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Back to Back Housesitting: Top Guide
Often at HouseSit Match we hear from housesitters who do ‘back to back housesitting’. It’s their lifestyle choice to move from housesit to housesit with seldom a break. They might be living a full time house sitting lifestyle for various reasons. In this article we offer you insights from a few people who have enjoyed and benefited from the opportunities such a life can deliver, and we also learn about their challenges. Read on to learn more.
Photo credit – JESHOOTS-com
What is Back to Back Housesitting?
Back to back housesitting is when a sitter who cares for home and pets, moves from one housesit to another in a series of events without going back to their own home. Some sitters like this form of serial housesitting and enjoy the lifestyle it offers them for a variety of reason. Read on to learn more about the joys and challenges.
Joys & Challenges → Benefits and Challenges of Back to Back Housesitting – Your Ultimate Guide
While some people try housesitting and perhaps enjoy it once or twice a year as an affordable way to travel or as a way to discover somewhere new to visit, the adventurous among us may take it a step or two further. In this article we offer you the inside track, warts and all from the personal experience of people who have been doing back to back housesitting for years.
Joys
Photo by Blue Bird
🐱🏡 Debs – Full time Sitter for 2 years – Back to Back Housesitting – Benefits
Since May 2024, just over a year ago now, I have successfully completed over 28 house sitting bookings. Mostly back-to-back assignments. How did I do this and how did it all come about? There were definitely some adventures, rewards and challenges!
Last May, for various reasons, I had given up my permanent residence in favour of back to back housesitting. So what has the last two years been like, being a nomad and constantly travelling from one place to the next?
To be honest, even thought I stay relatively local to my friends and family I have enjoyed new adventures, discovered interesting locations close to my previous home that I hadn’t known existed, I’ve met great people and made new friends and cared for a wide range of really fun pets. I’ve always loved animals and in fact travel and housesit with my cat. I’ve really enjoyed doing it and I have saved on a lot of outgoings that would otherwise have gone on paying rent and household bills!
Beyond Cost Savings: Building a Resilient Lifestyle Through Serial Housesitting
While some housesitters prefer the occasional housesit, and I must admit that is my preference, to sample new place and a new country one at a time, other sitters find back to back housesitting a more beneficial lifestyle for them.
If you are considering trying full time housesitting, join a housesitting platform like HouseSitMatch.com. It will give you a safe and secure way to sample the housesitting lifestyle before heading into full time serial housesitting. Learn more about what it means to housesit
🐕 🐾 Bragi – Full Time Sitter for 11 years – Back to back housesitting – Benefits
I love the animals, I love their company. Although I worked as a security guard for many years in Iceland my home country, I also spent many Summers helping out with the animals on farms.
Another benefit for me is that back to back housesitting saves me a lot of money; rent in Iceland is very expensive. My pension goes a lot further in the UK and in Europe, and I get to travel which I love. Plus it’s much warmer the further South I go. Lamia at HouseSit Match helped me get my first housesit in Southern Spain and I spent a whole three months over Winter in Marbella looking after a dog and three cats in Marbella. Other petsits followed pretty quickly. Much better than another Winter in Reykjavik!
One of the things I really love about back to back housesitting is that I have made some really good friends over the years. A lot of the home and pet owners have asked me back year after year and I definitely feel they are friends. It’s a great way to meet people!
Photo courtesy of Bragi Jonsson
Adventure
Maria V – Full Time Sitter with 1 year – Travel and Adventure
Some people have said to me that they can’t imagine living out of a suitcase and not having a permanent home. For me, I can’t imagine a better home than the combination of each and every one I stay in. Theirs becomes mine for a time, and when it’s in a new city, with tantalising new foods, a new culture and surrounded by new voices speaking in another language my entire being is full of the joys and excitement of everything that is new.
It becomes a part of me and keeps not only my brain and sense of wonder alive, but my very soul.
- Maria Vano has been doing back to back housesitting for nearly one year. She has always been a keen traveller and has published a book on her love of travel – When every road whispers my name – A wanderer’s tale
Photo courtesy of Maria Vano
- Discover New Locations
However, the joy of back to back housesitting is that you can literally go anywhere a homeowner needs a house and pet sitter. The UK, Europe, USA, even Australia and New Zealand and everywhere in between. You never know what will come up next.
