels I used in wash. Re-do litter box for cats. Clean chicken coop for chickens. Vacuum, sweep, mop. Especially with pet hair, it can be kind of a lot especially in a larger house. I have some vlogs where I show my whole cleaning process like this one right here: ua-cam.com/video/QFiD_OglWt4/v-deo.html Thanks for your questions John & for watching the channel!
In all my experiences, pretty much everyone says “help yourself to whatever food is in the house.” Anything in the fridge will go bad anyways by the time they get back. Nowwww that being said some people leave lots of food in the house and other people don’t leave much. Also some housesits I’ve done are over a month long and so I end up having to buy food eventually no matter what because they don’t have a month of food in the house haha. So you do get a lot of free food, but you still have to spend someeee money on groceries. Let me know if you have any more questions.
@@mysticallavish1360 thank you for watching!! I’ve made other videos about housesitting too that might give you more info if it’s something you’re interested in.
Use the link below to join TrustedHousesitters with a 25% discount & use code MAREN25 at checkout! trustedhousesitters.pxf.io/da55ZQ
Thanks for sharing, Maren. I can relate to what you're saying. I'm also active on Trusted Housesitters as a traveler/nomadic type. So, I've seen the pros and cons after doing over 40 petsits.
@@bradellebrecht5507 wow over 40 pet sits!! That’s very impressive. How long do you typically housesit for at a time? Do you favor the longer housesits too? I generally like being in one place as long as possible.
Thanks for leaving this comment! I always love to hear about others’ experiences.
@marenmakesit I tried responding but am not seeing my response up here. It varies on how long I'm at a certain petsit. I also try to stay in one area for awhile if I can. I'm starting to get more opportunities on Rover, which is a paid petsitting app. I like Rover much better than Trusted Housesitters because it's a real, paid gig!
I figured some people might tip you on the side. I’ve done house sitting for acquaintances and don’t ask for anything but they have left me money. Nothing agreed upon or anything. Surprised no one does that in these cases just as an extra little thank you
Hi Fifty Figures!! Thanks for your comment. No one has done that for me yet in all the housesits :/ I’m not sure if that’s just the culture that the site promotes or what. I have been paid or tipped in the past by friends and family to housesit though.
hi , im looking over your other videos after finding your channel. Ive been nomadic for the last 5 or 6 years and am currently using THS to save a bit of money away from airbnb and have some furry company. Im finding some sits are such a relief and I dont want them to end ( im at one now where they let me use their car - the owners are chill and very sweet to me , and I like the neighborhood and house )...It's also in the city where I have my belongings in storage so I can visit it for any comforts I may want ( I sold my car years ago and gave up my apartment). Other sits- I find the owners to be uptight- the dogs have personality demands, cleanliness issues, and/or the homes have security cameras and the owners are basically spying on me. Im not sure how sustainable this will be for me- its alot of work sending applications- settling in- etc. I would have assumed some home owners would leave tips - or show more appreciation for us sitters- but it doesnt seem to be so. I grew up in a time where if you wanted to board your dog or have a sitter come to your home- you would expect that service to have a daily fee of $50-100 at the least. The review system on this platform is clearly flawed as well. You've kind of inspired me to document some of my journey- so thanks for that. Id be curious how you set up your camera while doing those errands like watering the plants and stuff haha. I might try to play around with it. ive been all over the world these last several years and always said I would start recording it but always opted not to and kind of regretted that. how long have you even at this life? im 7 or 8 sits in and trying not to get burnt out...
Hi Chris Tina, thank you so much for taking the time to write all this out!! I love hearing your story and about your travels! I love this side of youtube (engaging with y'all in the comments) just as much as I love making the videos themselves, so longer comments like yours always make me smile.
I agree with you. THS is an interesting site -- on the one hand, you save a lot of money not using AirBnB, but on the other hand, it feels odd to do a job for free that many people/businesses get paid to do.. ..especially when there are high maintenance owners/pets involved. I can also say that I have never got a tip from the pet owners either.
I'm impressed by how long you've been nomadic!! I know what you mean about regretting not-documenting stuff. I did a lot of national parks previous to starting the channel, and wish I had documented those. HOWEVER, that being said, documenting them definitely takes you out of the present moment and changes the experience of being in these places. It's something that is difficult to balance: documenting while also really feeling like YOU experienced it (not just through the lens of a camera).
I use my iPhone to film and basically just hold that up a lot of the time (anytime you only see one of my hands while I am talking haha). I have a very lightweight tripod for my iPhone that I can set up super quick and that's what I use for the shots when I am far away. I can get you the link for it if you're interested.
With regards to the burnout, it is real. I got pretty burned out and had to take a break from it... you'll hear more about it in future videos... Just remember that YOUR HEALTH is more important than the money you're saving by housesitting. Without your health, you can't do any of it.
