Recently, we chatted with Nina and Helon from the Minimalist Ninjas!
They have traveled the world and completed over 18 house sits, including an epic one in Barcelona, where they looked after two Maine Coones (our favorite type of cat!). Let’s find out more about their adventures!
Tell us a little bit about yourselves—who you are, where you are from, and whether you do it full-time or sporadically.
Nina: I was born and raised in Austria, left in 2014, and have since lived in London and New York City. I stopped flying at the end of 2019 but haven’t flown since. I would only fly if it were essential to see family. I am based in Berlin and happy to house sit whenever a house sit pops up that I can go to via bus or train! 🙂
Helon: I’m originally from Mississippi but left around 2003. I moved to California for skateboarding and then later moved to NYC, with lots of traveling in between. I still skateboard every day that I can, but these days, I’m working as a software developer and teaching web development online.
How many housesits have you done and where?
That’s a tricky one! We had to log into our Trusted House Sitters profile to ensure we didn’t miss one. Here are the stats: Number of house sits since July 2018: 18 sits
Countries: China, Thailand, South Korea, Denmark, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, United States, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Latvia, Canada, Sweden, Netherlands, Greece
Why do you housesit? What is the main motivation?
We house-sit because we enjoy spending time with animals and love traveling like locals.Â
How to Get Into House Sitting?
I believe we found out house-sitting or instead thought seriously about signing up when we decided to take a year off to travel between our move from NYC to Berlin.Â
Pros of House Sitting
- Being able to hang out with pets
- Staying somewhere and “feeling” like a local
- On Trusted House Sitters (the platform we are using), it’s an exchange rather than a monetary transaction, which we love!
- Great selection of countries and places you can go
Cons of House Sitting?
When applying for house sits, you need to be “on it” – in our experience – the earlier you apply, the better.
It would help if you had a certain level of flexibility. If, for example, your work situation requires you to hand in your vacation for the year months in advance, then you’ll have fewer house-sitting options due to being a lot less flexible.
What’s been the biggest or best adventure so far?
We would say getting out Chinese visas in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for our very first house sit in Chengdu, China. The process of getting our visas was one of the most nerve-wracking visa processes of our lives!
How do you decide on a destination?
Nina: As mentioned earlier, for the time being, I only travel via bus or train, so proximity to wherever I live is key for me.
Helon: Since I work remotely and am flexible enough to travel whenever I get a sit, I think about where I’d like to visit and then set house-sitting alerts.
How much luggage do you travel with?
Nina: I usually travel with a 40-L backpack and a smaller bag that holds all our valuable items (laptop, etc.).
Helon: I usually travel with just a 35L backpack.
Was it hard for you to secure your first house-sitting gig?
Securing our first one was pretty easy! The house sit we applied to was super last minute due to them having had someone cancel on them. We happened to be “close” (we were in Vietnam then and the house sit was in China), so we decided to go for it.
At the time, we didn’t know that getting our visas for China would prove to be one of the most nerve-wracking visa experiences ever!
Did you ever have any unusual pets to take care of or responsibilities that were out of the norm?
Nina: I can’t think of any experiences that were unusual or outside the norm.
Helon: I took care of rabbits once, which maybe isn’t so unusual, but it was new to me. I needed to go foraging for rabbit greens in the grassy fields around Riga which was interesting but not too bad, ha. I also did a sit for a pug where I needed to clip her nails and brush her teeth.
Where has been your favorite house sit?
Nina: My favorite house-sitting experience was definitely house-sitting in Amsterdam for two weeks in August 2021. We looked after this beautiful & lovely Siberian cat. His name was Otis! Looking after him lifted my spirits and brought me so much joy! Also, I hadn’t been to Amsterdam in years and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there!
Helon: I’d agree with Nina that the Amsterdam one was one of my favorites. Another one I really enjoyed was looking after two super awesome cats in Barcelona – Cheddar, and Toast. Cheddar was a gorgeous Maine Coone and Toast was, if I recall correctly, half Maine Coone. I love Barcelona so getting to spend a few weeks going out skating and coming home to those two fluffy hooligans was really nice.
Tips for others wanting to get started?
Choose a platform that fits you best! There are multiple websites out there that you can join, and it can be difficult to choose one. Some are more region-spe
Sign up to a reputable site like Trusted House Sitters, decide in which country/area you would like to house sit in, decide on what type of pet you want to look after, and go for it!
Remember, in our experience, the earlier you apply, the better. Sign up for push notifications and apply as soon as you see something that fits.
Where to next (when you can)
Helon is constantly looking for house sits and is currently house-sitting in Athens, Greece. He’ll be house-sitting in New York City at the end of the year and who knows where in between.
It would also be nice to do another house sit that’s reachable via bus or train—let’s see what’s in store for us!
Need Help Getting Started With House Sitting
Have we got you excited about house-sitting in Spain? We love sharing our house-sitting experiences and teaching others how to become house-sitters and start their journeys.
So, if you need help starting your house-sitting journey, see my resources here, and don’t hesitate to contact me and ask me any questions.
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.
Are You Ready to Start House Sitting?
