Looking back, I realised I'd been putting my life on hold.
I'd tell myself there was no point buying artwork or lovely things for my home until I owned somewhere. I'd wait until I could paint the walls, until I knew I wasn't going to move again, until I finally had my "forever home".
I'd convinced myself that creating a home was something that could wait. The trouble is, "later" can end up being a very long time. The more I spoke to friends, the more I realised I wasn't the only one doing this.
There are so many people renting for longer than they expected, trying to save deposits that seem to get further away every year, or hoping to buy on a single income while house prices continue to outpace wages.
It can feel like everyone else is posting "we got the keys" photos while you're still refreshing Rightmove and wondering how on earth anyone manages it.
I know because I'm one of those people. I'm 39 and I still don't own a home. In fact, for the last two years, I haven't even had one permanent address. Instead, I've been house and pet sitting around the UK while running Skudaboo, my independent art business, and saving for a deposit. There's something quite ironic about helping other people create homes they love while not having one of my own.
Whenever I tell people that, I usually get one of two reactions. They either think it sounds like an amazing adventure or they look at me as though I've completely lost the plot. Both reactions are fair.
It has also given me something I never expected. It's completely changed how I think about home.
Whether you're renting, decorating a rental or saving for your first home on your own, I hope this blog reminds you that your life doesn't have to stay on hold until you get the keys.
Why I Started House Sitting to Save for a House Deposit
People often assume that if you don't own a house, it's because you can't afford the monthly mortgage payments, but that isn't my problem.
Like many people buying on a single income, it's the deposit that's been the biggest hurdle. There have been times when I've worked out that a mortgage on the kind of house I'd like to buy would actually cost less each month than the rent I was paying.
The difficult bit has always been finding tens of thousands of pounds upfront while paying for somewhere to live at the same time.
Eventually, I realised something had to change. Saving for a deposit while paying rent felt like trying to fill a bath with the plug out. So, after a lot of thinking, I decided to do something a little different. I packed up almost everything I owned, put the rest into storage and started house sitting.
There isn't one "right" way to get onto the property ladder. Some people buy with a partner, some move back in with family for a while, and others receive financial help or inherit money. Around 164,000 first-time buyers receive deposit assistance annually through the "Bank of Mum and Dad," making up 57% of all mortgaged first-time purchases in 2026. (reported by Retirement Solutions).
We all need a step up in different ways, and there's nothing to be embarrassed about. House sitting just happened to be mine. It wasn't the route I'd imagined taking, but it gave me the chance to keep building my business while putting as much money aside as possible.
There have definitely been days where I've questioned whether I'd made the right decision. Living out of a suitcase, constantly packing and unpacking, and never quite feeling settled can be exhausting. Some days, I genuinely miss having something as simple as drawers where I can unpack my clothes properly instead of chucking them all in one bag.
But it has also given me something I never expected. It's completely changed how I think about home.
Why It's So Difficult to Buy a House as a Single Woman in the UK
Sometimes it can feel like everyone else is moving forward while you're standing still.
Social media has a habit of making it look as though buying your first home is simply a case of working hard enough or saving for long enough. But the reality is often much more complicated, especially if you're buying alone.
This year marks 50 years since women in the UK were first legally allowed to apply for a mortgage in their own name. That's not actually that long ago.
Today, women working full-time still earn, on average, 6.9% less than men, according to the Office for National Statistics. It might not sound like much, but why is this still a thing in 2026? Over the years, even a small difference in earnings can have a real impact when you're trying to save for something as expensive as a house deposit.
According to research by Mojo Mortgages, women now make up almost half of all mortgage applicants. Separate research reported by The Intermediary found that 37% of women plan to buy a home on their own rather than waiting until they're in a relationship.
When I first read those statistics, I actually found them reassuring. Not because the situation is okay, it clearly isn't, but because they reminded me that this isn't just my story. It's the reality for thousands of people.
What Living in Other People's Homes Has Taught Me
One of the unexpected joys of house sitting has been getting to experience so many different homes. Some have been tiny cottages in the countryside. Others have been modern townhouses, Victorian terraces or family homes full of muddy paws and children's toys.
Before I started, I think I assumed the most beautiful homes would be the biggest ones, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
The homes I've loved the most haven't necessarily been the biggest, the newest or the most perfectly designed. They've simply felt like the people who live there.
