I am a Strategic Change consultant working for a large global firm. I work from home most of the time and don't have to travel much, so I can remain focused on taking care of your home and pets.
Why I want to house-sit
As a soon-to-be empty nester, I am scoping out my next set of adventures and, in the meantime, looking to transition out of our family home. House-sitting would offer me a wonderful opportunity to experience living solo again and help me figure out what I really want from this next phase of my life.
Experience
I do not have specific house-sitting experience, but as a homeowner for over 20 years of a beautiful 5 BR family home, I have plenty of experience troubleshooting day-to-day challenges (plumbing, heating, electrical, drainage issues, seasonal landscaping needs) and resolving them quickly. Over the past 20 years, we have renovated almost our entire home — encountering countless complications along the way! - so I have a deep understanding of the structural, systemic and aesthetic variables required to make our houses feel like homes.
As a strategic change consultant, my job requires me to problem-solve really complex challenges on a daily basis. To be effective, I have to be a good listener and understand how to collaborate with dozens of people to arrive at solutions and implement changes that will effect thousands of people. I take that work very seriously and would bring the same level of focus and expertise to caring for your home.
What can I bring to the situation?
In addition to being an experienced homeowner and professional problem-solver, I am very clean and organized and, to be honest, I cannot wait to be in a house where I can finally keep it as neat as I want it to be! (My ex-husband and child have a different comfort level for mess than I do :) ) I have never been one to leave things on counters or toss clothes on the floor, etc. and I have always maintained a weekly routine for managing bathrooms, the kitchen, etc.
My routine is pretty... routine. I work long hours on weekdays, taking time to exercise and do other basic things but, generally, I am in bed by 10 p.m. and rise early (I work with people from all over the world so I am often in online meetings early morning and sometimes during evening hours.)
If you require pet-sitting help, rest assured that I am a dedicated and VERY experienced animal lover. Having adopted and/or raised four dogs over the past 20 years, mostly German Shepherds, I can handle just about any dog situation. I will dedicate ample time to caring and cuddling with your pets! I walk my dogs for about two hours a day — a minute neighborhood walk in the morning and a 1-hour hike in the Wissahickon in the afternoon. As anyone who knows me can tell you, at this point, I dote on my dogs more than my human child. I cook for my dogs, have managed complicated chronic medical conditions and behavior challenges and have maintained an amazing, collaborative partnership (over 15 years) with our veterinarian to ensure that our dogs are up to date on vaccinations and as healthy as possible (I don't let new concerns or symptoms linger for long without seeking help — though, given my experience, I do try a few things first to see if we can resolve it ourselves. I am also very comfortable caring for cats and we loved and parented four guinea pigs over about 10 years.
I've been in your shoes
Having had to coordinate care for our home and our pets while traveling over the years, I have firsthand experience with the value of knowing everything and everyone is in good hands while I was gone. I want you to experience and enjoy the comfort and security of knowing the things you care about are safe and well, whether you're taking a long-cherished trip with family or embarking on an extended absence. Trust that everything will be as you expect on your return!