House Sitting Magazine - Issue 01

Introduction 

by Ian Usher and Vanessa Anderson 

Hello and welcome, 

This is the first issue of House Sitting - The ultimate lifestyle magazine, the only independent 

and unbiased digital publication dedicated to the world of house sitting and nomadic living. 

It is published in a fully responsive app that will work equally well on your tablet or phone. You 

can subscribe FREE through Apple iTunes or Google Play. 

The app provides each article in an easily readable format. 

This version of the magazine is a simple pdf file. If you have an iPad or Android tablet, or even a 

phone, you can download the app to read the magazine anywhere you like. Click either of the 

links above to download the app. 

This magazine will open your eyes to the amazing lifestyle choices that can be experienced with 

the support of the house sitting community.

As full-time house sitters and international travellers, we have sold our homes and possessions 

to immerse ourselves in a lifestyle of freedom, travel and adventure. We are now able to enjoy 

our lives, living and working in a variety of locations around the world. 

None of this would have been possible without house sitting! 

We are passionate about sharing this amazing way of living by inspiring you with stories, news 

and information. All of which will help your own discovery of how to create and live your own 

version of a freedom lifestyle through house sitting. At the same time you will be helping home 

owners with pets enjoy their own travel adventures! 

Whether you want more affordable vacations at a time of world financial uncertainty, a travel 

sabbatical, longer term travel adventures, or you are at the start of your retirement - you can 

benefit immensely from the savings and cultural enrichment found through house sitting. 

As home and pet owners you can realize your own dreams by experiencing worry free travel 

when you leave your pets and possessions behind. 

You'll be able to consider both short and extended time away from home, knowing that your 

pets will be looked after by trustworthy people who love including animals as part of their own 

vacation.

These are exciting times for us as we embark on this new project, and we extend our thanks to 

Nat and Jodie of House Sitting Academy. 

When, because of other commitments, they asked if we'd like to take over the publishing of this 

magazine, it was an easy decision to say yes. 

Now we are looking to you to help make this magazine a success, and a worthwhile resource for 

new and existing subscribers. 

Your stories are key to inspiring others to venture forward and discover alternative ways of 

living and experiencing life, with all its unfolding secrets and surprises. 

So what can you expect each month? 

We will cover a wide range of topics, offering information and advice for both home owners 

and house sitters. Our contributors and experts will also be writing about pets, travel, lifestyle, 

freedom, income and much, much more. 

Home and pet owners: For many of you travel is the number one motivator for leaving your 

home and pets with house sitters. Each month you will benefit from helpful guides and relevant 

reader stories. You'll discover not only how to get the most from your house sitters, but also 

how to maximize your own travel adventures. 

House sitters: If you need help getting started with house sitting, or assistance with how to 

maintain this as a lifestyle choice, you'll find our monthly guides extremely informative. Tips 

and advice will always be on offer, both from community members and industry authorities. 

Pet care: We will hear from pet care and behavior experts on a variety of topics. We'll also look 

at the types and breeds of animals you might expect to look after while on assignment. In this 

issue you can learn more about German Shepherds. 

Travel: Living like a local, making new friends and immersing yourself in different cultures is 

also key, so you'll enjoy our travel features and monthly "destination guides" - always produced 

with house sitting in mind. 

House sitting platforms: As more and more house sitting websites emerge, we want you to be 

able to make informed decisions about which will best suit your needs. 

We will be getting in and among the international and country-specific house sitting businesses 

with "behind the scenes" interviews and comparative information. This month we visited 

TrustedHousesitters at their offices in Brighton, UK. 

House sitting platforms will also get the opportunity to comment on the topics that are 

important to us all.

Lifestyle: Vanessa and Ian enjoy a Swan River Valley winery 

tour while house sitting in Perth, Western Australia 

Lifestyle: If lifestyle change is a consideration, then you'll get inspiration from others who have 

opted for an alternative way of living. You'll find out how they have dealt with obstacles, 

created their income, and even how, for families, they have home schooled their kids! 

Don't miss this month's great infographic provided by Amber Kingsley, in which she shows just 

how large the pet care industry is! 

Of course there will also be news, reviews and links to resources, all of which will help you 

enhance your own house sitting, travel or lifestyle adventure. 

Your contributions are also extremely important. If you have a story to tell, words of wisdom to 

share, or a great picture for our monthly gallery, please get in touch here. 

Of course we welcome your feedback too - good or bad. We will listen to what you want. 

Together we can make House Sitting - The ultimate lifestyle magazine a truly great resource. 

Now enough from us, it's time to take a step inside and enjoy! 

Vanessa and Ian

You'll find extra news, reviews and snippets throughout the magazine. 

To go directly to a particular feature or article, tap the links below. 

Will house sitting work for me? 

Vanessa Anderson 

A complete guide for home owners 

Ian Usher 

Making new connections - Nomador Stopovers (with SPECIAL OFFER) 

Mariannig Ferrari 

Take it slow when meeting a new dog 

Gregg Flowers 

Pet breeds - Introducing the German Shepherd 

Vanessa Anderson 

Destination France - Bordeaux 

Nat Smith 

Review - Rome2Rio 

Vanessa Anderson

Entertainment on the road 

Ian Usher 

10 tips for sustainable travel 

CJ Singer 

Sell all your stuff 

Interview with Al McCullough 

Extra cash doing what you love 

Amber Kingsley 

Infographic - Picking the right pet sitter for your pet 

Amber Kingsley 

Meet, greet, eat - this month's recipe 

Jen Evans 

Humans helping humans helping animals 

Interview with Rachel Martin of Trusted House Sitters 

Photo gallery 

Resources 

. 

In the next issue...

Will house sitting work for me? 

by Vanessa Anderson 

House Sitting is a vacation and pet care concept that has become extremely popular over the 

past few years. In some countries like the US, Canada and Australia, it has been long 

established. More recently it has expanded into other destinations like Europe, Central 

America, Asia and even Africa. 

House sitting is on the increase! 

A recognized alternative to a regular short term vacation and a great accommodation 

alternative for longer term travel, house sitting is, for some, a way of life. Individuals, couples 

like us, and even families, use this option as a way to travel, live and work remotely. 

It provides an important and valued service to pet and property owners in return for, at the 

very least, free accommodation. This exchange is built around a trust based concept, and is at 

the heart of the house sitting industry.

House sitting also provides a different way to take a short vacation or live temporarily in a 

variety of locations around the world. But what we love most is the opportunity to really 

become immersed in the culture of another region or country. 

As a house sitter you will get to live more like a local than as a regular tourist. Importantly for 

many pet lovers, and as a welcome added bonus for all parties, you also get to cuddle up with 

furry animals during your time away! 

But house sitting comes with responsibilities - it should not simply be seen as an inexpensive 

way to enjoy a vacation. When we are house sitting, all our focus is on looking after the home 

and pets, and we see our "travel" periods as separate experiences. Make sure you think 

carefully about any commitment that you make and consider it seriously! 

Why do people use house sitters? 

A vacant home is more vulnerable to theft or maintenance issues, and insurance companies 

generally prefer a property to be occupied when the owners are away for an extended period 

of time.

But pets are usually the most important factor when home owners consider using house sitters. 

There's a reluctance to disrupt our pets’ routines by boarding them in expensive kennels and 

catteries, especially when you can use a sitter to love and care for them in your own home. 

Home owners might be leaving for a vacation, for business or for family reasons. As well as pet 

care they may also need help with gardens, swimming pools, livestock or land management. 

Use your skills 

If you have a specialist skill such as living in an "off-grid" property, then you may find yourself 

looking after some unusual properties, possibly in very exotic locations! 

Before selling up, we used house sitters to look after our home on this fantastic Panamanian 

island location. We needed someone with solar, rainwater collection and most importantly, 

boat handling skills! 

Does house sitting always involve animals? 

Looking after pets is the number one reason for using house sitters. You'll generally find that 

cats, dogs or even exotic animals could become your temporary charges, and this provides an 

important service to home owners.

For this reason it's important to review your relevant experience, as well as how comfortable 

you are with looking after somebody else's home and pets. It's not for everyone, so maybe try a 

short local house sit before committing overseas. 

It is possible to find house sits free from pet responsibilities, but the choices available are 

usually fewer. You may need to be a little more patient or be open to trying a wider selection of 

destinations. 

Will I have free time to explore my new location? 

House sitting is often more about living and integrating into a local area, and not so much about 

travelling or sightseeing for long periods, away from your home base. 

There's often plenty to do and experience in your local area, but think carefully about your 

expectations in this respect. 

While cats are more independent, dogs cannot always be left alone for long periods, and they 

may not be well adjusted to traveling in cars. Short day trips away are usually fine, but you 

should always discuss this with the home owner before accepting an assignment.

A sharing, caring community 

Over the past few years, there has been a growing emergence of collaborative websites, forums 

and person-to-person communication apps that encourage "sharing". 

Websites like Couchsurfing and AirBnB have revolutionized travel, as people open up their 

homes to both paying and non-paying guests. 

On the whole it seems we love to share and be generous. House sitting provides the perfect 

opportunity to be part of a sharing, trust based community. 

Most house sitters offer their services for free in exchange for accommodation, utilities and 

sometimes even a vehicle. 

It's a win-win-win for everyone - homeowner, house sitter and the pets! 

Forming friendships 

Often a home owner leaves their home and pets to experience their own travel adventure. 

Knowing that people with the same life values are looking after their home, possessions and 

pets is extremely reassuring.

Friendships are formed, referral sits are common and all parties get to enjoy opportunities to 

travel further for longer periods and at a lower cost. 

Where can I find house sitting opportunities? 

House sitting is commonly linked to expat communities. As people venture further afield to 

explore alternative retirement locations, they also have a need to return home for short to 

medium term periods to visit friends and family. 

House sits can be found in both the countryside and popular city destinations, such as London, 

Paris, New York and Sydney. They can span anything from a few days to a few months, 

sometimes even longer. 

Some countries are definitely more popular than others, but new locations are popping up all 

the time. 

By the end of this year we will have house sat in Australia, Fiji, England, Mexico, Nicaragua and 

Panama. Next year we will be spending three months in Botswana, Africa.

With house sitting the world truly is your oyster! 

How do I get started? 

As the house sitting community flourishes, more and more websites are appearing for the 

purpose of matching house sitters with home owners. Some are international and others are 

regional, but each has their own unique features and services that suit the needs of everyone 

involved. 

You may need to pay a small annual subscription charge, and it's often a good idea to sign up to 

a couple of different sites. 

However, the investment you'll make is tiny compared to the savings on accommodation. 

Hotels, B&Bs or rental properties are often one of the most expensive parts of your vacation. 

This link will take you to a comparison of some of the best international and regional websites. 

What else should I consider? 

Becoming a successful house sitter is a bit like applying for a job. You need to "sell" yourself and 

your experience to the homeowner. As with any job application, the more effort you apply, the 

more likely you are to get the position. 

You'll need to think about these things too: 

 

 

 

 

Where in the world do you want to house sit? 

Is your passport up-to-date and will you need a special travel visa? 

Are you considering a location where flight costs negate the saving in accommodation? 

Which house sitting website best serves your specific needs?

Create an engaging profile 

There's a lot of information to help you with this on the house sitting platforms, but if you want 

to improve your chances of selection, don't miss next month's issue of House Sitting Magazine. 

In Issue 2 Nat and Jodie from House Sitting Academy will be explaining how to create a really 

compelling profile - not to be missed! 

There's so much more you can do to make sure you consistently get short-listed for some 

amazing assignments. 

House Sitting Magazine will continue to bring you tips and advice on a monthly basis. We will 

also be reviewing the best resources online to help you get started and maintain a successful 

house sitting profile. 

Now... are you ready to become a house sitter?

A complete guide for home owners 

by Ian Usher 

Flights are booked and you're looking forward to your holiday with great anticipation. But wait 

a minute! What about those you are leaving behind? 

You love your pets and don't want them to suffer miserably in a kennel while you enjoy your 

vacation. So, perhaps you're considering using house sitters for the first time. 

