The flight is booked, the hotel arrangements are taken care of, your brand new luggage set has been purchased and you’re on the edge of your seat ready to go.

Vacation time! There’s nothing better than looking forward to some much needed R&R, a few weeks away to bask in the sun and sip on margaritas. Now the only thing left to consider is what you’re going to do about your empty house. There are plants to water, a cat to pamper, mail to collect... who’s going to do it?

You have plenty of options when it comes to house sitting, but also plenty of things to be careful about. Before skipping town, here are some house sitting tips to consider:

Avoid The Internet
If you can. The web is used for pretty much everything these days from  business networking to retail shopping, and our interaction with strangers has become much more commonplace than it used to be. Still, it’s important to be wary of people you don’t know personally, especially when it comes to entrusting them with your belongings. Craigslist is not the most ideal spot for scouting a house sitter and, unless you’re absolutely desperate and able to conduct a thorough interview screening process, it’s probably best to go with a family member, friend, or at least someone you’re acquainted with who you trust.

Specify Your Expectations
Be up front about whether or not you’re offering a paid position. That’s important especially if you’re asking someone you don’t know very well to watch your house. Write out a list of items and tasks that need to be taken care of and outline the time frame accordingly. If you have pets that need to be fed and cleaned up after, make their needs a priority with the house sitter and of course make sure that they are aware that there are animals to tend to. Also make notes about garbage, recycling, plants, mail, heat/air conditioning, and anything else that needs daily attention. 

Discuss Details With Sitter
Sit down with your sitter and discuss the household chores, making sure they’re okay with the responsibilities and willing to carry them out. Establish times for them to come by or guidelines for them to follow if they’re staying over. Let them know about emergency contacts and other phone numbers they may need such as the vet, cable company, anyone who may be trying to reach you during your absence. Also be clear about the placement of your possessions if there are special instructions on where things go or what not to touch. Some sitters are unclear about whether or not they're expected to clean or tidy up just after themselves, so bring that into discussion as well.

Notify In Advance
If you’re expecting someone to commit to a week or more of house sitting, it’s common courtesy to allow plenty of preparation time. Once your vacation time has been confirmed, you should be on the lookout for a potential applicant. Putting off the search until last minute seems tempting when your trip is months away, but you still need to factor in other peoples’ schedules and prepare for them to be in charge of your home. Besides, scrambling a week or so before taking flight only leaves room for error. You’re bound to forget something on such short notice so be mindful of your own time and theirs.

Have a Back Up
This is not a trust issue, just a precautionary measure because we all know that planning for worst case scenarios is a wise idea. No matter how responsible and reliable your sitter is, anything can (and does) happen. Just in case, have a neighbor or friend on hand t come to the rescue if necessary. Hopefully everything will run smoothly but you’ll thank yourself for being prepared in the event that it doesn’t.






Image from MorgueFile

Courtney Gilmour
		About the author:
		Courtney is a published writer, stand-up comic, and shameless Internet enthusiast. She holds a double bachelors degree in English Literature and Communication Media Studies, specializing in semiotic theory, however she doesn't get Shakespeare and has never won a game of Scrabble. Currently she lives in Toronto and works as a writer for WOMAN.CA.
	Read More >>