You notice the little things when you stay somewhere. The favourite mug that's always by the kettle, books with dog-eared pages piled beside the bed, a scruffy armchair that nobody can bear to replace, postcards collected from holidays or a gallery wall that's slowly grown over the years.
Those little details tell you everything about the people who live there. They aren't trying to impress anyone; they're simply living their lives, and somehow that's what makes a house feel like home.
It's probably why I've become convinced that artwork is one of the most personal things you can put in a home. Unlike a sofa or a dining table, nobody really needs it. You choose it simply because it makes you feel something.
Don't Wait Until You Own a Home to Make It Feel Like Home
One thing I've realised through all of this is that we've somehow been taught that it's only worth investing in a home once we own it.
I think we've been sold the idea that our homes have to be finished before we can enjoy them. That we'll decorate properly when we own somewhere, buy artwork once we've renovated, or we'll invest in nice things when we've found our forever home.
But what if your forever home is still years away? Should your current home feel temporary in the meantime? I don't think so.
Whether you're renting, saving for your first home, sharing a house with friends or moving every few months, you still deserve to come home to a space that feels comforting and familiar. You don't need permission from a mortgage lender to make somewhere feel like yours.
Five Ways to Make A Rental Feel More Like Home
The longer I've spent moving between different homes, the more I've realised that creating one has very little to do with spending lots of money. It comes down to surrounding yourself with things that make you feel like you.
1. Choose Things You Truly Love
Choose artwork because you love it, not because it matches the sofa. Trends come and go, but the pieces that make you smile will probably stay with you for years. They'll move with you from flat to flat, rented house to first home, becoming part of your story along the way.
2. Display the Memories That Matter
Don't just frame photographs. Postcards, children's drawings, old maps, concert tickets or a menu from your favourite holiday can all become part of your home. The most meaningful things often cost the least because they're tied to memories, not price tags.
3. Stop Saving Your Favourite Things for "One Day"
Use the good mug. Burn the candle. Put flowers on the table, even if they're from the supermarket. Life isn't waiting for your forever home, so why should the nice things?
4. Make the Most of Renter-Friendly Decorating
If you're renting or don't want to damage your walls, there are plenty of ways to display art without picking up a drill. Lean larger frames on a shelf, mantelpiece or sideboard, make use of picture rails and picture hooks if you're lucky enough to have them, or use Command Strips for lighter frames.
5. Let Your Home Grow With You
The best homes aren't decorated in a weekend. They're collected over years, one meaningful object at a time. The books you've read, the artwork you've fallen in love with and the little treasures you've picked up along the way all become part of your story.
Why Helping People Create a Home Matters So Much to Me
Looking after so many different homes has only reinforced why I started Skudaboo in the first place. People sometimes ask why I'm so passionate about independent art. I think it's because I've realised that the things we choose to surround ourselves with have very little to do with decorating and everything to do with making a place feel like home. One meaningful piece of art can completely change how you feel when you walk into a room.
That's why every artist I work with is carefully chosen. Not because I'm trying to fill a catalogue, but because I genuinely believe the things we choose to surround ourselves with become part of our story.
Home Isn't Something You Unlock
I'd still love to own a home one day.
I'd love a little garden, walls I can paint any colour I like, somewhere I can finally unpack every box that's been sitting in storage and, yes, a chest of drawers that doesn't disappear every few weeks when it's time to move again.
But somewhere over the last couple of years, I've stopped thinking that life starts when I finally get the keys.
If house sitting has taught me anything, it's that home has very little to do with ownership. The homes I've felt happiest in haven't all been owned by the people living there, and they certainly haven't all been perfect. They've just been lived in.
They've had a favourite mug by the kettle, a dog asleep in the corner, books piled on the bedside table and artwork that's clearly moved from house to house because someone loved it too much to leave behind.
I think that's what I'll remember long after I've finally bought somewhere of my own. Not the square footage or the paint colours, but the little things that make a place feel familiar.
So if you're renting, saving for a deposit or simply waiting for the "right time", don't put your life on hold in the meantime. Buy the artwork you keep thinking about. Use the good mugs. Put flowers on the table just because it's Tuesday. Make your home feel like yours, even if it's only yours for a little while.
Because home isn't something you own, it's something you create.