Can I really trust a stranger with my home and pets? 

Of course it's normal to have some concerns - you will, after all, be letting strangers into your 

house. What about the security of your home and possessions? How will your beloved pets 

cope with new people looking after them? 

Don't worry - thousands and thousands of people around the world now use verified house 

sitters to look after their homes and pets.

Follow the steps in this handy guide to ensure your first experience with house sitters is positive 

and rewarding for all concerned. 

Your first experience using house sitters 

We have house sat several times for home owners using sitters for the first time, and in every 

case the owners have enjoyed a positive experience. They have returned home to happy and 

well cared for pets and a clean and tidy home. 

Each of our first-time home owners has said that they would be confident to use house sitters 

again in the future. 

First, be assured that the vast majority house sit assignments are smooth and trouble-free. Yes, 

you may hear the occasional horror story of a house sit gone wrong, but these are few and far 

between. In almost all cases these could have been avoided by better communication between 

the home owners and the house sitters. 

In a nutshell, communication is the key to a successful and rewarding experience. 

There are several steps in the process of securing the right sitter and at every stage good 

communication will help avert any unwanted surprises. 

Where can you list your assignment? 

The first step is to list your assignment with one of the many house sitting websites. 

To start we suggest listing in just one place. You're practically guaranteed to get a flood of 

interest and listing on multiple sites will take more time, create more enquiries, and require a 

good understanding of the different messaging system used by each site. 

If you want to advertise to the biggest international market of house sitters then 

TrustedHouseSitters.com or Nomador.com are definitely top places to list your assignment. 

Both of these are international websites, so one disadvantage is that there may be no 

opportunity to meet the sitters in advance of the assignment. If this is important you'll need to 

select house sitters currently living (or house sitting) close to your local area. 

Depending on your location, you will probably receive many expressions of interest from all 

over the world, and from a wide diversity of people. A lot of these people will be highly 

regarded and very trustworthy sitters who have been helping home owners for a long time. 

A couple of other international house sitting sites where many people express satisfaction are 

HouseCarers.com and MindMyHouse.com. The websites are both nicely laid out, simple to 

navigate and have easy-to-use messaging systems. If your property could be classified as 

"luxury" then LuxuryHouseSitting.com offers a decent high-end service.

For great service with a personal touch you can’t do better than HouseSitMatch.com, which 

offers a truly personalized matching system that assures first timers they have made the right 

decision. 

Country-specific house sitting websites 

Another alternative is to use a more local service. For example, if you are in Australia you can 

use AussieHouseSitter.com.au. In the UK you might try HouseSittersUK.co.uk 

For more info on some of the best house sit websites take a look at our "House sitting websites 

compared" article here 

Regardless of the platform you choose the same advice applies to all house sitting websites. 

Creating your listing 

Do a little advance preparation before settling down to create your assignment listing. 

Gather several photos of your pets and your property. If happy to do so, include a photo of 

yourselves too. Decide which image you will use as your primary picture - the one that house 

sitters see first. 

Spend a little time deciding exactly what you require from your house sitters. Look at several 

other listings that appeal to you and observe what others ask for from their potential sitters.

When outlining your requirements be as thorough and specific as possible. Describe your pets 

honestly, making sure you detail any possible challenges a sitter might have: 

 

 

 

 

 

Do your pets need special attention? 

Is administering medication necessary? 

Are there any behavioural issues? 

Are your pets shy or timid? 

Can they be stubborn or occasionally aggressive? 

Be completely honest and transparent to make sure you get the people best suited to care for 

your pets. 

Show your home in your listing too. After all, this is where your sitters will be living. While the 

pets are probably the most important aspect of the sit for all concerned, the property is 

important too. Again, be open and honest to avoid misunderstandings. 

Many house sit disasters occur when the sitter turns up to find the house is nothing like they 

imagined, or as the owner described it. Sometimes the pets have issues that were never 

mentioned when the assignment was arranged. 

Full and honest disclosure in your listing will prevent misunderstandings and possible disputes 

or issues later down the line. 

As the familiar saying goes, "A picture paints a thousand words." The more photos you can add 

to your listing the better.

Your expectations 

Be very clear in your listing about what you expect from your sitters. If your pets can't be left 

alone for long periods or overnight, then make this clear. 

Most professional sitters make a very clear distinction between travelling and house sitting, and 

take their responsibilities seriously. 

Give plenty of information about the surrounding area and the facilities nearby. If it is a long 

way to the nearest supermarket, make sure you mention this, and suggest that a potential 

sitter will need their own transport. 

Again, you don't want any surprises. A sitter who turns up at a property without transport, only 

to find the closest shops are 20km away, has a right to be a little surprised and upset. 

Make sure you pre-warn your sitters if you live in a remote location. Let them know too if you 

will be leaving a vehicle for their use, or bikes to get around the local area. 

Your listing is your responsibility and by being thorough, honest and open, you are already well 

on the way to a very successful experience. 

Answering applications 

If you use the bigger house sitting websites don't be surprised if applications come rolling in 

quickly. A desirable assignment will prompt replies within minutes of posting your advert.

Assign a few hours to deal with the first influx of enquiries. Keep on top of them as they arrive. 

Don't wait a couple of days before checking responses. There's a good chance by then you'll be 

inundated. 

Weed out all applicants who don't fit your ideal sitter profile. Think like an employer and see 

house sitter profiles as CVs. Keep only those you wish to consider further. Weigh up all the 

information provided and check out links given to websites or social media pages. 

If you receive a lot of enquiries, quickly select 10 candidates who meet most, or all of your 

requirements. 

Now is a good time to change your listing to "Reviewing Applicants" to stem the incoming flood. 

You can always re-open it if you don't find the right sitter from your first batch. 

Narrow down your applications and make a shortlist of 3 or 4 candidates. At this point you 

should write to these applicants asking for clarification on any points that arise. Remember 

again, you are the "employer" with a goal to make sure the sitters fit closely fit your needs. 

Personal contact

A house sitter should be telling you why they are the right applicant for your particular 

assignment. A degree of personalisation shows that they have given thought to their response, 

and aren't just churning out standard cut and paste emails to a large number of adverts. 

Next we would suggest a video chat via Skype to get a better feel for anyone you are seriously 

considering. 

If the potential sitter happens to be in your local area it might be possible to get together in 

person. 

Go with your instincts. Pick someone you feel good about, and whose profile fills you with 

confidence. 

Check references, but don't be put off if there aren't any shown on the particular platform you 

are using. Many sitters use a number of different house sitting websites, so references could be 

listed elsewhere. Always ask for references if they aren't readily accessible. 

Your shortlist should provide you with the opportunity to select your preferred sitter pretty 

quickly. Some sitters apply for multiple assignments as they have no guarantee of being offered 

the post. It would be disappointing to deliberate for days, only to find that your sitter has 

accepted an assignment elsewhere. 

The best sitters with great profiles and extensive experience do tend to get snapped up quickly. 

Confirm all the details 

Once agreed verbally, always reconfirm all the details by email. This avoids any 

misunderstanding over dates, handovers, expectations, etc.

It's important that both parties confirm back to each other in writing, so again there is no 

possibility of a misunderstanding. 

Some home owners and house sitters like the added feeling of security that a house sitting 

contract provides. This is a topic we will be looking at in next month's issue, where a number 

of house sitting platforms will be giving their advice. 

Don't avoid notifying the unsuccessful applicants 

Once everything is confirmed, notify all unsuccessful applicants. So many home owners avoid 

this as they hate to relay bad news, but it is an important part of the process. 

Please don't shirk this responsibility. Applying for assignments is time-consuming and house 

sitters who have expressed interest deserve the respect of a timely response. There's nothing 

worse, as a sitter, than to wait days hoping for a positive reply, only to hear nothing back. 

A simple copy and paste "sorry, but no" message, is so much better than nothing at all. 

As your trip approaches 

Send an occasional email to confirm that everything is still on track. 

In our initial agreement with owners we always promise to keep in touch in the run-up to the 

house sit. We also offer a personal guarantee that once we have confirmed, barring any major 

catastrophe, we will never EVER let our home owners down.

As the home owner you should have the same degree of integrity. Don't ditch the sitters just 

because a neighbour, friend or family member offers to do the job instead. 

We don't think it's unreasonable to ask for proof of travel arrangements, when available, from 

sitters if they are travelling internationally - it shows their commitment. 

The handover 

Consider how long you'll need for the handover and what information you'll need to pass on 

before you depart. 

For a remote property with a complicated off-grid system this might involve a day or more, 

whereas a couple of hours for might suffice for a modern suburban property. 

If you have one or more dogs it's always a good idea to schedule enough time to all go for a 

walk together with the sitters so that familiar routines can be explained and demonstrated. This 

will help put everyone, including the pets, at ease. 

If your pets suffer from separation anxiety or need complicated medication you might want an 

extra day so they become more familiar with your sitters, while you are still there. 

Do whatever makes you feel most comfortable. A good sitter will understand your worries and 

concerns, particularly if this is your first experience. 

All arrangements for the term of the house sit should be open to discussion between owner 

and sitter. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you leaving them a car? 

Do they need to be added to your vehicle insurance? 

Would you like or need a lift to the airport? 

What about a return pick-up? 

How long can the pets be left with no-one in attendance? 

Are there are parts of the house that are off-limits? 

One topic that appears over and over in Facebook discussion groups, is the question of food. 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it OK to eat food left in the fridge? 

Do you want your house sitters to replace what they use? 

Can they use up perishables? 

Is food stored in the freezer off limits? 

Can they use condiments, herbs and spices?

Decide all this in advance and make sure there are no last minute changes that could surprise or 

upset the sitters. 

Get clear at the outset and you'll avoid any difficult situations on your return. 

House sitter handbook 

It is a very good idea to write or type out a “house sitter handbook”. This should include all the 

important information about your home and pets. 

This is very personal to the assignment, but there are many useful details that should always be 

included, some of which might be so obvious to you as the home owner, that you don't think to 

include them. 

We will cover this in much more detail in a future issue, and we will help you compile your 

own personalized house sitter handbook. 

Regular updates 

Do you want regular updates? Daily? Weekly? Or just occasionally? 

Good sitters might send you a photo every now-and-then to reassure you that all pets are 

happy and well cared for. Again, this is up to you. Be clear about your needs and make sure that 

the sitter understands. 

While you're away the number 1 rule is "Don't worry!"

If there is an unforeseen issue while you're away you can be confident in the knowledge that 

you have responsible and reliable people caring for your pets, who will do their best to solve 

any problems that arise. 

Returning home 

If you have followed the advice in this guide, your return home should be happy and easy. Your 

sitters will have made sure your house is at least as clean and tidy as when you left. 

In many cases home owners express their delight at the way their home has been looked after. 

After all, the sitter wants to secure a glowing reference from you, so will do their utmost to 

ensure you are satisfied with the service they have provided. 

Leave a reference 

If you have received great service from a sitter please be prompt about leaving a review. Not 

only do you help the sitters, but you also provide valuable feedback for future house owners 

considering the same sitter. 

Stay in touch 

Many home owners and house sitters become good friends, and often agree to repeat sits. Stay 

in touch. You never know when you or a friend or neighbour will need a great house sitter.

Are you ready to use house sitters? 

So that's it. Here are three simple things you need to use to ensure that your first house sit 

assignment as a home owner results in a great experience all round: 

 

 

 

Common sense 

Good communication 

Mutual respect 

Create your listing, book your flights, and relax, confident that your pets, property and 

possessions will be in safe and trustworthy hands.

The ups and downs of house sitting 

New Zealand website "stuff nation" offers an insight into the challenges and rewards of house 

sitting. 

In her 7th June 2016 article Anna Randall says: 

"I didn't expect house sitting to be hard work, but it is. But while it's tough and tiring, it's worth 

it for every cent you save." 

Read the complete article here 

.

As a house sitter, have you ever found yourself with one or more nights between house sits, 

asking yourself where you could stay that's culturally more stimulating than a budget roadside 

hotel? 

