What is House Sitting? A Guide for Digital Nomads

Kiara Conaghan

Last updated: Apr 30, 2025 9 min

As nomads, we may have separated ourselves from the conventional idea of a home, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need those home comforts from time to time. If you find you’re missing that feeling of hominess while traveling, or if you’re looking for a way to cut down on accommodation costs and start traveling as cheaply as possible, housesitting is one of the most affordable and accessible options out there.

Organised through companies like TrustedHousesitters and MindMyHouse, housesitting is a volunteer-based arrangement where sitters look after homes and pets while owners are away, in exchange for free accommodation. But beyond being a solution to that ever-pressing question of accommodation, housesitting is a wholly unique travel lifestyle in itself, and it’s become my favourite way to travel.

Keen to find out more? Below, we’ll go through all the reasons why housesitting is such a great option for digital nomads, as well as what a typical housesit involves and how to know whether it’s the right option for you.

So What Does Housesitting Involve?

Usually, housesitting involves looking after someone’s pets and home while they’re away. Sometimes, there’s no pet care needed at all, and owners just want the peace of mind of having someone there to keep an eye on their home.

Responsibilities will look different for every housesit but usually you can expect to feed, walk and play with pets, clean up after them (e.g. clean cages, pick up after dogs in the backyard, etc.), keep the house clean and tidy, and stay in touch with owners, with calls, texts or photos. Depending on the length of the sit, you may also need to water plants, take out rubbish bins, mow lawns, and so on. But the main priority is always making sure that pets are loved and well-cared for.

What are the Benefits of Housesitting?

Affordable Accommodation

Housesitting is one of the most affordable accommodation options out there. In comparison with coliving spaces, which can range anywhere from $600 to $1,200 USD per month, and Airbnb’s, which can put you back $169 USD per night for a 30-day stay, the only cost associated with housesitting is usually just the annual membership fee. Even then, this is usually no more than the equivalent of a night or two’s worth of accommodation.

My personal recommendation is TrustedHousesitters, a global housesitting company with 240,000+ members worldwide. They have three-tiered membership options. The basic plan, which gives you access to unlimited housesits worldwide, starts from £99 / €119 / $129 USD (but it’s worth looking at the Standard and Premium Sitter plans, which include extra benefits like free vet calls, accident and liability insurance, and sit cancellation coverage for Premium Sitters).

Many countries have their own national housesitting companies, like Aussie House Sitters, House Sitters UK, and Housesitters America. Their membership fees can sometimes be cheaper, but the great thing about TrustedHousesitters is one membership fee gives you access to housesits in 140 countries.

It's Better for the Environment

In their 2023 Impact Report, TrustedHousesitters reported that each night spent housesitting only resulted in 1kg of CO₂ emissions. In comparison, one night in an Airbnb has an average carbon footprint of 44-46kg of CO₂ emissions, which is similar to a hotel’s nightly average of 40kg CO₂e. But in my experience, housesitting also makes keeping up those sustainable habits so much easier, like recycling correctly, turning off electricals, shopping at local, independent stores, and eating at home.

Provides Some Much Needed Home Comforts

When you’re housesitting, you’re staying in real, lived-in family homes, not short-term rentals that don’t have basic kitchen utensils or comfortable furniture. Most houses are fully equipped with everything you need and more (think a kitchen with all the appliances you could want, reliable internet, a TV with a Netflix account you don’t have to pay for, a bath—and a pet, of course). Housesits also provide some much-needed privacy, without the exorbitant price tag (private bathroom and kitchen, anyone?). Plus, there are some beautiful houses available—I’ve stayed in everything from a thatched cottage to an Edwardian manor to a seaside terrace house.

Great Mental Health Benefits

Being constantly on the move can be incredibly stressful and draining. Our nervous systems don’t slow down until they recognise cues that let us know we’re safe and secure. Often, these cues come from the comforts of a home base—the little things like a home-cooked meal, hanging your clothes up in a closet, having a place entirely to yourself…these things feel like luxuries after long-term travel, but they also let our brains know that we’re safe, so that we can properly wind down and relax.

But it’s not just the homes that benefit our wellbeing—it’s the pets too. Spending time with a pet can help combat those feelings of loneliness and social isolation we nomads often struggle with. Pet-sitting can also provide that most elusive of all things: routine. Structuring your days around a pet’s feeding and walking times can put some stability and predictability back into your lifestyle (yes, even nomads need that sometimes).

It's a Safer Option for Solo Travelers

Safety is the most important factor in choosing accommodation. Since most housesits are family homes, they’re usually always in safe neighbourhoods. Homeowners will often provide you with emergency contacts or introduce you to neighbours, so if anything happens, there are people you can call on to help. This especially makes housesitting a great option for solo travelers. As a solo female traveler myself, knowing I’m in a safe environment with people I can call on if needed gives me so much peace of mind.