So, if you have been itching to visit a particular location, check out the listings on House Sit Match to see if there are any house sitting ads which match your expectations, experience and travel dates. Join as a housesitter and go from there.
Housesitters can stay in so many different types of homes, from million-pound mansions, with amazing property features, ponds and gardens to enjoy, to comfortable family homes, of all shapes and sizes, and in all kinds of neighbourhoods. Almost all are well connected with Wi-Fi these days so if you work on the move you are always online and connected. - Meet New People
Another joy in back to back house sitting is that you meet some wonderful new people. The homeowners themselves are new contacts. They will likely introduce you to their neighbours and friends. People will also be there to help if you need them. - Care for Amazing Pets
If you are an animal lover, then back to back housesitting offers you the opportunity to care for and
interact with the most gorgeous pets in their own homes where they are most comfortable and relaxed. The new pets you meet and getting to know their individual personalities is quite an adventure that varies from house to house, country to country. There’s never a dull moment.
Cats may be the pets you prefer, so choose your favourite breed. Ginger cats are popular for some housesitters, without a doubt Gingers have significant personalities. But there are so many other breeds you can sit for. Then If dogs are your great love you can care for the most amazing Labradors, Poodles, Spaniels, Westies, Shih Tzus, Corgis, Cockapoos and Terriers to name a few.
Kelly with a dog who loved to laugh with her. Meeting all kinds of pets makes back to back housesitting a fun adventure
Photo credit – Kelly Hayes Raitt
Working While You Go
More than likely you will still need to earn a living while you are back to back housesitting. To be fair this is the one major obstacle many housesitters say delayed them from starting on their full time housesitting lifestyle.
🧭🏡 Kelly – Full time Sitter for 15 years – Back to Back Housesitting – Benefits
“Like most experiences, there are highs and lows to full-time housesitting,” said Kelly Hayes-Raitt. And she should know: She housesat full-time throughout the world for 15 years!
“I started housesitting in 2009 when I was writing a book about my experiences interviewing refugees in the Middle East. Housesitting provided an opportunity to live rent-free so I could concentrate on my writing. Many of my housesits were quite lengthy, so I joined writers’ groups and received very helpful feedback.”
NOTE – Her essays about refugees appear in 13 anthologies and two dozen literary journals.
In 2017, she shifted her writing gears and published How to Become a Housesitter: Insider Tips from the Housesit Diva…all while housesitting!
“Lockdown during the COVID pandemic provided a chance to reassess the pace of my lifestyle. I edited five books, took several online classes, participated in five different online writers’ groups… I was so productive with all that brain space now freed from logistics, jet lag and adjusting to new homes, pets, routines, languages, cultures. My new mantra became ‘Even new gets old,’ and I decided to put down roots in Portugal.
“But I can’t stop housesitting! I just do it more sparingly and strategically now. I really love giving pets owners the freedom to travel knowing their homes and pets are tenderly cared for.”
Rewards
Photo courtesy of Alecia Caine
It is clear that back to back housesitting offers rewards like cost savings. The lifestyle also feeds a traveller’s sense of adventure enabling you to travel on a budget. In addition, there are rich rewards and benefits in a full-time house and pet sitting lifestyle. For example, regular exercise with the pets, the stimulating changes of scene with each new environment, and the excitement of visiting a new location or even country if you choose:
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Sign Up & Apply Now 🇫🇷- Health – Get Fit and Improve Wellbeing
Most of the adverts, perhaps around 70% on house and pet sitting websites, feature the assignment to pet sit for dogs. And of course, caring for dogs will normally entail at least one walk per day, with many times twice a day. That keeps you walking and walking with regularity. Isn’t that what our medics are always advising us to do?
So it follows that a good walk once or twice a day is good for us, building cardio, stamina and endurance. It is a back to back housesitting can lead to a healthy lifestyle if you choose and pace your housesitting assignments well. - Well-Being
And on these walks, we often find ourselves out in nature, breathing fresh air and feeling the very earth beneath our feet, perhaps enjoying forest bathing and nature therapy which offer all manner of emotional and psychological benefits. Exploring fields and woods teaming with wildlife, birds, wild hares, foxes, horses and so on, is good for our general well-being and mental health.
