Your experiences with Trusted Housesitters and similar services.
September 13, 2023 8:02 AM Subscribe
Pet-owners, please tell me about your experiences with Trusted Housesitters and other home-based pet-sitting services.
My questions:
1) How do you prep your place for someone else to stay there? Do you do a full clean? Do you stock with food etc? What do you do with personal items you might not be happy for other people to see or handle, e.g. personal records, medical and tax stuff, etc? This is extra pressing for me because my apartment is very small and I don't have any lockable storage space.
2) What can or can't you ask your stay-in petsitter to do in your apartment? How has it gone for you to ask your petsitter not to (e.g.) drink or smoke within your home?
3) More broadly, how has it worked for you? Would you recommend a housesitter over paying someone to come in once a day to feed your cat and change its litter?
I'm 'between cats' at the moment but I have used catsitters before. The cost really adds up, however.
I like the idea of having someone I can trust stay in my home to take care of my next pet, but not the idea of having a bunch of extra errands prior to going away aimed at making my comfortably-messy apartment spotless for a petsitter. I already have enough pre-going away errands as it is! I also don't know anyone else in person who uses such a service so would be interested to know what users' experiences have been like.
My questions:
1) How do you prep your place for someone else to stay there? Do you do a full clean? Do you stock with food etc? What do you do with personal items you might not be happy for other people to see or handle, e.g. personal records, medical and tax stuff, etc? This is extra pressing for me because my apartment is very small and I don't have any lockable storage space.
2) What can or can't you ask your stay-in petsitter to do in your apartment? How has it gone for you to ask your petsitter not to (e.g.) drink or smoke within your home?
3) More broadly, how has it worked for you? Would you recommend a housesitter over paying someone to come in once a day to feed your cat and change its litter?
I'm 'between cats' at the moment but I have used catsitters before. The cost really adds up, however.
I like the idea of having someone I can trust stay in my home to take care of my next pet, but not the idea of having a bunch of extra errands prior to going away aimed at making my comfortably-messy apartment spotless for a petsitter. I already have enough pre-going away errands as it is! I also don't know anyone else in person who uses such a service so would be interested to know what users' experiences have been like.
1. If someone else is staying in my house or pet sitting I definitely clean as if I were having company. I put away things that I wouldn't want seen and assume that folks won't go digging.
2. I think it's reasonable to ask someone not to smoke or do anything in the home that would endanger the pets or linger. No smoking, no parties, no guests, etc. I learned, unfortunately, that's it is best to be explicit here. I had a friend pet sit for me and while I was out of town they had a "ladies night" in my loft while I was away. It was all people I knew, but it felt a bit violate-y that it was done without asking or consent.
3. If the trip is just 1-2 days, I'm fine with a pet sitter. If it's more than that I start eyeing a house sitter.
For me this is less about cost and more that I have lots of "special needs" pets and only feel comfortable with someone in the house most of the time. Two of our pets get medications up to 4x daily, so a house sitter with pet sitting included makes much more sense.
posted by jzb at 9:13 AM on September 13, 2023
2. I think it's reasonable to ask someone not to smoke or do anything in the home that would endanger the pets or linger. No smoking, no parties, no guests, etc. I learned, unfortunately, that's it is best to be explicit here. I had a friend pet sit for me and while I was out of town they had a "ladies night" in my loft while I was away. It was all people I knew, but it felt a bit violate-y that it was done without asking or consent.
3. If the trip is just 1-2 days, I'm fine with a pet sitter. If it's more than that I start eyeing a house sitter.
For me this is less about cost and more that I have lots of "special needs" pets and only feel comfortable with someone in the house most of the time. Two of our pets get medications up to 4x daily, so a house sitter with pet sitting included makes much more sense.
posted by jzb at 9:13 AM on September 13, 2023
I used Trusted Housesitters recently to watch our cats for 6 weeks while we were gone, and will be using them again. My experience was mostly-good -- except that our cat-sitter ended up trying to convince me that our indoor cats should be outdoor cats while letting them go outside into our coyote-filled canyon. Once I put the SERIOUS kibosh on that, it was fine. To answer your questions:
1. I had the house cleaned thoroughly before the sitter came. And she did a great job cleaning up when she left. I took anything too personal or "tempting" (painkillers, expensive wine, etc) and put them in a box and stored them in a friend's garage. Just to be safe. I didn't move my tax and medical records as it felt unnecessary. I cleared out the fridge (other than condiments,) and on her request I cleared out a cabinet for her in the pantry since she was staying a long time.
2. I asked for no smoking on the property. Asking to not-drink seems weird to me. She asked if she could have a friend come visit and I said sure, but didn't want any parties.