As a home owner, are you on the fence, contemplating whether house sitting will work for 

you? Would you benefit from a face-to-face meeting with a sitter who is passing through your 

area? 

Do you enjoy meeting like-minded people, sharing a home cooked meal and an evening of 

inspirational discussions? 

Stopovers from Nomador could be just what you need! 

By offering just one free night of accommodation on Nomador's Stopover feature, you could 

get the answers to all your questions - or simply enjoy an evening making new friends.

One of the over-riding reasons for using house sitting as a vacation, or longer term travel 

option, is to live like locals in a new location, while also having the opportunity to create long 

lasting local or international friendships. 

More and more frequently house sitters are asked to stay longer than just one night before an 

assignment begins. This is not only to ensure an effective handover, but because they have 

been invited to stay as guests, so that the home owners can get to know more about their 

lifestyle. 

Stopovers is now a standard feature on the Nomador website, offering exactly this kind of 

opportunity - an evening or two forging friendships within the house sitting community. 

This can help house sitters fill the accommodation gaps between house sits, or provide the 

chance to check out suitability for future assignments. 

Many house sitters also have homes and would happily offer up a few nights to meet fellow 

sitters or home owners when they are not travelling.

Stopovers gives both home owners and house sitters the option to offer a room for one or 

more nights to another registered member. 

At Nomador we noticed how your interest in staying with local people drives many of your 

travel decisions. For so many of you, like us, it is not just about a cheap stay - it is about making 

connections with people around the world.

Beyond house-sitting, many of you have also been looking for short stopovers in people's 

homes while traveling abroad or between assignments. 

One of the riches that those of us in the international house sitting community all share is our 

passion to travel, to explore, and to meet locals. 

Stopovers can: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spark our curiosity about other cultures and different ways of life 

Fuel our desire to meet people who are different from us 

Help us celebrate those cultural differences that make travel so exciting 

Fulfill our wish to teach our children the meaning of the word 'hospitality' 

Instill a continued belief that most of humanity is fundamentally generous 

Allow us to be part of all this and life’s rich adventure

Make new friends 

As Travellers: Stay with a Nomador home owner for a night of two as you travel, or maybe even 

to fill a gap between assignments. 

As Hosts: Even if you’re not travelling (and that’s also the case for many house sitters part of 

the year), you can still meet new people in the community! Offer up a spare bedroom for fellow 

travellers who happen to be in your part of the world. 

Help grow the house sitting community 

If you have a spare bedroom and are willing to open your door for one night or more to foreign 

home owners or house-sitters — even if just once per year — then publish a Stopover. 

By doing this you will: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make other members’ travel experiences special when they're in your part of the world 

Offer a genuine local experience in a proper house 

Make new international friends 

Save guests the cost of an anonymous hotel room 

Cook your favorite local recipe to share 

Enrich each others profiles (by getting feedback from other members of the community)

At the time of writing we have 75 people offering Stopovers. Destinations included Russia, 

France, Mexico, Thailand and many others.

In order to celebrate the launch of House Sitting Magazine, Nomador are offering 50 free 

subscriptions. 

A one month subscription to Nomador's Confidence Option (value US $12) will be offered to the 

first 50 readers who publish a Nomador Stopover before 31st August 2016. 

To take advantage of this offer, here’s what to do: 

If you’re not yet a Nomador member and you want to sign up just to offer a Stopover: 

1) Register with Nomador, choosing their FREE "Discovery Option" 

TAP HERE to register for FREE 

2) Post a Stopover. 

3) Once your Stopover has been published, click on MEMBER NAME at the top of the page 

4) Open the SUBSCRIPTION tab 

5) Type the following code in the dedicated area of the SUBSCRIPTION TAB - 8TVW7A28 

6) Your subscription will be activated immediately, valid for one month. 

The difference between Nomador's FREE Discovery Option and their Confidence Option 

(subscribing members) is explained on this page. 

If you are already a member at Nomador... 

Simply send a message to Mariannig and her team at Nomador explaining that you’d like to 

benefit from the House Sitting Magazine special offer, and the team will send you some specific 

instructions. 

This offer is valid for all Nomador Stopovers published before 31 August, 2016.

y Ian Usher 

Makai Tullis is the son of Tracey and Rob, a family who have been house sitting full-time since 

2014. They are well known in the house sitting community for their website - The Expat 

Experiment 

Tracey will be telling us more about family house sitting in Issue 2 and has contributed a very 

informative introduction to home schooling in Issue 3. 

In the meantime, congratulations to Makai - for being recognized as a top young adventurer! 

CLICK HERE to read the complete "The Top 30 Adventurers Under 30 in 2016" article

Many years ago I also traversed the Carrick-a-Rede bridge, in very windy conditions. It is a long 

way down onto a very rocky shore! 

Were you scared Makai? I was!

As house sitters we are often keen to demonstrate our love of animals as soon as we arrive at 

an assignment. We want to put the home owners at ease by demonstrating an instant bond 

with the pets that we will be caring for in their absence. 

But, are we sometimes over zealous during this first meeting? 

Gregg Flowers is a Florida-based dog trainer who explains the best and most effective way to 

meet a new dog. 

Take it slow when meeting a new dog 

by dog expert, Gregg Flowers 

Many people, especially children, get bitten every day and 'the greeting' is possibly the most 

likely circumstance for an 'iffy' dog to snap. 

It's important for us dog lovers to not allow our zeal to make a new friend get us into trouble 

because we rushed the encounter, so be patient and take it slowly. 

A good rule of thumb when greeting an unfamiliar dog is - no talking, no touching and no eye 

contact.

Body language is everything 

Never rush at a dog with a lot of chatter and frenetic energy upon greeting it. When you meet a 

dog for the first time, body language is everything - so is your calm energy. 

When dealing with dogs, set aside your attachment to human language and customs. This is HIS 

language and if you want to make his acquaintance in a favorable way that appeals to him, 

these tips can really help. 

Learn to communicate with dogs in a way they understand 

Communicate in a way the dog understands 

If the dog is with his owner, ask if it's okay to say hello. Some dogs just don't like people, and 

you might save yourself the unpleasantness of dodging teeth by employing the courtesy of 

simply asking first. 

Either way, with or without an owner, when you first greet a dog, keep your breathing easy and 

relaxed. 

Do NOT bend over him (standing over a dog is a dominant posture). Remember even a so-called 

‘short’ person is taller than a big dog. 

Allow him to come to you as you squat without talking to, looking at or touching him. 

This body language says, "I'm not a threat"

Looking directly in the face of a dog may be wrongly interpreted as a warning. Remember, he 

doesn't know you. One reason small children often get bitten by a dog, is because they are right 

on eye level with Rover. 

No smiling 

Do not inadvertently show your teeth (as in a smile). A smile to us means 'friend', however, 

showing teeth in dog language says, 'back off'. Smile after you consummate the greeting 

process. 

Your smile might be interpreted as a growl by a dog 

When you approach the dog, don't do it head on, but rather turn to your side and squat before 

you get to him. Allow him to close the gap to come and sniff you. 

How do I smell? 

Extend the back of your wrist, and when the dog begins to smell you, do not say anything, don't 

look at him and don't pet him. We have plenty of 'scent' on the back of our wrist, and an open 

hand may be misinterpreted by some dogs. 

Let him get all the information he needs about you, through sniffing. 

After that, you can slowly move your hand under his chin (NOT over his body. That way he can 

see where your hand is going.)

Don't reach over a dog to pet him on the top of the head or on his back until you can tell that 

he enjoys being petted there. Next, pet him gently on the chest or on the side of the face. 

When you do ultimately talk to the dog, speak in a monotone, friendly voice and a lower 

register, NOT in a high pitched, manic, voice. 

Many adults today are afraid of dogs because no grown-up taught them as children the proper 

way to greet a dog and they had a bad experience. 

The above is all good information for meeting any dog and important counsel to pass on to our 

little ones. 

Gregg Flowers is a native of Louisiana, and owns "Dog's Best Friend" Dog Training Services in 

Sarasota, Florida, where he "teaches dogs and trains people". 

To find out more about Gregg's Florida-based "Dog's Best Friend" Training Services TAP HERE

Each month we will take a look at different animal breeds and any special requirements that, as 

a house sitter or home owner, you should consider when becoming a temporary handler. 

We recently had a joyful experience looking after a two year old German Shepherd (Xena) in 

Australia. Here is some of what we learned. 

Introducing the German Shepherd 


The German Shepherd (German: Deutscher Schäferhund) is a breed of medium to large-sized 

working dog that originated in Germany around 1899. It is also known as the Alsatian in the UK 

and abbreviated to GSD. 

German Shepherd's are part of the herding group or "pastoral breed" of dogs and were 

originally developed for herding sheep. Usually this type of dog has a weatherproof double coat 

to protect it from the elements when working in severe conditions. 

Breeds such as the Collie family, Old English Sheepdogs and Samoyeds, who have been herding 

reindeer for centuries, are others included in this group.

Image credit: German-ShepherdHerding.com 

Because of their strength, intelligence, trainability and obedience, GSDs are now often the 

preferred breed for many types of work, including search-and-rescue, disability assistance, 

police and military roles. In World War One 48,000 were enlisted in the German army. 

The German Shepherd is the second-most popular breed of dog in the United States and fourthmost 

popular in the United Kingdom. 

Size 

German Shepherds are large dogs with females averaging 25-32kg and males 30-40kg. Height 

can be between 55cm and 65cm - the female is a little smaller than the male. 

Temperament 

German Shepherds are moderately active dogs and described in breed standards, as selfassured. 

The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. 

They are naturally curious, which is part of what makes them excellent guard dogs and suitable 

for search and rescue missions. 

Sometimes GSDs become over-protective of their family and territory, especially if not 

socialized correctly. 

They are not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers. For this reason when house 

sitting, try to allow some time to get to know a Shepherd with the owners if this is possible.

GSDs are often trained for Search and Rescue duties - Image credit: Sacramento Police Canine Association 

Obedience and training 

German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient. 

In the book 'The Intelligence of Dogs', author Stanley Coren ranked the breed third for 

intelligence, behind Border Collies and Poodles. He found that they had the ability to learn 

simple tasks after only five repetitions and obeyed the first command given 95% of the time. 

When house sitting, take time to find out what commands and tricks have been learned. This 

will keep your Shepherd stimulated while the owners are away. 

German Shepherds are fiercely loyal and strong dogs. It's important that they are well trained 

and socialized as puppies to ensure that they do not become over dominant. 

Aggression and biting 

Well-trained and socialized German Shepherds have a reputation for being very safe. However, 

the bite of this dog is a little stronger in force than a Pitbull, and so it is important to quickly 

demonstrate alpha control if entering temporarily into a Shepherd's life.

German Shepherds are loyal and intelligent, but can be a little mischievous 

if not entertained and exercised regularly 

In truth, determination may well need to be an important facet in an owner’s make-up, as a 

Shepherd needs a firm, consistent hand. They are highly intelligent dogs and needs to be kept 

occupied if they are not to become bored and, in turn, mischievous. 

Grooming 

You may come across both short and long coated Shepherds and they both moult throughout 

the year, so regularly grooming is necessary. Long coats will require more brushing to avoid 

matting. 

They love water and will happily swim in the sea or in rivers, but you can also wash them and 

hose them down without too much difficulty.

Exercise requirements 

German Shepherds need more exercise than just about any other breed and you will struggle to 

tire them out. 

As a house sitter you should prepare yourself for long energetic walks, runs or cycle rides. 

Of course, age and health should also always be considered when assessing the length of the 

walk, so always discuss this with the pet owner. 

A quick pad around the local park isn't nearly enough, and a bored Shepherd can become 

frustrated, leading to bad behaviour.

Image credit: pets4homes.com 

German Shepherds are susceptible to hot weather. If you have a long-haired shepherd and you 

are house sitting in a hot or tropical area, provide your temporary charge with plenty of water 

and shade while outside. Walk in the cool early hours of the day or evening where possible. 

Don't demand too much of him on extremely hot days. 

