As a busy mom juggling multiple responsibilities, preparing for a trip can be daunting. One essential task is ensuring your home is in good hands. Use our brief guide on how to prepare for a house sitter before traveling to make your departure stress-free and your return hassle-free.
Choose the Right House Sitter
Finding a reliable house sitter is crucial for achieving peace of mind while you’re away. Start by asking friends or family for recommendations. If that’s not an option, consider using reputable house-sitting websites or agencies.
Ensure any candidate has positive reviews, and see if the service you’re working with performs background checks. Conduct an interview to discuss their experience and your expectations. Trust your instincts—choosing someone trustworthy will make all the difference.
Financially Preparing for a House Sitter
Incorporating the cost of a house sitter into your travel budget is essential. Rates can vary based on location, responsibilities, and the length of their stay. Plan ahead and allocate funds for this expense to avoid last-minute budget stress. Additionally, don’t forget to factor in any extra costs such as groceries or utilities that the house sitter might use while you’re away.
Create a Detailed Home Guide
Prepare a comprehensive guide for your house sitter to a trouble-free experience. Include important information such as emergency contacts, Wi-Fi passwords, garbage collection days, and instructions for any appliances. Use this time to clearly outline pet care routines if applicable. The more detailed the guide, the easier it will be for the house sitter to manage your household without bothering you while you’re traveling.
Save this an editable document or list in Artful Agenda that you can update for each trip and share with the house sitter or print as needed.
Prepare Your Spare Keys
Before leaving, take measures to secure your home. Your house sitter will need a key, which you should have ready before the day they arrive. Ideally, you will want to give them a spare—and the easiest way to do that is to make a copy.
One of the things to know about key cutting machines before you make a duplicate is that both hardware stores and locksmiths often use the same machines. However, hardware stores may not take care of their machines as well as locksmiths. While your duplicates from a hardware store are probably fine, a locksmith can better guarantee that your house sitter won’t face key-related issues while you’re away from home.
Always be sure to test the key(s) as you’re handing them over. You can even have the sitter work the lock during handover if you have a particularly tricky set up.
Communicate Your Expectations
Clear communication with your house sitter is critical. Discuss your expectations regarding house rules, visitor policies, and any specific tasks you need them to handle. Establish how often they should send updates and the preferred method of communication, whether it’s daily texts or weekly emails. Open communication ensures both parties are comfortable and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings.
Getting ready for a trip involves pouring over many details, but knowing how to prepare for a house sitter before traveling can significantly ease your worries. As you embark on your journey, remember our tips for traveling with children and enjoying a stress-free vacation. Safe travels!