How wonderful is that, and a total bonus to the other benefits! - Explore New Areas
When we house sit, we are usually living in a neighbourhood or residential area, and not a tourist hotel. We see real life rolling out before us day in, day out. We meet people living normal lives, perhaps in a different culture. So if we choose to travel like this, we interact with genuine people in an authentic environment. It is often more comfortable and friendly as a way to travel compared to a tourist hostel.
Some housesitters use their back to back housesitting experiences of to focus on discovering somewhere new to live, a new town or even a new country! What an amazing and exciting opportunity this presents to us all whether we are housesitting full time or sampling a new location with occasional housesits from time to time. - Minimal travel costs and journey times.
For the local house sitter involved in back to back housesitting, there is usually little travel, and so travel costs are very low. The next sit might only be 10-30 minutes away by car. This keeps costs as low as possible, which can be a significant saving in today’s environment with a rising cost of living. Some local housesitters also prefer the minimal travel time too. - Meeting and Making New Friends
This is one of the best advantages of this lifestyle, whether back-to-back housesitting or not, it is a great and enriching benefit to meet like minded people on your journey as a housesitter. - Saving Money on Rent/Mortgage
For those who have given up their permanent residence, back to back house sitting allows them to save significantly on the costs of rent/mortgage, which in today’s cost-of-living crisis, is a tremendous advantage.
It also allows us to save up for whatever it is we want to do next…
Some people use the saved funds to grow and build new businesses, and having no rent or mortgage to pay means I can build the business without panicking about bills all the time, focusing instead on how to build business in the right way and in a realistic timeframe.
🐱🏡 Debs – Full time Sitter for 2 years – Back to Back Housesitting – Rewards
I’ve been lucky enough to become friends with a number of my homeowner hosts, many of whom regularly ask me to go back on return housesits. So I pet sit for them again and again. Of course during the major holiday seasons, they all want me to sit for them on the same dates – always a challenge. It’s so hard to decide which sit to choose when they become friends.
The advantage of the stronger relationship is that we can plan together earlier and earlier, and often that helps us both, so few are disappointed.
Seriously though, it’s one of the biggest benefits of house sitting for me, making and developing deep and lasting friendships. What a joy!
Photo courtesy of Tiera St Claire
Challenges
🐾 ✈️Tiera – Full Time Sitter for 20 years – Learning from the Challenges
I love back to back petsitting – The benefits for me have been life changing. If I have one thing that I do find a challenge and it can be unavoidable sometimes, it’s when a sit has been booked for months and months and this happens very occasionally, and the owners change the dates at the last minute. Staying on top of your planning is critical with continuous house and petsitting. And keeping communications open and regular with pet owners is vital.
Recently when I was in London petsitting, and the owners messaged me to say they would be returning one day later than planned. I was caring for dogs, you can’t leave dogs for a day on their own. And on top of that I was due to petsit in Edinburgh the very next day.
So I had to make hasty arrangements with the owner at the Edinburgh petsit, reorganise my ticket and wait until the London pet owners returned. Usually I leave a day or two between sits so I can some contingency planning. That works. However, both London and Edinburgh are expensive cities so those extra days in accommodation can add up cost. Good communications and managing your planning are really important as a full time petsitter, and that’s what has kept me on the road meeting some fabulous pets and owners along the way.
- Work Involved
Organising your bookings takes time and careful planning – As a full time house sitter, it’s important to understand how much work, effort and time it takes to apply for and then organise your house sitting bookings.
Establish your routine with a short checklist for what works best for you – For sitters who have been back to back housesitting for a while, they will likely have a well-established process for choosing each booking, to determine what suits them best.
Understand how much work and time is required to manage the housesit and pets – In particular one of the main decision factors must be based on how much time and work is involved in caring for the pets and property while you are resident. If you are working full time then you need to respect the homeowner’s wishes as part of your commitment. Count the hours you are committing to ensure you can fulfil your part of the bargain:- e.g. How many dogs need walking on a daily basis?
