Home Protection

The House Sitter’s Modern Etiquette Guide

March 19, 2026
By GEICO Team
5 min read
Editorial Guidelines
Woman sitting on a couch in front of a wall of windows and reading a book.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Best House Sitters Have Every Answer Before the Homeowner Leaves

The time to ask questions is before the front door closes, not after something goes wrong. Sit down with the homeowner and cover everything: where you are sleeping, the WiFi password, the alarm code, the thermostat settings, trash and recycling days, and the location of the circuit breaker and water shutoff. If there are pets, get the feeding schedule, walking routine, medication instructions, and the vet's contact information. Ask about a spare key and where it is kept. Get a list of emergency contacts, including a trusted neighbor. The more you know before they leave, the less you have to guess while they are gone.

Treat the House Better Than You Would Treat Your Own

House sitting is not a free vacation in someone else's space. It is a responsibility. Do not invite guests or host anyone unless the homeowner has specifically said it is okay. Do not go through closets, drawers, or medicine cabinets looking for things. If you run out of toilet paper or paper towels and cannot find more with a basic look, buy your own. Treat the food in the refrigerator as off-limits unless the homeowner tells you otherwise. Keep the house clean, bring in the mail and packages daily, take the trash and recycling out on the right days, lock all doors and windows when you leave, and do not post about your stay on social media. Leave the house in the same condition you found it, or better.

Respect the Boundaries and You Will Be the First Person They Call Next Time

The line between making yourself comfortable and overstepping is thinner than most people think. Stick to the rooms and spaces the homeowner has designated for you. Follow their preferences on the thermostat, the alarm system, and exterior lights. If something breaks or goes wrong, communicate immediately rather than trying to fix it yourself and making it worse. Replace any supplies you use up. And when the homeowner returns, leave a note covering anything they should know about what happened while they were away. People remember house sitters who respected their home and made the experience effortless. That is how a one-time favor turns into a standing invitation.

So, you’ve been asked to house-sit for close friends while they’re away on vacation. While it may seem like an easy task, it requires some serious responsibility—not to mention a certain level of house-sitting etiquette. Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert, author and owner of the Protocol School of Texas, explains how to be a good house-sitter.

Look—But Don’t Look Too Hard

You’ve been house-sitting for about a week now, and you’ve run out of toilet paper. You’ve tried getting in touch with the owner, checked under the sink and in the bathroom linen closet, but can’t seem to find any extra rolls squirreled away anywhere. If that’s the case, it’s time to stop looking and head to the store—you don’t want to become a snoop!

Woman looking inside kitchen cabinets.

“If you can’t find it easily when you open the drawer or cabinet, rifling through layers of folded clothing and taking out boxes from the closet crosses the line,” says Gottsman.

And don’t even think about rummaging through the medicine cabinet—that’s definitely snooping.

Keep The Lampshades On The Lamps

Your friends have an awfully big house, and it sure would be a great place to host an epic party. But before you even think about inviting people over, make sure you’ve run it by the homeowners first.

“It is only acceptable for a house sitter to have guests over if they have them preapproved with the owner,” says Gottsman. “It’s a privacy issue, as well as a safety issue, if the owner does not know the uninvited guests.”

Plan Your Meals In Advance

That prime rib in the fridge sure looks tempting, doesn’t it? Well, hands off—it’s not yours!

Woman lying on the couch and looking at her phone screen that shows different food options.

“Generally a house sitter will take care of their own meals during their stay,” says Gottsman. “However, food may be left for the sitter that they are welcome to eat.”

Make sure you talk to your friends about this before they leave home so you don’t end up stealing any food “by accident.” And if you should happen to use up all the paper towels while they’re away, the onus will probably be on you to replace it.

“Supplies are also generally provided in the house,” she says.  “If the sitter runs out of day-to-day items, he or she would be responsible unless otherwise stated.”

It’s also a good idea to cover all the ground rules—where you’ll be sleeping, what the WiFi password is, and what your specific house-sitting duties will be—before you’re left to your own devices. Then you can sit back, relax and pretend you own the place.

If you’re leaving home for the holidays, GEICO can help keep your stuff covered even when you’re not there. 

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  • Look—But Don’t Look Too Hard
  • Keep The Lampshades On The Lamps
  • Plan Your Meals In Advance
  • Ready to Protect Your Home?

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