3. Would definitely use Trusted Housesitters again over someone stopping by (unless it's just 1-2 days) because the cats get lonely.
posted by egeanin at 9:40 AM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
1. I had the house cleaned thoroughly before the sitter came. And she did a great job cleaning up when she left. I took anything too personal or "tempting" (painkillers, expensive wine, etc) and put them in a box and stored them in a friend's garage. Just to be safe. I didn't move my tax and medical records as it felt unnecessary. I cleared out the fridge (other than condiments,) and on her request I cleared out a cabinet for her in the pantry since she was staying a long time.
2. I asked for no smoking on the property. Asking to not-drink seems weird to me. She asked if she could have a friend come visit and I said sure, but didn't want any parties.
3. Would definitely use Trusted Housesitters again over someone stopping by (unless it's just 1-2 days) because the cats get lonely.
posted by egeanin at 9:40 AM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
I very much like having Trusted Housesitters as an option. I live in a touristy area so it's easy to find people who want to visit. One problem I did not expect was a housesitter who was traveling from Canada to stay at our house. She was turned back at the border because housesitting was considered employment or something?! She eventually made it after getting some support from the site. Another time, our housesitter asked us if we had a plunger as she had been flushing our clay cat litter, so I will also recommend being very explicit about everything.
posted by mkb at 11:10 AM on September 13, 2023
posted by mkb at 11:10 AM on September 13, 2023
I've only used Trusted Housesitters once, but I have used Rover to have a sitter stay at my home with my dogs a few dozen times now.
1) Prep is like I'm having a houseguest. Deep clean, wash everything, tidy up the yard, etc. I don't stock with food because I don't offer the housesitter food. I do let them use my washer/dryer, so I make sure there are laundry pods and fabric softener sheets. I leave clean bath towels and washcloths for them in the bedroom.
Anything private or sensitive goes into an (unlocked) closet in my office, and I ask folks not to open any closets. Honor system, I guess!
2) You can certainly ask the person to do or not do whatever you want. I've never explicitly mentioned smoking because I can't believe someone would even attempt that in another person's house in this context, but agreed on that one. Asking them not to drink would throw a red flag to me as a sitter, though. Smoking leaves bad smells and can hurt the pets; what rationale do you have for not drinking? I don't specifically mention guests, but I have had people ask if they could have someone over and I said it was fine.
3) Personally, housesitting and all of the extra prep that goes into it in advance of a trip would not be worth it to me for cats (I previously had two and no dogs). Having someone come to feed and sit with the kitties once a day would require much less clean-up and the kitties would probably be just fine.
As a dog owner, though, for anyone else who reads this, housesitting services have been a lifesaver for me. I have two dogs, one of whom developed reactivity over time. She used to go to a kennel when I went out of town but was kicked out (while I was on a trip, of course!). After that I looked into kennels for reactive dogs but housesitting seemed like the best option because it allows my dogs to keep with their things, their routine, etc., while their main constant (me) is gone. This is especially helpful for my girl since her reactivity comes with anxiety.
posted by anotheraccount at 12:16 PM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
1) Prep is like I'm having a houseguest. Deep clean, wash everything, tidy up the yard, etc. I don't stock with food because I don't offer the housesitter food. I do let them use my washer/dryer, so I make sure there are laundry pods and fabric softener sheets. I leave clean bath towels and washcloths for them in the bedroom.
Anything private or sensitive goes into an (unlocked) closet in my office, and I ask folks not to open any closets. Honor system, I guess!
2) You can certainly ask the person to do or not do whatever you want. I've never explicitly mentioned smoking because I can't believe someone would even attempt that in another person's house in this context, but agreed on that one. Asking them not to drink would throw a red flag to me as a sitter, though. Smoking leaves bad smells and can hurt the pets; what rationale do you have for not drinking? I don't specifically mention guests, but I have had people ask if they could have someone over and I said it was fine.
3) Personally, housesitting and all of the extra prep that goes into it in advance of a trip would not be worth it to me for cats (I previously had two and no dogs). Having someone come to feed and sit with the kitties once a day would require much less clean-up and the kitties would probably be just fine.
As a dog owner, though, for anyone else who reads this, housesitting services have been a lifesaver for me. I have two dogs, one of whom developed reactivity over time. She used to go to a kennel when I went out of town but was kicked out (while I was on a trip, of course!). After that I looked into kennels for reactive dogs but housesitting seemed like the best option because it allows my dogs to keep with their things, their routine, etc., while their main constant (me) is gone. This is especially helpful for my girl since her reactivity comes with anxiety.
posted by anotheraccount at 12:16 PM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
Hi, I was a sitter through Trusted Housesitters for several years (with my partner) and I can give you the sitter point of view if you like!
