Google Docs House Sitter Instructions

Start with arrival and access

Put the information needed on arrival at the top. A sitter should not have to search a long document while standing outside with a bag.

Include:

The address and any confusing entrance details
Where to find the key, or how it will be handed over
Which door to use
How the lock, gate, or entry system works
Wi-Fi network and password
Parking instructions and restrictions

Describe physical quirks plainly. If a side gate looks closed but swings open, say so. If the back door must be lifted before it locks, explain the movement.

Give each essential instruction its own line instead of hiding it in a general paragraph.

Add the daily house routine

A short schedule is easier to use than several pages of background. List regular tasks in the order they happen:

When rubbish and recycling go out
Which bins go to the curb
The acceptable thermostat range
Which lights stay on at night
Whether curtains or blinds should be opened or closed
What to do with letters and packages
Where cleaning supplies are kept

Write for the house you actually have. Mention the tap that needs a firm turn and the switch that controls an unexpected room. These stable but forgettable details are why a reusable document helps.

Give each pet a separate routine

Use each pet's name as a heading. Include food amounts, feeding times, walks, medication, rooms that must remain closed, and the locations of leads, carriers, litter, cleaning supplies, and spare food.

Explain familiar behavior that could worry a stranger. A dog may hide during thunderstorms; a cat may skip breakfast and return later.

Add your regular vet and the person to contact when you cannot be reached. For a fuller handoff, use these pet-sitter handoff notes to distinguish everyday care from genuine emergencies.

Write plant instructions by location

“Water the plants” creates guesswork. Name each plant or group by location and state what it needs.

Kitchen herbs: check the soil and water if dry.
Bedroom fern: water on the agreed day.
Window succulents: leave them alone during this visit.

Mention whether a pot must be moved and whether a tray protects the surface beneath it. If the details become lengthy, create separate plant care instructions and link to them rather than maintaining two copies.

Make emergency contacts easy to find

Create one short block containing:

Your phone number
A second household contact
A nearby neighbour or friend
Your regular vet
A building manager, when relevant
A trusted plumber, electrician, or locksmith

Explain when each person should be called. Unexplained names are less useful under pressure.

Keep account passwords, financial information, and anything the sitter does not need out of the document. Share an alarm code separately through a password manager if preferred, and remove temporary access information after the trip.

Keep the document current

Add a Last reviewed line near the top. Before every trip, verify:

Wi-Fi details
Entry instructions
Pet food and medication
Emergency contacts
Rubbish collection arrangements
Work happening around the house

Update the existing document instead of creating a new copy. Otherwise, an old version will eventually be shared.

Capture facts between trips in a note, a message to yourself, or a searchable saving tool such as dEssence, then transfer them to the canonical Google Doc. The shared document remains the sitter's current handoff.

Share a sitter version, not the master copy

A master document may contain details for cleaners, contractors, or family members. Make a sitter copy and remove unrelated information.

Check sharing permissions from a private browser window or another device. If internet access may be unreliable, send a printable copy or leave one in the house.

Tell the sitter where the document is and ask them to open it while you are still available. That catches access problems before they become late-night messages.

Review after every stay

Ask what was confusing or missing. If the sitter asked how to use the lock, rewrite that instruction. If the carrier was hard to find, add its location. If a long section went unread, shorten it or convert it to a checklist.

The goal is not a perfect house manual. It is a dependable handoff that lets someone enter, follow routines, and handle common problems without reconstructing instructions from old texts.