How to Prepare a Home for a House-Sitter or Caregiver

TL;DR: A successful house-sitter or caregiver stay starts with labeled utility shut-offs, written instructions for HVAC and appliances, a two-page emergency contact list, and a clear maintenance schedule. Spend two hours documenting before you leave to avoid frantic calls while you're away.

_Last reviewed: July 2026 · 7 min read_

Handing your keys to a house-sitter or caregiver means trusting someone with your largest asset while you're unreachable on a plane or focused on a family member's care. The difference between a smooth handoff and a midnight plumbing panic is documentation—not just verbal instructions but written, labeled, findable information that works when you're not there to answer texts.

Okoniq Property Hub keeps maintenance records, appliance manuals, and contractor contacts in one place, making it easier to export a house-sitter packet or share access with a caregiver who needs to know which plumber you trust.

What systems and shut-offs should you label before someone stays in your home?

Label every utility shut-off with a physical tag or printed sign before you leave. Your house-sitter needs to find the main water valve, the gas meter shut-off, and the electrical panel in under 60 seconds if a pipe bursts or a breaker trips. Attach a laminated card to the water heater with the temperature setting (120°F is standard), the breaker number that controls it, and the plumber's phone number. Tag the furnace filter slot with the filter size (16×25×1, for example) and the replacement schedule.

Label the AC condensate drain line clean-out cap if your system has a history of clogs—write "Check monthly, pour 1 cup vinegar" on a sticky note attached to the air handler cabinet. Mark the sump pump test button and the float switch location if you have a basement. If you have a boiler, tape a card to the front listing the annual service date, the pressure range (12-15 PSI for most residential systems), and what to do if the gauge drops below 10. A caregiver who's never operated a boiler won't troubleshoot by instinct.

Use a label maker or write in permanent marker on blue painter's tape for valves and switches—tape peels off without residue when the stay ends. Take photos of each labeled shut-off and include them in the written packet.

What written instructions do house-sitters actually need?

Write a two-page laminated instruction sheet for every system that might need attention during the stay. For the thermostat, list the brand, the hold vs. schedule mode, the Wi-Fi password if it's smart-enabled, and the temperature range you want maintained (68°F heating, 76°F cooling is typical). If the home has a heat pump, note the "emergency heat" switch and when to use it (never, unless the compressor fails and you authorize it).

For the water heater, state the age, the fuel type, and whether it's been flushed recently. For appliances, include the quirks: "Dishwasher needs an extra rinse cycle," "Washing machine sometimes throws an E3 code—unplug for 10 seconds to reset," "Garbage disposal jam wrench is in the drawer under the sink." If the bathroom exhaust fan runs on a timer, explain how to extend it—many guests won't know that holding the switch for three seconds activates a 20-minute run.

Include Wi-Fi network name and password, alarm system codes with arming instructions, and garage door opener battery locations. If you have a fireplace, attach a printed copy of the chimney inspection date and the rule: "Burn only seasoned hardwood, never cardboard or treated lumber." For homes with well water, explain the pressure tank gauge and what to do if pressure drops below 30 PSI. Leave the manual for every major appliance in a labeled binder—don't assume the house-sitter will find the manufacturer's website when the oven throws a code at 6 PM on Sunday.

Who should be on the emergency contact list?

Build a two-page contact sheet with names, phone numbers, addresses, and a one-sentence description of what each person handles. At the top: your cell number, your backup contact (a neighbor or local friend), and the nearest urgent care or ER address. Below that, list your plumber, electrician, HVAC contractor, locksmith, and handyman with the phrase "Pre-approved for service up to $X"—give the house-sitter spending authority for genuine emergencies so they don't wait for your approval while water rises.

Include your homeowners insurance agent and policy number, the water utility's emergency line (for main breaks outside the house), the gas company's leak hotline, and the local non-emergency police number. If you have a security system, list the monitoring company and the account password. Add your veterinarian if the sitter is caring for pets, and the nearest 24-hour emergency vet clinic.

For caregivers, add the patient's primary care physician, pharmacy phone and address, and any medical equipment service numbers (oxygen supplier, wheelchair repair). Print this list in 14-point font, laminate it, and tape it inside the kitchen cabinet where you keep the coffee—a place the sitter will open daily.

