Home > Blog > How to Prepare for a House Sitter
Quick Facts
| Most important preparation | A clear welcome guide — written, not spoken |
| What sitters actually need | Clean space, clear pet instructions, working wifi, emergency contacts |
| Most appreciated practical detail | Pre-portioned pet medication in a labelled pill organiser |
| Best communication setup | WhatsApp group with all parties before the sit starts |
| What sitters do not need | A perfect house — they need an honest one |
The napkin covered in frantic scribbles. WiFi password, bin day, which key opens which lock, the cat's twice-daily medication. You are twenty minutes from leaving for the airport and trying to compress months of domestic knowledge into a piece of paper that will be lost by the time you land.
We have been on the receiving end of these handovers across 17 sits in 11 countries. Four-hour marathons covering the specific angle at which every plant needs to be watered. Fifteen-minute whirlwinds followed by a lovely dinner where we talked about everything except the house. Perfect welcome guides and nothing at all.
The difference between a homeowner who leaves in a panic and one who leaves with real peace of mind is not how thorough the handover is on the day. It is the quality of the preparation that happened before you were standing in the hallway with your bags by the door. Here is what actually matters, from the sitter's perspective.
The Welcome Guide
A welcome guide is the single most useful thing you can prepare. When a question comes up at 11pm (and it will), a sitter with a clear guide handles it independently. One without it sends a message that lands in your notifications on the beach.
The format does not need to be elaborate. A digital document shared via WhatsApp, a neat notebook on the kitchen counter, or a clearly organised folder all work. One advantage of a digital format (a shared Google Doc, a Notion page, or the welcome guide feature built into some platforms) is that you can update it while you are away. If bin day changes, a new pet behaviour emerges, or you think of something you forgot to mention, you can add it without a phone call. Paper is reliable. A shared live document is updatable. Use whichever format you will actually maintain.
The essential contacts section should come first: your number, your partner's number if applicable, a trusted neighbour or nearby person who can physically come to the property, the local vet's name and number, and local emergency services. For international sitters, the local equivalent of 112 (Europe) or 911 (US/Canada) is not always obvious.
The wifi password should be written in large clear text. It is the first thing a sitter needs and the most commonly missing item.
The address and access instructions matter more than most homeowners expect. If GPS is unreliable in your area, add landmarks. Note which key opens which lock. If there is an alarm, include the code and the exact arm and disarm sequence written step by step.
Bin and recycling day, and where the bins go. For international sitters, local recycling rules vary significantly. A brief explanation saves confusion.
Mail and packages: where to put them. Most sitters do this automatically but knowing your specific preference means they do not have to guess.
The Pet Information
This is the heart of the handover. The more clearly you communicate your pets' routines, the more consistently they will be maintained. Animals are creatures of habit and disruption causes stress.
Feeding. Time, approximate quantity, where the food is stored, and the specific type. A scoop measurement or cup quantity is perfectly clear. You do not need to weigh every gram. What matters is that the sitter is not guessing whether to fill the bowl or measure carefully. Note where food is stored and whether there are specific feeding locations the pet prefers or requires.
Medication. Write the medication name, dosage, and exact administration time. The best preparation we have encountered across 17 sits: a pill organiser with the doses pre-portioned into labelled daily compartments. It removes all guesswork, eliminates any risk of a dosing error, and is the kind of practical detail that a sitter notices and appreciates for the whole sit. If medication needs to go in food rather than be given directly, note that explicitly.
Walks and exercise. How many walks per day, approximate duration, and any specific sensitivities: dogs reactive to other dogs, to traffic, or to unfamiliar situations on a lead. Our dog sitting guide covers the daily care routine in detail.
The best walks section we have encountered was during our current sit in France: the welcome guide included a hand-drawn map with walking routes marked and approximate timings noted for each one. We knew from day one exactly where to take the dog, how long each route took, and which paths were better for off-lead time. A simple map, even a photo of a local trail guide, makes a sit in an unfamiliar area significantly easier.