Feeding 

Feeding is usually straight forward, but meals should be divided into two each day. Because 

they are a deep chested breed, one huge meal can cause torsion (twisting of the gut). 

They particularly like fresh meat and a mix of good quality biscuits. Avoid highly coloured foods, 

wheat and flaky foods. 

German Shepherds shouldn't be fed human junk food or tidbits as they have sensitive 

stomachs. 

Many owners prefer a natural diet for this reason. 

At our house sit, we were instructed to feed 'chicken necks' as the preferred meat choice. We 

also gave Xena a couple of spoonfuls of natural yoghurt before bedtime to help settle her 

stomach.

Xena loved the beach and was tireless when swimming for her ball in the waves 

Looking after a GSD can be extremely rewarding. But you must be confident with large dogs 

and generally able to exercise them energetically on a twice daily basis. 

We spent two days with our home owners before they left, as they wanted to be sure that we 

could handle Xena. We found this to be very beneficial as she learned to quickly trust us while 

the owners were still around. 

We were able to observe their behaviour with and around Xena, which resulted in a smooth, 

easy handover. 

Information in this article has been drawn from personal experiences as well as the following 

websites: 

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk 

http://www.wikipedia.com

For many the Bordeaux region of France is well known as a bucket list destination, and rightly 

so!

We had the great pleasure of spending four months from April to August, house sitting a 40 

acre property set among the vineyards. It contained a beautiful and extensive, architecturally 

designed home and holiday "gite" (self contained holiday accommodation), along with 3 

gorgeous dogs. 

For us it was complete serenity - a period to get away from all the hustle and bustle of city life. 

We were able to really immerse ourselves in the French lifestyle, enjoying a much slower pace, 

and the long lunches that France is so famous for. 

France is full of expats, particularly those heralding from the UK, who return home at various 

times for personal or business commitments. 

House sitting assignments are readily available and provide a great opportunity to explore and 

spend time in this region. 

Transport to and within Bordeaux 

Bordeaux Airport is by far the biggest in the region, but there are also other options including 

Bergerac, Toulouse and several smaller airports that may be closer to your accommodation. 

This area is, in fact, very well serviced by air transport. 

Most of the big international airlines fly regularly into Bordeaux, and budget airlines EasyJet, 

RyanAir, FlyBe and Jet2 service the smaller airports daily from the UK and surrounding 

European countries. 

Consider also the option of the wonderful TGV fast train service that runs throughout France 

and some other European countries: 

http://tgv.be.voyages-sncf.com/en/ 

For us the train is a great way to travel as you get the benefit of being able to really absorb the 

countryside... well, as much as you can when you are traveling at 300km per hour! 

Luxury coaches also run multiple times a day from England via the "Chunnel" (the tunnel under 

the English Channel), which if you have not done it yet, do so at some stage. It is an incredible 

bucket list experience… on a coach, on a train, under the water. Very cool!

However, once in France, public transport such as buses and trains becomes very limited. 

Being picked up by your home owner from your arrival point is by far the best option if you 

can arrange this. 

A vehicle for getting around the region once you start your house sit, also seems a must. 

Unlike places such as the UK, there appears to be little issue from an insurance point of view 

with other drivers using the home owner's vehicle, so you may find the owner happily leaves 

you their car. 

This is great, as it is probably the only way you will get to visit the local shops and to look 

around the area in which you are staying. 

Cost of living in south-west France 

We had always been told in Australia that Europe was an expensive place to live, and 

particularly France. 

Lies! All Lies! 

South-west France has so far been one of THE most INEXPENSIVE places to house sit. 

The grocery prices are fantastic (we are comparing them to western countries such as Australia, 

the US and the UK), and the ‘must have’ French foods like wine, cheese, chocolate, and 

baguettes are super cheap. 

Four to eight euros for a great bottle of wine is pretty darn good in our books!

We did not eat out all that often as we had a wonderful gourmet kitchen to cook in. But, when 

we did have a meal in Bordeaux itself, the prices were very reasonable, and comparable to 

other city prices. 

Most French countryside villages have fresh produce markets. 

In the property we were minding, we were surrounded by three villages close by (10 minutes or 

so drive away), so we took the opportunity to indulge in the wonderful fruits and vegetables of 

the area at the markets that were held throughout the week. 

We were not disappointed - it was the first time since we were kids that we can remember 

having a tomato that actually tasted like a tomato - fresh picked that morning! 

You really can't go too wrong buying anything in the local markets of the area. 

Of course, with house sitting you rarely pay for things like the internet and other utilities, so all 

in all, south-west France makes for a very budget conscious house sitting experience. 

Things to do 

I guess in the south-west of France the greatest benefit is that there is little to do, and that’s 

the point!

If you are like us, you will notice immediately that it is all about slowing down to about one 

tenth of the pace you are probably used to, and just ‘being’ for a while. 

France is about indulgence, pleasure and life itself, and that is indicative in the time it takes to 

prepare meals (about two hours on average), and that just about everything closes between 

midday and 2pm - supermarkets, banks, petrol stations and small shops. 

We heard many stories from our home owners that every day when ‘trying’ to build their 

house, the French builders would take-off for their lunch of baguettes, cheese, meats and a 

whole bottle of wine and rarely return in the afternoon! 

A project should have taken them two years, actually took five... saved only in the end by the 

labour they bought in from the UK! 

Of course there are always a few thousand vineyards that have wine tasting every day of the 

week if that is your pleasure. There are both big and small outfits, and even many new biodynamic 

vineyards now popping up.

If you haven’t tried bio-dynamic wine then this is the place to do so. Bio-dynamic is one step up 

from organic so it is the most pure wine you will ever taste. 

Wine is made in very small batches, and so the growers use the vineyards to grow other crops 

from time to time to give the soil a rest. Everything is done by hand… or feet when it comes to 

crushing the grapes! 

The result is wine... to die for! 

For those interested in finding out more about the region's wine heritage, the city of Bordeaux 

is the world's major wine industry capital. 

To plan a trip to the city, check out this popular guide: 

http://www.visitacity.com/en/bordeaux 

A few things to consider 

We found people in this area to be very friendly, but it is difficult to find people who will speak 

anything other than French, unless they are expats, of course. It is not that they are rude as 

many believe, just that they are embarrassed to speak English as they feel they are not very 

good at it. 

A lot of places will not accept foreign credit cards. We had to use cash to pay for things like 

petrol in our area. 

Grocery stores will stay open till 10pm but many other shops will close on Sundays and early on 

weekdays. Post offices seem almost impossible to find open!

Getting service people to come in to fix things like plumbing, electrical, or pest services (which 

we needed at one stage for a bee swarm in the holiday accommodation) is virtually impossible, 

especially if it is urgent. 

If you are house sitting in Bordeaux and things go wrong you may need to get creative and have 

a go yourself, even if the home-owner has left you a number for someone they use. 

We learned all sorts of skills in France we didn’t know we had… plumbing, irrigation, and even 

bee, ferret and snake removal! 

Our house sitting assignment in south-west France has been one of our best memories so far. 

We have become great friends with the owners and really cannot wait until we are back in that 

region again to catch up with our three little charges. 

We would definitely recommend a house sitting experience in south-west France. 

Come on, you know it’s on your list of must do's! 

Originally from Australia, Nat Smith and her partner Jodie Burnham have been full-time 

international house sitters and travellers since early 2013. They currently have no home base or 

residency. 

In 2013 Nat & Jodie started the 'House Sitting World' Facebook group for house sitters and 

home owners to connect, inspire and learn from each other. This group is now 12000+ strong, 

with people discovering and delighting in the benefits of house sitting, hungry for information 

about how to get started and use it to travel the world!

That is exactly why they have developed the House Sitting Academy's '10-C Confidence & 

Competency System' to take the wisdom, tips and experience of those who have been house 

sitting for years. 

This wealth of experience is combined with teachings from specialized experts in a step-by-step 

online video course - a complete resource hub and private referral network for house sitters 

around the globe.

Review - Rome2rio 


When you are in an unfamiliar country and possibly even using a different language, how can 

you easily plan your journeys between house sits or travel adventures? 

For the past year we've been experimenting with a journey planner app that is growing in 

popularity. It's called Rome2rio. 

From the home screen you simply enter your start and end locations, then let the app search 

for a variety of different routes. You will be given plane, train, bus, ferry and car (self drive) 

options. By logging in you can also save your route selections.

Rome2rio shows you the quickest and cheapest routes, and will even advise on popular 

sightseeing opportunities along the way.

What I love is how simple it is to use at each step of the way. Once your route is displayed you 

can view each stage independently and link through to the transport operator servicing that 

part of the journey. 

There is an associated map that updates instantly each time you select an alternative route 

option, making it visually very easy to see which towns and cities your transport will pass 

through. 

Links to flight, accommodation and hire car companies are also provided. We haven't used 

these features as we still prefer to carry out our own independent research for the best online 

deals. 

However, for planning an overall route, looking at transport alternatives and getting an idea of 

the cost involved, we haven't found anything better, easier or quicker. 

How up-to-date is this app? 

One small criticism that seasoned travellers might have is that Rome2rio appears to overlook 

the smaller "chicken bus" operators that don't always have their own websites. 

For instance, on a route we know well from Bocas del Toro in Panama to San Jose, Costa Rica, 

part of the journey suggests an expensive $45 taxi ride. We know from experience that a local 

bus can be taken instead for just a couple of dollars.

The website states: 

"Rome2rio searches a purpose built, unique repository of train, bus, plane, taxi, ferry, walking 

and driving routes. Our repository is constantly expanding as we add new data from sources 

around the world. Thousands of transport operators are represented in our database, making it 

the largest online repository of surface transport routes anywhere online." 

So while the database is growing, we would suggest that you do some comparative research 

online if you want to be sure that you are getting the cheapest or most convenient deal. 

Of course, this depends on your budget and quality standards. We know not everyone wants to 

travel by "chicken bus" and would be quite satisfied with the options currently offered by this 

app. 

None of this should put you off trying this app. 

Through using Rome2rio we also came across Interjet, a local Mexican flight operator, and 

we've secured a couple of low cost domestic flights and another equally cheap flight down to 

San Jose, Costa Rica. More about this in Issue 2. 

We will be using Rome2rio for our extensive route planning over the next six months around 

Mexico and Central America. We'll report back later in the year with our further thoughts about 

how accurate it is. 

In the meantime, we would certainly suggest trying Rome2rio if you need to deal with any 

logistical challenges when traveling around the world, or between house sits.

Entertainment on the road 

by Ian Usher 

Imagine this... 

You've arrived at your new, remote, three month house sit, only to discover there's no cable 

TV, limited WIFI, and the DVD collection features nothing but teen movies from the 80s!

Of course not everyone wants to watch television while house sitting, but for some it is an ideal 

opportunity to catch up on missed TV series, documentaries or movies, especially if you are 

living away long term. 

A little planning and some simple preparation will enable you to carry your own entertainment 

in digital format, eliminating the need to weigh down your luggage with an extensive DVD 

collection. 

You may already have plenty of entertainment in digital format. Vanessa and I do enjoy our 

movies and TV shows, and we travel with a hard drive packed with items from our "to watch" 

list. 

Western Digital 3Tb hard disk drive packed with movies and TV shows 

The issue we often face is how to be sure we will be able to watch our movies at our new house 

sit location. Some newer TVs have a USB input and are able to play digital files directly from the 

hard drive, but other TVs don't recognize many of the file formats. 

We have collected movies and TV shows in many different video file formats. These are just a 

few of the most common video formats you may come across: mpg, avi, mp4, flv, mkv, wmv 

and mov. 

Older TVs won't be able to play digital files at all. There is no easy way to know - it depends on 

the make, model and age of the unit. 

Until recently we have had to use a laptop to connect to a modern TV via an HDMI cable, or by 

a bulky VGA cable if it is an older model.

With outdated models it hasn't been possible to connect a computer at all, so we have resorted 

to watching our movies on the small screen of our laptop, which is far from ideal. 

The perfect solution 

Watching movies on the laptop - not ideal 

After a lot of research we have finally developed the perfect solution, and have put together a 

set of equipment that is small, lightweight and very effective to use with almost all modern TVs. 