1) Homes ran the gamut from people doing a full clean to people not cleaning at all (including one in which I suspect it had been a few years since they last cleaned). Usually people intended to do a full clean but never got to it because they were so busy packing. So sitters are used to a range. I REALLY appreciated it when homeowners left a little bit of space for us to put our things, though. For example, putting papers in drawers so we could use the desk, clearing off a stool so we had a place for our suitcase, or clearing off a night table so that we could put our glasses and phones on it. (It was especially great when they did all three.) It is stressful as a sitter when there is no flat surface to put your things.
People generally only left food for us in the context of "oh god please use those vegetables before they spoil." Occasionally they would leave food specifically for us, but because I'm a vegetarian with many food allergies only my partner would actually eat it.
I had more than one homeowner ask me to photograph and text medical and tax mail that came in. We didn't go through anyone's drawers ever (except when they said something like, "Can you find this piece of paperwork which I think is somewhere in that 12-drawer filing cabinet?") Obviously, other people are different but we just weren't interested.
2) Your rules are your rules. No smoking is pretty much a given - but I would say it anyway. I have been in households where I had to keep kosher (including milk plates and meat plates, made easier because I was vegetarian), households where we were not allowed to drink, and households where we couldn't wear shoes. You may get fewer applicants if you have stricter rules.
One other note: pick someone who has been reviewed on the site. A friend of mine who had an intensive pet situation picked someone who had never sat before. The pets were taken care of but other aspects didn't go well. You want someone who has several good reviews.
If you ever want someone to look through your profile, or give feedback on how to read reviews of a sitter to determine if they might be good, or how to interview them, please feel free to DM me.
posted by rednikki at 12:55 PM on September 13, 2023 [6 favorites]
1) Homes ran the gamut from people doing a full clean to people not cleaning at all (including one in which I suspect it had been a few years since they last cleaned). Usually people intended to do a full clean but never got to it because they were so busy packing. So sitters are used to a range. I REALLY appreciated it when homeowners left a little bit of space for us to put our things, though. For example, putting papers in drawers so we could use the desk, clearing off a stool so we had a place for our suitcase, or clearing off a night table so that we could put our glasses and phones on it. (It was especially great when they did all three.) It is stressful as a sitter when there is no flat surface to put your things.
People generally only left food for us in the context of "oh god please use those vegetables before they spoil." Occasionally they would leave food specifically for us, but because I'm a vegetarian with many food allergies only my partner would actually eat it.
I had more than one homeowner ask me to photograph and text medical and tax mail that came in. We didn't go through anyone's drawers ever (except when they said something like, "Can you find this piece of paperwork which I think is somewhere in that 12-drawer filing cabinet?") Obviously, other people are different but we just weren't interested.
2) Your rules are your rules. No smoking is pretty much a given - but I would say it anyway. I have been in households where I had to keep kosher (including milk plates and meat plates, made easier because I was vegetarian), households where we were not allowed to drink, and households where we couldn't wear shoes. You may get fewer applicants if you have stricter rules.
One other note: pick someone who has been reviewed on the site. A friend of mine who had an intensive pet situation picked someone who had never sat before. The pets were taken care of but other aspects didn't go well. You want someone who has several good reviews.
If you ever want someone to look through your profile, or give feedback on how to read reviews of a sitter to determine if they might be good, or how to interview them, please feel free to DM me.
posted by rednikki at 12:55 PM on September 13, 2023 [6 favorites]
I've used Trusted Housesitters and another equivalent site quite a few times. It's generally been fine, but there have been some less-than-great exceptions.
You want to post your listing well in advance of the trip; some housesitters book their full year at once.
I always give the house a good cleaning, put fresh sheets on the bed, and put away sensitive paperwork, but I don't go crazy trying to secure the place. Valuable papers are in a lockbox anyhow. In turn, they've generally done a good job leaving the house in good condition. I don't want anyone smoking in my house, and as best I can tell, they never have. I do think one or two sitters have entertained guests (maybe a lot of guests) in my house, which I didn't specifically forbid and can't prove.
I do like having someone staying in the house because my cats like the attention and it makes more sense with my cats' feeding requirements.
posted by adamrice at 12:57 PM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
You want to post your listing well in advance of the trip; some housesitters book their full year at once.
