Avoiding disaster, distractions and deterrents

In this article house sitters can read about three specific scenarios that should be avoided and my suggestions on how to manage this.

The first scenario is a disaster for house sitters. Being locked out of the home. Ok disaster may be overstating it but being locked out of the home is far from ideal. Before commencing the sit a back up contact that lives locally should be established, someone who can be reached if a situation like this should present. But rather than needing to draw on the support of an emergency contact I have avoided this by religiously following these guidelines.

Once I have a set of keys for the home, if there is not one already I attach a large distinctive key ring. Upon entering the home for first time in the owners absence I choose a spot to leave the keys and stick to it. I make it obvious and easy, a bowl on the hallway table or hook on the hat stand. This spot should be handy to the main exit and entry point. And then every time I enter it the keys are deposited and every time I leave picked up – even if it is just to duck out and get the mail.

A distraction to a perfect house sitting assignment are personal items forgotten and left behind. Spreading your chattels all over the home increases the likelihood of this happening. Choose one cupboard in the bedroom, one shelf in the pantry and one draw in the bathroom. And check that no socks are left in the dryer!

Home owners will be deterred from asking you to return for another house sitting assignment if they spend the next week looking for the colander, cheese grater and carving knife. This can be a seemingly small and insignificant legacy, but a source of annoyance to owners returning to the sanctuary of their own home. You just need to put things back exactly where you found them.

If you are a home owner and require a sitter let me know if I can help.