Step 1: Gather your digital material 

We don't advocate that you break the law by downloading movies or TV shows illegally, but if 

you have DVD discs that you've previously bought, you are quite within your rights to make a 

copy on a hard drive for your own use. 

TIP: Thrift and charity shops are great places to buy boxed DVD sets cheaply that you can store 

digitally and take with you for future viewing. 

You can insert your DVD in the DVD drive of your computer and simply copy the contents over 

to your hard drive. However, these files are huge, and you really need to compress them down 

to a more manageable size. 

Tool #1: Handbrake - download this FREE software at the link below the image, and follow the 

guidelines in the video to reduce your DVD files to a reasonable size:

https://handbrake.fr/ 

Watch the video below for a quick tutorial on copying your DVDs to your computer and using 

Handbrake to reduce them down to much smaller files, without compromising on video quality 

too much: 

Step 2: Storage options 

There are many digital storage options, but for short to mid-term travel, by far the smallest and 

most convenient, are microSD cards. 

We recently bought three new 128Gb microSD cards, which are smaller than a postage stamp. 

They weigh almost nothing, yet each one is capable of storing around 150 movies at a pretty 

decent quality.

We slot these cards into a handy SDcardholder along with an adapter and a couple of mobile 

phone SIM cards. 

The SDcardholder holds 5 x microSD cards, an adapter, and 3 x SIM cards. Using 128Gb microSD cards means this 

holder, about the size of a credit card, can carry over 600Gb of entertainment - movies, TV shows, music, photos. 

Another favourite item of mine is the PNY-Baby, which neatly accepts the microSD card to 

become the tiniest 128Gb USB drive. This is much more versatile that using the SD card 

adapter, as not all computers have an SD card slot. 

The PNY Baby (centre) is a tiny microSD card adapter. Compared to the standard USB key to the right, or to the 

coin, you can see how small and portable it is.

Step 3: Upload compressed video files to microSD card 

Simply drag-and-drop the compressed video files that you previously created with Handbrake, 

across to your microSD card. 

You now have months of media entertainment stored on something that weighs practically 

nothing. 

But how do you play these files on almost any TV? 

Step 4: How to watch your movies on any TV 

We did quite a bit of research before buying the Sumvision Cyclone Micro 4 Media Player. 

The amazing Sumvision Cyclone Micro 4 will play any video file format. 

This tiny device will accept a microSD card, a USB key, or an even larger USB hard drive, and will 

play any video file. 

It outputs the content via either an HDMI cable or via RCA connections - the standard 

yellow/red/white audio and video cable connections. It can also be used to play music or 

browse pictures. 

We have yet to find a video file it cannot play, and we haven't been to a house sitting 

assignment yet where we couldn't connect it to the TV and watch our movies or TV shows.

The Sumvision Cyclone Micro 4 has its own small remote control, or you can download an app called "AirFun", 

which allows you to control your videos from your tablet or phone 

Enjoying entertainment on the road is simple! 

By using a combination of these affordable, tiny, lightweight items you can watch your movies 

and TV shows wherever you are house sitting, no matter what type of TV you find at the 

property when you arrive. 

Our complete setup for short to mid-term travel, with 256Gb of entertainment included on 2 x 128Gb microSD 

cards. Here we have connected it to an older TV at one of our house sits.

Checklist of items: 

Useful free software: 

VLC media player (for playing any video file on your computer) 

Handbrake (for creating small mp4 video files from much larger files) 

Must-have travel accessories: 

microSD cards 

microSD USB adapter / "PNY Baby" adapter 

SD card holder 

Sumvision Cyclone Micro 4

10 tips for sustainable travel 

by CJ Singer 

Travel might not be the most sustainable activity you can take part in, but following this list of 

tips will help reduce your journey's impact on the environment. 

Large amounts of fossil fuels, or old dinosaurs, are burned everyday to run planes, trains, and 

automobiles. There are approximately 93,000 commercial flights everyday - that is crazy! 

We have tried to mitigate some of it by traveling in a Honda Insight Hybrid, and have been 

averaging around 44 miles to the gallon - not bad at all. 

We came up with this list, in no particular order, of other “green” things we can do as travelers 

to help Mother Nature.

1. Carbon offset 

There are travel booking companies out there like Trip Zero who will offset your trip’s carbon 

footprint, free of charge. 

Eric Zimmerman, TripZero’s founder, explains how it works: 

"When you book travel through our site, we calculate the TripZero carbon footprint created by 

your trip. We include both the impact of our transportation (air, train, car or bus) and your hotel 

stay. Then we offset that footprint by funding renewable energy and forestry projects. 

So, for example, when your flight to San Francisco creates two tons of C02 pollution, one of our 

forestry projects in Africa literally sucks that C02 out of our shared atmosphere. Best of all, it’s 

free. 

Through our partnership with Expedia we’re able to offer you the guaranteed lowest prices on 

the Internet. And there’s absolutely no charge for the carbon offsets, ever." 

2. Reusable coffee mugs 

Use these instead of using the paper cups provided at most hotels and gas stations. You’ll be 

able to take more liquid with you and it will stay hotter longer.

House Sitting Magazine like this collapsible coffee cup - great for easy portability. Find this one from Stojo on 

Amazon here 

3. Hit the light switch 

When you leave your room, turn out all the lights. If you need some light as you exit, open the 

window curtains. Give your eyes a few moments to adjust - you'll be surprised at how much you 

can see without artificial lights. 

4. Reuse bath towels 

Hang your towel up and use it a second or third time. You were clean the first time you used it.

5. Recycle 

Use recycle bins and containers when you can. I know from experience that we (USA) have a 

long way to go in getting recycling implemented all over the country, but when you have the 

option to recycle, use it. 

Some city’s, like Seattle, have done an incredible job while others have a long way to go. 

6. Sustainable eating 

Seek out farmers markets to find locally grown, organic, cost-effective and healthy eating 

options. 

Costas Christ, National Geographic Traveler contributing editor, suggests the use of smartphone 

apps like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sustainable Seafood Watch to "avoid accidentally dining 

on threatened fish stocks." 

You can read more of Costas's work at National Geographic Traveler 

7. Eco-tourism 

Stay at an Eco Lodge. Nowadays these can be found all over the world. Linda McCormick, from 

Eco Traveller Guide says: 

"If you do want to stay at an eco lodge, make sure you ask to see the accommodation's eco 

credentials before booking, or better still, ask a few questions, and always make sure you do a 

little research. 

Many lodges have jumped on the eco bandwagon, but are anything but green. There are 

internationally recognized criteria as to what constitutes an eco lodge, as drawn up by 

International Ecotourism Society's co-founder, Hitesh Mehta. They’re worth reading if you’re 

serious about finding a really good eco lodge." 

CLICK HERE for more info.

8. Solar charge 

Use solar chargers to power your smart phone, tablet, or laptop. Even use larger systems on 

your RV and get off the grid, saving you a ton of cash and cutting down CO2 emissions through 

coal generated electricity. 

9. Reusable grocery bags 

Stop using plastic bags, they’re terrible for the environment. Bring reusable bags into the store 

with you. You can even take it a step further and use reusable produce bags. Most stores will 

give you money back for using your own bags too. 

10. Personal products 

Use "green" beauty products on that pretty face of yours, your body and the environment will 

thank you. Whole Foods and other Organic Stores and co-ops sell travel size "green" products. 

So, how do you protect the environment when traveling? 

Has anyone visited an Eco Lodge and what was your take on it? 

Let us know what you think about sustainable travel or your Eco Lodge experience to: 

vanessa@HouseSittingMagazine.com 

CJ Singer is the pack leader of the Traveling Chimps, a full time traveling family of four, worldschooling 

in their Hybrid car. 

He is the host of The Traveling Chimps Podcast - a weekly podcast about the art of full time 

travel, featuring travelers, digital nomads, and travel hacks pulled from his life on the road. 

His first book, "Family Vagabond Adventure, Learn the Art of Full Time Travel", is available for 

free at TravelingChimps.com 

These days you can find CJ and the other Chimps house sitting on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 

exploring small villages and hunting for the perfect sunset.

Sell all your stuff 

Vanessa recently took the opportunity to ask Al and Shelly McCullough of SellAllYourStuff.com 

a few questions about their nomadic, minimalist lifestyle. 

In 2014, Al and Shelly sold most of what they owned in Canada and headed for Panama. We 

found out how they dealt with the transition, how they overcame any obstacles along the way, 

and how house sitting now features in their lives. Their answers are fascinating, enlightening, 

and often very entertaining. 

Interview 

Vanessa: Was there a "light bulb" moment that initiated the plan to sell up and travel? 

Al: I think it was when the company I was working at closed. It was yet another disappointment 

in a string of IT cubicle jobs for me. Downsized. Restructured. Company Closed. Clearly IT wasn’t 

where I was meant to be. 

Shelly was the driving force behind the life change though. We had a “retire at 50” plan, which 

we changed to “Freedom 45”, then "40". Finally we just said, "screw the plan - let's just go!"

To answer the question, it wasn’t so much as a light bulb moment, but more a series of events 

that transpired, expediting the process. 

Vanessa: What prompted the move from Canada to Panama? 

Al: An easy transition in regards to spelling. Switch a ‘C’ with a ‘P’ and a ‘D’ with an ’M’ and you 

easily go from Canada to Panama. 

In all honesty it was the lower cost of living, back when our Canadian dollar was much higher, 

so we could figure out what to be when we grew up, but moreover, to have some fun and enjoy 

life. 

Too many people save for a retirement that doesn’t last that long (if they even make it to 

retirement). We weren’t looking for a retirement lifestyle, or to do intense backpacking travel 

across the world, we just wanted to do something totally different for us. That, and we wanted 

to escape Canadian winters – even if only temporarily. 

We had visited a few parts of Panama in 2012 and loved it. It’s a beautiful country with 

something for everyone. Sure it has problems and faults, but so does any country. We poke fun 

at things that happen in Panama - as do many expats and locals - but it’s like that girl you have a 

crush on so you pull her hair. We do it out of love. 

Vanessa: Did you sell your property as well as all your possessions? 

Al: No. We opted to rent out that asset. We don’t make any money though - the bank still owns 

the home which means the rent covers the mortgage.

Vanessa: Have you always been minimalists at heart? 

Al: Looking back, we think so. Even when we first started living together we always purged 

clothes each spring and fall to gain closet space. After we bought a home it seemed we would 

have a yard sale every so often to get rid of extra stuff we somehow accumulated over the 

years. 

We don’t like to use a label of calling ourselves “minimalists” though. We tend to say “we live a 

minimalist lifestyle”. It seems there are some people that think there are rules to being a 

“minimalist” – Ha! We don’t think that way. It seems "judgy". We just tell people to “do more 

stuff with less stuff and live a minimalist lifestyle”. 

It also seems like it’s a buzz-word right now, but we probably are exemplary “minimalists” and 

it’s a lifestyle we don’t think we’d change. Having less stuff makes life much more simple, and it 

does allow us to do more too. 

Vanessa: How easy or hard was the process of getting rid of stuff? 

Al: Pretty easy actually. There were a few items we didn’t really want to let go of at first, but 

after we took a picture or two and started putting stuff up for sale we got hooked on selling 

stuff. 

At times it could be frustrating – mostly with online ads. You’d get people say, “I’ll take that - be 

there by tonight at 6pm”, only to never show up or ever contact you again. Countless times that 

happened. And of course there are the insult offers - both online and at a yard sale. If 

something is listed at $100, chances are I’m not taking $20, so don’t start there.

The worksheets we created for our eBook, "Sell All Your Stuff and Move Abroad" were actually 

used in our process, which is why we included them. Our estate sale was very well organized, 

too, and we did have several people say so. Planning ahead for a move of that magnitude just 

made things easier. 

Vanessa: What was the hardest thing to let go of? 

Shelly: My Himalayan salt-lamp. I loved it and sold it for less than half of what we paid for it. 

Just stuff though, can’t let stuff hold you back. In hindsight I should have just given it to 

someone in the family. 

