My Trusted Housesitters Experience

In 2017 I decided to take some time off of work in order to travel, study yoga and contemplate future life options. It was a huge decision and an opportunity for me to grow, leaning into uncertainty. I was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to save money while I worked and lived in Myanmar, but this blog is about one of my tips to make time off affordable, whether you are on your own sabbatical or simply taking a vacation: Trusted Housesitters.

About a year ago I learned about Trusted Housesitters, a site that matches traveling home and pet owners with sitters. It's an interesting arrangement because no money is exchanged; you get a great place to stay and fuzzy company and they get great petcare and home security. I investigated a bit more and decided to go ahead and sign up, even though there is an annual fee (of about $100 US). I figured that even if I only got one sit of a few days that the membership would pay for itself.

I have had a fabulous experience with the Trusted Housesitters organization and with the homes and pets I have looked after. 

Place: Bangkok, Thailand
Dog: Toby the Corgi

Who could resist that face?!?

This was a very sweet gig. Toby's home was a huge, modern top floor apartment in the trendy Thong Lor neighborhood of Bangkok. I had my own guest room, a gorgeous kitchen and a roof top with a view to enjoy.

Toby was a busy little dog, and still a puppy, but my main task was to take him up on the roof (pictured in the video above) or outside for a walk, twice a day. I spent extra time with him, playing, brushing, even doing a little training, but I had lots of free time to explore the neighborhood, Bangkok and relax in a fantastic apartment, cooking my own food, doing yoga homework, reading and enjoying Netflix. The cleaner came three times a week, which was another perk!

He did spend time chilling, too. 

Place: Taos, New Mexico, USA
Cats: Tennessee and Button

This sit allowed me to explore another part of New Mexico. I know Santa Fe well since my parents have lived there 15+ years. I secured this sit when I was still in Spain. Here is the house:

I fed these two cats their very fresh meals (raw chicken livers for breakfast and dinner and sardines for lunch), read, did yoga homework, wandered around town and spent quality time with these felines. 

I enjoyed fires in the evening. Button did too!

And slept in this princess bed.

These owners were very kind; they sent me a personal thank you after the sit!

Place: El Dorado, just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Cats: Skaaget, Nauset and Graham

The owners of these three cats needed a sitter who could commit to a "maybe" because their plans were up in the air. Since I was already staying with my parents in Santa Fe, this it was easy for me to stay flexible. It worked for me and it worked for them! And in the end, I did get the sit. These owners had a special request: that no gluten be brought into their house, as one had a severe allergy. I'm 8 years gluten-free; it worked for me!

Meet the three kitties! Three is the most pets I have ever looked after. Two were very friendly and the third totally warmed up to me by the end of the week. The new skill I learned with this sit was how to give a cat pills, as Graham needed daily medicines. He was really good about my efforts and I can say I am confident doing this now!

The house was a lovely, very Santa Fe style kind of home. There was a woodstove, walking trails, a patio and I even got to use the car to zip into town for an errand or yoga class (or to visit ma n pa). 

My cozy room.

And those southwest sunsets...

---> Okay, so now you want to housesit, right? Here are a few tips. :)

Building Your Trusted Housesitters Profile:

• Take the time to build your profile! Pretty much the rest of the tips come down to this. It is a project, but your investment of time will pay off when you get some great sits. I broke up the task, working a half hour or an hour at a time until I got it where I wanted it. 
• Consider what title captures you as a sitter - this is the first thing viewers of your page will notice.
• Include photos of you and animals you own/know and some that show your personality and hobbies. Homeowners want to know you... you are going to be staying in their house!
• Be honest about your experience and what you can/can't do. There are all types of animals and sits and you want to make sure you can look after the critters you sign up for. I've seen farm animals, cats that need injections and rescue dogs that require special patience and love. Sometimes the sits require, but don't provide, a vehicle, which would mean committing to renting a car. Carefully consider what you can take on.
• Get external references from your boss, landlord and anyone you have petsat for in the past. This helps create your profile and shows you are responsible. 
• Go through the external verification. You pay a fee and Trusted Housesitters runs a background check on you. Having this on your profile gives petowners peace of mind. 

Applying for a Sit:

• Check the site often or set up email notifications. It does pay off to be the first person to apply for a sit, especially in popular areas or at peak travel times. 
• Always include a personal note that shows that you have reviewed the sit and include why you are interested and a good fit! Some owners get a lot of interest so make your note stand out.
• Offer to talk on the phone or over Skype as well as via email. This helps them to see you are a nice person. And take the "interview" seriously!
• Follow up if you don't hear back, but know that sometimes homeowners do get bombarded with offers or change their travel plans...