I always give the house a good cleaning, put fresh sheets on the bed, and put away sensitive paperwork, but I don't go crazy trying to secure the place. Valuable papers are in a lockbox anyhow. In turn, they've generally done a good job leaving the house in good condition. I don't want anyone smoking in my house, and as best I can tell, they never have. I do think one or two sitters have entertained guests (maybe a lot of guests) in my house, which I didn't specifically forbid and can't prove.
I do like having someone staying in the house because my cats like the attention and it makes more sense with my cats' feeding requirements.
posted by adamrice at 12:57 PM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
I haven’t used that site but I have used housesitters for cat care. It was fine back when we were just a couple in a rented apartment with IKEA stuff but as a family of 3 in our own place with nicer things, I’m reluctant to do it again.
Something is always a little bit damaged. Belongings move to different locations (no malicious intent) and it makes hunting for things a bore. Some housesitters get annoyed that you’re asking for pet updates. Some get annoyed if the cat scratches them. Some are a bit too lax about litter cleaning. You can’t lock up and leave — you have to keep the house somewhat nice. (We don’t do a full cleaning, but we do clean out old food from the fridge and straighten up cluster, as well as organize essentials so they’re easy to find. The last time, I also put away treasured belongings of my child as well as breakable decorative items and original artwork.)
It’s a cost-benefit tradeoff, though. If the burden of paying a cat sitter and the detrimental effects of loneliness for your cat outweigh your attachment to your house and effort/risks around the arrangement, it’s not a terrible idea. Make sure you vibe with the housesitter because you will need to keep communication and trust open (much like a cat sitter, but more).
posted by redlines at 1:27 PM on September 13, 2023
Something is always a little bit damaged. Belongings move to different locations (no malicious intent) and it makes hunting for things a bore. Some housesitters get annoyed that you’re asking for pet updates. Some get annoyed if the cat scratches them. Some are a bit too lax about litter cleaning. You can’t lock up and leave — you have to keep the house somewhat nice. (We don’t do a full cleaning, but we do clean out old food from the fridge and straighten up cluster, as well as organize essentials so they’re easy to find. The last time, I also put away treasured belongings of my child as well as breakable decorative items and original artwork.)
It’s a cost-benefit tradeoff, though. If the burden of paying a cat sitter and the detrimental effects of loneliness for your cat outweigh your attachment to your house and effort/risks around the arrangement, it’s not a terrible idea. Make sure you vibe with the housesitter because you will need to keep communication and trust open (much like a cat sitter, but more).
posted by redlines at 1:27 PM on September 13, 2023
I am a Trusted Housesitter sitter, and just want to add that I always have an actual phone call or video call with the host prior to agreeing to the do the sit. If I am already local, I've even met up with people in person before to get a feel for one another and/or talk about more complex elements of the sit. I recommend doing this as an absolute before making any commitments! You can both ask questions, and as the host, you can show your space, address any specific additional needs you have (watering plants, mail, letting a contractor in, etc.), and generally see if you are going to feel comfortable with the person in your home. I do the calls from the opposite perspective -- is the house clean, is the owner kind, are the expectations realistic, am I going to feel okay in this situation?
I've only had really positive experiences on the app as a sitter, and I want to attribute that to checking things out thoroughly in advance. I've really appreciated when my host has been explicit about whether I should/shouldn't eat particular foods, enter certain areas of the house, do XYZ things with their animals (like ride in a car, do off leash walks, etc.). I've always arrived just 30 mins or so before the host left, as well, for a tour and lay of the land. I always confirm expectations for what they expect upon return -- like whether they want me to wash the bedding/towels, or just leave them ready to spin when they come home. Likewise, re: taking the trash out, etc. I also always ask where to find cleaning supplies, and I leave the house in the same (or better!) condition as I found it. If you want to make a little "departing checklist" and leave it on the fridge for me, awesome!
I also always ask how much communication they want while they're away -- do you want me to send you a pic or two of your critter every day and all the fun we're having? Or do you just want to check in periodically and not worry about your pet? Either is fine, but I actually enjoy sending the texts and just keeping them in the loop, so if you want this, don't be shy about asking. For me, it creates the opportunity to actually connect with the host, and that's one of the nice parts about the app. Just set the expectation for whatever will make you feel good.
Regarding cameras, please let the sitter know if there are any and where! And kindly disable any interior cameras that would make things creepy. I always ask, but I also kind of always assume the possibility that I am being monitored. This is probably my least favorite part of staying at somebody's house -- just not knowing if I am being watched. It's nice to address it and indicate your trust.
