Recently, we had a chat with Maureen. She has been house sitting in some incredible places including Turkey, Crete, Germany, all over England and Scotland, France, and Botswana.
Below you’ll find out how Maureen become a house sitter and where she will be heading next!
Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, where are you from, for, do you do it full-time or sporadically
I grew up for the most part in California. But I have lived all over the United States. Lifelong equestrian, but also owned businesses, certified vet technician, and most recently self-employed bookkeeper.
The bookkeeping gig is what has allowed me to travel and pet sit while maintaining some income.
Why did you do petsitting? What is the primary motivation?
>I learned about trusted housesitters in 2018. I probably applied to four or five housesits before I got one within an hour of where I was living.
For the first year I just traveled to an occasional House Sit and then came home.
My goal was to try to do pet sitting for an extended period In Europe in hopes of finding some place to move to.
Then Covid came along and interrupted my plans, but as soon as I was vaccinated in 2021 I departed the US , having put all of my personal belongings in storage
How many housesits have you had and where?
So far I have completed Petsits in Turkey, Crete, Germany, all over England and Scotland, France, and Botswana. In between sits I travel to places that I want to see such as Croatia, the Peloponnese, Romania, Bulgaria. The income from my work covers hotel costs, flights, rental cars etc.
Have you had any funny housesitting experiences?
Not anything too exotic- the odd tortoise… I do frequently have horses, ponies, donkeys – because of my vet tech training, horse experience, and I worked in an equine hospital for 5 years.
What’s been the biggest adventure so far?
I’ve stayed in too many beautiful places to pick one out to say it was the greatest adventure, but I would have to say Botswana was pretty much a highlight. Overlooked the river where up to five hippos would be lazing about in the water!!
How much luggage do you travel with?
I have one suitcase, and a little backpack for my laptop and wallet basically.
Pros of House Sitting?
it allows you to visit the world.
I’ve met some amazing people that have become friends for life, and already am making return trips to places to visit them.
Cons of House Sitting?
The cons are you never have a home
Where to next (when you can)
At the moment I am in Greece investigating Chios as a possible location for the next part of my life.
However I am headed to Jordan at the end of the month, for Petsit, then traveling through Egypt and then Kenya on my way to return to Botswana for a second Petsit there. After that it’s five weeks on reunion island (Indian Ocean next to Mauritius).
Then I have a break until Nov 1 when I have a sit in Italy!
Author: Britt
I am Britt. I have been house-sitting and pet-sitting for the past seven years. I have cared for 25 dogs, 35 cats, one turtle, and one rabbit over 80+ houses in 15 countries.
The opportunity to experience different homes, cultures, and communities has been extraordinary.
I’ve connected with homeowners seeking reliable sitters through house-sitting platforms like Aussie House Sitters and Trusted House Sitters. This unique way of living has allowed me to save money on accommodation, explore new cultures, and meet new people.
Being a member of these platforms has broadened my horizons and opened doors to short- and long-term house-sitting jobs. I’ve found joy in providing excellent pet care and ensuring the home is well-maintained.
I get many questions about how to start as a housesitter, so please reach out if you have any questions! I want everyone to enjoy this incredible lifestyle as well!
You can read more about Jay and me here!
Or connect with me on Facebook or in our house-sitting community on Facebook.
Want to try House Sitting As Well?
There are thousands of opportunities to house sit around the world!
Check out the resources for getting started as a house sitter here.
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