During the Sit:

• Follow through and have fun! Most petowners will walk you through the details about the home and animals when you arrive. They may provide you with a manual with all the info (love it when they do this!); if not, ask questions and take notes!
• Communicate often. It's easy with technology to send photos and videos, showing them that their fur-babies are happy. This keeps them happy too.

After the Sit:

• Of course, leave the house in tip-top order! I've heard that some sitters even stock the fridge or prepare a special meal and leave it as a thank you.
• Send a thank you note/text to express your gratitude for the time in their house. 
• Ask that they review you on Trusted Housesitters so that you can get more sits! This is so important as reviews and trust fuel what this site is all about. 

If you are curious about signing up for Trusted Housesitters, feel free to post questions! You can get a discount off of your membership by using this link when you sign up! (Full disclosure: I get a discount when you use it, also.)

Happy traveling and happy petsitting!!!

Santa Fe Style

Welcome back from the holidays and into 2017! More on this year coming soon, but for now, I take you back to some favorite spots from my trip to Santa Fe this holiday season.

Santa Fe is a great town for tourists, but the main reason I go is to visit my parents. There are always lots of dog walks, favorite foods, hanging out and catching up. I'll highlight some great restaurants here that are vegan and gluten free friendly and some ideas for activities around town.

A snowy Christmas Day dog walk with Mom and Bert

Perhaps these ideas will help you on your next visit to Santa Fe!

Food:

In order to conquer the jet lag, I make frequent visits to the nearby Java Joe's. My preferred drink is the spicy chai, with almond milk and a couple of shots of espresso. This place has three types of chai (sweet, spicy and ginger) and lots of options for milk.

El Comal is a cozy Mexican restaurant near my parents' house. It serves great Mexican food and makes incredible (and very large) glasses of sangria. I had the vegetarian enchiladas (no cheese) and they were delicious.

Mom and Dad and Beverages

After some errands, Ma & Pa and I visited Valentina's for lunch. Another homestyle Mexican place, with delicious food. I enjoyed the Camarones al mojo de ajo (Shrimp in garlic sauce), that came with rice, beans, grilled veggies and corn tortillas.

¡Qué rico!

Harry's Roadhouse offers an inviting restaurant space and many drinks and menu options. Some of the dishes are classic, but classy pub fare while others are more traditionally southwest. If you are there in nice weather, request to sit out on there patio.

On the day after Christmas we went to Tune-Up Cafe. This is a tiny, funky spot. I loved the Moroccan Stew and hot cider spiked with port and fruit, but be forewarned that it is not the place if you want a quiet or relaxing meal.

My parents' favorite Mexican fast food place is Burrito Spot. It's basically fast food, but I had some tasty bean tostadas and you can't argue with the price!

Activities:

Mom and I picked up an old tradition with tickets to the Nutcracker at the Lensic. The Lensic is a beautiful historic theater and the production was beautiful. Thanks, Mom!

Dad's Christmas present to us "kids" was an afternoon at the interactive art exhibit/mystery treasure hunt at Meow Wolf. It's a difficult place to describe and I actually think you wouldn't want to know too much before checking it out, but if you are ready for a different afternoon, go!

Sis and I howling at Meow Wolf

I always love picking up some local produce and checking out the arts and handicrafts at the Santa Fe Farmer's Market. Some favorites from this visit were fresh garlic, fingerling potatoes and goat's cheese.

The Jean Cocteau is a historic theater, but what gives it an extra twist of interest is that it belongs to George R. R. Martin. It shows mostly independent films, but the new episodes of Game of Thrones also premier there before HBO! We saw She Sings to the Stars, which I recommend if you get the chance to watch it.

A stroll around the historic downtown is a must-do on any visit to Santa Fe. A few snaps from our night outing of the plaza and church.

Going out:

I don't think that Santa Fe is world famous for its nightlife, but there are some fun spots for those who head out after dark. The "kids" visited Secreto Lounge inside the St. Francis Hotel and warmed up in front of an open fireplace at Del Charro.

Decked in plaid, ready to go out!

Just finished reading:

Chameleon in a Candy Store - This is the sequel to Diary of an Oxygen Thief. In it, you learn how the author-character published and publicized his first book and how he entered the world of online dating. I read the whole thing on my international trip from Yangon to LA.

Reading Again: 

My book club selected Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being for our January book. It's a longer one, but totally worth it and I am enjoying my second run-through.