I was browsing through my FB feed and saw this very interesting video feature on a Dutch man.
Robbert Zoon works as a professional house sitter in his hometown of Haarlem, a city outside of Amsterdam and the capital of the province of North Holland.
Just what is a house sitter? Well, it involves more than sitting in a house and getting paid for it.
House sitters are called in when the owners of a house need to leave for an extended period of time (beyond overnight sleepovers or weekend getaways) and have pets or plants and other things that require care while they are away.
While there are temporary pet hotels or shelters to leave dogs, cats and other domestic animals, these are either expensive or crowded and the pets may not receive ample care.
Sometimes, friends or relatives are requested to house-sit because owners prefer people they know, are familiar with, and most importantly, can be trusted.
Zoon, however, does house sitting for people he is not related to or even knows. Unless he is called back to do another round, it is a service he renders to strangers.
What is admirable about this man though is he does not get paid for house sitting. Say what?
Free service
Yes, Zoon house-sits for free. So, his service is contracted for him to take care of pets, (he prefers cats because they are more docile and do not need so much attention) waters plants, and keeps the house in order while the owners go away for a week or more.
In return, the man has a place to stay, food to eat, and need not worry about having to pay bills or settle huge expenses that come with having his own place.
In his words, the job takes away the pressure of having to make money, which allows him to pursue more meaningful activities that won't necessarily pay much. But since he doesn't need much, earning a lot isn't a primary goal.
One client, who was interviewed in the same video feature, said she hired Zoon to take care of their cat while she and her kids had to be away for two weeks. It was a more preferable arrangement than leaving the pet in a shelter that was very crowded, which will likely result in the cat getting inadequate attention.
At the same time, she felt comfortable with the thought that their home was not left empty, and someone could check on things regularly.
There was no mention how long Zoon had been house sitting professionally, nor did they say if he did this the whole year round thereby not necessitating permanent quarters of his own.
All that was shown as his possessions were a bicycle with a wooden frame and a small suitcase that he brings along to every home he services.
What Zoon did explain was his choice to house-sit mostly in the many neighborhoods of his hometown so that people become not only acquainted but familiar with him as someone from their community.
Because he stays around for more than just a visit, and neighbors see him tending to house and its surroundings, Zoon is eventually considered part of the community and earns trust among people.
Building trust
As people get to know him and learn of what he can do for them should they decide to also go away for a while, Zoon builds his clientele and their trust.
For certain, Zoon not asking to be paid to house-sit is a crucial factor to cultivate trust. His decision to live a relatively simple life, content with the basics, and enjoying small luxuries every now and then must also inspire trust.
The trade-off between not having a place to call his own and having little possessions compared to a stress-free life seems to sit well with Zoon.
During days when he isn't minding someone else's home, Zoon can be found in a community center where he engages in activities with non-profit organizations.
My thoughts on Robbert Zoon's life?
First, Haarlem must be a relatively peaceful town which makes it easy for people to trust those in their community.
I am not sure such arrangement will work here in my country, where people are often wary of letting strangers into their homes, let alone live there on their own in exchange for taking care of pets, plants and protecting the house from people with criminal intentions.
Ideal life?
Second, not many people are like Zoon, content with not having to worry about bills and expenses, having very little by way of possessions, and prefer not to be pressured to earn a lot of money.
By living a simple, stripped-down lifestyle his 'job' is quite ideal, and would free him of the usual stresses that come along with working a regular job where you are expected to render time, skills, and know-how in exchange for compensation.
Third, there was no mention of Zoon having any family. So, there is no worry of providing for a wife or children and will allow him the stress-free lifestyle that doesn't earn him much.
So, I am thinking when he finally wants to raise a family, he will eventually give up this life and go the traditional route of working for a living to provide not just a home for his wife and especially children, but also for their needs.
What he will take away from this current life is having built a trustworthy relationship with people in his hometown, who will likely not hesitate to extend assistance and support should he need it in the future.
Images: Unsplash
Here in Venezuela there are many people who do what Zoon does. But homeowners do pay a monthly rent to the caretaker of their house. In fact, two houses away from where I live there is a man who has been taking care of a house for 3 years, since the owner migrated with his family to Chile. Interesting post. Greetings.