It’s ok to be a little bit selfish

If you are considering house sitting a very important initial step when deciding to become a sitter is to be aware of what your purely selfish motive or motives are. I believe it is important that all house sitters consider this and know what theirs is. It is not usually the one and only consideration but is does play an important part.

For example, at one stage when I was house sitting I had moved back to a city I had not lived in for a long time and was not sure how long I would be living there. Not wanting to get myself set up and established straight away, house sitting allowed me to live comfortably and close to where I was working without committing to a lease or acquiring furniture and goods I wasn’t sure I would need.

This takes me to the second part – knowing the specific driver (selfish motive) helps establish any non negotiables for the sitter. These are the sitters absolute must haves to meet their lifestyle requirements. In the example I provided it was being close to where my office was located and looking after pets that did not require me to be at home during the day.

There should be no shame or doubt in a sitters mind around either of these factors because when you are agreeing to house sit you commit to living in the home. Even if it is a short term sit, the sitter has to live there. This then becomes the sitters home and responsibility. If a sitter feels any resentment or remorse as a result of the commitment they have made the time spend there will be meaningless and unfulfilling at best, or miserable and frustrating at worst.

Conversely a well matched sit will ensure the house sitter is happy, pets and plants well cared for. When the sitter enjoys the sit and has connection with the animals they will naturally do a great job and if the home owner returns and is satisfied they are likely to ask the sitter to come back.

Now, in order to be a house sitter and a successful and busy one the selfish motives and non negotiables should only be one or two. But what ever they are if you are a sitter do yourself a favour and know what they are and only agree to do sits where these needs are met.

If you are a house sitter or thinking about becoming a sitter I would be interested to hear what your motive/s are and how this forms any non negotiables you have? Follow my blog and leave a comment.