@@marenmakesit hey hey! yes please send that link- thanks! Ive already tried like 6 or 7 and found them all to be big and bulky so they all went back to amazon haha. I definitely appreciate your comment about the health aspect..mental and otherwise. although im proud of how long ive been nomadic, It has not came without some consequences. flying by the seat of your pants- is stressful af..and sometimes all of your energy gets directed into figuring out the basics of where you'll sleep in the next days/weeks rather than focusing that energy elsewhere. im tireddd but im also fearful of feeling locked into a high priced apartment in a city that doesnt always feel the most inspiring or like a good fit. im at a big crossroads with where to rest for a bit but definitely knowing I need to rest..and soon. look forward to hearing about your experience as well. cheers to good health and the journey !
@christina9238 I can relate to what you're saying, as I've been a nomad for several years now. Trusted Housesitters can be a great resource, like you said, but it can be too much work for no pay, especially when us sitters encounter demanding or difficult pet owners. I'm slowly but surely building my Rover profile, because Rover is an actual real paid petsitting job. Interestingly enough, most of the Rover petsits I've done were easier than many of the Trusted Housesitters ones, which is bizarre but true! I feel much better getting paid on Rover. Pros and cons to each I guess. It's also possible to be an independent petsitter and market your services independently, and you can make better money.
Hi, and thanks for your content. How much time do you have away from the house to go shopping, sightseeing, etc.? No one would expect you to be home 24 hours a day, would they?
I want to tell you about a very recent experience that upset me. I finished a house/pet sit at 11 a.m. because the owners said it was okay and they would return from a holiday in about 4-5 hours. I cleaned up and finally swept the white-tiled floor and left. The homeowners came back some 5 hours later. The dogs had never been left alone that long before.
About 30 minutes after they returned home, I dropped off the keys as arranged, but while I was there, the lady slipped and hurt her wrist in a pee puddle outside her bedroom. One of the animals had left. I immediately felt guilty, but I knew I had cleaned the area where the puddle was. I suspect being left alone for that 4-5 hrs was too much of an anxious experience for one high-strung dog, and while having access outside, nevertheless peed inside. Indeed, I had found one other puddle during my nine-day house/pet sit.
I advise thoroughly inspecting the tiles before leaving and letting the owners know you have done so, especially if an accident has happened previously or the dogs have been gone for a longer than usual period. What are your thoughts?
What job do you have to have income for fir and traveling to different house gigs?
I did teleheath & nutrition counseling all remotely. The housesitting doesn't pay you, but it does give you a free place to live, which eliminates the biggest expense for most people (rent or mortgage).
@@marenmakesit did you start your own business ? or maybe you have a company you could recommend to someone wanting to get started ? ( cant hurt to ask haha - im very passionate about holistic health and this is up my alley ) thnx !
I unfortunately don't have any really good leads for you right now. I will keep you in mind for the future though if I do. Totally agree - never costs to ask.
your videos are awesome.
Thanks so much Ghost man !! Your comment made my day to read.
Thank you 😊
@@BlessedInEveryAreaOfMyLife You’re welcome :)
I would be willing to hire a housecleaner when I leave... do you think homeowners would appreciate this if I put it in my profile because I'm sure that some sitters leave the house dirty.
Second question: I am sensitive to all chemicals (air fresheners, candles, cheap laundry detergent, chemical cleaning products). Should I put that in my profile?
Yes I think that’s a great thing to put in your profile that homeowners would appreciate! No one wants to come home from vacation to a messy or dirty house, and I think many would view this as an added perk of choosing you.
If you’re worried about it, yes you definitely can. I think it’s going to be hard to control what people have in their home entirely, but you can definitely choose what you use while you’re there. For example, not burning the candles they have sitting around the house or bringing your own detergent and using that to do laundry while there so you know you can be comfortable in their space.
What entails deep cleaning?
Clean bathrooms. No dishes in the sink, wipe out sink. Take out any and all trash. Throw any sheets, towels I used in wash. Re-do litter box for cats. Clean chicken coop for chickens. Vacuum, sweep, mop. Especially with pet hair, it can be kind of a lot especially in a larger house. I have some vlogs where I show my whole cleaning process like this one right here: ua-cam.com/video/QFiD_OglWt4/v-deo.html
Thanks for your questions John & for watching the channel!
Do they offer their food or do you buy your own when your housesitting?
In all my experiences, pretty much everyone says “help yourself to whatever food is in the house.” Anything in the fridge will go bad anyways by the time they get back. Nowwww that being said some people leave lots of food in the house and other people don’t leave much. Also some housesits I’ve done are over a month long and so I end up having to buy food eventually no matter what because they don’t have a month of food in the house haha. So you do get a lot of free food, but you still have to spend someeee money on groceries. Let me know if you have any more questions.
@@marenmakesit thank you for being very helpful!
@@mysticallavish1360 thank you for watching!! I’ve made other videos about housesitting too that might give you more info if it’s something you’re interested in.