Hi! We’re Sarah and Nick, housesitters since 2020, full-time since 2023. We take great pride in serving our homeowners and their pets, and always strive to execute the best house sit that we possibly can.
EXPERIENCE
--Pet Care Experience--
We believe pets thrive when they feel safe, loved, and cared for—just as they do with their owners. With experience caring for more than 70 animals through TrustedHousesitters thus far, we understand that every pet is unique and requires personalized care. Our approach is always thoughtful and individualized, making sure your pets get the attention they deserve. Whether it’s administering medication, managing medical emergencies, or simply providing love and companionship, we are committed to treating your pets with the same respect and care we would give our own. Here’s an overview of the diverse range of pets we've had the pleasure of caring for.
Animals cared for: 70+, including dogs, cats, fish (who knew bettas were so engaging?), chickens and roosters, and a bearded dragon
Most animals at once: 21
Most cats at once: Eight (and outside of TrustedHousesitters, we also once watched a team of sled dogs)
Special needs: Cared for blind pets, deaf pets, blind and deaf pets, elderly animals, animals in kidney failure, and pets with thyroid disorder, hot spots, vestibular disease, dementia, diabetes, high blood pressure, GI lymphoma, constipation, and undergoing menstruation
Medical care: Administered nose drops, eye drops, pills, powders, liquid medications, flea and tick ampules, injections, subcutaneous fluids via needle and drip bag, and specialized diets
Vet visits: Established veterinary care, taken pets to annual checkups, the emergency vet, and the veterinary ophthalmologist
Most vet visits for one animal in a week: Eight—including emergency, specialist, and primary care, ultimately transitioning to hospice care provided by us at home until her owners returned (we couldn't be more honored to care for our pets in their times of greatest need)
Emergency response: Rescued a drowning dog, broken up dog fights, identified illnesses (Horner’s syndrome, hyphema, foot and anal gland infections), and handled a severe bladder infection requiring hospitalization
Farm animals: Poultry, including multiple escapes, and winter care to prevent frostbite
Feral + wild animal care (only at homeowner request): Fed and monitored raccoons, feral cats, and wild birds, including turkeys
Unique challenges: Walked dogs with poor leash skills, managed high-energy animals including kittens and adolescent dogs, helped elderly cats maintain their coat, countless hours coaxing sick pets to eat, kept one sphynx cat warm, and have even been present for a euthanasia (it was an honor and a privilege to be there for him in his final moments as he said his goodbye with dignity—we love you, Louie)
Animals lost on our watch (but never due to negligence): One cat, one fish, one chicken
Dream project: To one day open Holly House, a cat rescue named after the first pet we cared for through TrustedHousesitters
We understand the concerns of leaving your pets behind (any pet parent would have them), and are more than happy to send photos and videos per your request throughout the length of our stay.
--Home + Property Care--
Whether it’s a short-term stay or a months-long sit, we take pride in keeping homes running smoothly with a strong focus on security. The two of us together make a great team in protecting your home and dividing and conquering high-maintenance households, always managing issues with a level head and problem-solving mindset. Our approach for unexpected events, unless otherwise preferred, is to troubleshoot issues independently before involving our homeowner—ensuring they can travel with peace of mind. However, we always prioritize caution and never hesitate to ask questions. No home is without its quirks, and we approach every sit with patience, resourcefulness, and a strong sense of responsibility.
