If you are one of the many home owners that has been the victim of burglary, or you are the owner of a pet with special needs (aren't they all), or you simply worry what will happen to your home and/or pet in your absence, you know what it is like to be unable to completely relax and enjoy your hard earned holiday.
You may have arrived home to the aftermath of irresponsible relatives who were supposed to be taking care of your home in your absence and haven't quite lived up to their end of the bargain. You could have forked out hundreds, if not thousands for pet boarding only to be unable to stop worrying about how they are the whole time, or for them to come back different pets, perhaps even with ticks or fleas (or worse).
But it doesn't have to be this way.
Right now, there are a rapidly growing number of people out there who are willing to make it their full time jobs to keep your home absolutely immaculate, love your pets (almost) as much as you do, make sure your home looks 'lived in' at all times, all this and more simply to have the opportunity to experience your way of life. They are willing to provide daily emails about the furry kids, chat with your neighbours as if they were their own and forward your mail to wherever you happen to be living it up on the planet.
No longer do you need to lie awake in your hotel room fretting your skittish elderly cat isn't coming in to eat at night, because you have chosen a cat lover with experience medicating cats due to two years volunteer work with the Cat's Protection League. Someone is there to make sure your Maltese Dogs get their little jackets on if it starts to rain when out walking, because you have chosen someone who used to own them and knows all about their needs.
"Who are these angels of mercy?" I hear you cry. "How do I get these wonderful people to come and take care of my wonderful home and precious pets while I am away?!"
With the advent of the internet making this world a whole lot smaller, people from all walks of life are now able to communicate via the magic of websites and get in touch with each other to fulfill common needs.
One such website is JoinHouseCarers.com, who bring together wandering home owners with suitable house sitters. When you are offering 6 weeks on the Gold Coast of Australia, a funky Villa in Greece or home by the beach in Essex just 45 minutes from London on the train, there is someone out there that has dreamt of a holiday like this their entire life. In return, they give you the opportunity to fully appreciate your holiday, join in that Conga line and fully enjoy yourself to the best of your abilities.
It is the least they can do to experience your way of life.
Try this. Calculate how much rent you think someone should pay each week if they were to hire your house as a holiday home. That is about how much they owe you in organising everything for you. It is part of the territory for experienced house sitters to take care of everything and should be happy to do so. It should become the full time job of the house sitter to take this weight off your mind and ensure the highest level of security, safety and wellbeing of your home and pets.
A professional house sitter should have police clearances, scans of driver's licenses, contract and references all ready to go so they can do what they are there for - to make sure you have absolute peace of mind. When we house sit I'm particularly fanatical about keeping the home to the exacting standards of the owner and to love their precious pets in the way we want our furry kid Eleanor to be treated while we're away. We owe you the peace of mind you seek. Without this, there would be no need for house sitters and with it the opportunity for great adventure.
Each house sit has been a new and interesting episode in a way of life we would never have had the chance to experience. At the end of each house sit no-one really knows how to thank one another. The homeowner always feels like we have done them a great service and provided valuable peace of mind, we couldn't be more thankful because we get to explore a great continent or group of islands, meet new, interesting people and to our great delight, their wonderful pets.
So if you've ever had a bad experience that's caused you to wake on your holiday in a cold sweat, have a furry kid that is particularly troublesome or you feel tied to the house in any way there is a shining light at the end of the tunnel. The clever people at HouseCarers have taken care of everything for you. Ian White (the founder of HouseCarers) worked in IT all his life before he started HouseCarers, so the usability and notification system is the best you will find on the internet. I have joined them all and can say that this is the only service I use and will ever need.
Free for homeowners, the search system allows you to peruse thousands of house sitters worldwide according to the requirements you select. If you place an ad, all of the house sitters that are searching in your area are notified and will contact you to apply. All of the home owners that we have applied to have said that the response they have received has been overwhelming and they have needed to take a few days to decide. There is a money back guarantee if you don't find anyone perfectly suited to your needs (highly unlikely).
So don't be afraid to leave home, get a house sitter. Your pets, plants, gardens and relatives will appreciate it!
Lesley Huntley is currently a full time House and Pet Sitter, the editor of HomeSafeSitters and a grateful member of http://www.JoinHouseCarers.com
If you are a home owner looking for a house sitter or if you are looking to become a house sitter, feel free to visit our house sitting website for more articles and information.
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