You don't have to move forever
to live abroad.
We're Caroline and Keith, and for the past four years we've been spending longer stretches of time in Europe without selling everything, without a permanent move, and without pretending there is only one right way to do it. This is our practical conversation about how that actually works: the costs, the house sits, the logistics, the mistakes, and the small moments when somewhere stops feeling like a holiday and starts feeling like your life. Whether you're traveling solo, with a partner, or still figuring out what this chapter could look like, you're in the right place.
Send my guideGet our free 9-question readiness guide. Practical, calm, and pressure-free. We never share your email. Unsubscribe anytime.
We're slightly ahead on a path you may want to walk.
What we wish someone had walked us through when we were first wondering whether any of this was actually possible, and whether it could work for people like us.
The real numbers
What it actually costs to spend longer stretches of time abroad, accommodation, groceries, transport, insurance, flights, and the unexpected expenses that quietly catch you off guard.
The mechanics that work
Schengen rules without the panic. House sitting through TrustedHouseSitters, how it works, what to expect, and why it's one of the best entry points into longer stays. Long rentals, healthcare, banking, phones, and the unglamorous details that make the difference.
The stories that show what it feels like
The dogs, the markets, the village walks, the quiet decisions, and the moments when a place stops feeling like a destination and starts feeling like daily life.
Two people, many chapters, and a different way to live.
We left Florida in 2019 and drove west to Gig Harbor, Washington. It wasn't a carefully planned reinvention, it was the next reasonable thing that seemed possible. We'd been TrustedHouseSitters members as pet owners for years, and decided to explore the Pacific Northwest through the other side of it, as sitters. A season of neighbourhoods, routines, dogs, cats, and homes that taught us how quickly a place can begin to feel familiar.
Then Covid changed everything. We rented a "month-to-month" apartment we thought we'd be in for a few weeks. We were there two years.
On May 1st 2022 we moved out, and we haven't stopped moving since. Sixty-plus house sits. Long stays across England, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Israel. We have learned that spending more time abroad does not have to mean selling everything, moving forever, or doing it one particular way.
Read the full story →
Nine practical questions before you start planning.
Use this scorecard to see how ready you are for a longer stay abroad, before you book anything, sell anything, or talk yourself out of the idea too soon.
- Clarify whether a longer stay abroad fits your real life right now
- Think through cost, timing, health, family, pets, language, and logistics
- Explore options whether you travel solo, with a partner, with friends, or are still deciding
- Choose a calmer next step instead of trying to solve everything at once
Get the guide before you start planning.
Nine practical questions to help you think through cost, timing, destination, house sitting, language, logistics, and whether a longer stay abroad fits your real life right now.
Send my guideNo spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Practical, calm, and pressure-free.