Al: Not really anything. I didn’t sell my tools though and instead stored them at my sisters, in 

case I ever need them again. At least she’ll get to use them if necessary, or her kids will. Tools 

don’t hold value for some reason and I wasn’t going to have some schmoe offer me $10 for my 

cordless DEWALT drill. I’d rather see family get better use of stuff like that. 

Vanessa: Do you have a secret stash of stuff in someone's attic? 

Al: Oops, jumped the gun! In addition to my tool stash above we have a few boxes of files, one 

photo album from our pre-digital-camera-era wedding, and some cold-weather clothes (boots 

and jackets) in case we have to return to Canada in the middle of winter. 

Vanessa: Describe any emotional impact as a result of selling everything. 

Al: The feeling of being free. It’s like a weight is lifted and you’re so much lighter – figuratively 

and physically. You realize you put all this money and effort into a lifestyle, and where did it get 

you? Buy a house, fill it with stuff, go to work to pay for said stuff. For what?

In the two years leading up to our move we often said we had too much house. It was a raised 

bungalow with well over 1600 sq ft (150 m2) of living space. Way too much for two people. 

When we look back at the waste though, we don’t feel bad about it. Nor do we wish we had a 

flying Delorian to take us back in time to redo things. We’ve just learned from it – but that’s 

what life is all about. If we settle somewhere again we know we’ll do things TOTALLY different 

when it comes to “stuff”. 

Vanessa: Did you get any negative feedback from family and friends? 

Al: We lost contact with some friends and family completely, but whatever, stuff happens. For 

the most part people have been really positive about what we did, and are doing. 

Our recent trip home was a nice reminder of that. Various family members put up with us for 

two weeks while we stayed with them. 

Shelly’s brother let us use his car for a few days, urging us to put as many clicks on it as possible 

because the lease was coming up. And her parents let me tile their back-splash. So did my uncle 

actually. That was nice of them! 

Vanessa: What's the most positive outcome from selling all your stuff? 

Al: We’re lighter and can move around almost at will. We don’t waste money on material items. 

We still buy stuff, but we think long and hard about how badly (or desperately) we need an 

item.

Sometimes we buy things that make moving around easier, like smaller luggage. Other times 

we just hold out as long as possible until we actually NEED something. Case in point - I needed a 

new pair of socks. I had three pairs as of October 2015. Then a dog ate one at a house sit. Just 

one sock – a Tilley brand too, and they’re expensive! I didn’t make that up either. 

We later learned that the dog has a fetish for women’s undies too (thankfully none of Shelly’s). 

Thus, I was reduced to five socks in total, and two of those socks were in pretty rough shape 

and had no elasticity, so in reality, I had only three socks. Sadly, two of those were black, and 

one was white, so it’s not like I could mix, match or interchange the three either. 

Well, I sucked it up recently and bought a 4-pack of socks for $10 CAD. If you know me or have 

read any of my bios, you’ll know I HATE SOCKS. That’s probably why it took so long. 

So, yeah, that’s a positive outcome I guess. That, and we’re just more positive all round. We try 

to find a positive in any situation. We try not to judge. We try not to let things bother us 

anymore either. Except when it comes to socks! 

Vanessa: How did or does house sitting feature in your travel adventures? 

Al: It’s allowed us to live rent-free which has helped us start our business and build our brand. 

Contrary to popular belief, becoming a blogging sensation doesn’t happen overnight – and 

anyone telling you how they did just that is, "full of stuff". 

House sitting has also allowed us to envision not only where we can see ourselves living for a 

longer period of time, but what kind of home we’d prefer too. Oddly enough, one of our 

favorite house sits was an open-concept, one bedroom home with plenty of room for two 

people, but not excessive. And they had 3 dogs and 3 cats!

We think we’ll continue house sitting for a while longer, but even in the event we do settle 

again, we will still use house sitting as part of our travel plans whenever possible. 

Vanessa: What's the longest time you've spent anywhere since leaving Canada? 

Al: We spent almost 18 months in Panama. Initially we lived free of charge as “Property 

Managers”, then we rented for about four months in town before some friends asked us to 

house sit for a further three months. 

From there we bounced around expat homes in town for another two months, and then 

bounced around the greater Panama City area house sitting for the remainder of those 18 

months - save a brief stint house sitting in Nicaragua and a few border runs to Costa Rica and 

Colombia. 

Vanessa: How far ahead do you plan your life? 

Al: We live life in three month intervals. It’s really based on where we’re house sitting, and 

most house sits aren’t too long in duration – three months is actually the longest we’ve done, 

so that’s how far out we plan. 

Of course, we used to have this grand plan of working until we were 50 and then we’d retire 

early. That “plan” got thrown out the window after we moved to Panama. You don’t know what 

life is going to throw at you, so why save and save and plan and plan. 

We’re all about planning when we need to though. Like our upcoming house sits in BC - we 

need to plan a few events and activities we want to do because blogging involves pitching 

companies for free stuff in return for a sponsored article (and an adorable stick man drawing, of 

course)! 

Vanessa: Who is the creator of "stick man"? 

Al: That was me. When we first started SellAllYourStuff.com we weren’t sure if the stick man 

would stick around (pun totally intended). So many people have mentioned how much they 

enjoy him, that we’d never think of getting rid of him now. 

We’re even wondering if we should have a contest to name him! 

Vanessa: What’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve made? 

Al: One time we had to sacrifice three chickens, a goat, and a young virgin to an erupting 

volcano in Nicaragua. Hey, it’s their custom … kidding, it was only a goat and two chickens. 

But I’d have to say for us we sacrificed comfort and routine. Comfort is such an easy thing to 

find when you think about it – especially the rat-race type of comfort. You know when and 

where your next paycheck is coming from. What time you need to go to work. The route to and 

from work, and how long it will take. What you’ll eat for dinner and when. Who to call to get 

something fixed. And no hassle returns at stores! 

Routine is something we haven’t had since we left Canada for Panama. Every day in Panama 

offered a new experience – good or bad. As we’ve transitioned into this house sitting travel 

lifestyle, well, every house is different. Every animal is different. We do get into a routine at 

each house sit, but when that sit is over it’s time for a new routine. 

We don’t have a lot of money, so we need to find ways to make it, and you need to draw on ALL 

of your skills to do so, which also means being flexible with your schedule.

Vanessa: Do you have a special piece of stuff that you can't part with? Aside from 

electronics… 

Shelly: YES! I have a massager called “the stick” and I take it everywhere! It’s small enough to fit 

in my suitcase and it comes in pretty handy after a long day of walking or sitting in a bus, plane 

or car for several hours. 

Al: Hair clippers so Shelly can “cut” my hair. We did this while living in Canada before our move 

too. Haircuts for men cost about $5 in Panama, but in Canada they were about $15 to $20. So 

we’ve saved quite a bit of money on monthly haircuts over the years for a pair of $40 clippers. 

Yeah, I’m a cheap bugger! 

Vanessa: Would you ever return to your old lifestyle? 

Al: Not the rat-race cubicle lifestyle, at least if we can avoid it, we won’t. We’d consider a 

remote-working type of role, but only on our terms. We don’t want to work eight straight hours 

anymore. 

Seriously, at the places we both worked, we rarely saw ANYONE actually WORKING for eight 

hours. There were people on Facebook, YouTube, or wasting time walking around the office 

finding people to chat with about last night’s episode of Real Housewives. I had coworkers who 

would sit and watch movies at work. And this was at two different jobs! 

For us, we want to get up and stretch, go for a run, hike, or bike ride. Maybe we want to call it a 

day at 3pm and enjoy the sunshine! Maybe we don’t want to start until 10am, or noon. It’s 

these kinds of freedoms that the corporate world needs to start embracing.

We have talents. We have skill sets. We have a great work ethic. But we don’t have a desire to 

waste several hours a week on stuff when a lot of those hours aren’t truly necessary. 

Vanessa: Anything else you would like to add? 

Al: Yes, do more stuff with less stuff! 

If you enjoyed Al and Shelly's story then you'll be pleased to know that Al will be following up 

with a series of articles on how you too can sell all your stuff and become a nomadic globetrotting 

minimalist. 

Part one of Al's mini series starts in Issue 2 - be sure to download your copy for more 

entertaining help and advice. 

In the meantime check out SellAllYourStuff.com at this link. 

You can also read more in Al's books - available on Amazon here:

Meet the woman who has avoided paying rent for THREE YEARS 

by house sitting - saving herself $65,000 

A recent article (27th June 2016) published on the Daily Mail website is written in a barely 

disguised tone of moral outrage. 

This won't be surprising for anyone who has ever read anything from this sensationalist UK 

news publication, which manages to express outrage at almost anything. 

The rest of the banner headline reads... "which funds her frequent overseas holidays". 

The article outlines the story of Hayley Newberry, 34, from Perth in Western Australia, who 

seems to be a very successful house sitter, often getting repeat bookings. 

While the article makes much of the fact that Hayley doesn't pay rent, and uses the money she 

saves "to fund lavish overseas holidays", it fails to comment on the valuable and professional 

service Hayley obviously offers her satisfied clients. 

As we often say, the house sitting exchange is a win-win-win for all - home owner, house sitter 

and the pets too. 

Good for you Hayley.

CLICK HERE to read the Daily Mail article in full 

The original article (23rd June 2016) on the WA Today website, from which the Daily Mail has 

obviously lifted most of the content, gives a more balanced view of Hayley's lifestyle choices. 

Send your comments, suggestions, links or ideas for the "News" section to: 

news@HouseSittingMagazine.com 

.

Extra cash doing what you love 

by Amber Kingsley 

Do you want to become part of the growing community of people who are starting to live life 

and work on their own terms? 

Are you looking for an alternative income stream that would allow you to work from home, or 

even remotely as you travel or house sit around the world? 

Many people in the house sitting community prefer to offer their services without charge, 

choosing to value the free accommodation and utilities as a fair exchange for their help. 

But, for others, house and pet sitting services are part of a booming industry and are charged 

for accordingly. This happens more frequently when a business operates locally, servicing a 

town, city or rural location. 

Aside from house, pet sitting and dog walking services, there are many other pet related 

businesses that are thriving and providing good local and remote incomes. 

In this article, we delve into this thriving industry to provide some fascinating statistics, as well 

as some of the reasons for this unprecedented growth.

Why pet related businesses are flourishing 

One of the many benefits people expect from a house sitter is that someone will be on hand to 

look after their precious pooch or cute kitty while they are away. Whether the pets suffer from 

separation anxiety, or the owners just want the peace of mind that their animals are being well 

taken care of, house sitting definitely appears to be a popular choice. 

In the United States alone, people spend over US$3.65 billion a year on pet services like dog 

walking and animal sitting. This industry is also on the rise (expected to increase by 4.4% in 

2016) and is one of the few business sectors expected to achieve this level of growth. 

Last year (2015) Euromonitor predicted global spending on our pets across all products 

(including food) and services, would break the US$100 billion barrier for the first time. 

Small business - big profits 

The majority of pet-related businesses are individually owned and operated, which makes these 

enterprises more sensitive to the needs of this growing industry. They have noticed that while 

the demand for standard types of pet products have remained the same, specialty products and 

services are on the rise. 

Therefore, they are able to provide their customers with what they want, in the form of more 

unique items and different types of individualized and personal services.

Growing numbers 

Pet ownership is obviously the reason for growth in this industry and the number of people 

purchasing and adopting animals is also on the rise. 

In Asian countries like China, where a wealthy middle class has rapidly come to the fore, the 

desire to keep animals domestically as pets is also increasing. 

Another trend said to be a contributor to the growing number of pet owners is something that 

has become known as "pet humanization", where pet owners are increasingly treating their 

cats, dogs and other animals like members of the family. 

Spin-off 

This growth gives way to a whole new market of products and services that cater to the special 

needs of pets. 

We can expect to see an increase in the need for more personalized pet services, like animal 

sitters and dog walkers. It is also anticipated there will be a larger market for specialty items 

like premium pet foods, accessories and toys.

