Recently, we had a chat with Lance. With his family of 5, they house sit around the USA! They travel from house sit to house sit in their 5 wheel trailer and are ready to share their house-sitting adventures with us!
Tell us a little bit about your family – who are you, where are you from, for, do you do it full-time or sporadically
I am the patriarch of the family, my name is Lance. Bethany and I have been married for 14 years and have created, three wonderful little humans.
Our daughter Roxy who is 11 years old, our son Reneau coming in at 9, and the caboose Cairo at 7 years old. Until three months ago we made our home in Utah, however, the outdoors called us and we live for new adventures, great relationships and unforgettable though sometimes regrettable experiences.
Life for us is lived on the road, our 5th wheel trailer which our kids have loved given the appellation: the cheugy cougy serves as both our chariot to new escapades as well as our home.
Education is delivered to our children’s developing minds by two highly underqualified individuals who are probably learning more by
teaching than the students.
Some days are jam-packed with activities, others relaxing and mindlessly scrolling on devices until our beds beckon us and we drift into a deep slumber.
Why do you housesit? What is the main motivation?
Our kids have a deep love for animals, with our lifestyle having a pet would be possible but not very practical. Taking care of pets via house sitting has brought them so much joy.
They fall in love with the animals quickly and miss them greatly the day we leave. House sitting gives us an opportunity to take a small break from the road.
A couple of hundred square feet sounds like a massive living space for a family of five, however, occasionally it is nice to have a little more room and luxuries like a washer and dryer, full-size shower, and a domicile that doesn’t shake every time someone gets up to pee.
How did you find out about house sitting?
A friend of mine had posted about house sitting and the great experiences they had enjoyed taking care of homes and pets.
When I reached out to him to inquire about their undertaking as house sitters he filled my mind and heart with positive feedback.
From that jump-off point the google machine provided us with the information and the tools we required to begin
Pros of House Sitting?
The upside to house sitting far outweighs the down if the proper steps are taken to ensure the pets and the owners are a good match with you. Some pets require a little more care and love than others and can be taxing if you are not prepared to take on the weight of the responsibility.
Most cons can be evaded through open and honest communication with the homeowner prior to booking the job.
Making new friends, enjoying time with great animals, and exploring new cities and places at a very low to no cost attracted us to the lifestyle.
Cons of House Sitting?
It can be difficult and at times demoralizing to apply, apply, apply, apply and face a veritable mountain of rejection.
Equally, at times a sit is booked and then canceled which can also be disheartening, but fret not young sitters, power through, victory is but one application away!
How much luggage do you travel with?
In terms of luggage, well, everything we own we bring with us. This can pose a problem as many sits, especially in larger cities, cannot accommodate a 36 foot trailer.
Our engagements tend to be in residential to rural areas, but also provide some peace of mind to homeowners that they don’t need to provide any type of entertainment for the kids, as we will bring it with us.
They have enjoyed playing legos and make believe in the trailer while on sits where pets would not do well with their personal items in the house.
The kids have been so great at caring for not just the pets, but property as well. We deep clean as a family and try to find at least one project per sit to do for the homeowner.
On one sit that was deep cleaning the fridge and getting some unknown sticky residue from under the crisper drawers, on another job it was to clean out the vacuum from all the pet hair and dust.
Where has been your favorite house sit?
To date, our favorite house sitting experience was in Virginia Beach, VA. The assignment was a bit unique, the home owners were in the process of moving with most of their home packed in boxes. A family that was completely self-sufficient was the perfect fit!
There was one cat and he was very low maintenance but very aware that it was his territory and we were only there to take care of him on his schedule, typical cat.
We fell in love with the area, the beach was beautiful, and the home was located in a calm and quiet place close to many activities.
We have had wonderful sits all around, Nashville was equally an enjoyable and memorable experience.
Where to next (when you can)
We have completed 4 sits to date and have a few scheduled toward the end of the year. As our resume grows so do our opportunities.
Ultimately at some point, we would like to go international and experience more of the world through friendships that we make as house sitters
Want to try House Sitting As Well?
There are thousands of opportunities to house sit around the world!
Check out our resources on becoming a house sitter!
Are You Ready to Start House Sitting?