Last, regarding your private items, put them away in a non-obvious place -- closet, under bed, garage, etc. I have no interest in going through your stuff, but if you are nervous, do whatever you need to do to feel more secure. Also, be sure to tell me where the stuff I might need is, so that I don't open any cabinets or closets that you don't want me to. For example -- some people keep medicine in the kitchen, but I am just looking for coffee filters. Similarly, I'm probably going to need to know where the vacuum is, the extra kitty litter, some spray for cleaning up puke, extra towels, toilet paper, etc. If I know where that stuff is from the get go, I'm not going to hunt around for it. You can label stuff, or point it out on the tour. Just make it easy, and we'll both have a great time!
One nice thing is that some hosts have had a little welcome basket for me of local baked goods, coffee, info about the area, etc., and in those cases, I have also always left a little gift in-kind of wine, flowers, or some other kind of treat for the host or the pet, when I leave. It's fun to have this thoughtful connection and makes the experience more memorable!
posted by luzdeluna at 8:12 AM on September 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
I've only had really positive experiences on the app as a sitter, and I want to attribute that to checking things out thoroughly in advance. I've really appreciated when my host has been explicit about whether I should/shouldn't eat particular foods, enter certain areas of the house, do XYZ things with their animals (like ride in a car, do off leash walks, etc.). I've always arrived just 30 mins or so before the host left, as well, for a tour and lay of the land. I always confirm expectations for what they expect upon return -- like whether they want me to wash the bedding/towels, or just leave them ready to spin when they come home. Likewise, re: taking the trash out, etc. I also always ask where to find cleaning supplies, and I leave the house in the same (or better!) condition as I found it. If you want to make a little "departing checklist" and leave it on the fridge for me, awesome!
I also always ask how much communication they want while they're away -- do you want me to send you a pic or two of your critter every day and all the fun we're having? Or do you just want to check in periodically and not worry about your pet? Either is fine, but I actually enjoy sending the texts and just keeping them in the loop, so if you want this, don't be shy about asking. For me, it creates the opportunity to actually connect with the host, and that's one of the nice parts about the app. Just set the expectation for whatever will make you feel good.
Regarding cameras, please let the sitter know if there are any and where! And kindly disable any interior cameras that would make things creepy. I always ask, but I also kind of always assume the possibility that I am being monitored. This is probably my least favorite part of staying at somebody's house -- just not knowing if I am being watched. It's nice to address it and indicate your trust.
Last, regarding your private items, put them away in a non-obvious place -- closet, under bed, garage, etc. I have no interest in going through your stuff, but if you are nervous, do whatever you need to do to feel more secure. Also, be sure to tell me where the stuff I might need is, so that I don't open any cabinets or closets that you don't want me to. For example -- some people keep medicine in the kitchen, but I am just looking for coffee filters. Similarly, I'm probably going to need to know where the vacuum is, the extra kitty litter, some spray for cleaning up puke, extra towels, toilet paper, etc. If I know where that stuff is from the get go, I'm not going to hunt around for it. You can label stuff, or point it out on the tour. Just make it easy, and we'll both have a great time!
One nice thing is that some hosts have had a little welcome basket for me of local baked goods, coffee, info about the area, etc., and in those cases, I have also always left a little gift in-kind of wine, flowers, or some other kind of treat for the host or the pet, when I leave. It's fun to have this thoughtful connection and makes the experience more memorable!
posted by luzdeluna at 8:12 AM on September 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
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I'm enrolled as a sitter, though I haven't sat yet, but just wanted to confirm that pretty much every listing has various smoking and vaping restrictions, from "nowhere on the property" to "no smoking cigarettes anywhere, 420 okay but only outdoors on the east side of the backyard so the west side neighbor doesn't complain".
I wouldn't take a listing with a no drinking clause, because as a totally unproveable complaint what happens if you decide I have taken a drink in your house and report me for rules violations I have no way to refute? But yes, similar to airbnb listings I have seen requests like "no eating/food in bedrooms" and similar cleaning instructions to avoid pests or especially difficult stains.
It does seem like the amount of home sterilization performed in advance varies wildly, and my expectations would personally depend on how long the stay was. A weekend, I would just expect there wasn't actual trash laying around, but a month or more I would expect a pretty orderly place with room left for me to have at least a cabinet and some fridge space for my own food, somewhere to put my clothes and things, and room in the bathroom for my toiletries. All of which I would bring/buy. Like, yes it's nice if you are obviously sharing your oils, flour, spices, toilet cleaner/spray cleaner, but I don't need you to buy me diet coke or chicken breasts or shampoo. Buy pet food and litter, ideally have extra sent via Chewy or other delivery at an appropriate cadence for long stays, and leave the cat carrier and vet information somewhere obvious.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:38 AM on September 13, 2023 [2 favorites]