Sheryl

I'm a single English, recently retired, woman embarked on a full time housesitting lifestyle in January 2019. At time of writing I've completed 74 housesits - in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, each receiving a 5 star review. I’m a member of Trusted Housesitters (THS through which most of my sits have been booked so far) aussiehousesitters and kiwihousesitters. You can see reviews on this website of the sits I did via Aussie and kiwihousesitters, and I can send a link to the THS ones. I’ve also done some privately arranged ones and two via Facebook.

I had been travelling in New Zealand's North island and Australia from July 2019 - March 2020 when plans to continue travelling and housesitting in the South Island of NZ were disrupted in March 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when NZ reopened its doors I returned and arrived into Christchurch on 2/11/22.

After 6 months in New Zealand's South island I flew to Samoa on 30/04/23 for a short trip and then to Brisbane, my 5th visit to Australia. I decided it would be a good idea to join this platform, in addition to THS, to give me more opportunities for sits. I can stay in Australia for 90 days at a time and have a trip back to New Zealand from Nov 2023 - Jan 2024, mainly to visit the people I met in 2019, before flying to Melbourne, Adelaide then home to the UK on 12 March 2024.

I've travelled around the world independently, enjoy seeing new places, experiencing other cultures and meeting new people. I've a friendly disposition, a good sense of humour and can strike up a rapport with any age group. I'm happy either in company or alone. I've many interests including reading, attending literary festivals (volunteering at the Hay Festival most years); music - I've been a member of an amateur operatic society, played the piano and clarinet; photography; theatre; art galleries and museums. While working part time and also since retiring I've done a lot of volunteering, which I love, including driving for community transport; visiting elderly people after their return home from hospital; dog walking for the UK charity the Cinnamon Trust and working in a Red Cross charity bookshop. I like to keep fit as much as possible and particularly enjoy being outdoors, walking and cycling.

Having rented my home out from January 2019 - May 2020, in order to make house sitting a lifestyle and do more travelling, I rented it out again in January 2022. I've found housesitting to be the perfect way to get to know places better whilst helping other people and enjoy the company of their pets, keeping them in their homes and to their routines and have never been happier. I plan to continue with this lifestyle while I'm still fit and enjoying excellent health. My personal experience has proved that it is preferable for animals to remain in their home and be looked after/walked than to go to kennels/catteries. A penchant for long term travelling has meant that I've had to make the difficult decision not to have more of my own pets at present, as I would dearly love a dog and cat. However I'm getting my 'pet therapy' by contact with other people's much loved pets.

My housesitting experience is building all the time and I've looked after a variety of dogs, cats, chickens, fish - even alpacas and rare sheep! I'm respectful of people's homes, leave them as I find them (sometimes better!) and appreciate that I'm being entrusted with beloved pets. Aside from the numerous sits completed via THS and latest ones through kiwihousesitters, I've house sat for friends and family on many occasions. I'm a very reliable and trustworthy person, calm in a crisis and make the animals in my care my top priority.

I welcome home owners contacting me to sit. Please don't hesitate to message me should you have any questions.

Thank you for reading!

Sheryl