We're house sitting for friends starting next week. We'll be living in their house, taking care of their cats, for a full month. While they're off soaking up the sunshine in Florida, we're a bit nervous about being away from our own home for so long. But we're also looking forward to switching it up a bit...
Their house on the edge of the city is very different from our downtown apartment. While nothing's as good as home, there are a few things we look forward to as we step into their shoes for a while:
- Cooking in their kitchen. It's roomier than our tiny kitchen and we're looking forward to spreading out bit and taking on some new cooking and baking projects.
- Television. We don't have a TV at home, but we're looking forward to vegging in front of theirs (in moderation). We're most excited about watching the Oscars.
- The kitties. They're precious members of our friends' family and they're warm and expressive. It's relaxing having them around, and we're looking forward to some quality time with them.
- The quiet. The house is on a residential side street that's a far cry from our downtown street's 24/7 activity. While the location's not nearly as convenient as our own place, we can deal for a month.
- "Test driving" a few of their home's design features. Namely, radiant floor heat in some rooms and cork tile flooring in the kitchen. We're interested in both of these elements and, after a month-long stay, we'll have a firm idea of whether we want to incorporate them into our own home in the future.
These things will make the job of house sitting as much a pleasant escape as a job. Do you have any house sitting experiences to share? Tell all in the comments section below. Drawings: Toothpaste for Dinner
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I love house-setting dogs, as my apartment does not allow them. My favorites are the 2 Newfoundlanders we set sometimes. Now they are moving, I am so sad!
Yay for Toothpaste for Dinner!!
As I type this, I'm coming to the end of a week of petsitting/housesitting for my parents. I miss MY home soooo much and can't wait until I return to it on Friday!
I love reading the books!
I used to housesit when I still had roommates, and having the huge space all to myself was a welcome respite from sharing.
I've housesat on two different occasions, both for extended periods of time; once in Marin (very picturesque, but far from work in Downtown SF) and once in Westwood (very lively and much closer to my job in West LA). Both situations had cats with "delicate" personalities and better amenities than my apartment.
I thought I would prefer the Marin location, but I was bored out of my skull the entire time! The house had everything I could ever want (huge kitchen, garage, professional sewing machine accouterments, satellite TV, quiet location). Those three weeks were the most boring of my entire life and I wanted nothing other than to be back in my cramped apartment without TV or a proper fume hood.
At this point in my life, I would trade location over square footage any day.
I did it once for friends who'd gutted and remodeled a mid-century house in Winnetka, Illinois.
I couldn't find an overhead light to save my life. Every control panel set temp, music, and mood lighting.
The dogs were great, but my commute to Chicago was hell.
Toothpaste for Dinner rocks. Go Drew!
I get to house/cat sit my friend's apartment in Brooklyn! I've only been to NY once, but my BF and I get to stay a week and explore. I really don't know how nice their place is, but I am excited nonetheless. I don't plan on being inside much.
loved housesitting for a wealthy couple with a gorgeous glass house on the chesapeake bay. i felt like i was living in a movie all week!
everyone should read the raymond carver story about the couple who agrees to look after their neighbors' apartment. dang, i can't think of the title, but it's also included as a segment in the movie *short cuts* and features robert downey, jr. and lily taylor.
just googled the title of the raymond carver story: "neighbors."
oops. i guess my previous comment didn't post. the above story is awesome and is about apartment-sitters.
I think a good housesitter would be worth their weight in gold. I've had some young girls in years past but they grew up and moved away. I haven't found their replacement.
I've been petsitting for some years now, from time to time. I have a short list of clients, namely because I'm a student and I don't have a car, but I love doing it.
One of my favourite clients leaves me with her black lab, Jeeves, and her really, reaaaally luxurious bathtub. They also have a really lovely home, and since they love my boyfriend as well (so does the dog), it often feels like a weekend away at a classy bed and breakfast. Only we have to cook our own breakfast and it gets mooched by hairy storm of a dog.
I wouldn't have it any other way. :)
My hubby and I are house-sitting my parents' home this month too - they are also gone to Florida! They'll be back on Saturday. So we get the house, the space, the dog, the hot tub, the yard, the works.
We're busy (failing at) building igloos and stuff... Brenda @ www.engberts-kaya.com (Canada)
As a live-in nanny for 6 years, I lived in 10 different houses/apartments/condos (if I count their vacation homes that we usually stayed in for 1-3 weeks at a time). As the families traveled frequently, I was often left alone to care for their homes.
All of this moving around helped me get a real sense of what was important to me in a living situation and what I could not live without.
When it came time for me to finally get my own place, I knew that natural light, a few indoor plants, a comfy couch that I can stretch out on, a bathtub, a functional kitchen, and a place that allows pets were essential. A large space was definitely not (someone has to clean it and I can't afford housekeepers like my past employers!)
I also learned that I prefer beach over mountains, city over suburbs or country (but I like easy access to the country), really old buildings over modern or new, and casual lived-in over formal or highly styled.
A friend of mine was needing a house/cat/dog sitter for 10 days in December (over Christmas). 4 Cats, 2 Dogs, 3000 sq ft, 60 inch plasma. Everyone was quoting her $40 a day or more for this situation. I told her I'd do it for $20 a day since she was a friend, and I just happened to be staying in town for work.
It worked out great. She supplied me with 6 bottles of wine, a 12 pack of Shiner Beer, and quite a few frozen snacks. I had a few girlfriends over one night for a girls night (of course with her permission).
I'm not much of a cat person since there is the poop to scoop and it often smells......but I found one of the COOLEST things at her house!!! It is a kitty liter box that has a roof to it (imagine dog house). You roll it to its side and all of the litter (minus the clumps) filters into a small compartment, while all of the clumps fall to the ceiling. You continue to roll it a little further (toward the roof) and then straighten it back.....and bam all of the clumps fall in this little drawer that you can pull out and empty into a plastic bag. All of the unused litter filters back into place. And if you do it once in the morning and once in the evening (yes with 4 cats) there is no smell.
I would happily house/cat/dog sit for her agian. Even if one of the dogs pooed on the carpet daily while I was at work.
Toothpaste for Dinner - yet another guilty pleasure now. Many thanks!
I went on vacation for a week and asked a friend to watch my girlfriend and my cat. We said he could hang out a bit in the house and have maybe 1 other mutual friend over as well. When we got home there was a candle left burning in the living room, beer cans all over the pace, and an apple turned into paraphernalia upstairs. Just goes to show if you have a second thought about someones character chances are they'll prove you right. Last time we'll be doing that
I gave up on house/dog sitters, too, mistuh_T. I learned that one woman had a noisy party at my home when I was gone (my neighbors left me a note complaining). Presumably my terrified dogs were locked up for that, and the woman was paid, and paid well, to care for the dogs. Another dog sitter was just never here when I was gone, and my elderly dog was left in the cold. I don't care about my house being harmed or violated by strangers, but my dogs are my family. I will never, never hire a house sitter again.