The Housesitter's Guide to the Galaxy: The Nomad Edition

Imagine hiking above the fjords of Norway with an Irish Setter racing ahead, or walking the dogs along a deserted Panamanian beach just as baby turtles hatch and scramble for the sea. For Jessica Holmes and her husband Tom, moments like these are part of everyday life as full-time house and pet sitters, and this book shows you how to make that life your own.

Following on from The Housesitter’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Nomad Edition is the complete guide for those ready to go all in. Written for full-time sitters, digital nomads and long-term travellers, it moves beyond getting started and into the joys and practicalities of housesitting as a long-term way of life. Drawing on years of sits across nine countries and three continents, Jessica covers the money, the logistics and the emotional side of making the whole world your home.

Housesitting has never been more popular, with more homes, more pets and more opportunities than ever, from the Cotswolds to Cape Town. Jessica shares how to stand out, how to choose sits that suit your work and your values, and how to build the kind of trust that turns a stranger’s home into a place where you truly belong.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Why housesitting is so much more than ‘free accommodation’, and what makes the exchange so rewarding
• The soft skills that turn a good sitter into a cherished one
• How to earn, budget and plan for the future on the move, with real figures
• Digital nomad visas, tax residency and the tech that lets you work from anywhere
• How to blend housesitting with van-life, remote work and slow, sustainable travel
• Finding community, staying grounded and treasuring the pets and people you meet
• What new platforms, AI and emerging travel trends mean for the future of sitting

Along the way, you’ll meet a feral cat at a Wiltshire manor house, a dog in Amsterdam who only understood Portuguese, a troop of baboons at the window in Cape Town and a gentle ginger cat called Bertie who left a lasting mark. Packed with practical tips, honest advice and stories that are by turns hilarious and deeply moving, this is a warm and inspiring companion for anyone who dreams of travelling slowly, living lightly and caring for the animals and homes that welcome them.

Housesitting has grown up, and so has the housesitter. More than a budget way to travel, it’s a way to work from anywhere, live sustainably and belong in places instead of simply passing through.

Jessica Holmes is a full-time housesitter, writer and editor of Nomad Magazine. She has spoken at events including Nomad Week Cape Town about alternative living and sustainable travel, and lives nomadically with her husband Tom and whichever pets they happen to be caring for that week.

Publisher - Arena Books

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Jessica Holmes

Published Date - 2026-11-11

ISBN - 9781914390555

Dimensions - 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm

Page Count - 251