- Do they need one or two walks each?
- Can they be walked together or separately?
- Constant Moving
Moving each week takes a lot of effort – Moving every week or two is very hard work, chaotic and tiring. Some sitters involved in back to back housesitting say once you are organised you just know the routine and get on with it. However, it is tiring especially over a longer period. So be aware.
Taking your world with you – Many full time housesitters streamline their worldly possessions to the extreme, with only what they can carry – backpack and maybe a small ‘carry-on sized’ trolley suitcase. If you have to carry a lot of stuff then the burden is on you to pack, unpack, pack again and carry in between. It can be a big effort and takes a lot of energy. - No Home Base
Not having the security of a home base can be unsettling. But it can work, it just takes planning and being extremely organised. - Accommodation Costs in Between Housesits
As I don’t have a home base at present, a big disadvantage when I cannot book back-to-back bookings, is the cost of alternative accommodation.
I mostly stay in a local hotel or B&B. It’s important to point out here, that since the inception of Airbnb, it’s hard to find traditional low-cost bed and breakfast establishments these days. And the Airbnb platform fees have recently skyrocketed!
If you have a home base, though, this won’t be a consideration for you. Happy days. - Unknown pets
Photo credit – Deb Sakal
🐕🐾 Debs – Full time Sitter for 2 Years – Back to Back Housesitting – Challenges
I have been bitten by a dog, actually when I was first visiting the home. It was a very recent rescue dog, and the owners hadn’t told me that it wears a muzzle when it goes out of the house. They should have told me ahead of my coming to their home. I was bitten by this dog, on the hand and the leg. The owners were very apologetic and helped me but it really did upset me.
The lesson I learned from this is that if a dog wears a muzzle, for whatever reason, we need to ascertain why they wear this muzzle and to assess the risk of caring for this particular pet.
Lessons learned – For me, moving forward, my policy is not to take any house sitting bookings where any of the pets have to wear a muzzle, as I feel that if this pet is scared or uncomfortable at any time during the sit, there is a strong likelihood of an accident like this to happen, and it’s a risk I’m not prepared to take. Petowners need to be open and honest about their pet’s origins and if rescued how recently they were rescued. This will help me decide whether or not to take the assignment. I always ask this now.
Sometimes a new person in the home can spook a pet, and this can result in various happenings. Some sitters have reported a pet disappearing returning only for meals, or when the owners return. Others say rescue pets can have be fearful and reactive in the presence of anyone they do not know. So you need to take care and choose your dogsit with care.
To prevent any possible chance of a dog bite in a new housesit, or a cat scratching you because you are unfamiliar the them most pet owners will invite you in to visit a day or two earlier. This is important and can save a lot of worry, stress and discomfort.
🐕 🐾 Bragi – Full Time Sitter 11 years – Back to back housesitting – Challenges
I started housesitting in my 50’s when I took early retirement when I was keen to see the world and travel. Back to back housesitting was perfect for me for many years. I’m in my late 60s now and the constant moving is a bit tiring.
I’ve been back to back housesitting for over a decade so it’s a way of life, though I usually spend a couple of Winter months further South somewhere much warmer. I have reduced my portable possessions to one bag which makes packing and unpacking easier. And though I still love the travel, it is tiring planning travel, getting on and off trains, buses and planes.
So I choose longer housesits when I can to reduce the impact of the constant moving.
Every full time housesitter faces unique challenges, however, it becomes a way of life for many. And each person works out a way to make things work for themselves to suit their individual situation.
🏡 Debs – Full time Sitter for 2 years – Back to Back Housesitting – Challenges
Unfortunately, the amount of “stuff” I travel with is a lot, it’s a car full in fact. Although I restrict the distances I travel to reduce the impact on travel costs, I work for myself which means I do have to carry around work files a big computer screen, and work materials. This is on top of my personal items. And if then there is my cat Molly, and all her equipment, bedding and food as well! So we make quite a package when we turn up at each new housesit.
I am very organised though, and this back to back housesitting lifestyle has far more benefits for me than challenges so I am happy doing this. But it take does take effort.
