Meet Roxanne and Maartje from Once Upon A Journey—a Dutch couple who sold everything in 2017 to travel the world full-time through house-sitting. Over four years, they’ve cared for homes and pets across six countries, from Mexico to Malaysia, discovering how to live rent-free while experiencing destinations like locals.
In this interview, they share how they secured their first house-sit, their most memorable experiences (including that epic Trans-Mongolian Express journey!), and practical tips for anyone wanting to start house-sitting themselves.
Tell us a little bit about yourself– who are you, where are you from, for, do you do it full-time or sporadically
Hi there! We are Roxanne and Maartje, a couple from the Netherlands. In March 2017, we sold everything we had and left the Netherlands to travel the world full-time and fully nomadic.
On the road we started Once Upon A Journey! Initially we wanted to tell fairy tales and folktales from all around the world, though we noticed many people wanted to hear our stories. So then we started to share our own stories about traveling the world as a girl couple.
Right now, Once Upon A Journey is our full-time job! And we moved back to the Netherlands at the beginning of 2020, but can’t wait to explore the world again. Probably not fully nomadic anymore and for shorter periods, but we are looking forward to it.
How many housesits have you done and where?
Before traveling full-time, we had already done house-sits, but mostly for friends or acquaintances. In the Netherlands we’ve done about 5 housesits. And abroad we’ve done 6 different housesits, in Mexico twice, Los Angeles, New York City, Malaysia, and Bangkok.
Why do you housesit? What is the main motivation?
While traveling for a more extended period we love the idea of having a home away from home.
Being able to reload, stay at one place a little longer, do laundry whenever you want, cook again, and often a housesit includes a pet you can cuddle with, all excellent benefits in our eyes.
Traveling from place to place all the time can make you tired, and a house sit allows us to slow down and reload. And for us digital nomads, a house sit allows us to have time and an office to work from.
How did you find Out About house sitting?
Unconsciously, we already did house-sits in the Netherlands when friends and acquaintances went on holiday and asked us to take care of their house and pet!
While traveling, we found out there’s a whole housesitting community.
It was never our plan to do this while traveling, but once we found out about websites like TrustedHousesitters, we tried to get a housesit now and then.
We also heard many people used Facebook groups, but we found TrustedHousesitters a convenient website for us!
Pros of House Sitting?
We already discussed this, but another pro of housesitting is that you can experience a place from a local’s perspective! As a tourist, you often see places differently.
Cons of House Sitting?
Often there’s a pet involved, and it’s always difficult to say farewell again after taking care of it for a while! You really connect with a spot and animal and of course you have to leave again.
And it’s also a commitment you make, so for example, if you come to really explore a place, it’s a good thing to remember that when a pet is involved, you can’t leave the house for days. And when it’s a dog, you can’t go for too many hours.
What’s been the biggest or best adventure so far?
When we started our world trip in 2017, we started in Russia and went to China by train, with the Trans Mongolian Express. And that was one of our biggest adventures. Traveling in Russia was a challenge, not just as a girl couple. But we are happy we did it as we saw amazing places like Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, which was fully frozen!
In Mongolia, we hired a driver who drove us all around the country in three weeks. It was a fantastic way to see the country and meet the super-friendly locals. We slept in yurts, camped in the mountains, and loved how kind everybody was.
How much luggage do you travel with?
It really depends on the trip. On longer trips, we like to take two backpacks, each about 10-15 kg, and a smaller camera bag for our camera equipment.
If we go on a shorter trip, we usually bring just one backpack or suitcase of 15 kg, plus our camera bag. On shorter trips, we prefer a suitcase over a backpack. But for our trip to Greece, we brought a backpack as we thought it would be most convenient on the island of Santorini with all its stairs and while traveling between other islands.
Was it hard for you to secure your first house sitting gig?
Not at all, actually. We got one of the first housesits we applied for! It was a Belgian couple living in Malaysia, and I think they loved the fact we could talk Dutch together, haha. It felt familiar.
We do think it’s essential that if you use a platform like TrustedHousesitters, you make a profile with photos, include enough text about yourself so people can get to know you a little better, and perhaps even include a video.
We also made sure we had reviews from previous housesits we did and even references from previous work bosses and friends who could tell us a bit more about us. So people know how we are and that we are trustworthy!
Where has been your favorite house sit?
That’s a very difficult question! Our first housesit was amazing as the dog Tiger was the sweetest and it was easy to build trust with this dog. We simply loved the house where we stayed. It was in Malaysia on the island Penang.
There was a swimming pool, we could use their car and motorbike and Penang is such a fun island! When we went to the beach with Tiger he was so super happy. We had a great time together.
Our house sit in Mexico City was also amazing! We truly made friends with the homeowners, with whom we still often speak.
Tips for others wanting to get started?
Choose a platform that fits you best! There are multiple websites you can join, and it can be difficult to choose one. Some are more region-specific, and some are more expensive than others.
We joined TrustedHousesitters because it was the best fit for us (they have housesitters worldwide). You can also use Facebook groups!
Secondly, make your profile trustworthy! This is super important as someone will let a stranger into their house, sometimes even for months. So it’s your job to tell them exactly who you are and why they can trust you with their home 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)
When we can travel further away again we would love to visit South America as we’ve never been! And in Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines are high on our list. We want to visit Turkey (Istanbul and Cappadocia) closer to home and see more of Italy!
Want to know where else to find Roxanne and Maartje?
Follow Roxanne and Maartje adventures on their website!
Need Help Getting Started With House Sitting?
Have we got you excited about house-sitting? We love sharing 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?
