Looking for help with home improvement projects in Tuscany, Italy

  • Favourited 626 times
  • Last activity: 9 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hey there, I’m looking for trusted and motivated people for general house chores in Tuscany countryside, please read my description below if you're interested in spending one or two weeks with me (and my animals) surrounded by nature!

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    FOR SUMMER 2023
    I'm looking for a couple who is interested in helping me in daily works and/or doing house/pet sitting for a few weeks in July or August. More details below. If you are interested, please send me a message.

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    Hello everybody! I’m Alessia from Italy.

    A few years ago, I moved from the city to the mountain, to start a new life project in close contact with wilderness and natural rhythms. I live in an old-fashioned stone house in the Tuscan Appennines (close to Alpe della Luna) 700m, surrounded by woods and wild animals.

    I’m a biologist and I work most of the time from home (some people think I’m always on holiday just because I don't go to the office!).

    I grow a vegetable garden and take care of two cats, two dogs, and a bunch of funny hens. They are all considered part of the family, they have their spaces and habits and guests are asked to understand and respect them.

    I’m trying to have a sustainable life, living as green as possible and the workawayer has to be interested to live in such a system. This means a responsible use and consumption of electricity and water, such as:

    *️️️️️️️️️️️️Electricity and computers off, when you are not there
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️Water from taps and shower as short as possible
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️When washing, always taking care that there is full machine.
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️No waste of food

    I’m tolerant and open minded, but I do not accept any form of violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, prejudice and discriminations in general. If you like to dig, weed, clean, take care of animals, build and repair things and in general offer a helping hand, then I would like to hear from you! I especially like people who are attentive and orderly. The house is quite isolated, surrounded by nature and wild animals, very few people inhabit this place and it is very relaxing (and silent!). Anyway, during your stay, you could have the opportunity to meet my friends and join in traditional village festival (especially in summer).

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    HOUSE and PET SITTING (period to be defined even together)

    For a short time I may ask workawayers (better if they are a couple) to do house and pet sitting; in that case I will ask to come few days in advance to show how the house works.

    The main tasks will be taking care of the wood stove (during the cold season from October to May), vegetable garden (spring/summer), the animals (two cats, a bunch of hens and two dogs), that means basically feeding them, petting them every now and then check they don't put themselves in troubles during the day. The only requirement I ask is a strong love and confidence with animals and countryside life. Workawayers will have plenty of free time and a good opportunity to enjoy the house, the garden and the beautiful sorroundings. I can host only WAW with feedbacks and better if they are a couple or have own car.

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    PLEASE NOTICE:

    - I can't host children here, because this place is not very childproof.
    - I can't host dogs or other animals
    - I can't host people allergic to pets
    - I don't host for gaining the Italian citizenship.

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    COVID 19

    I'm fully vaccinated and I have the Green Certificate. I can accept only people with vaccination against Covid-19 (Green Certificate), or a negative antigenic or molecular swab taken within the last 48 hours, or recovery from the infection.

    Thanks for your understanding!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Language practice
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Guests could learn something about italian culture and activities, such as gardening, cooking italian food, nature and wild animals observation and so on.

    I used to speak a good english but it is a bit rusty right now. You should be patient and give me trust :)

  • Help

    Help

    In general I’m looking for positive, curious and friendly people, who understand the spirit of a human and cultural exchange, with some experiences working outside (garden/vegetable garden), not afraid to get hands dirty and MOST OF ALL with a strong confidence with animals (they are free in the garden, and most of the time you'll be much in contact with them).

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    During all seasons, it would be nice if you could help me in:

    *️️️️️️️️️️art/garden projects (my idea would be to re-project my garden creating some functional spaces)
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️gardening: cleaning and collecting small stones from the garden
    *️️️️️️️️️️️general house maintenance/painting walls/little renovation tasks and so on (carpenters, in-door designer or experienced craftsman are very welcome!)
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️animal care: feeding them and taking care when they are outside in the garden
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️language practice (english or whatever)
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️house and pet sitting
    *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️participate in the household duties (cleaning, cooking, etc.)

    APRIL – JUNE
    - work outside in the vegetable garden
    - construction (fences, dry stone walls and much more)
    - take care of the gardens

    JULY – OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
    - stack firewood
    - take care of the gardens
    - harvest fruits, vegs, wallnuts and more
    - preserving harvest
    - house and pet sitting (could ask in october till december)

    The weather in the mountains can change quickly. There are many hot days through the whole year when the sun's out and it can get pretty cold when there are rainy days. So bring clothes for all kind of weather situations in every season. Weatherproof jacket, work gloves, strong shoes (or boots) are essential -you can bring a swimsuit during the summer season. Our guests need to be self-sufficient once we explained daily job.

    *️*️*️ IMPORTANT *️*️*️

    If you would like to join me, I need to ask you to have insurance before traveling. I can only host people with insurance. Thanks!

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    Italian: Fluent
    English: Intermediate

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    I have a spacious and well equipped double room just for guests, with a double bed and a single bed. It can happens to share the room with other guests, but it's rare and we can talk about this in advance.

    The house has a shared kitchen, a small but cozy living room, some undefined rooms and two shared bathroom.

    I'm renovating the house and some areas are still a big mess (not the ones mentioned before). I try to keep home clean and tidy, but take note this is a country house, with a large wood stove for heating (that means dust and firewood all around), cats and dogs always around (that means lot of hairs in the air), spiders and scorpions occasionally appearing and saying hello (rather than kill them, I gently accompany them to the door).

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    How to get to my place --> If you don't have a private means of transport, the best way to reach our place is to catch buses from Arezzo or Sansepolcro, but their rides are very limited because the times and the days of the races correspond to the school (Monday to Saturday).

    at-bus.it/ is the website for Tuscany where you can find the timetables and calculate the route. It starts directly at the train station in Arezzo and can leave you at 6 km from the house (I can pick you up from there). For more information please contact me in advance and please try not to arrive on a Sunday (no bus coming up), grazie! Another way could be with hitchhiking, if you are comfortable with it, or blablacar to reach Arezzo or Sansepolcro, because it is not easy to find someone that ride to the village.

    My house is quite isolated, there is only a bar a few meters away, but in the village (6 km from the house) you can find some shops: small grocery, pharmacy, post office, ATM and the bus station.

    Activities: it is possible to go trekking in the Alpe della Luna Nature Reserve (there are many paths), go to the river Marecchia for a fresh bath or if you have a car not far from here you can visit beautiful villages (Sansepolcro, Pennabilli, San Marino, Rimini, Anghiari...).
    You can find some information here:
    prolocobadiatedalda.it
    meetvaltiberina.it

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 541492631548

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