Luxury items 

Again, with an increase for some in discretionary income, many of those people are choosing to 

spend their extra money on pets. 

Services like pet therapy sessions and animal massages are also gaining popularity. 

Pets are now more commonly accepted in business establishments, like hotels and restaurants, 

all over the world. 

In the US, the well-known luxury chain of hotels, The Ritz Carlton, offers a “pampered pooch 

package" which includes their own bed, a customized dog tag and even their own menu from 

which to order specially prepared foods, made in the hotel’s kitchen. 

Exotic animals 

With the growth of animal ownership and pet services in general, there is another new market 

gaining ground quickly - the adoption of exotic and non-traditional animals. While caged 

animals like rodents, rabbits, hamsters and mice make up a large proportion of a pet sitter’s 

"clients", some more interesting creatures like sugar gliders (a type of possum) and other socalled 

"pocket-pets" are starting to appear on pet sitting assignments.

Emergence of the hedgehog 

If you’ve been following social media lately, you’re likely to have seen pictures and videos of 

these controversial critters. They were bred in captivity in Africa during the 1970’s, from where 

they were exported as pets to many other countries around the world. 

Many of their owners affectionately refer to these primarily nocturnal creatures as “hedgies,” 

and their popularity is growing among animal lovers everywhere. 

So if you are looking for an additional income stream, a part time job or an interesting online 

business, you could find your future success by offering products or services in this lucrative 

sector. If you love animals and pets then this could be the perfect choice for you. 

For more statistics and information on the growth of animal services, check out my infographic 

"Picking The Right Pet Sitter For Your Pet" on the next page.

Amber Kingsley is a freelance journalist and writer who has donated countless hours 

supporting her local animal shelters in Santa Monica, California. 

Her main writing focus is the pet and animal care field, including pet-related food, health and 

training. 

If you have created an income related to the pet industry and would like to tell your story - 

please get in touch

House sitting provides the perfect opportunity to make new friends, and what better way to 

get to know each other than over an appetizing meal? 

For home owners entertaining their house sitters before an assignment, it can be a busy time. 

With cases to pack, kids to organize, home and pet handovers to complete, coming up with a 

tasty recipe that's quick and easy to create is just one more thing to consider. 

For house sitters who want to leave or share a meal at the completion of a house sit, it's often a 

dilemma as to what to cook. What can be left in a fridge overnight? How can a recipe be easily 

adapted for vegetarians or even vegans? 

To help inspire you with culinary delights, we've enlisted the help of food and travel blogger, 

Jen Evans, of Venturists.net 

Each month she will prepare mouth watering dishes and suggest a complimentary wine to 

complete your meal. 

Bon appetit!

y Jen Evans 

I was given (and happily accepted) the challenge of coming up with a recipe that house sitters 

could leave as a welcome home gift for their homeowners. 

Since this is a summer edition, I wanted something that wouldn't need to be heated in the 

oven. I also wanted a meal that would be simple enough to put together with little time, and 

that could be easily converted for vegetarians or vegans. 

Additionally it needed to include ingredients that would be relatively inexpensive and easy to 

source in many places around the world. 

And most importantly, it had to be delicious ! 

Not an easy task, but I think I have put together a recipe that ticks all of the boxes. 

This month's recipe pairs rice with yellow curry, crunchy cauliflower and sweet shrimp. It can 

easily be made the day before and will actually taste even better if the ingredients have more 

time to mingle and evolve. 

If your guests have allergies or are vegetarian, just omit the shrimp and add extra vegetables. 

You can also convert the recipe into a vegan dish by opting for a vegan mayonnaise. 

I suggest leaving this meal refrigerated in a tightly sealed container along with a bottle of Pinot 

Gris or Sauvignon Blanc to balance out the curry.

Ingredients for 4 servings 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/4 cup (150g) Short or Medium Grain Rice 

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 

1/2 Vegetable Bouillon (Stock) Cube 

4 oz Small to Medium Shrimp (Prawns) 

1/4 Cup (50g) each diced Cauliflower, Sweet Onion, Red Bell Pepper (optional) and 

Carrot 

3 tablespoons fresh chopped Cilantro (Coriander) or Parsley 

3/4 Cup (175g) Mayonnaise (low sugar) 

2 Teaspoons Yellow Curry Powder 

Squeeze of Lemon (about 2 teaspoons) 

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional) 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method 

Add the fresh shrimp (prawns) to boiling water. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the 

juice into water and add the rind to the pot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boil for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink. 

Allow them to cool. Then remove the shell and vein from the back. If medium sized 

shrimp, cut them in half. Place in a covered dish in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Add the rice, olive oil and 1/2 bouillon cube to a sauce pan together with 1 1/2 cups 

(350ml) of water. 

Bring to the boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer. Gently stir after 10 minutes to 

make sure the bouillon flavor is evenly distributed. 

Continue to cook until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through 

(approximately 20 - 30 minutes). 

If the rice isn't cooked through after 20 minutes and most of the water has already been 

absorbed, add another 1/4 cup (50ml) of water. 

Put the rice in a covered dish and allow to thoroughly cool in the refrigerator 

(approximately 30 minutes). 

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon, curry powder, cayenne pepper 

(optional) and cilantro (coriander) or parsley. 

Combine all of the ingredients together. 

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Jennifer Evans is a freelance writer and co-publisher of a travel and food blog, Venturists.net. 

She travels full-time with her husband Sean, and shares her stories about food, people and 

destinations along the way. 

Her goal is to inspire others to explore destinations that they may not have considered, or to 

embark on adventures they believed were beyond their grasp. 

She has been living her dream of traveling the world for 2 years and counting. 

You can read her recipes and articles on: 

http://www.Venturists.net

Humans helping humans helping animals 

Behind the scenes at Trusted House Sitters 

We’ve been busy over the last couple of months talking with, Skyping and visiting house sitting 

service providers, so that we can take you behind the scenes. 

Each month we will give you a peep inside a different platform to see what it takes to run and 

maintain the websites that are paramount to the continuing success of the house sitting 

community. We’ll also introduce you to the people who devote their lives to making this all 

possible. 

While back in the UK we first met up with Lamia Walker from HouseSitMatch (more about this 

in the Issue 2), followed by a visit to the TrustedHousesitters team at their HQ in Brighton. 

TrustedHousesitters was launched by Andy Peck and Rachel Martin in 2010, and has grown to 

become the world’s leading international house sitting platform. 

Having outgrown their previous office space, we found the team of 26 in their temporary work 

space, late on a busy Friday afternoon. It was genuinely heart-warming to be introduced to this 

dynamic group who are efficient, friendly and clearly passionate about their work and the 

service they provide.

We loved the relaxed and easy-going atmosphere in the bright, modern offices. It was just like 

walking into the home of large family - even down to the minor upset of Marketing Manager 

Georgina’s dog having just eaten another staff member’s afternoon cake! 

"Cake, what cake?" Dudley tries to look innocent after a staff member's tasty slice of cake disappears 

After meeting members of the various departments and hearing some great house sitting 

anecdotes, we adjourned to a nearby pub. We were shortly joined by a number of staff 

members ready to begin the weekend with a glass of Prosecco or a beer. The inspiring chat 

involved… yes you’ve guessed it… lots about travel and house sitting! 

Here’s our full interview with Rachel Martin, co-founder of TrustedHousesitters. She talks 

about the inspiration behind the formation of this self-funded company. She also addresses the 

challenges, the rewards and the general ethos of THS, including how it has become the success 

it is today.

Interview 

Vanessa: How did you and Andy meet, and how were you first introduced to house sitting? 

Rachel: Andy and I met just as TrustedHousesitters launched. He had discovered house sitting 

through a friend of a friend. He had been looking for a quiet place to finish a screenplay he was 

writing, following a near-death experience when traveling in the Bolivian Andes, months 

previously. 

We spent a week house sitting together for the first time in France, soon after meeting. It was 

then I discovered how I’d love to help others in this way, and also how Andy and I could work 

together in partnership to bring TrustedHousesitters to market. 

We explored how we could grow this unique way of helping people to travel more, on both 

sides of the network. 

Vanessa: You now own the largest house sitting platform to match home owners with house 

sitters. How did you develop the business, and what motivates you to continue (apart from it 

providing income)? 

Rachel: While Andy was convalescing he realised there was a need for a comprehensive 

website which would help owners and sitters find each other. 

On speaking to numerous expats, as well as pet owners in the UK, it became apparent that they 

all had similar stories to tell - the dilemma of what to do with their pets and home when going 

away. This was to the extent that some people were unable to travel because of this problem.

The emails and reviews we receive from members are incredible. The fact that we are helping 

to change people’s lives is a powerful factor. It sounds far-fetched, but the responses from 

members using the site is overwhelming from both sides of the network. 

Our motivation has never been ‘income’ - every dollar we make is poured back into the 

business to continue to grow the awareness, and to reach more and more pet owners around 

the world. 

We also need to ensure that we offer the best experience for our members when they are using 

the website. 

Vanessa: Where in the world was THS's first ever match between a home owner and house 

sitter? 

Rachel: Great question! It was in Spain and the sitter was from the UK. 

Vanessa: What were your biggest challenges originally and are they similar now, or different? 

Rachel: We’re bootstrapped and proud to have grown the business to where it is today without 

giving away control. With a bootstrapped business the biggest challenges are of course growth.

Vanessa: How soon after starting the business did you realize THS was destined for success? 

Rachel: For me success started from day one when we helped connect our first sitter with a 

house sit - then it simply became a measure of success in terms of the number of connections 

made through the site. 

Vanessa: Do you both still play an active part in running the business? 

Rachel: Absolutely! We’re still working most days of a seven day week and a lot of hours! But 

we love it - it gives us a huge amount of fulfilment. 

Andy is a brilliant spokesperson for house sitting and has tirelessly been flying the flag for the 

concept, getting it better known on a global scale. I have a more internal focus with the team 

back at headquarters, dedicated to providing the best website and overall experience for our 

members. 

Vanessa: You now employ 26 people - what roles do they play? 

Rachel: We have grown an amazing team who are all just as passionate as we are about house 

sitting and as importantly, pets and animal welfare. 

Our biggest resource is the customer care team who offer a 24-hour service to help members if 

they have any questions. They are also there to advise new people who want to understand 

more. This has proved invaluable for many home and pet owners who land on the website but 

have lots of questions. 

This is still such a new concept for many, and you can’t beat the personal service of speaking to 

someone over the phone or on live chat.

The customer care team are all animal lovers and their passion for what we do really shines 

through, to the extent that we have won customer service awards both here in the UK and in 

Australia. 

We also have a small but expanding marketing team, and a couple of agencies supporting us in 

the US and UK. They are dedicated to creating and building the awareness of house sitting and 

growing new channels to reach pet owners around the world. 

Our engineering team is also a growing team - headed by Will, our CTO (Chief Technology 

Officer). They have had a huge job to get the website to a place where we can really start to 

build on the features we offer. 

We have a very exciting roadmap over the next 12-24 months, designed to make the site even 

easier, even more useful and even more of a delight to use! 

We’re continually looking for the best talent and are always looking to hire - so if any readers 

have customer care, engineering or marketing skills, please do check out our website careers 

page - we’ve hired a number of members from the site who are now based in Brighton, UK 

working for us now! 

Vanessa: What type of questions do you get asked most on your 24-hour chat line? 

Rachel: For new home and pet owners the questions are mainly about trust issues and how the 

process works. For new house sitters the questions are about whether house sitting will work 

for them. 

We’re launching some new features within customer care to further help both new and existing 

members which will include a helpful on-boarding service.

Vanessa: Are your employees active in the house sitting community? 

Rachel: Yes! We would not dream of hiring anyone who isn’t as passionate about the concept 

as we are. 

Our team all have their profiles on the THS website and most have done at least one house sit, 

as well as engaged house sitters for their own homes. It’s invaluable for them to experience this 

way of travelling, as each experience is so unique. 

It continually helps us to gain more and more insights into what both home owners and house 

sitters need, and how we can ensure we offer the best website for our members. 