What maintenance tasks should the house-sitter handle, and which should they leave alone?

Define the line between routine and call-me-first in writing. Routine tasks for a multi-week stay: water indoor plants per your labeled schedule, bring in mail, run all faucets once a week if the home will otherwise be empty, replace the HVAC filter if the stay crosses your usual change date (leave three spares in a labeled spot), test smoke and CO detectors if the stay exceeds 30 days, and clear snow from walkways if you're in a cold climate.

Tasks to skip: any repair involving a ladder over six feet, anything that requires shutting off gas or electricity, and any appliance disassembly beyond removing lint from the dryer vent screen. If a breaker trips more than once for the same circuit, the instruction is "Call me, don't keep resetting it." If the furnace shuts off, "Check the air filter, then call the HVAC tech—number in the packet." A house-sitter isn't your maintenance crew; they're your early-warning system.

Leave a calendar or checklist with specific dates: "December 15: replace furnace filter," "January 5: test sump pump." If you're away during a season that requires closing a seasonal home, include those steps or hire them done before you leave. Don't assume the sitter will intuit which sounds are normal and which are not—tell them in writing: "Boiler clicking on is normal, loud banging is not," "Ice maker drops cubes every two hours, that's expected."

How do you give a house-sitter or caregiver access to maintenance records and warranties?

Export or print a summary of recent maintenance work, warranty expiration dates, and contractor service history before the stay begins. If your water heater was installed in 2019 and has a six-year warranty, note that—if it fails in 2025, the sitter can call the installer for potential warranty coverage. If the HVAC system had a compressor replaced under warranty in 2023, include the service invoice and the contractor's name so the sitter can reference the repair if a new issue arises.

Leave appliance purchase receipts and extended warranty documents in the same binder as the manuals. If you track this in Okoniq, export a PDF of the last 12 months' logs and print it—include completed maintenance (so the sitter knows the furnace was serviced in October) and upcoming tasks (so they know the septic tank is due for pumping in March if the stay extends that long). If your roof was replaced in 2020 and has a 25-year shingle warranty, write "Roof warranty expires 2045, installer: [name and phone]."

For a caregiver who may stay indefinitely, set up a shared digital folder with manuals, warranties, and service contacts. Grant view-only access to your Okoniq account or export key records monthly. Update the binder each time a contractor visits—don't let the house-sitter or caregiver rely on memory or scattered paperwork when a system fails at night.

FAQ

How much detail should I provide about quirks in appliances and systems?

More is better—document every workaround you perform by instinct. If you jiggle the toilet handle to stop running water, if the basement door sticks in humid weather, if the dishwasher needs the "heated dry" button tapped twice to activate, write it down. The house-sitter will interpret silence as normal and call you at midnight if something behaves unexpectedly.

Should I give the house-sitter permission to hire contractors without asking first?

Yes, with a dollar limit. "You're approved to spend up to $300 for urgent repairs—plumbing leaks, HVAC failures, broken locks—without calling me first" prevents delays that turn a $150 fix into $1,200 of water damage while they wait for your text reply. For anything over the limit or non-urgent, they call.

What if the house-sitter or caregiver isn't comfortable handling any maintenance?

Hire it done before you leave or arrange a local property manager or handyman to check in weekly. Some caregivers are focused entirely on the patient and can't also manage a house; accept that and build contractor visits into your budget. Leave instructions to call the plumber, HVAC tech, or electrician immediately for any system issue—don't expect them to troubleshoot.

How do I handle smart-home systems and app-controlled devices?

Create a guest login for your smart thermostat, security cameras, and doorbell apps, or write down your credentials in the packet if you trust the sitter. Walk them through the app before you leave, showing how to adjust temperature, view cameras, or unlock a smart lock. If remote access fails, include manual override instructions—physical thermostat controls, breaker locations, backup keys.

Do I need to update the contact list if I'm only gone for a week?

Yes—a week is long enough for a pipe to burst, a breaker to trip, or a furnace to quit. The contact list isn't effort-scaled to trip length; it's insurance. Print it once, laminate it, and reuse it every time someone stays in your home.

This is educational information, not legal or property management advice. Consult your homeowners insurance agent about coverage during extended absences and verify local regulations on house-sitter or caregiver liability before handing over keys.