Over the past two years Sabina Trojanova has lived in more than 30 different homes, from city apartments to country manors.
She has battled with unfamiliar heating systems, foraged for food in strangers’ fridges and pandered to their pampered pets.
Because she is constantly on the move she has pared her possessions down to the bare essentials.
And now Trojanova is reaping the rewards of the itinerant lifestyle of a full-time house sitter.
Not having to pay rent has allowed the 31-year-old and her partner Sam, 32, to build up a five-figure deposit fund.
After being technically homeless since the start of 2023 they are now buying their first home in London.
“We didn’t get into house sitting for this reason, but if we had continued to rent we would definitely not be in this position today,” says Trojanova.
An influencer and writer (@girlvsglobe), Trojanova moved to the UK from her native Czech Republic in 2011.
By the time the pandemic started she was living in a shared house in Leyton with Sam and two friends. Her rent was £800 a month.
“It was damp, it was not maintained properly,” says Trojanova. “Our rental agreement was coming to an end and we were not really enjoying living there.”
‘I saved £10,000 in rent in the first year’
The solution she came up with was radical. Trojanova is self-employed and can work from anywhere and Sam, a researcher, had started to work from home.
Rather than trying to find a new place to rent they decided to give house sitting a go.
“It was an idea that I had encountered before but never seriously entertained,” she says.
“It seemed like quite a niche lifestyle. But I broached the idea with Sam because at that point we had nothing to lose and we could try it out. We are fairly adventurous.”
After doing research online the couple registered with Trusted Housesitters, the largest platform, which meant paying a £100 annual membership fee.
“At the time it was scary but I have since calculated that I saved £10,000 in rent in just the first year, and that was just my saving,” says Trojanova.
The couple wrote out a profile detailing their experience caring for animals and began getting rid of their possessions.
The biggest wrench was when Trojanova had to sell her treasured book collection. “I cried over them,” she says.
“Getting rid of prized possessions can be fairly difficult. But now I find it quite liberating. Sometimes I miss having more options of clothing but cutting out that element of choice means you spend a lot less time thinking about those things.”
By the time the process was finished, Trojanova could carry everything she owned in one 45-litre backpack, a carry-on suitcase and a small satchel.
The couple’s first house sit, in March 2023, involved caring for a cat and two chickens in Lewes, East Sussex.
“We realised we were quite comfortable living in strangers’ homes,” says Trojanova.
They looked after houses in Bath, Bristol and all over London. If job dates didn’t match up they would stay with family or friends for a few days. Sometimes they would treat themselves to a hotel.
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They have also had the chance to care for pets of all shapes and sizes. The oddest creature was an axolotl, a salamander-like amphibian with external gills and no eyelids.
“We had to feed it live worms, but otherwise it was very, very cute,” says Trojanova.
House sitting is not confined to the UK. Trojanova’s overseas trips have included a stay in Buenos Aires, where she looked after two Japanese hunting dogs.
Problems have been rare. The only snag they encountered was when a couple they were due to house sit for had their cruise cancelled at the last minute.
But by then Trojanova had upgraded her Trusted Housesitters membership to include cancellation insurance, and was refunded the money she spent on an Airbnb.
The final chapter of their house-sitting story is being written right now. “We had been saving so much money that we realised we could afford to buy our own place in London,” says Trojanova.
The couple began flat hunting and have had an offer accepted on a flat in south-east London.
“Our fingers are crossed,” says Trojanova, who is currently house sitting in Herne Hill, where she is looking after a boisterous puppy.
If the sale goes through then she will — finally — be able to start rebuilding her book collection, and seeing inside so many different houses has given her masses of interior design inspiration.
“I have been privileged to get so much insight into people’s homes,” she says. “I am really looking forward to being able to decorate my own home and nest for a little while.”
How to become a house sitter
There are numerous house sitting sites that will match you up with homeowners looking for someone to care for their property and pets while they are away.
Most charge an annual membership fee. Otherwise, no money changes hands. The house sitters work – feed and walk pets, water plants, and keep homes secure – in exchange for a free place to stay.
TrustedHousesitters (trustedhousesitters.com) is an international house sitting agency which can match you with homes in London, across the UK, and beyond.
Fees start at £99 per year, rising to £199 for which you also get veterinary advice and cancellation insurance.
House Sitters UK (housesittersuk.co.uk) allows you to select house sitting opportunities, including those where you can bring your own pets, or even your family, along for the ride.
Current ads include a family looking for someone to care for their black lab in Fowey, Cornwall, and another after someone to mind their rescued goldendoodle in Glasgow.
Housecarers (housecarers.com) is a well-established matchmaking service for house sitters.
Membership costs $50 (around £38) per year and there are opportunities all over the world.
For insight into the house sitting lifestyle check out Facebook group House and Pet Sitters UK for advice and opportunities.