How do I prepare my house for house sitting (a sitters perspective)

The best way to prepare for someone house sitting in your house is to think about where you want them to sleep, whether you want to give them full access to your home (or restrict certain rooms) and whether you want to keep certain things out of the way such as computers or other devices. 

Preparing your house for house sitting can be a big task especially if you have a lot of rooms and a lot of animals. It is difficult to know where to start and what you actually need to adequately prepare for someone staying in your home.

The most important thing is that you leave the house in a clean and tidy state so that it is livable and acceptable for someone to stay in.

If you leave your house like this, it also encourages house sitters to treat your home with respect and leave it in the same condition as they found it. 

Here are a few ideas that you can use to prepare for a housesitter:

• Remember to leave out instructions if there are any specific details they need to know about the animals.
• Leave out fresh sheets and towels.
• Tidy the areas and put away anything you don’t want to leave out.
• Get a spare pair of keys out.

What to leave someone who is house sitting

It is likely that housesitters don’t want to be taking lots of things to the housesit, so it is great if you can provide a few items to make their stay as easy and comfortable as possible.

The ideal items for you to leave for someone who is house sitting are:

• Fresh towels and tea towels
• Enough toilet paper
• Enough washing up liquid
• Enough clothes detergent so that clothes can be washed
• Tea bags/coffee
• Milk
• Clean sheets if they are staying for a longer period of time
• Spare bin bags
• Enough pet food for their stay
• Hairdryer
• Empty wardrobe space if the house sitter will be there a while

What do you stock a house sitter with?

It is down to you what you stock a house sitter with. Generally, a house sitter will need the bare essentials to be able to live in your house. This includes toilet paper, soap, fresh bedding and towels, kitchen paper and enough pet food for the duration of the sit.

You can also stock other things such as shampoo, shower gel and food if you are feeling generous, but usually, sitters will provide their own. 

What information to leave someone who is house sitting?

If someone is house sitting for you, it is very helpful for them if they know certain information about your pets and the house generally.

The type of information you should prepare to give could include the following:

• What time do the animals need to be fed?
• How often should the pets be fed?
• Where is the pet food kept?
• How much should the pets be given to eat?
• Do the pets have any dietary requirements?
• What are the vet’s contact details in case of emergency?
• Where do you take the full bins/rubbish?
• Where is the nearest supermarket?
• Is there anything that the animals cannot do?- for instance can house-cats go outside?

Where does the house sitter sleep?

The house sitter can sleep wherever you think is most suitable. This could be in your bedroom, a child’s bedroom, a spare bedroom or somewhere else. 

Make sure the house sitter is comfortable so that they feel at home and are able to enjoy their stay.

How do you sign up for TrustedHousesitters?

You can sign up to TrustedHousesitters by using this LINK.

Please note that this is an affiliate link.

To conclude…

Preparing your home for a house sitter involves keeping everywhere clear and making sure there is enough space for the house sitter to feel at home.