Vanessa: What is one feature that makes your platform unique from others? 

Rachel: Can I have more than one? 

As mentioned we have a 24-hour customer care team in place which you can call via phone, live 

chat or email. I believe we’re the only platform which offers this level of customer service, 

which we know is incredibly invaluable to our members. It helps both to attract more pet 

owners to use the service and works as back-up support for sitter and owners should it ever be 

needed. 

We are also introducing a further level of 'trust' into the platform with ID verification. This 

means members will be able to build their ‘trust’ profiles even more, in addition to the current 

third party references, video profiles and peer reviews. 

Verification will be free to all members and will include both ID and document checks, and 

should be available by mid August. There wasn’t a global online solution to offer this previously, 

but we’re excited to be working with a third party, who also provides this service to some of the 

biggest brands and businesses in the world.

Vanessa: Many house sitting platforms don't charge home owner membership, but you do. 

How does this make a positive difference to the agreement between home owners and house 

sitters? 

Rachel: It was a conscious decision to charge home owners to use our service. We feel that 

house sitting is about equality on both sides of the network, as both parties are getting great 

value from it. So it felt right to charge home and pet owners. 

From what we’ve heard, it also means that the quality of sits is better - homeowners are more 

likely to respond to sitters if they have invested in the platform, rather than creating a listing 

and then never feeling obliged to come back to it. 

It also helps to build more trust within the platform and, because we charge homeowners, we 

can continue to grow the services that both sitters and owners can use. 

For example, we have a FREE 24/7 TrustedHousesitters Vet Advice Line for members, which is 

manned by dedicated vet nurses. Sitters can access this for free while on a sit looking after pets. 

They can use this if they have any questions or concerns about the pets in their charge. 

Pet owners can also access this at any time during their annual membership. It can even used to 

ask a behaviour question, so it’s a brilliant resource! 

We know members have asked for even more equality, with owners wanting to enjoy 

recognition for hosting a sitter and sitters wanting to be able to recommend sits or provide 

feedback - so we’re introducing a new feedback system from sitters to owners, which will be 

coming very soon. We appreciate everyone’s patience here!

Even though we charge owners, as opposed to our competitors, we have grown to offer more 

house sits to sitters than any other platform - and we continue to grow. We also have a very 

healthy ratio of sitters to owners. 

To give you an example of this, we can see from our current data that 50% of homeowners 

receive up to 7 offers of help from sitters per assignment. 

Vanessa: What happens if a home owner can't find a house sitter? What does the team do to 

help fill the assignment? 

Rachel: It’s very rare that an owner doesn’t fill an assignment – in fact 98% of pet owners who 

list with us, giving at least a week or more of notice, do find their ideal sitter. 

For any last minute listings we use our extensive social media channels, always making sure we 

have the permission of the owner, to reach more members. We also utilise and activate our 

daily email alerts to get the listing in front of even more potential sitters. 

Vanessa: What's the most unusual or funniest connection you've ever made through house 

sitting? 

Rachel: One of the most incredible things for me is the member stories, and we only hear about 

a fraction of the connections being made and the adventures people have. In fact, we’d love to 

hear more - and so we are launching a campaign this summer for sitters and owners to tell us 

about the friendships they make, both two and four legged, and the travels they’ve enjoyed. 

There will be a huge prize attached for the winning story, which will be revealed this month! 

But to answer your question, one of the sweetest connections was a British man sitting in New 

Zealand who met his future partner while out on a dog walk. He convinced her to pack up her 

belongings and go house sitting with him, which she did! They now house sit together 

worldwide and are having a wonderful adventure with pets, travel and of course, each other.

Vanessa: You have a number of awards and are pitching for more - how do you see these 

benefiting the house sitting community? 

Rachel: Awareness, awareness, awareness! As a new concept for many, it is our job to go out 

there and make as much noise as possible about house sitting. 

We’ve entered (and won) many accolades and each time it helps to give credibility to the 

concept, and us as a business - further raising awareness. 

As soon as people hear about house sitting they want to know more - and ultimately we hear 

“we love it” and “what a brilliant idea!”. As a result of winning awards and gaining publicity, 

house sitting is fast becoming more recognized as a credible way to travel and to find pet care. 

Vanessa: How do you see the house sitting industry growing or changing in the future? 

Rachel: I can see only growth for house sitting - it’s a very pure version of the sharing economy 

- and ultimately has all the right economic factors for it to work for everyone. 

House sitting will be as well known as other travel forms, such as vacation rentals or couch 

surfing. And, as a pet care solution it has all the right ingredients for a pet owner. Pets stay 

happy at home (which pets agree is much better for them), looked after by a care oriented, not 

a pay oriented sitter - someone who loves pets so much that they will happily include them as a 

huge part of their travels or vacation in return for free accommodation. 

And, in a world where so much is manufactured with brands vying to create a “real” experience 

for their customers, we hold something that is still very honest and true - humans helping 

humans helping animals. 

There’s a lot of love in house sitting and while that may sound a little ‘hippy’, ultimately it is all 

about life experiences and the connections we are enabling. 

Who doesn’t want a bit more of that in life? 

Vanessa: The great debate - cat person or dog person? 

Rachel: Dog person! I grew up with a boxer dog called Sam - and in fact Andy fell in love with 

Dave the Dog who he first looked after on his very first house sit. You could say Dave helped to 

convince him this was an idea that needed to happen! 

Vanessa: Do you still house sit? 

Rachel: Yes! Our last house sit was in March in Colorado, USA. 

We try to go house sitting at least twice a year. Actually, I love doing local house sits - 

somewhere in the UK where I can work for a week or two and get out of the office to plan and 

formulate our thoughts.

Vanessa chatting with some of the THS staff at the local pub 

When Andy and I first launched TrustedHousesitters we actually went around the world house 

sitting, running the business out of a backpack. We spoke to media in every country we visited 

to grow awareness, and to gain insights about what pet owners needed and wanted, all of 

which helped to create for them, an invaluable service. 

Vanessa: When's the wedding? 

Rachel: Ha, ha! Well we got engaged two years ago, which in the middle of launching and 

running a start-up business, was probably testament to how well we work together. 

But, as a result we’ve had no time to plan it - all our energy has been focused on 

TrustedHousesitters. However, we have made a pact that we will try and find a venue and get 

married in 2017, so watch this space…

Vanessa: Anything we've missed that you'd like to add? 

Rachel: I’d just like to say a big thank you to all our members for supporting us on this journey 

and for being part of this wonderful community. 

House sitting is ultimately about sharing, connecting, being real, enjoying enriching experiences 

and most importantly respecting each other - so a big thank you to you. 

CLICK HERE to visit the TrustedHousesitters website and find out more about this quickly 

growing platform

Meet Rachel and the staff at THS in this video. Their passion for what they do really does shine 

through.

VIRGIN.COM "VOOM" AWARDS 

Congratulations to the team at Trusted House Sitters on winning the "Great Award" in Richard 

Branson's Virgin.com "Voom" competition. 

According to the Virgin website, the "Great Award" is "for businesses that fly the flag for Great 

Britain." 

As the winner, TrustedHousesitters.com will receive "a unique one-to-one mentoring session at 

10 Downing Street with one of the Prime Minister’s Business Ambassadors, as part of a wider 

package of bespoke export services." 

Wow. Well done! 

See the TrustedHouseSitters "Pitch to Rich" (Richard Branson) page by CLICKING HERE 

Send comments, suggestions, links or ideas for "News" to: 

news@HouseSittingMagazine.com

If you would like to submit pictures for possible inclusion in coming months, please email them 

to us at: 

gallery@HouseSittingMagazine.com 

Many thanks to all contributors to this month's gallery: 

Betsy & Pete (http://passingthru.com) 

Gail & Randy (http://branded.me/gail-randy-harrison) 

Jeremy & Diana (http://wantingtowander.com) 

Jill & Gavin (http://www.jillgavhousesitters.com) 

Katrina & Dave 

Laurie & Neil (http://joyfuljourneying.com) 

Nat & Jodie (http://tryhousesitting.com) 

Ruth (http://exploramum.com) 

Shirley 

Yvonne & Michael (http://yourescapeblueprint.com) 

.

Each month, in this section, we'll introduce you to a handy resource. Some you may already 

know, others will be useful additions to help you on your journey. 

In Issue 1 we thought we should tell you about the biggest house sitting group on Facebook - 

House Sitting World. There is a good chance many of you are already members, as there are 

now more than 12,500 people in the group. 

This is a "closed" group now run by house sitting Canadian couple, Tim and Lou. You have to 

ask to join, but once accepted there is a wealth of material and some great contacts too. 

People ask questions and offer advice, there are links to regular blog posts, lots of pix of course, 

and you can even list your availability as a house sitter or home owner on special posts. 

You can find "House Sitting World Facebook Group" by clicking here 

We'll tell you about another great resource next month.

In the meantime, for links to house sitting platforms, comparison articles, books, websites, 

downloadable forms, and lots of other useful house sitting resources, 

take a look at our "Resources" page on the House Sitting Magazine website. 

.

In the next issue... 

You won't want to miss next month's issue. 

It is packed full of valuable information. 

Issue 2 features the first of our House Sitting platform supplements. We take an in-depth look 

at UK-based House Sit Match and talk to Lamia Walker about some of the unique features of 

her growing international platform. 

Can you house sit as a family? We discover that more and more families are using house sitting 

for short vacations and longer term travel adventures. 

We look at which websites offer "family friendly" filters, and we also get the run-down on how 

to succeed as a long term house sitting family from Tracey Tullis of Expat Experiment. 

We talk to house sitters, home owners and platforms, to find out more about using "House 

Sitting Agreements". Do we need them? How many of you use them? When might you be well 

advised to consider a more formal contract? Read our article "A question of trust" to learn 

more. 

Have you ever had to deal with a strong alpha dog? We find out from dog behaviour expert, 

Doggy Dan, exactly how to handle dominant personalities. 

Does the thought of a long flight in economy class put you off traveling to far flung 

destinations? Carrie Trip, co-author of "Another Cocktail Please", tells us the most effective 

ways to survive flying long haul. 

Have you ventured into the world of "hobby farming" as a house sitter? If you want to learn 

more about caring for sheep, then we have to low-down from experienced farm sitter, Donna 

Mulvenna. 

Had enough? Want to sell all your stuff? Then Al is your man! He and his wife Shelley did just 

that and now help others do the same. Next month we have the first in a series of entertaining 

articles from Al to help get you on your way to a life free of "stuff". 

Oh, and don't forget to send your gallery images to: 

gallery@HouseSittingMagazine.com 

Until next month we wish you happy travels and happy house sitting! 

Vanessa and Ian 

(currently house sitting in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico)

The small print 

Reproduction - Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited. 

Disclaimer - Information provided in this publication is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. 

It should not be used as travel, lifestyle, financial or legal advice. You should always consult with your qualified and 

licensed professional practitioner. The publisher accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions, 

advice, representations or information contained within this publication. The publisher expressly disclaims 

responsibility for any adverse effect that may result from the use and application of the information contained in 

this magazine. Readers should rely on their own advice and enquiries when making decisions affecting their 

interests. 

Publishers - The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. House Sitting - 

The ultimate lifestyle magazine is published by Ian Usher and Vanessa Anderson. Email: 

contact@HouseSittingMagazine.com. The publishers assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Copyright 

2016 by Ian Usher. All rights reserved. 

Affiliate disclaimer - Our website and apps do contain links to affiliates via advertisements and these are financial 

relationships. If you choose to apply for any service or product through an affiliate link we may be compensated by 

way of a small commission. This should never negatively affect the price that you pay for the product or service. 

House Sitting Magazine offers a FREE subscription service, and we use affiliate sales to ensure that our 

subscriptions remains free. They help us to fund the production of this magazine to the house sitting community. 

We will always try to link only to information we have tried or used ourselves, and that we think you will find 

beneficial and good value. It is your choice, as with any advertisement, whether to obtain further information or 

make a purchase.

Next issue: 

15th August 

2016

House Sitting Magazine - Issue 01

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