The Joys of House Sitting

Have you ever wondered about the potential joys of house sitting for a friend, relative or co-worker. If you are single or the person you are house sitting for approves the idea of a house sitting couples then you may be on your way to an interesting week or more away from home. All it takes is a willingness to live with a sense of adventure and an ability to compromise and adjust your daily pattern of living in return for, well the joys of house sitting that are likely to include some of the following perks.

It is highly likely that whoever asks you to house sit will make some kind of arrangement, besides the fact that you will be living in his or her house, to compensate you for the inconveniences that come with not being in your own home. It may be that the house owner will simply offer or just give you financial compensation straight up. This has to be a plus because you really haven't made a financial sacrifice to move your living space for a week or two. In the case of friends, money may seem a rather crude compensation but don't be surprised if that friend leaves you with a well stocked fridge or freezer, extra goodies, perhaps even a gift card or two for a nearby inexpensive restaurant or coffee shop. It's only the very rare instance when the person you are helping out doesn't feel the need to express thanks and show you a tangible courtesy, often one that you didn't expect. So already the fun has begun.

And the fun will continue because the joys of house sitting also include the chance to voluntarily look at the world through someone else's viewpoint. Whether your house sitting engagement takes you to new turf in the city, suburbs or out of the way rural abode, if you are in a different location you will have no option but to see the world in at least a slightly different way and thereby broaden your perspectives.

Staying away from your own home also means breaking up the schedule that you may have been following for months, even years with little or no change. Now you need to get up earlier to go to your job or you come home at a different time with different traffic issues facing you. And while the changes are minimal, like you can pick up fast food right down the street at your new lodgings, or the movie theater is only a block away, change is change and even small changes can seem like adventures.

For some people the joys of house sitting are wrapped around their ability to see the change in location as a bona fide vacation. The reasoning is simple - if you are in a different place you are, effectively, on vacation even if you keep going to your daily place of employment.

Besides for the hours when you are not pursuing your ordinary occupation you can do exciting and fun things like investigate and use all visible creature comforts your "host" has left in your care. There are few things more fun than using someone else's television, play station, computer, entertainment center, swimming pool, deck, dishwasher and the lists goes on. For us one of the biggest kicks was to break out the popcorn and use the electric popper - a very tiny luxury which we always said we didn't want and yet couldn't wait to try out. Because of individual tastes you are almost sure to find something in the house you are sitting in that will amuse or entertain you even if its just a different set of silverware or magazines that you love but seldom buy.

Finally one of the hidden joys of house sitting can be the chance to meet the neighbors. While it may be just a perfunctory nod from time to time or a more pleasant "hello" when you go out to get the mail, new acquaintances contain a full gamut of possibilities. Not every house sitting opportunity includes the promise of a new love, new best friend, potential golf buddy or soul mate - but that's one of the joys of house sitting, from the moment you arrive everything is new and anything is possible