I would love to hear from sitters regarding how far ahead they plan their sitting schedules. I will be taking a two week trip leaving Jan 22, 2024 and I wonder if now is too soon to post it?
Some HOs have already listed sits beyond that. Sitters vary in how far ahead they book.
Yes I agree with @Maggie8K on what she has said.
Personally, I don’t like to look further ahead than three months but in saying that, I am currently booked until May '24.
Not sure where you live but here in Australia, that is pretty well end of our school holidays and a lot of older people travel then to avoid the high prices and unavailability of accommodation during such holidays.
But then again, Christmas/New Year period (school holidays) is almost impossible to find a sitter here so you would be advertising now for that time.
Hard to say, each sitter and homeowner is different. I just think that sometimes, booking too far ahead, a lot of sitters DO cancel because they find something better/longer. Just my opinion from experience on three sites. I think January is fine to advertise now, good luck 
Hi Dianne
Sitters vary in how far ahead they plan their schedule. 4 months is a bit off but not actually that far away. Many sitters plan up to a year out or more.
Where the sit is and for how long will also play a role. If it is in a really touristic spot, you will get lots of interest pretty quickly.
I have planned sits that far ahead before, primarily when I want to be in a certain area at a particular time, whether it is coming back home for an extended period to visit with family–we are full time sitters- our schedule leading up to that point will have us in that region and we want to stay there.
I would also book a sit that far ahead if it was somewhere I really wanted to go, but was at least a few weeks, especially if it is a distance from where I will be prior.
I think for a lot of sitters, the sit length is also a factor. For example, I wouldn’t book a shorter term sit too far ahead unless we were already booked pretty solid up until that point and it worked well for our schedule. Otherwise, by committing to a shorter sit, while still having larger gaps in our schedule, it could limit our options for filing that open time leading up to it, or booking something beyond the sit dates.
For example, a HO we have sat for prior invited us for a week long sit almost 4 months from now and I let them know we wouldn’t be available. We are only booked through the end of October at this point, and while it is in an area we would like to be in at that time, we are hoping to find some longer term sits, and have lots of time still.
Anyway, this was probably more detail than you needed, but I think it could be helpful for HOs to have some insight into the sitter’s thought process. And other sitters are usually interested in how other people go about this all.
We already have sits in the diary as far ahead as Sept 2024 so no definitely not too early, especially if it’s a longer sit @diannefuller
It’s definitely not too early. We’re booked into next summer.go ahead and post!
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I recommend you post it now. I’m booked until April next year and looking at booking beyond that soon
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If it was in a spot where I wanted to go, I would apply. (Depending on animals etc of course.)
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Post soon for the best selection of applicants. I posted a sit yesterday for Feb-March 2024 (6 weeks). I’m not in one of the wildly popular locations, but it is a major US city. To my surprise, I got 5 applicants within an hour, some of them very good. I declined the unsuitable ones, unpaused the listing, and got new applicants quickly. I’ve never posted so far in advance, and never had so many good applicants!
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I posted for a sit next April and confirmed our sitters a couple of months ago; approx 9 months in advance. If people are travelling overseas they’ll be booking/planning possibly a year in advance.
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Thanks, I am in the United States in Washington along the coast. It can be rainy or wonderfully sunny, but rarely warmer than low 60’s so people may be reluctant to come based on weather.
@diannefuller Keep in mind this is a worldwide company. Above freezing in January? No snow shovelling required? That’s a heatwave for some Canadians. 
As to your question, a true answer is sitters are as varied as the owner listings. There isn’t a yes or no answer to your question. 
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Don’t think negative….it’s on the coast! Wow, actually, I live on the coast and it’s not warm here in the UK either. Big yourself up (and your property).
We’re pretty full until the end of Oct 2024.
The sooner you post, the better in my opinion.
Dianne, coming from a country that has temperatures in the high thirties (Celcius) at that time, some people LOVE to escape it for a cooler temp. I spent a white Christmas in Boston one year, shovelling snow etc and absolutely loved it! An experience I had never had nor may never have again. Some people here have never even seen snow so it’s an exciting change for some. Even if it doesn’t snow there, the difference in weather can be very tempting for those of us who spend all summer, and most of the rest of the year, in intense heat.
You will find someone, I would do it in a heartbeat if I could. In my sales days of old, I fast learnt that there is a buyer for EVERYTHING! 
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I agree - I have a house-sit listed for people to come and look after our home in May 2024, it’s just one less thing to have to organise. I guess the risk is if the sitter backs out before then or if plans change, but that could happen even for sits in the near future.
I guess the only thought is that your membership needs to be current for when the sit happens. Not a problem for me, but some people might not realise that.
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It is not too early. I have return sits planned for March and November 2024 so I am already checking everyday for other sits to piggy back on those. It is especially good to post sits of longer duration far in advance.
However, when I do book far in advance I am mentally prepared for the pet parents to change their dates. Over the years hosts have cancelled on me due to Covid, a broken leg, and a broken hand. Another host changed her dates twice. Life happens. Flexibility is helpful.
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