You've found a sitter, written out the care instructions, and booked your trip. But there's one more thing most pet owners overlook: the house itself.

Your sitter isn't just caring for your pet — they're navigating an unfamiliar space. They don't know that the kitchen trash can flips open if you bump it, that the laundry room door doesn't latch, or that there are three different leashes hanging by the front door and only one of them actually clips to the harness correctly.

A few hours of home preparation can prevent the kinds of problems that generate panicked texts on day two. Here's a room-by-room guide to getting your home ready.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where most pet-related accidents happen — and where your sitter will spend the most time preparing meals and managing food.

Secure the trash. Pets treat an open trash can like a buffet. Use a trash can with a locking lid, move it inside a cabinet, or put a child lock on the cabinet door. A dog who eats chicken bones from the trash is an emergency vet visit nobody planned for.

Clear the counters. Grapes, onions, chocolate, xylitol-containing gum, macadamia nuts — these are all common kitchen items that are toxic to pets. Put them in closed cabinets or high shelves. Don't assume your pet won't counter-surf just because they haven't done it in front of you.

Label the pet food. If you have multiple pets or multiple types of food, label each container clearly. "Luna — morning, 1 cup" on the kibble container saves your sitter from the "which food goes in which bowl?" text.

Organize medications. If your pet takes medication, set up a weekly pill organizer labeled with days and times. Leave it on the counter next to the food bowls — not in a cabinet the sitter has to hunt through. For detailed medication handoff tips, see our guide on sharing pet medication instructions.

Show where supplies are. Paper towels, cleaning spray, extra food, poop bags, treat jar. A quick sticky note on the pantry that says "dog supplies — second shelf" prevents a scavenger hunt.

Living Areas

Identify off-limits furniture. If your dog isn't allowed on the couch or your cat shouldn't be on the dining table, tell your sitter. But also be realistic — a sitter can't enforce rules they don't know about, and a pet who secretly gets on the couch every time you leave the room will definitely do it when you're gone.

Secure cords and small objects. Puppies and kittens chew everything. Older pets can be less predictable when anxious and in an unusual routine. Tuck electrical cords behind furniture, pick up small items that could be swallowed, and move houseplants that are toxic to pets (lilies, pothos, sago palms, dieffenbachia).

Set out comfort items. Leave your pet's favorite bed, blanket, or toy in their usual spot. A worn t-shirt of yours can help an anxious pet feel more settled — your scent is more calming than any supplement.

Note the thermostat. Short-nosed breeds overheat easily. Senior pets and hairless cats get cold. Tell your sitter what temperature to keep the house at and whether there's anything specific — like keeping a fan on in the dog's room or leaving the bedroom door closed so the cat has a warm space.

Bathroom and Laundry Room

These rooms are deceptively dangerous for pets.

Close toilet lids. Dogs drink from toilets. If you use drop-in toilet cleaners, the water is toxic. Make it a house rule for the sitter: lid down, always.

Lock up medications. Human medications — especially ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and antidepressants — are among the most common pet poisoning causes. Move them to a high cabinet or a locked medicine box. Don't assume the sitter will keep the bathroom door closed.

Secure laundry. Cats love open dryers. Dogs eat socks and underwear (and the resulting intestinal blockage is a $3,000–$5,000 surgery). Tell your sitter to keep the washer and dryer doors closed and to pick up dirty laundry from the floor.

Check for standing water. Mop buckets, filled sinks, bathtubs with an inch of water — these are drowning hazards for small pets and drinking sources for pets who shouldn't be consuming soapy water.

Yard and Outdoor Spaces

If your pet has outdoor access, the yard needs to be as prepared as the house.

Walk the fence line. Check for gaps, loose boards, or spots where a dog could dig under. Anxious dogs who've never tried to escape before may try when their owner is gone and a stranger is in the house. Fix any weak points before you leave.

Remove toxic plants. Azaleas, oleander, sago palms, and foxglove are all common yard plants that are toxic to pets. If you can't remove them, make sure your sitter knows which areas of the yard to avoid.

Lock gates. Double-check that every gate latches securely. If a gate has a tricky latch, show the sitter how it works — or better yet, add a carabiner clip as a secondary lock.

Clean up hazards. Rat poison, slug bait, fertilizer, antifreeze puddles in the garage — all of these are lethal to pets and easy to overlook. Do a sweep of the yard, garage, and driveway before you leave.

Pool safety. If you have a pool, make sure the cover is on or the fence around it is secure. Even dogs who can swim can drown if they can't find the stairs to get out. Show your sitter where the pool exit is if the cover will be off.

Doors, Gates, and Escape Routes

Escape prevention deserves its own section because it's the most common disaster in pet sitting arrangements. A pet who gets loose in an unfamiliar sitter's care is every owner's worst nightmare.

Identify every escape route. Front door dashers, back gate slippers, window screen pushers — tell your sitter about every known escape behavior and the specific doors or exits to watch.

Label doors that must stay closed. A piece of tape with "KEEP CLOSED — cat room" prevents the accidental opening that lets the indoor cat into the garage.

Explain the alarm system. Write down the alarm code, how to arm and disarm, and what to do if it goes off accidentally. A sitter who doesn't know the alarm code will set it off at 6 AM and spend twenty minutes on hold with the monitoring company.

Spare key location. If the sitter locks themselves out (it happens), where's the spare? Under the mat, with a neighbor, in a lockbox? Make sure they know before you leave.

Supplies Checklist

Leave enough of everything for the full trip plus a few extra days. Running out of the specific kibble your dog eats on a Sunday night is a problem nobody needs.

Stock up on:

• Pet food (enough for the trip + 3 extra days)
• Medications (count the doses — make sure there are enough)
• Litter (for cats — at least one full bag extra)
• Poop bags
• Treats
• Paper towels and cleaning spray (for accidents)
• Any special supplies (ear drops, eye ointment, supplements)

Leave a note on where to buy more if something runs out. The specific store, the exact product name, and whether there's a loyalty card or account on file.

The Final Walkthrough

Before you leave, walk through the house with your sitter. Not a thirty-minute lecture — a ten-minute walkthrough focused on the things they can't figure out on their own:

• How to work the back door lock (the one that sticks)
• Where the circuit breaker is (in case something trips)
• How to turn the sprinklers on or off
• Where the flashlight is (for late-night potty breaks in the yard)
• Any smart home devices and how to use them (thermostat, cameras, lights)

A walkthrough reveals the things you'd never think to write down because they're automatic to you.

Home Is Ready — Now Make Sure Your Sitter Has the Care Details

Preparing your home handles the physical space. But your sitter also needs the information — feeding schedules, medication instructions, emergency contacts, behavioral notes — in a format they can actually reference.

If you haven't organized that information yet, our complete pet sitter instructions checklist covers every category. And if this is your first time leaving your pet, our guide on leaving your pet for the first time walks through the emotional and practical preparation.

For the fastest way to get it all in one place — organized, shareable, and accessible on your sitter's phone even without internet — CareSheet lets you create a Care Sheet in about five minutes. One link with everything your sitter needs. See a live example to get a feel for how it works.

Ready to make the handoff effortless? Create your free Care Sheet — your home is prepared, now make sure your sitter is too.