Travel Tips
Trusted House Sitters
Last updated April 2026
How we stayed in Australia for three and a half weeks, had a car, and hung out with three greyhounds — all without paying for accommodation.
If you've never heard of Trusted House Sitters, here's the short version: homeowners who are traveling need someone to watch their pets and take care of their house while they're away. You apply for the sit, and if they pick you, you stay in their home for free. No rent, no Airbnb fees — just you, their house, and their animals.
It sounds too good to be true, and honestly that's what I thought at first. But after doing several sits — from quick weekends near Austin and San Diego to a three-and-a-half-week stay in Australia — I can say it's one of the best travel hacks I've found. It's not for everyone, and there are things to watch out for, but when it works, it really works.
Our Experience
Starting Small: Austin & San Diego
We started with a few smaller sits close to home — short stays outside of Austin and San Diego. These were great for getting our feet wet without the commitment of a long trip. A couple of days here, a weekend there. It helped us figure out what to expect, how the communication with homeowners works, and what questions to ask before accepting a sit. I'd recommend starting with something local or short-term before jumping into a big one — it builds up your reviews, too, which makes it way easier to get accepted for the sits you really want.
The Big One: Three and a Half Weeks in Australia
Our biggest sit was in Australia — three and a half weeks watching three greyhounds. The homeowners let us use their car, which was an absolute game changer. We had a home base, a vehicle, and three of the sweetest, laziest dogs you've ever met. Greyhounds are basically professional couch potatoes, so the actual pet care was easy. Most of the day was spent exploring the area, and then coming home to three dogs who just wanted to sleep on the couch next to us. It felt like living there, not visiting — and that's the magic of house sitting. You get to experience a place the way locals do, not as a tourist bouncing between hotels.
How to Make It Work
I've had a really positive experience overall, but I know that's not the case for everyone. The difference usually comes down to how you approach it. Here's what I've learned.
Build Your Profile First
Homeowners are trusting you with their home and their pets — they want to feel confident in who they're choosing. Fill out your profile completely, add good photos, and write a genuine bio about who you are and why you're interested in house sitting. If you have any experience with animals — even your own pets — mention it. References from friends or family who can vouch for your reliability help a lot in the beginning before you have reviews on the platform.
Apply Thoughtfully
Don't send the same generic message to every listing. Read the homeowner's post carefully and reference specific things — their pets' names, details about the house, what they mentioned they're looking for. Homeowners can tell when someone just copy-pasted a message, and a personal application goes a long way. Mention your experience, explain why this particular sit interests you, and be upfront about any questions you have.
Communicate Clearly Before You Commit
This is the most important one. Before you accept a sit, have a video call or at minimum a detailed conversation with the homeowner. Ask about the pets' routines, any health issues, house rules, neighborhood details, emergency contacts, and what their expectations are. The more you talk before the sit, the fewer surprises when you're there. If a homeowner is vague, avoids questions, or gives you a weird feeling — trust your gut.
Know the Red Flags
Not every sit is a good sit. Watch out for homeowners who are hard to reach before the sit starts, unclear about expectations, have a long list of demands that feel unreasonable, or seem to be using the platform as a way to get free pet care without any consideration for the sitter's experience. If the listing feels off or the homeowner is dismissive during your pre-sit conversation, it's okay to pass. There will always be another sit — don't force one that doesn't feel right.
Start Local, Then Go Big
Your first few sits should be low-stakes — close to home, short duration, easy pets. This gives you reviews on your profile, confidence in how the process works, and a chance to figure out what kind of sits you enjoy most. Once you have a few solid reviews, the bigger international sits become much more accessible. Our Australia sit wouldn't have happened without the smaller ones we did first.
Leave It Better Than You Found It
This should go without saying, but treat the home like it's yours. Clean up before you leave, take great care of the pets, send the homeowner updates and photos while they're away, and leave a thoughtful review when it's done. Good reviews are everything on this platform — they're how you get invited to incredible sits down the road.
Is It Worth It?
For us, absolutely. Free accommodation in Australia for almost a month — with a car and three adorable dogs — is hard to beat. Even the smaller sits near Austin and San Diego were worth it just for the experience of staying somewhere new without the cost of a hotel or rental.
It does require flexibility. You're working around someone else's travel schedule, you need to be genuinely comfortable caring for animals, and you have to be okay with the fact that you're in someone else's home. But if you're the kind of person who travels slowly, loves animals, and doesn't need a hotel concierge — this is one of the best ways to see the world.
The annual membership pays for itself after a single sit. For us, it paid for itself many times over with Australia alone.
Want to Try It?
If you're interested in giving Trusted House Sitters a try, you can use my referral link below. It helps support me and gets you started on the platform.
Sign up with my referral link →House sitting isn't going to be for everyone — and that's fine. But if you're someone who loves animals, travels often, and is open to a different kind of travel experience, it's worth looking into. Start small, communicate well, trust your instincts, and you might end up on the other side of the world with a car and three greyhounds sleeping at your feet.
Happy sitting.