It Encourages Us to Visit Places We Might Never Have Considered (or Maybe Never Even Heard of Before)

Housesitting can be a cheap way to visit those more expensive destinations, like London, Paris, or Amsterdam. But they also encourage us to veer away from the normal tourist routes and explore smaller locations that are just as worth visiting. Popular travel destinations are feeling the pressure of overtourism. 80% of the world’s tourists actually only visit 10% of all global tourist destinations. This causes damage to sites, rising prices, overcrowding, and excessive queues. Choosing housesits in quieter, smaller areas eases the pressure on popular destinations, and it supports local economies that may not normally receive any tourism income. Often, the out-of-the-way places are just as beautiful as their more famous neighbours. I’ve stayed in quiet villages that are just as scenic as the Cotswolds and found beaches just as stunning as any I left behind in Australia. You may even end up finding your new favourite destination.

It’s One of the Most Immersive Ways You Can Travel

A fellow sitter once told me she loves housesitting because you get to try on a different life every time. There’s few experiences that so closely bring you into the culture, community and personality of a location than adopting the routines of the locals. During extended housesits you’re completely immersed in local routines. You chat to your neighbours, shop at the local businesses, get to know the same dogwalkers. You experience the intricacies of life in so many different places, and often, you’ll get the best local recommendations for attractions, restaurants and day trips that other visitors miss.

It's Better for Local Communities

There is a lot of controversy around Airbnb’s and short-term rentals pushing locals out of their own communities, with limited long-term rental options and rising house prices. But when housesitting, you’re slipping into the place of an already established family, which means you’re not fuelling the demand for more short-term accommodation. It’s far less intrusive on the local community and sets up a better relationship between visitors and locals. Meanwhile, your money is going into local grocers, restaurants, pubs, public transport, and other small businesses, supporting the local economy.

Provides a Family Network, Wherever You Are in the World

Perhaps the most unique benefit of housesitting is that it can lead you to an adopted family. It’s an arrangement built entirely on putting trust in strangers, and that can foster some incredibly close bonds. Often, sitters return to the same housesits over and over again. There is a family I pet sit for in Winchester, England, who have become my surrogate UK family. If there were ever an emergency, they are the first people I’d go to. And this isn’t as rare a situation as you might think. Almost every family I have house-sat for has told me I could come back if I ever needed a place to stay. I don’t know about you, but with the stories that are filling our newsfeeds lately, I need the reminder that humans can be incredibly kind, warm, and welcoming. You never know when you might need to rely on a home base or call on an adopted family.

Is Housesitting the Best Option For You?

Housesitting has so many benefits, but you still need to make sure it’s right option for you. So before jumping in and applying for your first sit, ask yourself these questions:

Are you willing to look after pets? A bit of an obvious one, but while we might be drawn in by the free accommodation, let’s not forget that looking after pets is usually a sitter’s main priority. Make sure you’re willing to fit in some walks and play time around your work schedule, and consider if you’re comfortable with tasks like administering medication, cleaning up after pets, etc. After all, some of the tasks aren’t so glamorous.
Are you happy to look after another person’s home? Another obvious one, but you are being entrusted with someone’s home. It’s your responsibility to keep it clean and tidy, respect their belongings, and their privacy. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you leave every housesit exactly as you found it.
Does it suit your lifestyle or the activities you want to do in the area? Always check the things you’ll be responsible for in a housesit, and make sure it suits your work schedule and interests. If you’re going to be out all day exploring, looking after a dog that can only be left alone for 2 hours won’t be right for you. But the good news is there are so many housesits available, so finding one that works for you shouldn’t be a problem.
Are you happy to keep in touch with homeowners? Usually, owners will want regular photos and updates throughout your stay. It’s understandable, since you’re a stranger staying in their home. While this shouldn’t be too intrusive, just make sure you send any promised updates on time.
Are you happy to be flexible around the location and length of your stay? Housesits are subject to availability, and sit lengths can range from a few days to a few months. I’ve never had an issue with finding a place that suits me, but it does sometimes involve a bit of forward planning. There is a lot of demand for housesits, especially around peak holiday seasons, so you may need to start looking in advance. That said, I’ve had to look for last-minute housesits on a few occasions, and finding one has never been an issue.

All in all, it’s really just about finding a housesit that works for you, and once you do, you’ll have an incredibly unique, valuable travel experience to look forward to, at the lowest possible cost. So if you’re interested in becoming a sitter, why not check out some of the companies listed here and start housesitting!

Popular Housesitting Sites

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Written by Kiara Conaghan

Australian freelance journalist in the UK, chasing off-beat stories and hidden histories through travel, interviewing remarkable people and exploring lesser-known places.

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What is House Sitting? A Guide for Digital Nomads

So What Does Housesitting Involve?