Personality and quirks. This is where you tell us things that are not obvious from looking at the animal. "He is terrified of thunderstorms." "She hides under the bed when strangers arrive but comes out within an hour." "The cat sometimes disappears for a day but always comes back." This context prevents unnecessary anxiety and stops a sitter from doing the wrong thing in a well-intentioned moment.
During our current sit in France, the homeowner mentioned in the welcome guide that the dog occasionally has fits. Not frequently, but they happen. That information was invaluable. Not because the dog had a fit during our sit, but because if it had, we would not have panicked and made things worse. I would personally have been terrified if a dog started fitting with no prior warning. This kind of information should be in the welcome guide, mentioned in the listing, and discussed during the video call. It is not a deterrent to sitters. It is the information a responsible sitter needs to care for the animal well.
Vet authorisation. Confirm in writing whether the sitter has your authorisation to seek veterinary treatment if needed, and whether the pet is insured. Our subscription and insurance guide explains what THS and Nomador protection plans actually cover.
The House Tour
The welcome guide is the reference document. The handover walk-through is where you bring it to life and the sitter asks the questions they did not think to ask from the listing.
Walk through every room the sitter will use. Show them the home entertainment system, heating controls, and washing machine. Our homeowners in Cries, Switzerland put small stickers on the three buttons needed to operate the home entertainment system, which saved us completely from reading a manual in another language. Simple and effective. Show them anything with a non-obvious interface. If anything is quirky about the property (a tap that needs two turns, a door that needs lifting to lock, a bathroom that takes three minutes for hot water), mention it.
Smart home devices. If your home has a Ring doorbell, a smart thermostat, an indoor pet camera, or any other connected device, show the sitter how it works and what they will encounter. For pet cameras used to monitor animals, be transparent about where they are located.
TrustedHouseSitters' Terms of Service require homeowners to disclose any recording devices in the property. More than that, THS policy states that internal cameras should be switched off to give sitters privacy. Not merely pointed out. Off. An undisclosed camera in a private space is a breach of platform terms, a reportable incident, and potentially illegal in the country where the sit takes place. Transparency here is not just good practice. In 2026, privacy expectations are higher and sitters will note how this is handled in their reviews.
The doorbell and external security cameras can remain active for property security. Internal cameras, particularly those in living spaces and bedrooms, should be off for the duration of the sit. If you want pet monitoring during your trip, discuss this openly with the sitter before confirming the sit and agree on an arrangement both sides are comfortable with.
Off-limits areas. It is completely fine to have a room, office, or cupboard that is off-limits. Just say so clearly. Most sitters are respectful by default. If you have valuables or personal documents you are concerned about, a locked room or small safe removes ambiguity for both sides. This protects you and removes any uncomfortable dynamic for the sitter.
Garden and outdoor areas. Show which plants need attention. If garden maintenance was part of the agreement, it should have been in the listing and confirmed during the video call. Tasks that were not in the listing and not agreed in advance are not part of the arrangement. Our house sitting vs unpaid labour guide covers where this line sits clearly.
Visitors. If you have a preference on sitters having guests, state it at the handover. Some homeowners are happy for a sitter's family to visit for a coffee. Others prefer the property just for the sitter. Either is reasonable. Silence on the topic creates uncertainty. TrustedHouseSitters has introduced a setting that allows homeowners to specify in their listing whether visitors are permitted or not. This takes the guesswork out of the equation for both sides. If you are listing on THS, use this setting to state your preference clearly. Our guide on whether house sitters can have visitors covers the nuances.
The Welcome Space
Arriving to a clean, prepared space sets the tone for the entire sit. We do not expect a hotel. We expect an honest home.
Fresh sheets on the bed, clean towels, and a clear bathroom. Wardrobe or drawer space for the sitter's things. A few extra rolls of toilet paper and basic bathroom supplies mean they are set for the first days without a supermarket trip.
The kitchen should have basic cooking supplies accessible: oil, salt, pepper, cleaning products, laundry detergent. Sitters will buy their own food, but arriving and being able to make a coffee or cook a meal on the first evening without an immediate supermarket trip is a practical kindness.