Of course the thing to remember whether back to back housesitting appeals to you or not, is that it shouldn’t stop you from trying it out. Housesitting can be huge fun, and a very affordable way to travel locally and around the world. Spend Winters somewhere warmer, save money on rent or simply enjoy the treat of living with pets who can be fabulous company. So why not give it a go!
Lamia Walker – Founder of HouseSit Match
JOIN HOUSESIT MATCH AS A HOUSESITTER
Fancy housesitting as a way to travel and see the world? Join as a Housesitter like Tiera and visit all kinds of new places while caring for a homeowners pets and home. You’ll be a amazed at what the collaboration will offer you and what you could see while you are there.
FAQs About Back to Back Housesitting
How much money can you save housesitting full-time?
Full-time housesitters can save between £12,000-£24,000 ($15,000-$30,000) annually by cutting rent or mortgage payments. Typical savings:
Major Savings:
- Rent/Mortgage: £800-£2,000+ per month (£9,600-£24,000 yearly)
- Utilities: £100-£200 per month (£1,200-£2,400 yearly)
- Council Tax: £100-£200 per month (£1,200-£2,400 yearly)
- Contents Insurance: £10-£30 per month (£120-£360 yearly)
Additional Benefits:
- Free accommodation in desirable locations
- Reduced travel costs if housesitting locally (10-30 minute commutes)
- Pet companionship without ownership costs
- Access to amenities like gardens and pools
As housesitter Bragi says, “My pension goes further in the UK and in Europe” when housesitting full-time. Many sitters use these savings to build businesses, travel extensively, or simply enjoy a better quality of life.
Can you housesit with no experience?
Yes, you absolutely can start housesitting with no formal experience! Many homeowners are willing to give first-time sitters a chance; consider your skills:
Building Your Profile:
- Create a detailed, honest profile highlighting relevant skills (pet care, gardening)
- Request references from friends or employers who’ll vouch for your responsibility
- Include character references that speak to your trustworthiness and reliability
- Add photos of yourself with pets if possible
Starting Smart:
- Begin with shorter sits (weekends or one week) to earn reviews
- Look for local opportunities to minimize travel costs
- Consider pet-sitting for friends or family first to gain testimonials
- Start with simpler assignments (one cat or low-maintenance pet) to build confidence
What Homeowners Look For:
- Excellent communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Genuine love for animals
- Flexibility and problem-solving abilities
- Clean background and good references
First Assignment Tips:
- Be responsive to messages within 24 hours
- Ask thoughtful questions about the pets and home
- Arrive early for the handover to learn routines thoroughly
- Send regular updates to homeowners while they’re away
- Leave the home spotless with a thoughtful welcome-home gesture
Remember, everyone starts somewhere. As full-time sitter Debs shares, she completed over 28 housesits in just her first two years. Your first successful sit leads to reviews, which open doors to more opportunities.
How do you find back-to-back housesits?
Finding continuous housesitting assignments requires strategy, planning, and consistent effort. Here’s how experienced housesitters maintain a steady flow of bookings:
Join Reputable Platforms:
- Register on established housesitting websites like HouseSit Match
- Complete your profile 100% with photos, detailed bio, and references
- Keep your profile updated with availability and latest reviews
Timing is Everything:
- Apply 2-6 months in advance for peak seasons (Christmas, Easter, summer holidays)
- Plan around school holidays when families travel most
- Consider seasonal patterns (Winter sits in warmer climates are popular)
Strategic Planning:
- Leave 1-2 days buffer between sits for contingencies
- Focus on a geographic region to minimize travel costs and time
- Map out your preferred route (e.g., moving south for Winter)
- Keep a spreadsheet of your bookings and potential gaps
Build Relationships:
- Deliver exceptional service to secure repeat bookings
- Stay in touch with previous homeowners
- Many sitters report that 40-60% of their sits become regular annual bookings
- As Debs notes: “A number of my homeowner hosts regularly ask me to go back on return housesits”
Application Best Practices:
- Apply to multiple sits simultaneously (especially when starting)
- Write personalized applications referencing specific pets and home features
- Respond quickly to inquiries (within 2-6 hours when possible)
- Be flexible with dates where possible
Proactive Networking:
- Join housesitting Facebook groups and forums
- Attend local housesitter meetups
- Share your availability on social media
- Ask satisfied homeowners to refer you to friends
Managing Gaps:
- Have a backup plan for gaps between sits (budget B&B, friend’s spare room, short-term rentals)
- Some sitters maintain a small storage unit for belongings
- Consider house-sharing or co-living spaces for occasional breaks
With experience, you’ll develop a rhythm. As Kelly Hayes-Raitt, who housesat for 15 years full-time, advises: good planning and regular communication with homeowners are essential for maintaining a continuous housesitting lifestyle.
