Recently, we had a chat with Sabrina from Just One Way Ticket! She has traveled the world and completed over 50 house sits! At the moment she living in Bali and ready to tell us all about her house-sitting adventures!
Tell us a little bit about yourself– who are you, where are you from, for, do you do it full-time or sporadically
My name is Sabrina, I’m originally from Germany, but have been traveling and living abroad since 2008. I’m a content creator, I write travel stories, produce videos, etc documenting my travel life over the past decade.
How many housesits have you done and where?
I’m not sure actually but I’m guessing over 50 by now. Most of them in South East Asia, incl. Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Why do you housesit? What is the main motivation?
I love pets, especially cats, and I love to explore new places. Having a free place to stay for longer periods allows me to discover destinations on a deeper level, almost like from a local’s perspective.
How did you find Out About house sitting?
Friends of mine started housesitting full-time, and it really inspired me to try it as well.
Pros of House Sitting?
As mentioned above, free housing, often very luxurious homes to look after, the company of (mostly) adorable pets, a kitchen to prepare meals, and last but not least, seeing new places, making great new connections and friends.
Cons of House Sitting?
Not many, unless you get into a really bad housesit. Always discuss as much as possible up front, so there won’t be bad surprises later.
What’s been the biggest or best adventure so far?
Too many great ones, can’t pick just one. It’s the whole lifestyle of living abroad for more than a decade and exploring new countries.
How do you decide on a destination?
Important factors for me are
- Is it warm? if not, is there a heating system?
- Is it in a location where I can get easily around with public transport or do I need a car?
- Is the Wifi reliable and fast throughout the entire stay?
How much luggage do you travel with?
As little as possible. The more you have, the harder it will be to move around. After 13 years abroad, I maintain a home base somewhere where I leave most of my stuff. Currently, this is in Bali, Indonesia.
Was it hard for you to secure your first house-sitting gig?
It wasn’t that hard, just make sure to write your best pitch. If you have no experience, I recommend to housesit in your area, it will be easier for you to get gigs as the pet owners can meet you upfront. Make sure to get reviews, those will help to get housesits overseas.
Where has been your favorite house sit?
Had some amazing catsits in Singapore, with extremely kind pet owners that had spacious homes and allowed me to even host my parents during my housesit. I’ll be grateful forever to them.
Where has been your favorite house sit?
Had some amazing catsits in Singapore, with extremely kind pet owners that had spacious homes and allowed me to even host my parents during my housesit. I’ll be grateful forever to them.
Tips for others wanting to get started?
Choose a platform that fits you best! There are multiple websites out there which you can join and it can be difficult to choose one. Some are more region-specific and some more expensive than others.
We joined TrusterHousesitters as it was the best fit for us (they have housesits all around the world). There are also Facebook groups you can use!
Secondly, make your profile trustworthy! This is super important as someone is going to let a stranger in their house, sometimes even for multiple months. So it’s your job to tell them exactly who you are and why they can trust you with their house and pets!
Share your previous experiences with house-sitting or pets in general, add reviews and or references, and also, tell them why you want to house-sit.
Where to next (when you can)
I miss traveling so much, it’s insane. Been in Bali since last year February. It’s gorgeous here, but there aren’t many pet sitting opportunities at the moment
Want to know where else to find Sabrina?
Follow Sabrina’s adventures on her website!
Want to try House Sitting As Well?
There are thousands of opportunities to house sit around the world!
If your wondering how YOU TO can travel for free, check out our resources on becoming a house sitter!
Are You Ready to Start House Sitting?