The fridge should be clear of anything expired and have space for the sitter's groceries. Note anything that can and should be used. Our food etiquette guide has a step-by-step fridge handover table for homeowners.
Communication During the Sit
Discuss your preferred update frequency at the handover. Some homeowners want a daily photo and message. Others are happy with a message every few days. Both are valid. The sitter cannot calibrate to your preference if you have not shared it.
We suggest creating a WhatsApp group with all parties before the sit starts: both sitters and both homeowners if applicable. This gives you one thread for the entire stay: updates, photos, questions, and anything unexpected. It is also a written record of the whole arrangement. If anything needs to be raised with the platform later, a WhatsApp thread with screenshots is exactly the kind of evidence that supports a clear account of events.
If something goes wrong during your trip, you want a sitter who tells you promptly and has already taken sensible steps. The way to encourage that is to have established early that you want honest communication and that you will respond constructively. How you behave on the video call and at the handover shapes how a sitter feels about contacting you with a problem.
Homeowner Preparation Checklist
Before the sitter arrives
Write the welcome guide including emergency contacts, wifi password, alarm code, bin day, and any local recommendations
Pre-portion pet medication into a labelled pill organiser with daily compartments
Leave clean sheets on the bed and fresh towels in the bathroom
Clear the fridge of expired food and make space for the sitter's groceries
Write alarm codes and key access instructions clearly in the welcome guide
Leave basic kitchen supplies accessible: oil, salt, pepper, cleaning products, laundry detergent
Create a WhatsApp group with all parties before the sit starts
At the handover
Walk through every room the sitter will use
Demonstrate any non-obvious appliances (washing machine, heating, TV)
Show and explain smart home devices; confirm that indoor cameras are switched off
State any off-limits areas clearly
Confirm visitor policy or point to the THS setting
Share vet contact details and confirm authorisation for treatment
Discuss preferred update frequency during the sit
During the sit
Respond to messages in a reasonable time
Trust the sitter — you chose them through a verified platform for a reason
Update the shared welcome guide if anything changes
Conclusion
A good house sitter needs three things: clear instructions, a clean space, and the confidence that they can reach you if something unexpected happens.
The handovers we remember most across 17 sits are not the ones with the most elaborate welcome guides. They are the ones where the homeowner had clearly thought about what would help us care for their home and animals well, communicated it without assuming we already knew, and left with genuine confidence that someone competent was in charge.
That confidence is what a prepared homeowner earns. It is also what makes a sitter want to come back.
Find verified, reviewed sitters through TrustedHouseSitters using our 25% discount, or Nomador for France and French-speaking Europe.
DM us @housesittersguide on Instagram with questions about preparing for a sit from either side. We answer everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I leave in a welcome guide for a house sitter?
The essentials: your contact number, vet details, wifi password, alarm code and instructions, bin day, and key access information. The most valuable section is the pet information: exact feeding times and quantities, medication with pre-portioned doses, walk schedule, and any behavioural quirks or triggers. A sitter with a complete welcome guide handles questions independently.
How clean should my house be before the sitter arrives?
Tidy and honest. Fresh sheets, clean towels, and a clear bathroom are the baseline. Clear the fridge of anything expired and make space for the sitter's groceries. You do not need a hotel-level standard. You need a home that is ready to be lived in. Expect to return to the same or better.
Should I leave food for the house sitter?
You are not required to, but leaving perishables that would expire is a practical and appreciated gesture. A note saying "help yourself to anything that might go off" is all that is needed. Our food etiquette guide covers the fridge handover in full.
How do I communicate with the sitter during my trip?
Set up a WhatsApp group before you leave and discuss your preferred update frequency at the handover. Daily photos, every few days, or only if something comes up: all three are valid. The sitter needs to know what you want.
What should I do about pet medication?
Write the medication name, dosage, and exact administration time in the welcome guide, and pre-portion doses into a labelled pill organiser. Pre-portioned medication is the single most appreciated practical preparation in our experience across 17 sits.