What are the biggest challenges of back-to-back housesitting?
While back-to-back housesitting offers incredible benefits, it’s important to understand the real challenges so you can prepare effectively:
Constant Moving & Physical Exhaustion:
- Packing and unpacking every 1-4 weeks is tiring, especially as you age
- As Bragi (11 years experience) shares: “I’m in my late 60s now and the constant moving is a bit tiring”
- Carrying belongings between locations requires energy and organization
- Solution: Minimize possessions, choose longer sits when possible, build in rest periods
Accommodation Costs Between Sits:
- Finding affordable places during gaps can be expensive
- Traditional B&Bs are scarce; Airbnb costs have increased significantly
- Budget £50-£150 per night for interim accommodation
- Solution: Maintain relationships for repeat bookings, plan ahead to minimize gaps, consider a friend’s spare room or storage with occasional hotel stays
Last-Minute Changes:
- Homeowners occasionally extend or shorten trips unexpectedly
- Can disrupt carefully planned back-to-back schedules
- As Tiera experienced: owners returned one day late when she had another sit starting in Edinburgh
- Solution: Build 1-2 day buffers between sits, maintain excellent communication, have contingency plans
Lack of Permanent Base:
- No place to receive mail or store belongings long-term
- Can feel unsettling without a “home” to return to
- Difficult to establish routines or maintain regular social connections
- Solution: Use mail forwarding services, rent small storage units, stay within a region to maintain friendships
Pet Safety Concerns:
- You’re responsible for unfamiliar animals with unknown histories
- Rescue pets may have behavioral issues not fully disclosed
- Debs was bitten by a recently rescued dog that wore a muzzle (not mentioned beforehand)
- Solution: Always visit before committing, ask detailed questions about pet history, trust your instincts, decline sits with muzzled dogs if uncomfortable
Planning & Administrative Work:
- Finding and applying for sits takes significant time (10-15 hours weekly)
- Managing correspondence with multiple homeowners
- Coordinating logistics, travel, and schedules requires excellent organization
- Solution: Develop systems and checklists, dedicate specific time blocks for applications, use spreadsheets to track bookings
Working While Housesitting:
- Balancing work commitments with pet care responsibilities
- Need reliable WiFi and appropriate workspace
- Time-intensive pet care (multiple dog walks daily) limits work hours
- Solution: Choose sits carefully based on pet needs vs. work schedule, verify WiFi speeds, look for homes with dedicated office spaces
Social Isolation:
- Constantly being the “new person” can be lonely
- Difficult to maintain friendships when always on the move
- May miss important family events or gatherings
- Solution: Stay in regular contact via video calls, choose sits near friends/family periodically, join online communities of housesitters
The Reality Check: Despite these challenges, most long-term housesitters agree the benefits outweigh the difficulties. As Maria Vano beautifully puts it: “I can’t imagine a better home than the combination of each and every one I stay in.”
The key is going in with open eyes, developing robust systems, and recognizing that back-to-back housesitting is a lifestyle choice that requires adaptability, resilience, and genuine love for both travel and animals.
Ready to Start Your Housesitting Journey? Join thousands of housesitters who’ve discovered this rewarding lifestyle. Sign up at HouseSit Match to browse available sits and begin your adventure today.
Further reading on back to back housesitting, affordable travel and housesitters
At Housesit Match we like to share useful blogs and practical advice about back to back housesitting, pet sitting and affordable travel. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs on house sitters and house sitting useful.
Best cat sitting in Marbella Spain
Housesitting Ile de France – Discover living like a local
Cultural Preparation for International Assignments
