How to Prepare to Be a House Sitter
House sitters occupy and maintain a residence for the home's owners while the owners are away for an extended period of time. For example, if a homeowner is leaving his property for a month, he may wish to hire a house sitter to look after his home. House sitters are generally compensated, either through use of the house, or through cash payment. House sitters generally must perform a number of different chores while watching the house, some of which might require some training.
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Instructions
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Enroll in animal care classes. Many homeowners have pets that will require care while they are away. To prepare for this, prospective house sitters should learn the basics of pet care, as well as some general obedience techniques for dogs.
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Read up on plants. Many homeowners will request that house sitters tend to their house plants, lawns, gardens and trees. This may involve watering and feeding house plants, trimming trees, and cutting lawns. Make sure you know what you're doing to prevent causing any damage to the homeowner's garden.
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Keep it clean. House sitters will often be required to clean the residence to prevent it from becoming untidy. For this reason, house sitters should learn the basics of dusting, mopping and scrubbing. If you don't know these basics, consult with someone who does--even a trained maintenance man or housekeeper.
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Bone up on basic accounting. Many house sitters are required to pay bills for the homeowners while they are away, usually with a checkbook or a supply of funds provided to them. The housekeeper should be sure to pay the correct amount and to keep careful records of these payments.
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Know what to do in case of an emergency. House sitters should be prepared to tackle a number of emergencies that might occur on the property, from fires to sick pets to flooding from a broken pipe. House sitters should compile a list of actions to take for a number of different contingencies.
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Advertise your services. When you feel competent to watch over someone's property, it is time to find clients. While word of mouth is especially useful--many homeowners prefer to hire someone they know--distributing flyers and placing classified ads can be effective if you have reliable references.
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