-Navigating the Unexpected-
We’ve successfully handled:
Home repairs + service: Multiple contractor visits, including window replacements, irrigation installation, electric gate repairs, tankless water heater installation, and spa repair
Appliance + HVAC repairs: Dishwasher servicing, furnace failures (including one replacement) while ensuring pipes didn’t freeze in New Hampshire and DC winters, and two air conditioning outages (while keeping elderly pets cool, to boot) during New Orleans summers
Power + generator management: Several power outages, whole-house and portable generators, including emergency repairs, and installation oversight—gas line hookups, meter replacement, videoing in homeowners for professional training, and inspections
Plumbing issues + flooding: Basement and street flooding during New Orleans summer downpours (which included safeguarding vehicles), backed up plumbing due to septic issues and tree roots, assorted leaking pipes
Theft and Security: Home security alarm malfunction followed by automatic police response, diagnosing a catalytic converter theft and facilitating replacement, monitoring against porch piracy
Weather: Four hurricanes (each in a different home), and three rural, snowy winters between New Hampshire and Wisconsin
Tree hazards: Trees sparking power lines, coordinating the removal of a tree including street closure for crane access and gaining neighbor cooperation
Pest control: Identifying termites and overseeing various visits from Terminix
-Household Oversight-
We’re meticulous in home management, and treat every home as if it were our own. This has included:
Security: Understanding safety protocols, setting alarms as instructed, and always ensuring a property is thoroughly secured inside and out
Mail + package management: Sorting, reporting, opening when requested, forwarding, and securing deliveries
Trash + recycling: Coordinating pickup schedules or transfer station drop-offs
Plant, lawn, and garden + outdoor care: Watering, weeding, covering for frost, harvesting, cutting grass, weed whacking, leaf blowing, raking, cutting and chopping firewood, shoveling, and snow blowing
Pool + spa maintenance: Basic upkeep and monitoring water levels
Vehicle care: Running when requested, and generally keeping a watch on vehicles parked outdoors
Supply maintenance: Replacing A/C and furnace filters as needed, maintaining water softener salt levels and sourdough starter, restocking pet and household supplies for your return
Liaising with service providers: House cleaners, snow removal, pest control, landscapers, propane deliveries, and home appraisals
Neighborly interactions: Managed Airbnb guest interactions in attached rental spaces, watched neighbors’ chickens for long weekends—both a testament to the fact that, as your ambassador, we will always make it a point to represent you well when sitting your home
--Housesitting by the Numbers--
Years traveling full-time: Seven+
Years housesitting: Five+
Years housesitting full-time: Two+
Number of sits: 31, with many long-term and repeat sits
Sit durations: From three nights to more than four months, with homeowners entrusting us from as far away as Africa and the South Pacific
Homes that have invited us back: The vast majority, and even though we aren’t able to return to them all, it means the world to us
ABOUT US
We struck out on the open road in March of 2018, in pursuit of a longtime dream. Our goal was 48 states in 18 months. By the fall of 2019 and more than 65,000 miles later, we had achieved our goal, yet couldn’t imagine settling back down. So, we started housesitting and haven’t looked back. Now another 100,000 miles further down the road, we’ve found we love housesitting so much that we transitioned to sitting full-time in the spring of 2023.
We've been together since 2010. We have no children and no pets of our own. We do have our own vehicle, which would arrive with us no matter where you’re located. Our schedule and location are flexible due to our lifestyle, as we continue to live on the road between sits. We work from our laptops and when in a sit are generally home-oriented, so we'll be around the house plenty to give your pets lots of love and ample company. Good WiFi is the only must for us when staying in your home.
We believe in zen garden litter boxes, leashes hung neatly by the front door, and always leaving things better than we found them. We are clean, organized, conscientious minimalists with plenty of common sense. We’re quiet, detail-oriented, low-maintenance, and stand by our word (there’s no other way to be, in our opinion). We are able-bodied and aren’t afraid of a little physical work. We aren't handymen, but Nick is a combat veteran who has previously worked in construction, we are no strangers to Lowe’s, and we know how to use our brains (and the internet) to solve a problem. In one of the greatest compliments ever received by one of our homeowners, we are "hardy"!
Housesitting, for us, is a labor of love. We’ve cared genuinely for every pet and home we’ve had the pleasure of sitting. As one of our homeowners put it, we aren’t housesitters, we are homesitters. We put our hearts into everything that we do in caring for your home and animals. In short, we deliver.
WHY WE WANT TO HOUSESIT
We love this lifestyle. We adore the freedom of travel that housesitting provides, and being able to provide you, our fellow travelers, with peace of mind about your home and pets, so you can enjoy your travel freedom too. But for us, it’s more than just a way to travel—it’s a responsibility we take seriously. We’re confident in our ability to meet your expectations, and we thank you for taking the time to consider us. |
