Salla & Chase

More information about this house sitter

We’re Salla and Chase, a Finnish-Australian couple relocating to Brisbane and looking forward to properly building a life together after spending the past few years balancing work, travel and a long-distance relationship.

Professionally, we’re both in a bit of a transition. Chase is completing his apprenticeship to become a financial adviser, while Salla is moving away from full-time strategy consulting towards a more flexible mix of freelance work, writing and entrepreneurial projects. We’re both ambitious and curious people, but we also care a lot about building a life that leaves room for travel, creativity, time outdoors and the people and experiences that matter to us.

We’re both very home-oriented despite loving adventure. We appreciate a clean, comfortable space, enjoy quiet evenings, cooking, reading, gardening and going for walks, and are just as happy settling in at home with an animal nearby as we are heading off somewhere new.

Between us, we have plenty of experience caring for pets, homes and families. Salla raised and cherished her Keeshond, Masa, for 10 years until he sadly passed away from natural causes earlier this year. She has also cared for cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits and fish, and previously worked professionally as a babysitter for two years, looking after children ranging from six months to 12 years old.

Chase has been surrounded by animals for most of his life. His first job in primary school was walking his neighbour’s Labrador, George, followed later by two more Labradors, Lottie and “Pots”. He also cared for a neighbour’s Samoyed during high school while its owners travelled for work, and has house sat for several families, looking after cats, fish, plants and the usual little jobs that keep a home running smoothly. More recently, his mother lived with him along with her Chihuahua, Pearl, who unexpectedly gave birth to five puppies in his home, so he has also had some hands-on experience with very small and very young dogs.

Chase is also a homeowner and has completed several renovations, so he is comfortable with basic maintenance, tools and keeping an eye on the little things that can come up around a property. We both understand how much trust is involved in leaving your home and pets in someone else’s care, and would treat them with the same care, cleanliness and respect we would our own.

Outside of work, Chase loves history, sci-fi, cooking, gardening, film, the gym, yoga, hiking, hunting and road trips. He also has a slightly inexplicable obsession with chickens and one day dreams of owning an earthship somewhere in the mountains of New Zealand’s South Island, complete with a vegetable garden, plunge pool, sauna and, naturally, chickens. He recently hiked around 400 km through the Swiss Alps and has also completed the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand, so dogs who enjoy long walks will have no shortage of company.

Salla loves reading, writing, self-development, being outdoors, long walks and trying new sports and experiences. She loves animals of all kinds, has always had a soft spot for babies and young children, and is generally very happy eating whatever Chase has cooked.

A big shared passion for both of us is experiencing as much of the world as we can. We love travelling, exploring new places, getting outdoors and saying yes to experiences we might not otherwise have tried. There’s so much beauty in the world, and we both want to make the most of it. Read more...